Just back from a long weekend in Lithuania. The main purpose was to support athletes racing for Gb in Euro Team Championships, but had time for some birding/psl'ing.
I was based in the Alytus area, in the south east of the country. The first birding stop was on my way from Kanaus airport to Alytus, stopping at a smallish lake/marsh at Kasoniu. The edge of the lake reverberated to the sound of Pool Frogs with a backdrop of several Sedge and Savi's Warblers. Mute Swans, Mallards and Coot were the only waterfowl (OK, so Coots aren't waterfowl). Two Marsh Harriers hunted over the larger, eastern part on the site. Walking over to that side, a couple of Yellowhammer sang from the roadside copse, to be joined by a Thrush Nightingale (Sprosser), which typically couldn't be located. A Crane and a couple of White Stork hunted in the fields surrounding the marsh/lake, with a single Common Tern and a couple of Black-headed Gulls.
On to my accommodation in a little village not too far from Alytus, Venciunai, with another Sprosser audible from the hotel, whilst House Martins hawked round the village. Fieldfare were proving to be the default thrush for the country. Walking over to Alytus to meet up with friends and a beer/meal, the local fields were home to good numbers of Whinchat and Skylark. A small pond, held a female Goldeneye. The woods around the edge of Alytus held several Sprossers singing away, with a few Wood and Garden Warblers. Black Redstarts, Tree and House Sparrows were frequent. Only in the deeper wooded area did Blackbirds become apparent. Into Alytus and Redstarts started to appear. After a good meal and a few beers I walked home in the dark, stopping a few times to listen to the Sprossers.
Day 2, Sunday. Race day so a quick walk over to Alytus, with the only new birds for the trip being a couple of Rook and a Meadow Pipit. A break in the middle of the day saw me watch a territorial dispute between three male Redstarts in a city park. The evening walk home was enlivened with a fly over roding Woodcock - not bad for a city park!
Day 3, Monday. A day birding. I set off early for the Zuvinto Biosphere Reserve - a massive wetlands area edged on one side by mature forest. Arriving at 6 I spent most of the nest 6 hours walking the short boardwalk and standing in the excellent hide. Wildfowl were surprisingly thin on the ground. Greylag Geese and Mute Swans were common, Mallards a bit less so. After that it was a single Pochard, Tufted Duck, Wigeon and Shoveler. A large, scattered, breeding colony of Black-headed Gulls was located across the open water, but marsh terns were notable by their absence. Eventually a couple of Black Terns dropped in and slowly the numbers grew to include Whiskered and White-winged Terns. These soon dissappeared with individuals arriving and leaving almost all the time.
In the surrounding reed bed, Sedge Warbler was the default warbler, but a very showy Savi's kept me entertained as it sang from an exposed perch.
The boardwalk provided great views of a Lesser Whitethroat - down to less than 2m from me, and a very showy Marsh Warbler. Several Sprroser sand and a vigil eventually was rewarded with excellent views of one individual singing away in a willow.
Several Great White Egret's were noted and numerous Bittern's heard, but, surprisingly, no Grey Heron's. Whilst over the reed beds several Marsh Harriers could be seen virtually every time I scanned over. Best of all was a male Monties that flew almost directly over me. A distant White-tailed Eagle and a couple of distant Buzzard, summed up the raptor.
I was however, surprised not to hear any Cuckoo's or Corncrakes.
In the afternoon, it was a walk over to Alytus for an explore of the woodland, a late lunch / early tea before heading back for an early night. The woodland diddn't produce much in addition except a couple of Great Reed Warblers in reeds alongside a lake in the woods. The woods did produce a singing Cuckoo.
Non avian highlights included several Bird's-nest Orchids, wild Lily-of-the-valley and Solomon's-deal and a Smooth Ground Beetle.
Day 4, Tuesday. My last day so I spent the early part of the morning exploring the roards around the village - in the forlone hope of finding Corncrake. No Corncrake, but found a few more Marsh Warblers, several Red-backed Shrikes, my first Blue-headed Wagtails, a couple of Icterine Warblers, a Barred Warbler and two Spotted Flycatchers.
All in 85 species of bird, not bad for a short, non-birding (is there such a thing?) trip.
I was based in the Alytus area, in the south east of the country. The first birding stop was on my way from Kanaus airport to Alytus, stopping at a smallish lake/marsh at Kasoniu. The edge of the lake reverberated to the sound of Pool Frogs with a backdrop of several Sedge and Savi's Warblers. Mute Swans, Mallards and Coot were the only waterfowl (OK, so Coots aren't waterfowl). Two Marsh Harriers hunted over the larger, eastern part on the site. Walking over to that side, a couple of Yellowhammer sang from the roadside copse, to be joined by a Thrush Nightingale (Sprosser), which typically couldn't be located. A Crane and a couple of White Stork hunted in the fields surrounding the marsh/lake, with a single Common Tern and a couple of Black-headed Gulls.
On to my accommodation in a little village not too far from Alytus, Venciunai, with another Sprosser audible from the hotel, whilst House Martins hawked round the village. Fieldfare were proving to be the default thrush for the country. Walking over to Alytus to meet up with friends and a beer/meal, the local fields were home to good numbers of Whinchat and Skylark. A small pond, held a female Goldeneye. The woods around the edge of Alytus held several Sprossers singing away, with a few Wood and Garden Warblers. Black Redstarts, Tree and House Sparrows were frequent. Only in the deeper wooded area did Blackbirds become apparent. Into Alytus and Redstarts started to appear. After a good meal and a few beers I walked home in the dark, stopping a few times to listen to the Sprossers.
Day 2, Sunday. Race day so a quick walk over to Alytus, with the only new birds for the trip being a couple of Rook and a Meadow Pipit. A break in the middle of the day saw me watch a territorial dispute between three male Redstarts in a city park. The evening walk home was enlivened with a fly over roding Woodcock - not bad for a city park!
Day 3, Monday. A day birding. I set off early for the Zuvinto Biosphere Reserve - a massive wetlands area edged on one side by mature forest. Arriving at 6 I spent most of the nest 6 hours walking the short boardwalk and standing in the excellent hide. Wildfowl were surprisingly thin on the ground. Greylag Geese and Mute Swans were common, Mallards a bit less so. After that it was a single Pochard, Tufted Duck, Wigeon and Shoveler. A large, scattered, breeding colony of Black-headed Gulls was located across the open water, but marsh terns were notable by their absence. Eventually a couple of Black Terns dropped in and slowly the numbers grew to include Whiskered and White-winged Terns. These soon dissappeared with individuals arriving and leaving almost all the time.
In the surrounding reed bed, Sedge Warbler was the default warbler, but a very showy Savi's kept me entertained as it sang from an exposed perch.
The boardwalk provided great views of a Lesser Whitethroat - down to less than 2m from me, and a very showy Marsh Warbler. Several Sprroser sand and a vigil eventually was rewarded with excellent views of one individual singing away in a willow.
Several Great White Egret's were noted and numerous Bittern's heard, but, surprisingly, no Grey Heron's. Whilst over the reed beds several Marsh Harriers could be seen virtually every time I scanned over. Best of all was a male Monties that flew almost directly over me. A distant White-tailed Eagle and a couple of distant Buzzard, summed up the raptor.
I was however, surprised not to hear any Cuckoo's or Corncrakes.
In the afternoon, it was a walk over to Alytus for an explore of the woodland, a late lunch / early tea before heading back for an early night. The woodland diddn't produce much in addition except a couple of Great Reed Warblers in reeds alongside a lake in the woods. The woods did produce a singing Cuckoo.
Non avian highlights included several Bird's-nest Orchids, wild Lily-of-the-valley and Solomon's-deal and a Smooth Ground Beetle.
Day 4, Tuesday. My last day so I spent the early part of the morning exploring the roards around the village - in the forlone hope of finding Corncrake. No Corncrake, but found a few more Marsh Warblers, several Red-backed Shrikes, my first Blue-headed Wagtails, a couple of Icterine Warblers, a Barred Warbler and two Spotted Flycatchers.
Nice report Mart and 85 pretty good.
ReplyDeleteReally nice collection of birds etc.
ReplyDelete