Estonia's north-west

It has been another great birding day in the north-west of Estonia. We recorded 106 species without rushing around. We visited Sutlepa meri and the Slima Reserve (Red-necked Grebe, Common Bittern, Black Tern, Penduline Tit), Saare (Wryneck, White-backed Woodpecker), Roosta (Crested Tit, Hawfinch), Dirhami (Long-tailed Duck, thunbergi Yellow Wagtail), Poosaspea (Red-throated Diver, Common Eider, Velvet and Common Scoters) and Spithami (Pygmy Owl calling). Tomorrow we head on southwards to the Parnu area.

Matsalu Bay - geese

Today was a great birding day in north-west Estonia. We visited various sites on the northern shore of Matsalu Bay seeing, amongst others, thousands of flying, roosting, drinking and feeding Barnacle Geese. At one stop I managed to pick out a Red-breasted Goose amongst the mass of Barnacles which proved to be a lifer for most of my party. An adult White-tailed Eagle right overhead also proved popular. Just two and a half day's birding and we already have 96 species. On we go tomorrow...

Estonia

I am now in Estonia guiding a group of UK birders. After setting off from Tallinn airport this morning we were soon headin fo Happsalu and the Baltc coast, passing through rural landscapes dotted with conifer and birch woods. Birds today ? White Storks, Common Cranes, White-tailed Eagles, Arctic Terns... more tomorrow as we bird Matsalu Bay.

HUNGARIAN BIRD FESTIVAL... birds

I have just finished guiding birders who participated in the HUNGARIAN BIRD FESTIVAL, organised by WILDWINGS, UK and based on the Hortobagy. We recorded 185 species which is a great total. Highlights included... Montagu's Harriers displaying, around 10 different Eastern Imperial Eagles, 6 Sakers, 3 close Lesser Spotted Eagles, a superb hunting Long-legged Buzzard, masses of Red-footed Falcons, Little Crake, daily Great Bustards, a vagrant Terek Sandpiper, Collared Pratincoles, a confiding Ural Owl, daily Wrynecks and Syrian Woodpeckers, about 5 Black Woodpeckers, Aquatic Warblers... etc, etc, etc. The group voted Red-footed Falcon the "bird of the trip"... a deserved "winner" as besides being a cracking bird, it it also is very much a bird of eastern Hungary's lowlands, a real typical "puszta" species.

China with Nigel Marven

You may have head of, and seen on the TV, my good friend Nigel Marven. A superb and original wildlife film maker and presenter... not to mention a mean marathon runner. Well, he is taking a group of birders to Qinghai in China from Saturday 9th to Friday 15th August, 2008. There are still a couple of places to fill, so if you fancy this, in Nigel's excellent company, drop me a line and I will put you in touch.

The Birds of Hungary

I was reminded today that my book The Birds of Hungary was published in 1996. How time has flown. I remembered this because I recieved a royalty statement in the post... yes, folks are still buying the book. I wrote the book in 1995 and Christopher Helm (A&C Black, London) brought it out a year later. Now I suggest that all you birders coming out here to Hungary this year go and buy it. The usual bird book dealers in the UK sell it (Wildsounds, NHBS, Subbuteo, etc) and it can also be purchased via Amazon and other internet stores. By the way, it is a status handbook, not a site guide. Plugging myself ? Plugging my own book ? Well, someone has to !

Central & Eastern European Wildlife... the book

My new book ? Well, those nice editors and designers at Bradt say that it will be published this July. There will be 160 pages and 160 colour photos, as well as 15 maps. I have looked at the 2nd proofs and things are looking good. I have tried to cover as many of the key animals of the 15 countries included... Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Kaliningrad, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. I will be in the UK in August (at the British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland Water) to sign copies!