Azure Tit in Vilnius, Lithuania

My latest birding trip to Eastern Europe was to Lithuania, my sixth visit to the country. It is my favourite of the three Baltic Countries and I decided to split the week between Klaipeda and Vilnius. I arrived at Vilnius airport on time, which was something of a surprise, since I was expecting something that wasn’t quite as advertised. Since my glass is often half empty, I had booked a coach to Klaipeda in the mid afternoon, meaning a three hour wait at the airport and then a four hour coach journey. I somehow managed to get on the earlier coach at 11.50 am and arrived in Klaipeda at 4 pm.

I found my hotel near to the ferry terminal and next morning after a hearty breakfast, having managed to avoid a group of boisterous Germans in the queue, I caught the ferry over to the Curonian Spit at 8 am. A twenty minute walk to the Baltic sea side of the spit it was immediately apparent that there was lots of migration taking place.

Ringed Black-headed Gull, ringed in 2013 in Klaipeda, but spends a lot of time in Poznan, Poland

I walked along the coast eastwards and the water was calm, I did see five great egrets and a number of great crested grebes and Gulls. There were waves of finches passing overhead also skylarks and thrushes. I would estimate a few thousand flew overhead, occasionally I checked the bushes in the dunes and saw lots of Goldcrest and Tit flocks, including white headed Long-tailed and Crested. In the wooded area at the tip of the spit a Black Woodpecker flew in front of me.

Long-tailed Tit

Higher up were skeins of White-fronted geese and some Common Cranes. The weather was warm and I was a little weary after finally making my way back to the ferry. The evening meal was early and was grateful because as I was leaving a mass arrival of the Germans had the noise levels rising.

Common Cranes

The next day I arranged an early breakfast and arranged a local birding guide to take me to some well known birding spots on the spit. We took the 7 am ferry and arrived at Nida for a migration watch at the Sundial. There were lots of Goldcrest, Thrushes, Finches, Yellowhammers, Eurasian Sparrowhawks and Tits on migration. Also Black-throated Divers flying towards the Lagoon. Next was a sea watch, where we saw a number of Velvet Scoters, Great Crested Grebes, a Slavonian Grebe, Guillemots and Razorbills. We checked out a couple of gull sites and saw Caspian Gulls in amongst Black-headed, Common and Herring. Next stop was in the dunes at the widest part of the spit and the highlight was seeing 7 Hen Harriers and a Pallid Harrier, as well as Sparrowhawks and a White-tailed Eagle. Also plenty of migration. We went back to Nida for lunch and then went to Smiltyne, to the same place where I was the day before. We finished about 5 pm and I couldn’t avoid the noise in the restaurant that evening.

Hen Harrier

The next day there was no time for birding as i travelled by train to Vilnius which took four hours. My hotel was a little outside the Old town. I picked up a transport card from the Railway station and was pleased that I had bought one.

I had an early start the next day, when I had to queue at breakfast to be served, not Germans but Americans. I just about managed to catch my bus that only runs every 2 hours or so. I went to Baltoji Voke, about 35 km outside Vilnius. It was a cloudy day but next to no wind. I walked down from the main road and the first bird of note I spotted was a Great=grey Shrike, one of about eight I saw during the day. I walked along a track to scope one of the lakes and saw Tufted Ducks, Common Pochards, Goldeneye, Coots and Mute swans. A lot less wildfowl than on my last visit a year earlier. I walked further up and saw some Willow Tits with white cheeks some Yellowhammers and Thrushes. Then I saw a bird above a Blue Tit on a tree and wasn’t sure what it was, I took a few pics and tried to get a little closer, but to do so I had to walk past a tall tree. The bird had flown. From the pictures I had I could see it was an Azure Tit and I was not expecting that.

Bird of the trip, Azure Tit

A lifer for me and I was later to find out that it was only the 5th recorded sighting of the bird in Lithuania. I walked on for a while but not much else apart from a Raven and White-tailed Eagle and I headed towards another lake where I could see Teal, Wigeon and Mallard and Whooper Swans. Carrying my camera, binoculars and telescope and all the walking had taken its toll on my left knee. I hobbled back to the bus stop for a 50 minute drive back to Vilnius.

Great-grey Shrike

The next day, breakfast was served later and I wasn’t early enough to avoid queuing behind an Estonian fencing team, but the Americans had departed. It was Saturday and I wanted to get to Vingis Park early anticipating that it would be busy in the park on a nice sunny day. My knee was sore and I was walking quite slow, I heard a familiar sound from high up and there were about a dozen waxwing, but were mobile.

Waxwing

Also I saw Hawfinch, Thrushes, many Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatches and Treecreepers. There were a small number of Goosanders on the River Neris. Walking back I was told off by an elderly man in Lithuanian, with hand signals, I was walking on the wrong side of the path. I was feeling a little rebellious and carried on walking on the “wrong” side.

My evening meal was a short hobble away from the hotel for a Chinese.

The next day I was first to breakfast and the Estonian fencers were queuing up behind me. I was still struggling a bit with my knee and went to Pavilniu Regional Park just outside the city. There were only a few common birds here, although a Black Woodpecker was nice and a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker was heard. A walk along the River Vilnia was pleasant and there were lots of people out. I headed back and had an evening meal in the Old town which was tasty.

Nuthatch

The next day I was departing back home, and I was again first to breakfast, where Chinese tourists had queued behind me, but they were much quieter. I made my way to the airport on one of the frequent express buses. I was mightily surprised that the plane departed on time and arrived in Liverpool ahead of schedule. A reminder i was back in Liverpool was misbehaving kids on the upper deck of the bus….

An excellent birding trip to Lithuania again.

Gdansk and Elblag, fantastic birding

Whinchat

I haven't updated my blog lately but thought that as my trip to Northern Poland was exceptional, I would share it. I flew to Gdansk Airport and something I have got used to is the time of arrival, about 1am. I checked into the hotel, which is within walking distance from the airport. This suits me because there is some good birding spots close by. Having got my head down by 2 am, I was up again by 5 am. As usual it doesn't disappoint, although because Gdansk has expanded in recent years, areas where I used to see corn buntings is now car parks.

First bird I saw was a whinchat singing on a wire, then corn bunting. The whole area was alive with birdsong, with skylarks, whitethroat and yellowhammer. A yellow wagtail was close by and then the wonderful sound of common cranes, about 20 distant in the field.

I went to Gdansk city centre to catch my coach to Elblag, about 60 km away. Along the way there were white storks and Marsh harriers. Elblag is a small tourist town, but not much birding in the town centre. The one thing I did note was the vast numbers of house sparrows. They were everywhere.

Red-breasted flycatcher

The next morning, after a great breakfast, I went to Bazantarnia forest, about 45 min walk away. The weather was hot. On the way were common redstarts, lesser whitethroat, serin and house and tree sparrows. A red-backed shrike was on a typical perch as I walked out of the town. As I entered the forest I heard the lovely song of the red-breasted flycatcher. It took me a few minutes to locate it, not helped by some workmen working with tractors. I managed a couple of pictures, no red breast on this one. Shortly after I spotted another and this one had the red breast. I was fortunate to get a photograph. I did notice the large number of common warblers, chiffchaff, blackcap and willow warblers. Also Wood warblers were abundant. A small stream ran through the forest which I walked along, and a grey wagtail flew up, colours looking great in the sun. Feeling tired now I made my way back to the hotel and then evening meal in the town.

The next morning I went in the opposite direction intending to head for a lake, south of Elblag. The weather was hot again and sun screen and anti mosquito spray were added in equal measure. Following my GPS I headed over a motorway and into farm land and single track roads. The trees were full of birds and the loud song of the thrush nightingale was heard and was well hidden, I heard another and had a couple of glimpses and then another was perched in a tree and managed some photographs. As I walked along there were sedge warblers, then a grasshopper warbler, which I was lucky to locate. A cuckoo sounded and I found a pair in a tree. Golden orioles were singing and after a flyover, I spotted one up in the canopy but showing enough of itself for a photo.

Thrush Nightingale

After a while I noticed my GPS had lost the signal but as there were birds in abundance, I abandoned the lake plan and stayed where I was. Later a river warbler was seen and a marsh warbler. There was a large reed bed and I could hear reed, great reed and savi's warblers but couldn't see any. Two white-tailed eagles soared just above me, and a marsh Harrier close by. Walking along one of the unnamed roads I heard a common rosefinch and soon found one of the scruffiest birds you could imagine, but its song is fabulous. I have invented a word that seems to fit its song: "invertibule. It works for me anyway. Four white winged black terns flew close by, but too quick to get a picture. A green woodpecker flew as I headed back. Over 50 species. As I arrived back at the hotel, some dark clouds had appeared and rumbles of thunder in the distance. Later some rain.

The next morning, I didn't venture too far, as my coach back to Gdansk was just after midday. I just went to a local park and although it was pleasant, I didn't see anything outstanding. I was lucky with my timings to get to Sobieszewska, an island, east of Gdansk. I went to a walk in Ptasi raj, a place I have visited a number of times. I was greeted as usual by a barking dog that belongs to the owners of a cafe at the start of the reserve. Although I was there for only a couple of hours I saw some great birds, like icterine warbler, golden oriole, lesser spotted woodpecker, Wood warbler, great reed warbler, spotted flycatcher, hawfinch and red-backed shrike.

Spotted flycatcher

I made an early start next morning at 5.00 am and went back to Ptasi Raj, walking up to the reserve I saw redstart and black redstart, 2 cranes flying over, lesser whitethroat, serin and tree and house sparrows. After being barked at again I made my way along a narrow path, with reed beds either side, I saw red-backed shrike, reed warblers, reed buntings, a white-tailed eagle with a fish being mobbed by a-black headed gull, marsh harrier, bearded tits, goosanders and many mute swans on the "dead Vistula".

Later I went into the forest and battled with the insects, all after my blood. Whilst I have a good insect repellant I still had a few mosquito bites. There were many wood warblers singing and lots of phylloscs. I heard an icterine warbler, went in search of it off the path and a lesser spotted woodpecker appeared. I then heard a cuckoo and saw it fly a couple of times, golden orioles were singing and I saw them in the canopy. Later I saw an icterine warbler and tried for a photograph, whilst trying a lesser spotted woodpecker appeared again and my attention was diverted. Then a golden oriole was above me and a cuckoo just to the left, and a wood warbler in front. My camera was switching every which way, and the lesser spotted woodpecker won.

Wood warbler

I headed towards the baltic sea, and a great reed warbler showed, although distant. There was not much to view on the sea other than cormorants, gulls and mute swans. There was a sign which I managed to translate saying "No entry" because of nesting ringed plover, although some Polish sunseekers were ignoring the signs and carried on regardless. I headed back into the forest and more icterine warblers, although no success for a photograph. A grey headed woodpecker appeared high up and then two flew past. I headed back, pleased with the birds I had seen.

Cuckoo

The next day I went to the other end of the island and I had an early start. This was probably the best day. The reserve is called "Mewla Lache" and is fantastic all year round. I had just entered the reserve, which runs alongside the wide vistula river. The first thing I saw was a beaver swimming away from me. I hadn't taken the camera out of the bag. Walking up a bird flew up and landed on a branch in front of me, a common rosefinch in breeding plumage, I managed a few pictures before it flew. An odd sounding cuckoo was perched in a tree above me and seemed oblivious to my presence. There were a few goosander nest boxes in the trees along the bank, and a few goosanders were on the river. Further up there is a raised platform overlooking some reedbeds and a small pond, a great reed warbler was singing. Yellowhammers were singing and a red-backed shrike was about. Then the delightful sound of terns, sandwich, common and little. The little terns were flying above my head across the river.

Common rosefinch

I made my way to a large metal tower where you can view the baltic and the vistula and beaches. There were six shelduck , 10 dunlin and two grey plover. Also about 300 seals on some sand banks quite distant. I hoped for some little tern photographs but they were too high. Then a beaver appeared, and a Polish birder at the tower thought it was ill. It did seem odd to be out in the sun at midday. A short eared owl then flew up in front of us.


I had a wander in the dunes and could hear wood lark but failed to pick them up. More yellowhammer and rosefinches were singing. I made my way back, pleased with what I had seen.


The next day I was heading home but still had about 3 hours to get some birding done in the morning. I went to Ptasi Raj and saw a pair of red-backed shrikes, bearded tits over the vast reedbeds. A had brief views of a garden warbler, singing continuously. Then a wheatear popped up on the path. I headed back into the forest and I managed a photograph of an icterine warbler, albeit a not very good one. Then I heard a call of a black woodpecker and it flew across me, high up. I was ending on a high.

Female red-backed shrike

Waiting at the bus stop, three common cranes were circling over the dead vistula and a common tern was fishing. Then, high up, two honey buzzards flew over. I had 108 species in the week, which I was pleased with considering my lack of transport. I made my way to the airport, and everything had run smoothly, which hasn't always been the case in my Polish travels....