Birding holidays



Activity level:
easy/moderate walks






Wallcreeper © Mike Lane
Great Grey Shrike © Nagy Miklós
Europe/Birding tours Hungary
Wallcreeper and Red-breasted Goose – Birding tours in Winter
Tata Lake, Kiskunság and Budapest, 6 days
Birding tours in wintertime in Hungary are really exciting. Budapest is well-situated with several birding sites in easy reach where wintering Red-breasted Goose, Wallcreeper and Alpine Accentor may be found!
You can visit scenic Lake Tata, which is a notable wintering site for geese within the limits of a city and in the surrounding woodland you can search for Black, Middle-spotted and Syrian Woodpeckers. A nearby quarry often holds wintering Wallcreeper. Systems of fish ponds provide further excellent birding opportunities. A day trip to the Danube Bend offers scenic landscapes, a medieval castle with wintering Alpine Accentor and the colourful town of Szentendre.
Kiskunság National Park is only an hour south of the bustling capital, where the biggest population of Great Bustard in Hungary resides. During winter the birds gather in large flocks and are easy to see in the agricultural fields.
You might take a day of rest strolling through the beautiful city of Budapest admiring its rich architectural heritage, exploring city parks for woodpeckers and visiting a Turkish spa to relax after a cold day.
You can also request tailor-made biding tours to Hungary of any length. If based in Budapest days out to any of the above destinations can be made or spend a long weekend enjoying both nature and culture. Hortobagy or the Hills can be included as well with nights spent close to the sites.
Facts
- 6 days in Hungary visiting sites close to Budapest
- start and end in Budapest
- accommodation in one or two bases
Highlights
- visit to Tata to marvel at geese gathering on the lake
- visit to a quarry for wintering Wallcreeper
- a day at the Danube Bend visiting a scenic castle with wintering Alpine Accentors
- 2 days in the Kiskunság looking for Great Bustard and Red-breasted Goose
- Budapest sightseeing with birding walks in the city parks
Hotels
2 nights in Tata, west of Hungary
3 nights in Kiskunság National Park
Departure Dates
26 Nov – 1 Dec 2024
1-6 March 2025
Ask about possible dates
Price
from 1,315 EUR + 210 EUR (single room supplement)
Ask for the actual price
Optional programmes
A day visit to Börzsöny Hills for White-backed Woodpecker
A 2-day visit to Hortobágy National Park for wintering Greater Spotted Eagle and geese
Itinerary
After arriving in Budapest you can take part in a city sightseeing tour. We stroll through the city park, Városliget, home to many woodpeckers. Then we drive to Tata, a small town in the west of Hungary, where we stay 2 nights.
We visit Tata old lake, an important wintering site for many Greater White-fronted, Greylag and Been Geese. The woodland around the lake is good for Green, Black, Middle Spotted, Lesser Spotted and Syrian Woodpeckers plus Hawfinch. A local quarry is worthwhile searching for a sighting of wintering Wallcreeper. The nearby fishpond system is a good place to see White-tailed Eagle, Smew, Red-crested Pochard and Bearded Tit.
We visit Visegrád castle at the Danube Bend, a wintering site for Alpine Accentors. We can break the return journey with a stop in Szentendre, a charming little town on the banks of the Danube. Then we travel south to the heart of the Kiskunság Steppes, where we spend 3 nights.
We spend 2 days in Kiskunság National Park to explore the steppe for Great Bustard, wintering Rough-legged Buzzard, Hen Harrier, Merlin and Great Grey Shrike. Saker and Eastern Imperial Eagle are also possible. Depending on the bird news we may travel further south to look for Red-breasted and Lesser White-fronted Geese.
We drive to Budapest airport stopping for birding en route.