Stormy Gdansk in October

My latest trip to Gdansk wasn’t where I had planned but decided to change my travel arrangements because of news of strikes and demonstrations in Polish Cities on Monday. I stayed near to the airport, and had a good couple of hours birding before the rain arrived mid morning.

I made my way to a lake, I have been to a few times, with the airport close by. I heard and saw a black redstart from a factory roof. In the scrub I saw lots of goldfinch and a whinchat, with skylarks and meadow pipits flying over. There were a few ducks in the pond, goldeneye, pochard and tufted ducks, with wigeon and mallards feeding in the field close by. There were two families of cranes in the field, that kept their distance when they saw me inching closer to get better pictures. A green sandpiper called and flew, and I flushed a snipe.

Female goldeneye

There was a lot of activity in some rowan trees, close to the lake, with song thrush, blackbird and fieldfare. Black redstarts again with finches, including brambling. Yellowhammers and corn buntings were also calling. A huge flock of geese were flying over, which from their calls were taiga bean geese. Rain started to fall and I made my way back to the hotel to move to a cheaper hotel a bit further out.

Common crane

There was not a direct bus route to the new hotel and as I couldn’t check in until 2 pm and I walked, and the rain had eased. I was however getting windier. Not much to see on the way, apart from some cranes flying quite low.

After checking in at the new hotel, I immediately went to a nature reserve opposite. It was quite windy now and not much to see or hear. A lake in the park only had a family of mute swans, goosander and mallards.

Common merganser (Goosander)

I made my way to Sobieszewska the next day, but faced a problem because I couldn’t check in until 4pm. It wasn’t raining but was quite windy. With my suitcase I tried to do a bit of birding but it wasn’t very productive. There was a large tit flock, which included the white headed long-tailed tits and crested tits. Brambling were among the chaffinches.

Now Wednesday I hadn’t had many opportunities for birding and wanted to start early the next day. The weather forecast was not good. I heard reports of a “landscape changing” storm. I made a short journey to and walked along the River Vistula. The river looked choppy and a number of branches had fallen. I was wary about walking in the wooded area but was hampered when the path near to the river had flooded, so I had no choice. The noise from the Baltic and the rustling trees made it impossible to hear anything. The only birds in the river were goosanders, cormorants and gulls. When I reached the coastline I tried to find a sheltered area to scan the coast. The waves were high and in the exposed areas it was very blustery.

I saw goldeneye, cormorant and a vast array of gulls and two sandwich terns on a sand bank. Sheltering near to the beach were mallards, teal, wigeon, scaup, tufted ducks and 3 slavonian grebes. I walked further along to the tower hide but it was near impossible to stay on your feet in the high winds and hat had to come off. Near to the hide was a bar tailed godwit, with sadly one leg.

Slavonian grebes

Bar tailed godwit

Sandwich terns

I had had enough of being battered with winds and rain started to fall, to add insult to injury. I decided to return and the trees swaying had not abated. Luckily no trees had fallen. I came across numerous tit flocks, which included willow, coal, marsh, crested and Long tailed. Amongst them I also saw treecreepers and goldcrest, with the odd chiffchaff.

After having my evening meal, I had a knock on the door in the hotel about 10 pm to report that the water was off and there was only bottled water to wash, etc.

After breakfast the owner advised the engineers would be out later and hopefully fixed later in the day. I stayed closer to the hotel and went to the Ptasi Raj reserve. The wind had not dropped and rain was forecast most of the day. I made my way to the 2nd tower hide. Two large pine trees had fallen in the storm yesterday. It was raining heavy now and the hide only partially sheltered from the wind and rain. In the large lake there were goldeneye, tufted ducks, teal, mallards, gadwall, shoveler, wigeon and scaup. I also saw great crested and little grebes. I was also made up to see a red crested pochard and a female smew. In the reeds in front of the hide, there were bearded tits flying low. It would have been impossible to see them in the swaying reeds. I had stayed over 3 hours in the hide and it had rained all that time. After the rain had eased I walked up to the coastline, and the waves were high again. I scanned for about half an hour before it started to rain again. I saw common and velvet scoters, also a little gull. I made my way back to the hotel, in the rain, with my waterproofs.

Red crested pochard with tufted ducks

My last day, the wind had dropped, but rain was forecast. I had a good hour’s birding before the rain. I had fantastic views of bearded tits, and numerous tit flocks. Also reed bunting, brambling and goldcrest. The rain started and I went back to the hotel and make my way to the city and then the airport. Whilst at the bus stop, there were huge flocks of geese migrating and saw, taiga bean, greylag and white fronted geese. The rain got heavier and heavier and was torrential when we made our way to the aeroplane.

It wasn’t ideal weather for birding but still enjoyable to be in Poland again.

Ptasi Raj and Rezerwat przyrody Mewia Łacha, Gdansk, Poland

After a 2 and a half hour delay leaving from Manchester, from that well known cheap flight airline with hidden extras. I caught a bus to Gdansk city centre and somehow managed to purchase a train ticket rather than a bus ticket from the “Bilety” machine. It wasn’t until I was on the bus that I realised because the ticket wouldn’t fit the validating machine. I wasn’t the only one. Having experienced Polish bus inspectors before, I had a nervous 40 minute bus journey and luckily none appeared.

I exchanged my money in one of many Kantor shops and bought some proper bus tickets in Gdansk and boarded another bus to Sobrieszewo. This time the validating machine on the bus was faulty and I couldn’t validate my ticket. That meant a free ride but I won't mention it to the Bus Inspectors, just in case.

Although I was still early the hotel staff let me book in and I took a stroll down to the beach and forest area alongside. I would think about half of the Island is forested and this being the first time I have visited Gdansk in May I was hopeful that I would see plenty of birdlife.

The first bird I spotted was a black redstart singing from the roof of the hotel, and was to see it all four days in the same place. Pied flycatchers were singing, although being later afternoon it was a little quiet. Wood warblers were singing, also blackcaps and willow warblers. By far the most common species was chaffinch, they were everywhere. Swallows, swift and martins were circling above. Making my way to the beach, I saw a long tailed duck quite distant on the Baltic, cormorants flying and a few mute swans close in.

Wheatear on beach

On the beach I saw white and yellow wagtails and wheatear.

I had a brief look in at Ptasi raj, and on the main lake were goosanders, great crested grebes, cormorants and tufted ducks. I made my way back to the hotel and after an evening meal and had an early night after having driven to the airport in Manchester at 2.30 am.

I woke early and had a pre breakfast walk and was greeted by the black redstart. Wood warblers and pied flycatchers were everywhere. I also was pleased to see a wryneck. After an excellent breakfast I caught a bus to Rezerwat przyrody Mewia Łacha, which runs alongside the River Vistula. Walking to the reserve another black redstart. Then I heard and saw a river warbler, fantastic. Also icterine warblers, wood warblers, whitethroat and lesser whitethroat. Also hawfinch and siskin. Then I heard and managed brief views of a thrush nightingale, loud song that they have. As is often the case for me the insects were causing a problem and I was daubed in my super powerful insect repellant, and despite the heat I thought it best to wear my jacket. Then I spotted a beaver swimming towards me and it briefly stopped by its lodge and carried on passing within six feet of me. The first wild beaver I have seen. 

Beaver swimmlng in the River Vistula

A minute later a cuckoo fly up in front of me. 

Cuckoo

Golden oriole were also singing. I made my way to the tower hide and was sweating in the heat and the jacket just had to come off. I heard lots of bird song below me and there were over 100 yellow wagtails, some black headed too. Looking down to the shore line, I saw a grey plover with it’s lovely black chest and belly. There were ruff, greenshank, dunlin and common sandpipers there. Common, sandwich terns and little terns too. Seals could be seen on the sand banks in the distance.

Black tern

I then spotted some black terns, about 20 on the river and I went back there, also the odd little tern with them. I made my way back and caught a ferry across the river. Having just landed and heard a call above me which I immediately recognized, a white winged black tern, one of my favourites. A white stork also flying over. I walked alongside the river and corn buntings were perched up on bushed singing and lots of skylarks were singing. Looking out over the farmland I saw a buzzard with prey and then a male marsh harrier. More yellow wagtails too.

I was a little weary after the day I had had and made my way back to the ferry and a bus back to the hotel. Not surprising really I didn’t make my pre breakfast walk next morning and had another excellent breakfast with the same music being played. I do wish they would change the tapes occasionally.

I took a bus to the Ptasi Raj reserve, which translates to “Birding paradise”. Just as I was about to enter the bus I heard a great reed warbler and made a note to visit there on my return. At Ptasi raj there is some work being done  and part of a path was closed. I walked past the extensive reedbed and immediately saw bearded reedlings. Goosanders there with chicks and a kestrel out hunting. Reed and sedge warblers and reed buntings were singing too. The whole place was a mass of noise with the marsh frogs croaking. On the main lake it was quite quiet, with a pair of greylag geese with goslings, a fem smew with a small number of tufted ducks, mallards, cormorants and mute swans. I also have fantastic views of bearded reedlings perched on the tall stems. Whilst trying to photograph a reed bunting I stumbled upon a reed warbler and photographed that instead. Then a big commotion, all the ducks were up, a white tailed eagle was flying over. I made my way to the shoreline and more wheatear and yellow wagtails, then a close red backed shrike with a yellow wagtail in the same bush about a foot away from each other. 

Yellow wagtail

The heat was causing a problem again and it was tough walking on the loose sand. It was more like one step forward and two steps back. Common terns were on the mouth of the river, always delightful watching them.

Red backed shrike

Eventually I made it to the forest and decided to walk back to the hotel and was glad I did as I had brief glimpses of golden orioles and a crested tit. A great spotted woodpecker and nuthatch were showing. I hadn’t seen too many of those. Later, after my evening meal I decided to look for the great reed warblers, they weren't singing in the same place but a short stroll along the river I saw two, singing away.

The next morning I decided to transfer to another hotel near to Gdansk airport. I had a pre breakfast walk and had fantastic views of golden orioles. Whilst cleaning my boots in the grounds of the hotel a crested tit and common redstart passed above me. I caught my bus about 11am to Gdansk city centre and another bus to the airport. I was grateful that I had the correct ticket because two bus ticket inspectors boarded the bus. I wondered whether they sensed my guilty look.

I checked into my new hotel and made my way to a small lake I had visited on a previous occasion. There were many corn buntings skylarks singing. Also about a dozen whinchats perched up. On the lake were 8 wood sandpipers and 6 little ringed plovers. Also yellow and white wagtails and linnets. Passing through a small village and doing my best to avoid dogs but ended up reacting like Hyacinth Bucket when Onslow’s dog was barking. Yellowhammer were singing and then spotted a white stork in its nest. I then saw a stonechat near to an old disused railway. It looked a lot whiter than a European stonechat. I managed to get a couple of photographs. 

Presumed European stonechat

When I got back to my hotel I sent the photographs to Birding Poland facebook page. They responded immediately and thought it was a siberian stonechat. They posted the photographs on their page, only to find later they had changed their minds and it was a European stonechat.

Corn bunting

I managed a couple of hours birding before my flight next morning and more of the same plus a grasshopper warbler reeling. Walking towards the airport a sparrowhawk was flying by the terminal building. About 100 species I has spotted in the few days I was there and was pleased but missed out on a few others I had expected to see.

Whinchat

This time my cheap flight airline with hidden extras was only 20 minutes late, and it took what seemed like an eternity to get through Border Control. I caught the bus to the huge car park and then realised I couldn’t remember exactly where I had left it. I had forgotten to note the row I was in. My excuse was that it was 3.30 am when I had parked it and was still half asleep. Note to self remember to write down the row next time. I had about 10 minutes to go before the surcharges started.

Gdansk again

My final holiday of 2015 was in the same place as my first, a long weekend in my favourite city of Gdansk, and was a great affair. I started out when storm Desmond was just starting, luckily (for me) it was flights flying west that were affected, and I went in the opposite direction.

My flight was slightly delayed, when everyone was requested to remove their hand luggage from the overhead lockers, and a minute later asked to put them back. Still not sure why we had to do that. The temperature in Poland was quite a few degrees colder than the UK, and it was quite challenging to make my way through the old town on this Saturday evening. There were thousands packed in the square. Using a suitcase with wheels was nigh impossible on the cobbled stones. It wasn't so much one step forward two steps back, more one step forward, two steps left. I was only able to move as quickly as a Liverpool fullback. The Christmas market stalls were jam packed, with bands playing and people passing me from every possible direction. This Christmas tree in the square put lots of the weak efforts in the UK to shame. I found my excellent hotel, eventually.

Beaver activity

After an early hearty breakfast, I made my way to Sobrieszswska, a man-made island by the mouth of the Vistula river. Making my way along the bank of the river, it quickly became apparent of very recent beaver activity, although I was not lucky enough to see any. On the river were plenty of Goosanders flying up and down, with goldeneye and long tailed ducks in quite large flocks. To the left in the wooded area, there were plenty of nuthatches, great spotted woodpeckers and treecreepers, with lots of the usual tit flocks, including willow tits. Blackbirds, redwings and fieldfare were also in large numbers. Further up the river looking out to see there were lots of gulls, with little gulls out at sea.

White tailed eagle scattered the gulls

There were constantly flushed by a white tailed eagle by a beached island. Large numbers of herons were moved by a trickle of walkers. It was a sunny day and as it was Sunday, the quiet start was no longer.

Herons quickly moved by walkers

I looked from a tower hide out to sea, and saw common and velvet scoters, with long tailed ducks and great crested grebes. I picked out a slavonian grebe, a lifer for me with goldeneye close to the shore.

Slavonian grebe

It was starting to get busy as many people were out for a walk, and looking for amber on the beach. I made my way back to my hotel, this time avoiding the town square.

Female smew

I started out early again and went to the other side of the island of Sobrieszewska, to a nature reserve called Ptasi Raj, which translates to “Birding paradise”. It was a Monday and thankfully much quieter (people wise). I made my way to the first tower hide and did not see much apart from a small number of male smew. The next tower hide was also quiet but small numbers of goldeneye, goosanders and tufted ducks on the large lake. About three female smew landed in front of the hide. bearded tits were flying in the reed bed in front of the hide. About a dozen swans and about 20 coots were also on the lake. A white tailed eagle flew over.

Snow buntings on beach

I made my way to the coast and saw about 30+ snow buntings on the shore line, and constantly flying to and fro. Greenfinch were in the same area. Looking out at sea, there were large number of scoters, long tailed duck, great crested grebe and eiders were flying. On my way back I had fabulous views of a black woodpecker. I was able to observe this fantastic bird for quite a while before it flew off.

Fabulous black woodpecker

The days in December are much shorter of course and it was now almost dark and only just past 3.30. I headed back to the bus stop for the 186 bus. It was an enjoyable couple of days and began to wish I had booked another few days.