I was gong to be in Budapest for three days at the end of an organized tour and decided to try for the Great Bustard. I went online and booked a one-day birding trip to the Kiskunsag National Park area with Hungarian Birdwatching.
The day started at 7:30 a.m. when my guide, Bence Kokay, picked me up at the Intercontinental Hotel in Budapest. He drove me out to the UNESCO biosphere reserve Kiskunsag National Park, about 70 kilometers SE of Budapest. We birded both the park and the steppe/farmland area and fish ponds surrounding it.
During our break for lunch (which Bence provided), we were almost close enough to touch a Short-toed Eagle which flew down to investigate. Perhaps the eagle just wanted our paprika peppers?
Bence is a fantastic guide, able to identify birds by sound and also from a good distance. I have rarely seen anyone get a bird in a scope so quickly. I had 20 new species by 10:30 am and a total of 46 species for the day including several good looks at the Great Bustard.
The birding day ended on a private farm that had nesting Red-footed Falcons. The mama was busy feeding her fledglings and oblivious to the two people with the scope.
Around 3:00 p.m. my guide drove me back to my hotel.
GREBES
Great Crested Grebe
HERONS, EGRETS AND BITTERNS
Gray Heron
Great Egret
STORKS
White Stork
HAWKS, EAGLES AND KITES
Short-toed Eagle
Western Marsh-Harrier
Eurasian Buzzard
FALCONS AND CARACARAS
Eurasian Kestrel
Red-footed Falcon
Saker Falcon
PHEASANTS AND PARTRIDGES
Common Quail
Ring-necked Pheasant
BUSTARDS
Great Bustard
PLOVERS AND LAPWINGS
Northern Lapwing
GULLS
Caspian Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Black-headed Gull
PIGEONS AND DOVES
Rock Pigeon
Common Wood-Pigeon
Eurasian Turtle-Dove
CUCKOOS
Common Cuckoo
BEE-EATERS
European Bee-eater
ROLLERS
European Roller
LARKS
Crested Lark
SWALLOWS
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
House Martin
WAGTAILS AND PIPITS
Yellow Wagtail
Gray Wagtail
OLD WORLD WARBLERS
Marsh Warbler
OLD WORLD FLYCATCHERS
Whinchat
African Stonechat
CHICKADEES AND TITS
Great Tit
OLD WORLD ORIOLES
Eurasian Golden Oriole
SHRIKES
Red-backed Shrike
Lesser Gray Shrike
CROWS, JAYS AND MAGPIES
Rook
Hooded Crow
STARLINGS
European Starling
OLD WORLD SPARROWS
House Sparrow
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
SISKINS, CROSSBILLS AND ALLIES
Chaffinch
European Greenfinch
European Goldfinch
Eurasian Linnet
BUNTINGS, SPARROWS, SEEDEATERS ALLIES
Corn Bunting