Fertő-Hanság

This area belongs to the Fertő-Hanság National Park (http://www.ferto-hansag.hu/index.php?lang=en), where I had the chance to ring some waterbirds, when I was a student.

The majority of Lake Fertő belongs to Austria so the conservation activity is under Hungarian-Austrian regulations. 

We have visited a site swamp, where plenty of species can be found. The village called Mexikópuszta or Fertőújlak is nearby and accommodation/assistance can be asked for from local birders (it is worth to contact me or the nearby National Park Authority to give some ideas).

Information board at the entrance of the territory.  

As sometimes near the Ramsar sites, traditional Hungarian animals are bred at the proximity of the area. On the way to the swamp, we have seen a huge farm and I found out that it is open for visitors (although it is seasonal). 

Here is the first high stand, where one can climb up a bit, to look around.

Local rangers can come here easily with cars but otherwise it is a nice little walk, into the wild.

Some information about local species.

And the identification guide for bird watchers. The day we went there it was quite windy and so I could not find anything nearby.

I had the chance to see a Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) flying over the channel.

Nyirkai-Hany

So I went to West Hungary to explore two sites. Both of them belong to the same national park and previously I was lucky enough to stay in a research house and ring some waterbirds. So the area was not entirely new to me, however on my own (actually I was with my family) was not that easy to find the right place. Below you can see our first trial...

This is a gravel factory near the actual natural site. First when I spotted the lake from the road I was a bit surprised by the amount of noise and disturbance. After I spoke with one of the truck drivers and I realized it is not the Ramsar site I was looking for. 

In the middle of February it was still a bit chilly. Snow can see on the channel ditch and the lake was full with geese and other wildfowl. 

As usual information board is available, however it is getting kinda old these days. A real review is needed to make it up-to-date.

I was totally surprised to see the holiday houses at the lake shore. There is two lake system at the area and I suppose the one with the fishing holiday houses isn't the one which bears the most birds. We walked through the road in between the two lake system.

Definitely beaver...

 This tree is almost done still need some work from the local engineer. Actually we also heard and saw a mammal coming out of the water but he was a bit shy to capture it on the camera.

Wooden houses not for cheap as it turned out later on.

The habitat itself isn't homogeneous as I could observe it from the distance. It contains several reed islands and this can come handy in the breeding season for several species!

The valley of Ipoly

This site is found at the Hungarian-Slovakian border. The river Ipoly is 

considered as one of the northern margins of Hungary. At this Ramsar-site two nations have to cooperate to achieve the best possible result to conserve an interesting natural site.

Easy to come here either by train (recommended because of the marvelous view) or car. Major electricity wires run through the area but it is undisturbed and for first site without less disturbance. 

According to the information board black storks are found here frequently. Unfortunately we were out of season so did not catch of a glimpse of this majestic wader.

The river itself isn't a major one and it is surrounded by little villages from both sides. After WW1 those villages were cut into 2 and belonged to two different countries instead of one (Hungary). Now with the EU no passport is needed if someone wants to see a family member in Slovakia. 

We only visited one particular site but it is possible to take a bike ride along the protected area. Guides and maps are available. A slight line of forest belt surrounds the river bank at this particular site.

Some pollution is clearly identifiable and I guess even more rubbish accumulates during spring time, when is the flood season.

This time of the year wasn't particularly exciting as for birds, however, we've seen fishing activity, which suggests this site can be worth to visit by anglers.

This site is nearby the high-stand below and I imagined as a possible feeding site for example for storks.

Kis-Balaton

Kis-Balaton belongs to the Balaton Uplands National Park. As its name indicates it is connected to our Hungarian See, the Lake Balaton, however it has natural and strictly protected areas as well. We visited the few open spaces for public.

The Buffalo reserved is really a great place with goats on the play ground and semi-wild water buffalos all around. There is an electric wire which keeps the animal away from the friendly humans visitors. Huge open area with a small entrance fee. 

A narrow trail leads us to the field, where one can come up face to face to all sorts of household mammals (mostly ungulates) and of course some curious buffalos. 

Information boards area available all along the way and not only with Hungarian explanations. This area is packed up with nest boxes and bat boxes and there is a high stand in the middle of the field so it is worth to walk around the whole way. 

This field is ideal for ground squirrels (Spermophilus citellus) so we observed quite a few from a very short distance.

Traditional Hungarian well and its description.

View from the high stand.

This is the gate to enter an other erea which belongs to the Kis-Balaton. This is really the place when we can observe birds as it a protected wetland area. I have seen the common species as usual and a little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis). Little cormorants are not rare here but I have only seen the 'big brother' (Phalacrocorax carbo).

There is a wooden bridge which leads through a channel and brings us to an island. 

Usually there is a small fee for parking but it is rather worth to come here by bike as it is kinda part of the bike trail which runs around the Lake Balaton.