10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 13, 2012

My week-long trip to Hungary was a familiarity trip organized by the wonderful folks at Swarovski Optik to introduce their new line of superior spotting scopes, the ATX and the STX modular telescopes , which were used to digiscope all of the images in this post. Few are as easy to figure out! …

Hungary 169

Hungary Asia Europe Africa 169

10,000 Birds

JULY 23, 2012

My week-long trip to Hungary was a familiarity trip organized by the wonderful folks at Swarovski Optik to introduce their new line of superior spotting scopes, the ATX and the STX modular telescopes. Fine, my best bird was a White-backed Woodpecker , alright? … We visited Hortobágy National Park, the Bükk Hills and places in between.

Hedgehogs 176

Hedgehogs Hungary Opossums North America 176

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2014

Black Woodpecker – This is a bird that has eluded me on two trips to Germany – both of which included exploring forests where they were supposed to be present – and a trip to a region of Hungary where they are supposed to be common. and now Dragan is getting in on the act as well.

Costa Rica 239

Costa Rica Hungary Honduras Woodpeckers 239

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 31, 2013

Still, in recent decades, the Great Black-backed Gull has become a regular migratory and wintering wanderer of neighbouring Hungary and Croatia. Is it because the number of birds is increasing? Or the number of birders is increasing? Or better optics becomes more readily available?

Serbia 233

Serbia Croatia Hungary 2012 233

10,000 Birds

JUNE 18, 2012

While on my trip to Hungary I was pleased to bird with and spend time with Tim Appleton, the co-founder and co-organizer of the Birdfair, the world’s largest birding event. Having never been to Birdfair I figured I would ask him why someone would want to go.

Hungary 163

Hungary Rights Birds 163

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2012

Corey’s Best Bird of the Weekend was the last bird he paid attention to in Hungary on Saturday morning before flying back to the United States, a European Goldfinch singing in a tree outside of his hotel. Oh, you didn’t know we were keeping score? It was a great way to end a wonderful week in a new (to Corey) country.

Hungary 181

Hungary Miami 2012 Trinidad 181

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2023

Dave Gosney’s Finding Birds Series covers mostly the Western Palearctic and describes birding in various regions of Portugal, Spain, Morocco, France, Finland, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, etc., with some additions, namely South Texas, The Gambia, and Goa (India).

Greece 253

Greece Macedonia Bulgaria Gambia 253

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 27, 2013

Fortunately, she had the presence of mind to get a picture (not the one at the top of this post, which was taken in Hungary). White Storks are long distance migrants but this would be an astounding record if it were a wild bird.

New York 195

New York Hungary Zoos Asia 195

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2012

And while I can still remember the first time I saw one in 2007, in the company of Jochen and Hendrik in a pine forest on the coast of the Baltic Sea, it took until this year’s trip to Hungary before I managed to get a decent image of one. It’s because they like to crack open or “hatch” nuts for food. …

Hungary 136

Hungary Europe Portugal Russia 136

10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2011

The Crossbill Guide Foundation is a publishing NGO, founded by Dirk Hilbers, and they currently have 10 Crossbill Guides for great European birding/nature areas, including the Finnish Lapland, Hungary’s Hortobagy, France’s Loire Valley and the Biebrza Marshes in Poland. Wholeness, interconnectedness, wonder, beauty.

Poland 229

Poland Transported Hungary France 229

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 21, 2012

The answer may lie in locations, like Hungary … where rufous cuckoos are more numerous than in the UK. Perhaps the rufous cuckoo is not as good a predator imitator as the gray cuckoo, and thus cannot fool the hosts as well. Or perhaps the rufous females have some physiological or reproductive disadvantages compared to the gray females.

Hungary 185

Hungary 2012 Science Eggs 185

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2012

After Corey shared his story of his hedgehog experience in Hungary I thought you may like to see some rather adorable pictures of a young European Hedgehog in England. It appears that hedgehog numbers in the UK have dropped by 25% in the last 10 years , so every hedgehog that can be saved is extremely worthwhile.

Hedgehogs 174

Hedgehogs RSPCA Hungary The Blue Cross 174

Animal Person

APRIL 20, 2009

In " Hungary's Spirits Are Back Up, on a Horse ," the New York Times' Nicholas Kulish reports that a thoroughbred known as Overdose, who is owned by Hungarian Zoltan Mikoczy, has become "the Hungarian Seabiscuit. Overdose has become a celebrity and a symbol and a sign of hope for Hungary.

Horses 100

Horses Hungary New York Times Ethics 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 28, 2015

I have asked myself that same question many times over the last six months, until last week, when I was involved in an opening ceremony of five new bird hides at the Palic Lake, by the town of Subotica in the very north of Serbia, along the border with Hungary (all photos are from that area). Comfort?

Serbia 268

Serbia Spain Birds Hungary 268

Critter News

DECEMBER 22, 2008

In one of the biggest undercover inquiries into pig-farming, CIWF visited 60 farms across five big pork-producing states, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary and Britain. Overall, Spain had the worst conditions, followed by the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary and Britain. Jaime Oliver is doing a show about the issue in Britain.

Pigs 100

Pigs Europe Investigation Factory Farm 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2013

June – Hungary. In June I went to Hungary. I also appreciated Mississippi Kites not too far from my job, great birds on the coast of Queens , and more wood-warblers. Despite all that birding I had some time to try to guess what my next eleven birds in Queens would be. Finally, I learned not to feed the birds.

2012 155

2012 Czech Republic Hedgehogs Hungary 155

4 The Love Of Animals

FEBRUARY 9, 2011

Komondorok have been bred as livestock guard dogs originating from Hungary, and when threatened they reveal sheer athletic muscularity and a deep, ferocious bark that is sure to scare anyone. To read Jaime’s full open letter to Zuckerberg (or anyone else contemplating these beautiful breeds) – click here.

Dogs 100

Dogs Dog Training Hungary Livestock 100

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2012

While the Northern Lapwing wasn’t a year bird for me (I was lucky enough to see a couple in Hungary ) it was a new bird for my ABA list , number 495. Eventually we decided to make one more visit to the lapwings and we watched them for awhile again before they took off and headed to the north pasture. I can almost taste 500!

North America 145

North America Hungary Geese Blackbirds 145

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 15, 2018

The Pastures of Great Bustard occupy 6770 ha of extensive steppe, bordered by meadows, pasture, arable fields and seasonally inundated depressions in the north of the country, towards the triple border with Romania and Hungary. That area should be able to support ten times larger population of bustards.

Serbia 118

Serbia Romania Hungary Hunting 118

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2018

But, published in 1921 in Budapest, Hungary, it was written in Hungarian. It didn’t stop me, although I could understand only dates, some place names (many others have changed) and some bird names (the birds were mentioned by their scientific names and you can imagine how they have changed).

Beavers 160

Beavers Serbia Hungary Eagles 160

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2012

Attila Steiner, who I was lucky enough to meet while I was in Hungary , was ecstatic to see a rare rail in Ghana: It was my last afternoon in Ankasa Reserve, Ghana. A whole bunch of you responded and shared your best birds either in blog post form, email form, or in our comments.

2012 133

2012 Ghana Ireland Costa Rica 133

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 6, 2017

And if I dip again? Well, that doesn’t even bear thinking about.

Woodpeckers 100

Woodpeckers Austria Hungary Europe 100

10,000 Birds

JULY 21, 2022

Preliminary Study of Slaughter Value and Meat Characteristics of 18 Months Ostrich Reared in Hungary. Here are a few examples: The Ostrich Communal Nesting System. Medicinal and commercial uses of ostrich products in Tanzania. Studies on improving ostrich egg hatchability. Ostriches originated in Asia. Ostrich industry in Egypt.

Ostriches 147

Ostriches Parrots Eggs Africa 147

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 21, 2016

Today, birders wanting to see this avian gem usually venture to the healthy populations of the Iberian peninsular or travel to Hungary.

Germany 105

Germany Mongolia Abandoning Abandonment 105

4 The Love Of Animals

NOVEMBER 24, 2009

A team led by cognitive scientist Josef Topál of the Research Institute for Psychology in Hungary recently ran an experiment to study how 10-month-old babies pay attention to people. Along the way, the dogs’ social intelligence became eerily like ours, and not just in their ability to follow a pointed finger.

Wolves 100

Wolves Fox Dogs Apes 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 30, 2012

White-backed Woodpecker was one of the major target birds of the Bükk Hills portion of the trip to Hungary and though I would probably have preferred seeing what I now believe to be the mythical Black Woodpecker , the White-backed Woodpecker was a nice consolation prize. No one had access to my thought processes or to the previous footnote.

Woodpeckers 217

Woodpeckers Hungary Europe Japan 217

10,000 Birds

JULY 31, 2012

Until a month ago I had never seen the Eurasian Wryneck either, but the trip to Hungary took care of that gap on the life list easily. Many thanks to Swarovski Optik for inviting me along and letting me experience both some awesome new optics and the natural wonders of the wonderful country of Hungary. ••• a.

Hungary 191

Hungary Asia Woodpeckers Africa 191

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 8, 2023

Conversely, many American hunters refer to the gray/grey bird as the Hun, a shortened version of Hungarian, for Hungary was the source of many of the birds introduced to the Americas. These are hardy birds – they have to be to survive a Canadian winter.

Hungary 210

Hungary Fox Norway Eggs 210

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2022

Gorman also leads bird tours in central and Eastern Europe and posts photos and updates on his work on his own website and, as I said before, Facebook.

Woodpeckers 264

Woodpeckers Hungary Thailand Europe 264

10,000 Birds

MAY 30, 2013

In the same period, neighbouring Hungary had more than 60 pairs of them. Today, Serbia’s population has risen to 4 to 5 pairs, while Hungary’s went up to 130+ pairs! In other words, this globally threatened species barely made it in Serbia. We must be doing something wrong?

Serbia 238

Serbia Eagles Hungary Cooking 238

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2018

Yet, it takes great logistical effort to organize the census all the way from Germany to Austria, Hungary and Serbia in the same day, to count on numerous volunteers and hope for the best February weather. I feel that there must be some more good looking girls to attract some boys from Hungary, but I no longer dare to hope.

Hungary 186

Hungary Serbia Austria Eggs 186

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2012

It subsequently spread to Budapest/ Hungary (2005, 2006), Zürich/ Switzerland (2006), and north-east Italy (2008/2009). The Usutu Virus has spread considerably in central Europe over the last 10 years. The first detection outside Africa occurred in Vienna/Austria between 2001 and 2006.

Germany 169

Germany Blackbirds 2006 Denmark 169

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 23, 2024

Storks, Ibises and Spoonbills goes on to give greater detail of the former nesting sites in Europe: it could once be found “in southern Germany and Austria, in the valleys of the upper Rhine and Danube Rivers, and in the Alps of Switzerland, Italy and Germany, and perhaps in Hungary and Greece”.

Morocco 246

Morocco Austria Algeria Germany 246

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2025

Gabor Orban – during the last 20 years I seasonally migrate like a special bird and live half a year in Costa Rica, Latin America, and half a year in Hungary, Central Europe. Resplendent Quetzal … and Eurasian Roller What is your name, and where do you live? What are the main regions or locations you cover as a bird guide?

Costa Rica 238

Costa Rica Hungary Europe America 238

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2024

Which bird species do you think is the biggest attraction to visitors to your lodge (please name only one species)? Saker Falcon What is the name of your lodge, and since when has your lodge been operating? Ecotours Kondor Ecolodge, since 2008. How best to travel to your lodge?

Hungary 245

Hungary 2008 Falcons Birds 245

4 The Love Of Animals

NOVEMBER 18, 2012

Foundation of Animal Protection – Fuzesabony, Hungary. The six shelters chosen this year are: Bobbi and the Strays – Glendale, New York. Castaway Critters – Blairsville, Georgia. Forever Home Feline Ranch – Springfield, Illinois. Cat Shelter – Cumberland, Maine. Kyrenia Animal Rescue – Girne, Turkey.

2012 100

2012 Hungary Shelters Illinois 100