Thursday, April 10, 2008 - Owls and woodpeckers in Hungary and Slovakia
If somebody wants to observe woodpeckers and owls April is one of the best months in Hungary and Slovakia. It is perfectly possible to see all the 10 species of woodpeckers of Europe and 5 owl species including Ural, Pygmy and Tengmalm's Owl during a birding tour to Hungary and Slovakia.
The woods in the Northern Hungarian and Slovakian Hills are at this time loud of the calls of Black, Grey-headed and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers. Most trees in the forest are still bare providing a good visibility. With some expert help it is possible to find the elusive White-backed Woodpecker in old beech forests and the silent Three-toed Woodpecker in pine woods. Great Spotted, Little Spotted and Green Woodpecker are fairly common and around habitations with old orchards we can find Syrian Woodpecker and Wryneck.
Pygmy Owl and Tengmalm's Owl are still actively calling at dusk early April, while Ural Owls are incubating eggs and Eagle Owls feeding their young chicks.
Naturally there is a lot more to see in the hills. Lesser Spotted and Golden Eagle is hunting on hillside meadows, Hazel Grouse walk secretly along the trails, Ring Ouzel sings on tops of pine trees and Nutcrackers are calling. Red-breasted and Collared Flycatchers sing in beech woods, Corncrakes call from wet meadows and Hawfinches are a common sight.
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