Migration Special
Kiskunság, Hortobágy and Zemplén Hills, 8 days

The main attractions of this holiday are the raptors of Hungary in their breeding habitat or in typical hunting areas. Saker and Red-footed Falcon, White-tailed, Imperial, Golden, Short-toed and Lesser Spotted Eagle, Long-legged and Honey Buzzard, Marsh and Montagu’s Harrier (Pallid and Hen Harrier are also possible), Goshawk, Ural and Eagle Owl.
Extras include 8 woodpeckers, Great Bustard, Stone-Curlew, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Dotterel in all plumages, warbler migration peak and interesting wader surprises! It is designed as a well-paced holiday, including many extras in terms of birds, food, culture and of course, an option to taste the famous local wines!

Day 1
On arrival at Budapest Airport you will be met by your local English speaking guide who has expert knowledge of all the local hotspots! We start our tour by visiting a scenic area of Kiskunság National Park to the South of Budapest. At this time the steppe is ideal for raptors, such as Short-toed Eagle, as well as some of the residents like Montagu’s Harrier and Red-footed Falcon. Great Bustards are already in flocks, and should be easy to find. Later in the day we travel to the famous Hortobágy National Park, where we stay for 4 nights.
Accommodation: small hotel on the edge of Hortobágy

Days 2-4
We will visit the best places of the Hortobágy. In the Northern part we will look for Long-legged Buzzard and Saker. The place is ideal for Lesser-spotted Eagle and the very rare Pallid Harrier, which is migrating through the country in September. Along the fishpond systems we should see several White-tailed Eagles, and it will probably be impossible to keep count of the Marsh Harriers. We will search for the beautiful Short-toed Eagle and we can witness the wonderful spectacle at the Red-footed Falcon roost, just before they leave for their wintering range. Early migrants such as Roller, Bee-eater, Golden Oriole and Lesser Grey Shrike are still to be found before they leave for south.
Dotterels use the Southern steppe of the park as their migration stop-over, spending two and a half months here. We have very good chances to meet flocks of 10-200, and each bird appears to have a different plumage. Stone-Curlews are also gathering, we will do our best to find one of their groups.
The drained fishponds are ideal for many migrating waders from the most common Ruff, Greenshank, Redshank, Little and Temminck Stint, to the rarer ones like Broad-billed Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper and Knot. As it is the peak of warbler migration, bushes along the fishponds are full of Lesser Whitethroats, Garden Warblers, and other passerines such as Red-breasted Flycatchers. Chiffchaffs, Wood and Willow Warblers will be giving good lessons on their typical autumn contact calls. Bearded Tits and Penduline Tits move in small flocks in the reeds.
Accommodation: small hotel on the edge of Hortobágy

Days 5-7
We leave the Hortobágy and drive northeast through nice grasslands of the so called Little Hortobágy, where Imperial Eagle and Saker Falcon abound. We will spend the next three nights in the famous wine region of Hungary, at the foot of Tokaj Hill. This volcanic hill is part of the Zemplén Range, which is in one of the most untouched parts of the country. The hills are an ideal place for most of the country’s raptor species and are alive with Hawfinch. Along the foothills of Zemplén we will probably see several Imperial Eagles, hopefully nicely coloured immatures as well as adult birds. We have good chances of seeing Golden Eagle and Lesser-spotted Eagle. There are several pairs of Goshawk, Honey Buzzard and Raven in the area. The hills hold Hungary’s largest Ural Owl population, and we will try to see this amazingly camouflaged bird in the old beech forests. Evenings will be reserved to see and hear the huge Eagle Owl, which breeds close to our little hotel. After, before, or even during the Eagle Owl watch we have the option to taste the world famous Tokaj wine!
Accommodation: a small hotel in Tokaj

Day 8
Travel to Budapest with more opportunities for birding en route. Afternoon flight back home.