Poland - March 2009

I had a brief weekend visit to Central Poland in March 2009. The area visited was a mixture of arable farmland and mixed woodland SE of Lubien Kujawski. This was my first visit at this time of year. Obviously I expected the number of bird species to be fewer than my last visit in May 2007, as many of those seen then were summer visitors. I was however surprised at how few birds there were and could clearly note that Spring was further away than back home, despite it being on virtually the same latitude.

The highlights of the visit were my first Black Woodpecker seen perched on a tree trunk, and flying between the trees in a small conifer wood. Also a good close up view of a female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in a silver birch wood. On my second day's walk I had a brief glimpse of the Black Woodpecker again as he flew away and as I sat on a rock to eat lunch 4 Common Cranes flew over and landed in a field. Unfortunately the field they landed in was too far away for me to be able to get any good pictures, however I got this quick shot as they flew over.



Common Cranes

They were many Yellowhammers to be seen and a large number of Skylarks displaying and fighting over territories. A few Common Buzzards and a single Goshawk and Sparrowhawk were the only raptors. Jays were also fairly plentiful, mainly in ones and twos, but a group of six was seen.

In 2 areas a large mixed group of Siskins and Redpolls were feeding at the tops of trees. I also saw my first Northern Long-Tailed Tits, their whiteness really stood out.


Long-Tailed Tit (Northern race)

In the wood where the Black Woodpecker was, I saw 2 Nuthatches. One Nuthatch was busily plastering up an old Black Woodpecker hole to make his nest.


Nuthatch taking over old Black Woodpecker nest


In another wood a bit further down the track I spotted another old Black Woodpecker's nest hole. So it looks as though there are at least 2 territories here.


Black Woodpecker nest


On the first day I heard Woodlarks in a cleared and recently replanted area, but didn't manage to see them until on the second day I saw 2 flying.


As well as birds I saw a Hare and several small groups of 4-6 Roe Deer.




Roe Deer

The full list of birds seen is as follows:

Black Woodpecker
Blackbird
Blue Tit
Buzzard
Chaffinch
Collared Dove
Common Crane
Fieldfare
Goshawk
Great Grey Shrike
Great Spotted Woodpecker
GreatTit
Greenfinch
Hawfinch
Hooded Crow
House Sparrow
Jackdaw
Jay
Lapwing
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Long-tailed Tit (Northern race)
Magpie
Marsh Tit
Nuthatch
Raven
Redpoll
Reed Bunting
Rook
Siskin
Skylark
Sparrowhawk
Starling
Tree Sparrow
Treecreeper
White-fronted Goose
Woodlark
Yellowhammer

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