CENTRAL EUROPEAN TOUR - tour in detail

We begin at Vienna airport and go about one hour to our first hotel in the easternmost corner of Austria. Lake Neusiedl is the largest European steppe lake with extensive reedbeds and shallow natron lakes around it. Although the steppe is local counterpart of American prairie, it has been managed for many years. Changes in land use are typical for this densely inhabited part of Europe but now it seems fragile harmony between people and nature has established here. We sleep in the center of the National Park and before the dinner we can go out to find our first birds. Serin, Black Redstart, Blackbird, Song Thrush and Icterine Warbler perform the most typical songs here.

We settled in the countryside of pools, fields and steppe remnants. Extensive reedbeds around the shallow Neusiedl Lake with salt water hold vast numbers of water birds. Walk before breakfast is a must for everybody keen in birds.

This day we spend at the water looking for local breeders and migrants on passage. More than thousand of Great White Egrets and several thousands of Moustached Warblers breed around the lake, although the latter is sometimes not easy to find. Whatever is possible and many birds are best observed in Seewinkel, area of shallow smaller lakes with system of hides. Avocets, Black-winged Stilts, Spoonbills, Little Egrets, Purple and Night Herons, Kentish Plovers, Ferruginous Ducks, Greylag Geese or Grebes, Bluethroats, Black, Whiskered and White-winged Terns, Little and Mediterranean Gulls and various waders can all be seen in one day if we are lucky and visit more than one place.

Small Waasen-Hanság reserve lies on the border with Hungary. In early May we can have quite close and good views of displaying males of Great Bustard in the meadow. Maze is sown later here and thus we can even find mostly females standing on bare ground! Sleepy Short-eared Owl often overlooks flat carpets of grass, Montagu‘s Harriers, Curlews and Black-tailed Godwits all breed on artificially flooded meadows and in the fields. Roadside birds include here Stonechat, continental race of Yellowhammer, Red-backed Shrike; we also try for Barred Warbler, Crested Lark or Nightingale, all not uncommon where we roam. Canal fringes, woods and windbreaks are also very much alive with Golden Orioles, Marsh Warblers, Hobbies or Long-eared Owls. Raptors are spot usually at longer distance, most commonly Buzzard and Kestrel. Osprey, an Eagle or Red-footed Falcon are regular visitors to the area.

Transfer to South Moravia, about three hours altogether. En route we probably visit Saker, Red-footed Falcon or Lesser Grey Shrike at the nest or stop in Devinska Kobyla nature reserve to find some of the finest local plants in full flower including rare cross O. x dietrichiana, Fly or Early Spider Orchid. In the afternoon we visit neo-gothic castle in Lednice and spend rest of the day in a wonderfull park around the castle with a colony of 500 Night Herons and another 500 Grey Herons on an artificial islet in the centre of the park. Here Grey-headed, Syrian and Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Collared Flycatcher or Red-crested Pochard are so easy to find a few steps aside from the path.

Brief birdwatching before breakfast in a park few steps from the hotel is the best way to find those common-ish birds like Icterine Warbler, Wryneck or Golden Oriole and Syrian Woodpecker.

This day we spend walking through Palava hills. It is a limestone gorge dominating flat country of fields, ponds and alleys and it is the home of true Pannonian flora. Plenty of flowers (Meadow Clary, Hesperis tristis, Burning Bush, Golden Alyssum, Bloody Cranesbill, Carthusian Pink or May Lily to name just few of them) will be our main companions together with Barred Warblers, Collared Flycatchers, Short-toed Treecreepers, Red and Black Kites, Montagu‘s and Marsh Harriers, Honey Buzzards and Bluethroats, Savi‘s, River, Marsh and Great Reed Warblers which all breed nearby. In the evening we can look forward to wine cellar with the best choice of Moravian wines and folklore music.

We haven‘t explored a floodplain forest yet, but in the morning we do so. It is another fascinating habitat with old oaks, ashes and poplars, formerly regularly flooded by river Morava in February or March. Honey Buzzard, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Collared Flycatcher and Short-toed Treecreeper are common here; Black Stork, Hobby, Red and Black Kite should be gliding over the trees as well as Imperial Eagle. We conclude this excursion in a large meadow with tens of White Storks’ nests in old solitary oaks.

Vineyards are a good place for Hoopoe and Corn Bunting too. Before we return to the hotel we pay a quick visit to the Bee-eater colony and Kingfisher territory. Green Lizzard, Souslik, Hamster, Steppe Polecat and both Martens live in the area.

We travel west to vicinity of the Sumava National Park. We stay for three nights in a small hotel in reach of all places where we will be looking for birds in days to follow. We choose the road along southern border, away from highway and larger towns. We will enjoy beautiful and ever changing landscape of this forgoten part of the country. Our several stops will aim to the most interesting town centers and historical monuments – we visit towns of Znojmo and Slavonice and a large castle ruin Landstejn. If time allows, also the gothic cloister in Vyssi Brod.

Like no other place in Czechlands, Sumava Mountains remind of the coniferous forests in the far north. As mountains bordering to Germany, some parts of Sumava have been closed for visitors for nearly fifty years. Forested hills hide large moors, meadows and mountain streams. Wolf, Lynx and Ural Owl inhabit deep forest tracts.

We can expect different passerines here. Along flowing water we find the Dipper, Wren and Grey Wagtail. Firecrest, Goldcrest, Crossbill, Siskin and Bullfinch are common forest birds. Local owls breed rather early but we should be able to spot them with help of our local guide. Eagle Owl, Tengmalm‘s and Tawny Owl all breed in the forest. Quest for these night fliers is bit tricky sometimes and they are best observed at the nest.

Males of Corn Crake call in the meadows. Their harsh voice is mixed with the call of Fieldfare, Nutcracker and Meadow Pipit.

According to the season, we can wake up early in the morning and try the Capercaillie or Black Grouse at the lek. If we do not so, it will be question of luck to see either of them. On this day we will be again looking for birds around secret pathways and forest tracks in Sumava mts. Three-toed Woodpecker is an abundant inhabitant here, especially in dying spruce forest. Black Woodpecker occasionally calls. Honey Buzzard, Goshawk and Hen Harrier.

We all will be disappointed if we leave Sumava without seeing the Nutcracker and Ring Ouzel. Both are abundant and appear even near settlement. In case we will be succesful with birds in Sumava mts., we have planned a sightseeing tour around Cesky Krumlov in the afternoon. It is considered to be the most beautiful town in Bohemia. Downtown is not very large and we can divide into smaller groups. Beautiful castle built on the rock, as many other Czech sights, is open for tourists.

We move to the small town of Trebon, centre of the Trebonsko Protected Landscape Area. It extends in the countryside of medieval ponds, ancient forests, canals, alleys and peatbogs and is preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage. We will do our best to see two ‘target‘ species on this day. White-tailed Sea Eagle is the largest European member of the genus and due to its size we can hardly miss it. Pygmy Owl, on the other hand, is the smallest of the family in Europe. It breeds in May and we will follow its repetitive call to find it sitting somewhere on the branch. Stonechat, Whinchat, Common Rosefinch and Red-breasted Flycatcher is a good mix for birdwatching in the late afternoon, all of them at leisure pace. We certainly spare some time to visit small water castle Cervena Lhota and will admire cozy interior from past centuries.

Some of many ponds fill our time before lunch. Our morning ‘waterfowl excercise‘ should yield Garganey, Teal, Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard or Gadwall. Cormorant, Greylag Goose and Mute Swan are biggest birds on water surface and quite common. Shallow water is favoured by Spoonbill and Avocet.

Reedbeds are full of hopping, overflying and singing birds. We have already seen some of them in Austria. We can have more close-up views of Bluethroat, Great Reed, Reed and Savi’s Warbler, Reed Bunting, Bearded and Penduline Tit are fairly common birds here. Time from time, Bittern booms, Water Rail calls and Herons and Storks pass by.

From adjacent fields and marshes we will hear far-carrying voice of Lapwing. After we move closer, alarm calls of Redshank and Little Ringed Plover invite us. Marsh Harrier is very common and Montagu’s should be seen too. Finally, we find Marsh Warbler and River Warbler along water margins where often other birds favour to rest and feed.

After our busy birdwatching, we devote our evening to a chamber concert of classical music and a farewell party.

We move to ‘Golden‘ Prague, capital of the Czech Republic. Before we come to the seat of the Czech kings, we stop in Ceske Budejovice (Budweis) to taste original Budweiser beer.

Some of us may choose extension of the holiday in the Czech capital. Another two days are recommended as Prague has city center almost untouched by modern architecture. Historical core is rather compact and panorama with Prague castle, especially in the evening, is breathtaking. Although Prague is renowned for its Gothic sights, it posseses a mixture of mainly Baroque, Renaissance and Gothic buildings. One should not miss remnants of “Franz Kafka’s“ Jewish quarter with mystical cemetery, or stony Charles Bridge and gardens in the Little Quarter.