WILDPOLAND Trip report

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WILDPOLAND Trip report Winter Mammals, 1-7 February 2014 7 day

Marshes# Text and photographs by# Łukasz Mazurek Tour Leader:

Jean-Pierre, François, Laurent, Brigitte, Bernard (FR)

1 WILDPOLAND Trip report Winter Mammals, 1-7 February day mammal watching tour in the Białowieża Forest and Biebrza Marshes# Text and photographs by# Łukasz Mazurek Tour Leader: Łukasz (Lucas) Mazurek Participants: Jean François, Fabienne, Jean-Pierre, François, Laurent, Brigitte, Bernard (FR) Wildlife: 18 mammal and 40 bird species recorded, full checklist on page 6 1

Day 1, Saturday 1st Feb - Arrival We had an interesting start as part of the group missed their flight and arrived a few hours later.

time. When everyone was finally here, we set off just before 22:00 and it was nearly 2 am as we checked in at our guesthouse in

We started at 9 am, after a hearty breakfast and saw 1 Bison at a small glade, followed by 5 Red Deer stags, 2 Bison at the edge of

Still before lunch, we had a nice walk through the forest which brought Wolf footprints, a White-tailed Eagle and ca. 15 Ravens.

Day 3, Monday 3rd Feb - Białowieża Temp. -11 that feels like -16 C, clear sky.

2 Day 1, Saturday 1st Feb - Arrival We had an interesting start as part of the group missed their flight and arrived a few hours later. While waiting for them, we had a walk in the Old Town of Warsaw and a nice dinner at a Jewish Restaurant with those, who arrived on time. When everyone was finally here, we set off just before 22:00 and it was nearly 2 am as we checked in at our guesthouse in Białowieża. 4 Roe Deer were seen on the way. Day 2, Sunday 2nd Feb - Białowieża Temp. -8 C. We started at 9 am, after a hearty breakfast and saw 1 Bison at a small glade, followed by 5 Red Deer stags, 2 Bison at the edge of the Teremiski village and 6 Red Deer hinds. Still before lunch, we had a nice walk through the forest which brought Wolf footprints, a White-tailed Eagle and ca. 15 Ravens. After lunch at the forest glade, we transferred to the meadows in the N of the forest where we saw another 15 Bison in total. Day 3, Monday 3rd Feb - Białowieża Temp. -11 that feels like -16 C, clear sky. This morning we had an early start before breakfast and a short walk in the forest that brought 2 Black Woodpeckers, a selection of Tits, 2 Roe Deer and 3 Red Deer. After breakfast we have found 7 Bison bulls at the edge of the forest and they allowed us to come really close and everyone enjoyed this unique photo-session. 2

Later, we went for a walk west of Budy village and found 5 Bison sleeping around a haystack, plenty of footprints (Pine Marten, Fox, Wild Boar, Bison, Red Deer, Roe

This evening we decided to visit the edge of the National Park in Białowieża and had some great views of 7 Red Deer and 1 Bison bull in one frame, in the setting sun, a

Once again we decided for an early morning walk in the Wolves territory and saw a Hare, Red Deer and heard a Pygmy Owl near.

Arek was very knowledgable and extremely enthusiastic (as always) and apart from enjoying our time in the reserve, we had seen dozens of huge, centuries old trees and a

Back at our guesthouse, we had a delicious traditional Polish lunch of home made pierogi (dumplings stuffed with cabbage and wild mushrooms) and we hit the road towards

3 Later, we went for a walk west of Budy village and found 5 Bison sleeping around a haystack, plenty of footprints (Pine Marten, Fox, Wild Boar, Bison, Red Deer, Roe Deer), Black Woodpecker, several more Bison in the distance and 7 Red Deer. Driving through the Teremiski village, once again we saw 2 Bison and 7 Red Deer. This evening we decided to visit the edge of the National Park in Białowieża and had some great views of 7 Red Deer and 1 Bison bull in one frame, in the setting sun, a good end of a gorgeous day. Day 4, Tuesday 4th Feb - Białowieża to Biebrza Temp. -13 C that feels like -18 C, sunny. Once again we decided for an early morning walk in the Wolves territory and saw a Hare, Red Deer and heard a Pygmy Owl near. After breakfast we met Arek, our guide to the Strictly Protected Area of the National Park - the UNESCO World Heritage site and a Biosphere Reserve. Arek was very knowledgable and extremely enthusiastic (as always) and apart from enjoying our time in the reserve, we had seen dozens of huge, centuries old trees and a number of birds. Everyone had a good view at 3 White-backed and 1 Middle Spotted Woodpeckers. Back at our guesthouse, we had a delicious traditional Polish lunch of home made pierogi (dumplings stuffed with cabbage and wild mushrooms) and we hit the road towards the Biebrza Marshes. On the way, we have spotted 4 Red Deer in the fields and 4 Bison at a road side with the setting sun behind - a wonderful picture. Further along the way 3 Roe Deer were spotted and 1 young Elk as we approached our guesthouse in the Biebrza - Leśniczówka Biebrzańska. As usual, we enjoyed a plentiful home cooked Polish dinner and drinks around the fireplace. 3

Day 5, Wednesday 5th Feb - Biebrza Southern Basin Temp.

This early morning we went on a drive in the Elk/Moose

American Mink at one site, followed by an Otter, a few

Black Woodpecker, Marsh Tits, Nuthatch and a Great

Day 6, Thursday 6th Feb - Biebrza Southern Basin Temp.

We had another early morning drive in the Elk winter

4 Day 5, Wednesday 5th Feb - Biebrza Southern Basin Temp. -11 C that feels like -16 C. This early morning we went on a drive in the Elk/Moose winter habitat and saw the total of 6 Elks quite close. Satisfied, we came back for breakfast. Later, we have driven south to search for Beavers and Otters. The weather was gorgeous and we saw a Beaver and an American Mink at one site, followed by an Otter, a few Foxes, 1 more Beaver and a yet another American Mink fishing. Birds seen this day included many Swans, Mallards, Black Woodpecker, Marsh Tits, Nuthatch and a Great Grey Shrike. Day 6, Thursday 6th Feb - Biebrza Southern Basin Temp. -7 to -5 C. We had another early morning drive in the Elk winter habitat and saw the total of 13 Elks, most of them a bit further than yesterday but the last one - a female was very tame and gave us some great views. After breakfast we had a short walk at Barwik that gave us fresh Wolf tracks and pooh as well as some good views of Willow Tits. 4

Later, we transferred south to try for Beavers and Otters again and see if we could get any closer views.

close Beaver. Everyone enjoyed the day and an earlier come back for dinner.

Today we started after breakfast and transferred north towards Brzeziny Kapickie, saw 1 Elk on the way.

male of Grey-headed Woodpeckers that gave us great views as well as a Middle Spotted Woodpecker.

White-tailed Eagles, including one sitting on the ice and giving good views in the scope.

We visited the synagogue museum and had lunch of sandwiches and different Polish soups in a small Jewish Restaurant Tejsza.

5 Later, we transferred south to try for Beavers and Otters again and see if we could get any closer views. That proved to be a good decision as we had good views of an Otter close, followed by another Otter a bit more distant and a close Beaver. Everyone enjoyed the day and an earlier come back for dinner. Day 7, Friday 7th Feb - Biebrza to Warsaw through Tykocin Temp. -4 C. Today we started after breakfast and transferred north towards Brzeziny Kapickie, saw 1 Elk on the way. We had a short but very successful walk the birch forest with very fresh evidence of Beaver activity, followed by 2 females and 1 male of Grey-headed Woodpeckers that gave us great views as well as a Middle Spotted Woodpecker. Having briefly stopped at Goniadz viewpoint and Czechowizna Lake, we drove around the fishponds in Knyszyn and found 2 White-tailed Eagles, including one sitting on the ice and giving good views in the scope. The group wished to see the small, baroque town of Tykocin that once had a significant Jewish population. We visited the synagogue museum and had lunch of sandwiches and different Polish soups in a small Jewish Restaurant Tejsza. We departed towards Warsaw as it was getting dark and after a bit of traffic we checked in at the Gromada Hotel at 18:00 and said goodbye. On the next day, we have arranged for a 3 hrs walk in the old town of Warsaw in the morning with a history guide. Everyone enjoyed that a lot. The group had their flight in the afternoon of that day (Sat 8 Feb) and some continued their journey through Poland to Krakow. 5

6 Checklist F - footprints H - heard C - common MAMMALS Species name Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 SUM European Bison Bison bonasus Red Deer Cervus elaphus Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus Wild Boar Sus scrofa F F 0 Elk Alces Alces Wolf Canis lupus F F F 0 Red Fox Vulpes vulpes 1 F F Racoon Dog Nyctereutes procyonoides F 0 Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra Pine Marten Martes martes F F F F 0 American Mink Mustela vison 2 2 European Polecat Mustela putorius F 0 Stoat Mustela erminea F F 0 Weasel Mustela nivalis F 0 European Beaver Castor fiber Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgarus F F 1 1 European Hare Lepus europaeus F F 1 1 Bank Vole Clethrionomys glareolus F 0 Number of species: BIRDS Species name Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 SUM 039 Mute Swan Cygnus olor Greylag Goose Anser anser Mallard Anas platyrhynchos White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus Common Buzzard Buteo buteo Feral Pigeon Columba livia feral C C Eurasian Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium passerinum H Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius

7 Species name Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 SUM 225 Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos Fieldfare Turdus pilaris Blackbird Turdus merula Goldcrest Regulus regulus H Great Tit Parus major C C C C C Coal Tit Periparus ater H Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus H Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus Willow Tit Poecile montanus Marsh Tit Poecile palustris Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus 1 H Nuthatch Sitta europaea C 5 C Treecreeper Certhia familiaris H Northern / Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor Magpie Pica pica Jay Garrulus glandarius C C Jackdaw Corvus monedula Rook Corvus frugilegus C Hooded Crow Corvus cornix Raven Corvus corax House Sparrow Passer domesticus Tree-Sparrow Passer montanus Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Greenfinch Carduelis chloris Siskin Carduelis spinus 3 1 H Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula H Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella Number of species: For full size photographs, please visit our news at or our facebook page: 7

Journal of Avian Biology

Journal of Avian Biology JAV-00441 Fraixedas, S., Lehikoinen, A. and Lindén, A. 2014. Impacts of climate and land-use change on wintering bird populations in Finland. J. Avian Biol. doi: 10.1111/jav.00441