Woodpecker Restaurant

One of my favourite trees in Buda. A dead one riddled with woodpecker feeding holes.

Kiskunsag and all that

Not a bad day in the Kiskunsag yesterday... 60 Great Bustards in 4 different groups, Great Grey Shrike, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Hen Harriers and a male Pallid Harrier... to mention just a few. And these performing Penduline Tits...

Chicken of the Woods

Was out in the Buda Hills this morning with a nice chap from London, mainly looking for Hawfinches and Black Woodpecker, which we found. Also came upon this young, fresh Chicken-of- the-Woods Laetiporus sulphureus. It's an edible mushroom commonly found on oak trees, though it also grows on cherry, willow and some other trees. It's quite common here in autumn.

Two Woodpeckers

Went out yesterday with a birder from the UK. His main targets were Black and White-backed Woodpeckers. The latter in particular not at all easy in September. In addition, it was hot! But we did it. A White-backed after walking the forests of the Gerecse Hills for some hours and later a Black at Lake Tata, despite lots of families, joggers, cyclists and dog-walkers being out. 

Syrian Woodpecker again

A Syrian Woodpecker has been calling in the neighbour's garden at around 7am every morning for some days now. It's autumn, what does he want to express ? A winter feeding territory perhaps ? 

Syrian Woodpeckers...

Syrian Woodpecker is often a rather 'urban bird', found in parks, gardens, churchyards and the like, but this morning I heard one right at the heart of a concrete jungle. To be exact, behind the Mammut Shopping Centre in Buda, Budapest, in a car-park with only a few scruffy false-acacia trees...