Itinerary:

Day 1 Arrival

After arriving at Budapest airport, you will be met by a professional English speaking guide and head towards the Kiskunsag National Park. We drive to the sites of the magnificent Great Bustard where some of the birds maybe already displaying! We know a small Red-footed Falcon colony close by, so there are good chances to see this spectacular bird too. We will also search for the world's second biggest falcon, the Saker!

Accommodation: Small family run hotel, called Kondor Tanya built in a local style close to the village of Szabadszallas.

Overnight: Kondor Tanya

Day 2 Kiskunsag National; Park

We continue discovering the Kiskunsag NP visiting its wet meadows and huge fishponds, excellent for Savis' Warbler, Spotted Crake, Ferruginous Duck, Pygmy Cormorant but also for Montague's Harrier. Bittern are heard from the reeds regularly and with a little bit of luck we might also see one. Depending on the season and on the time we spend in the morning, we might be able to pay a visit to one of the biggest ringing stations of the country and see Nightjars being ringed. We can also try to attract Corncrakes, and if we decide to try to see this elusive bird, we will have a late dinner. Stone Curlew are also on our menu [not literally] as they are regularly breeding close to our accommodation.

Overnight: Kondor Tanya

Day 3 Wetlands

Today we will visit a fantastic wetland; a breeding site of Pygmy Cormorant, in some years Glossy Ibis breed here too. Squacco Heron, Purple Heron & Night Heron are here in good numbers as are Ferruginous Ducks. All around we have chances to see all 3 marsh terns. Black Stork and White-tailed Eagle breed in the "gallery forest" of the Tisza river and Spotted and Little Crakes call from the reeds this time of the year. Later we hope to be able to spot Long-eared Owl at a known nest site.

Overnight: Kondor Tanya

Day 4 Estern Hungary & Bukk Hills

Today we travel towards the Eastern part of the country; here we will spend 4 nights in an excellent family run hotel, by the foot of the Bukk hills. It has probably the best cuisine in the region. On our way we check some good sites for Imperial Eagle and Saker Falcon. Upon arrival we will start our search for woodpeckers, having a good chance to see Middle Spotted just in the vicinity of our hotel.

Overnight: Nomad Hotel, at Noszvaj

Day 5 Orchards and Woods for Woodpeckers

We will start the day with a search for Syrian Woodpecker in the orchards of the village and possibly we will also see Golden Oriole & Hawfinch during our quest. Later we enter the old beech forests of the mountain, searching for Grey-headed & Black Woodpecker and later in the afternoon for the elusive White-backed Woodpecker. The wet mountain meadows hold River Warbler & Corncrake and the dry bushy part is inhabited by Barred Warbler. From mid-May several pairs of Red-breasted Flycatchers are also to be found here, but Collared Flycatcher and Wood Warblers are singing from earlier on.

Overnight: Nomad Hotel, at Noszvaj

Day 6 Southern Slopes

Day 6 gives us the chance to see Imperial Eagle and Saker again after driving to the Southern slopes of the mountains. Here we often see Goshawk and Lesser-spotted Eagle too. Hawfinch is very common and we will probably have opportunities to see them well. If time permits we can try to find Rock Thrush in a nearby quarry, or revisit the Ural Owl habitat.

Overnight: Nomad Hotel, at Noszvaj

Day 7 Woods & Quarries

Today we will target Wryneck and any woodpeckers we might have missed so far. We will visit the entrance of Hor valley where several pairs of Rock Bunting breed in an abandoned quarry and in the evening we will be waiting in a known site for the Eagle Owl seen in previous trip.

Overnight: Nomad Hotel, at Noszvaj

Day 8 Departure

Travel back to Budapest, birding en route.