Read most guides on bird watching and you will be inundated with information on binoculars and photographing. With birding, sketching is a better way to go.
As you immerse yourself in bird watching in Poland, you will slowly but surely improve your observational skills. Different species will start to stand out as you get the hang of viewing bodies, bills, tails and other distinguishing characteristics. Simply viewing them or photographing them, however, only takes you so far. To become a master, you should start sketching your sightings.
Sketching is really one of the pillars of birding. That being said, it has fallen to the side a bit given modern technology and all it offers. Why take the time to sketch when you can use amazingly sophisticated cameras to capture the moment? Many have no answer, and go with cameras. There is nothing wrong with such an approach, but sketching is simply better. You may consider such a statement as a matter of opinion, but it is not.
The act of photographing something is ultimately a point and click situation. I do photographers a disservice with that statement because there is much more to it. It is an art and undeniably so. The art, however, has much more to do with lighting and proper framing than it does the subject itself. Sketching is just the opposite.
Sketching a bird is the single best way to improve your birding skills. Why? Well, think the process through. How do you go about sketching? There are many ways, but all involve one key element - details. To sketch, you must take in the details of your sighting. Lighting and such really does not come into play. Instead, bill curvature, body type, wing shape, feather patters, tail displays and so on are all aspects you must focus on to complete your sketching. Inevitably, this forces you to focus on the finer point of the bird. The more you do this, the better you become at observing and recognizing. It is a simple fact.
So, what if you have never sketched before? As with most birding skills, it does not matter. I am not talking about the quality of your sketches. It is not the final product that matters. Instead, it is the act of focusing on the unique characteristics of your sighting and recognizing them as such. After a surprisingly short while, your sketching will lead you to start distinguishing species with accuracy as well a giving you the ability to note variations.
Sketching may sound like a daunting task at first, but give it a try. You will be surprised at how quickly you pick it up and how fast your observational skills improve.
Bird Watching on the Biebrza Marshes Poland
Białowieża Forest Polish National Parks
Polish Birds In Summer. Be kind to birds on your Poland holiday
Polish Birds in spring - Spring migrations
Friday, May 1, 2009
Bird Watching Tips for your Holiday in Poland
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Bialowieza Primeval Forest Poland Bird Watching
Bialowieza Primeval Forest
It is the last, most natural forest complex of the lowlands in the whole Europe. A pearl among the woodlands of the Old Continent! In central part of the forest has been estabilished the Bialowieski National Park, part of which is under strict preservation. The Park has been declared by UNESCO a World Biosphere Reserve and put on the World Heritage List.
The place is wonderful, thanks to protection for centuries as the best hunting area of Polish kings and Russian tsars. The age of magnificient treestands are over 150-200 years. A lot of trees have really impressive size, shape and age - highest spruces, limes and oaks are over 50m high and oldest oaks are over 400 years. These huge trees and a lot of decaying trunks lying on the ground gives a realistic feeling of ancient, unspoiled nature.
Ecotourism is allowed in the Park only in organised groups, guided only by licensed guides. In the area of strict preservation only one, 4km walking trail is available for visitors. Most of the roads in the forest have limited access for cars. Anyway - except the Park and several small reserves- quite big of the area is open for entry. There are numerous dirt roads and paths.
Picture Slide show from Bialowieski National Park
The most well known attraction of the Park is European Bison, that was reintroduced there in 1929 (last wild European Bisons extincted in Bialowieza in 1919). Other mammals include: Deer, Wolf, Lynx and Beaver. The Park is also a site for numerous research projects conducted by scientists from all over the world.
Bialowieza Primeval Forest
Polish Birds that can be seen in Polands Bialowieza Primeval Forest
Barred Warbler
Black Stork
Black Woodpecker
Capercaillie
Collared Flycatcher
Corncrake
Eagle Owl
Great Grey Owl
Grey-headed Woodpecker
Hazel Hen (Hazel Grouse)
Hoopoe
Lesser Spotted Eagle
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Nutcracker
Pygmy Owl
Red-backed Shrike
Red-breasted Flycatcher
Tengmalm''s Owl
Three-toed Woodpecker
Thrush Nightingale
White-backed Woodpecker
Bird Watching on the Biebrza Marshes Poland
Białowieża Forest Polish National Parks
Polish Birds In Summer. Be kind to birds on your Poland holiday
Polish Birds in spring - Spring migrations
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Biebrza Marshes Bird Watching in Poland
Biebrza valley is widely known as the largest marshes in Europe. Most of the Biebrza River basin (59 223ha) has been given under the strict protection. The Biebrza National Park established on northern and middle basins is the largest National Park in Poland.
The slowly meandering Biebrza river is one of the very few European rivers, which throughout the passage of time has kept all of its natural quality. It is a really unspoilt wildlife sanctuary and a paradise for both, ornithologists and birds. It has sedge marshes stretching as far as your eye can see giving a stunning views, birch-thickets and alders, acres of reedbeds, wet meadows and peatbogs.
Early spring gives excellent opportunities to watch migratory birds during Biebrza''s flooding season. Every spring (mostly March/Appril or May) the river floods and most of the area seems to be a shallow lake with geese of a thousand flocks, whooper, mute and Bevick''s swans, cranes, widgeons, pintails and many waders and waterfowls can be easily observed while stopping over here. The most well known target rarities of the area are Aquatic Warbler (about 2000 pairs) and Great Snipe (about 450 lekking males). Biebrza is also considered to be one of the best places in Europe for raptors that can be anywhere seen here. Especially eagles: White-tailed, Golden and Greater Spotted Eagle but Booted and Short-toed as well.
Whooper Swans, Biebrza Marshes
The length of the Park is about 100km but public transportation is very bad in whole Biebrza''s valley so it is really hard to move through the valley without a car. Public buses are rare even in the areas of high visitor interest. The more so, car access for birders in the Park is mostly limited to few local roads. There are some hiking trails (usually very muddy, so remember to wear rubber shoes and use repellent against mosquitos), bicycle or kayak trials but expect to walk quite a few kilometers to visit the best spots. Prior to entering the Park, tickets must be bought and groups can enter the Park only guided by licensed guide.
Some of the species of birds you can watch in Biebrza Marshes
Aquatic Warbler
Bee-eater
Bittern
Black Grouse
Black Kite
Black Stork
Black Tern
Bluethroat
Corncrake
Eagle Owl
Golden Oriole
Great Reed Warbler
Great Snipe
Hoopoe
Lesser Spotted Eagle
Little Crake
Montagu''s Harrier
Red-backed Shrike
Red-crested Pochard
Savi''s Warbler
Short-eared Owl
Spotted Eagle (Greater)
Steppe Eagle
Thrush Nightingale
White-tailed Eagle
White-winged Black Tern
Bird Watching on the Biebrza Marshes Poland
Białowieża Forest Polish National Parks
Polish Birds In Summer. Be kind to birds on your Poland holiday
Polish Birds in spring - Spring migrations
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Polish Birds In Summer. Be kind to birds on your holidays
Birds usually build their nests in April and May. Bird nest may be found almost everywhere. However, if birds lose their clutch (e.g. due to bad weather or predation) they may build another nest and begin breeding once again. Some bird species breed two times in a row every year; in favourable circumstances even three times. This is why many bird species breed and look after their chicks in June and July. Sometimes one may come across a nest with chicks even in September.
In order not to disturb birds, as well as other animals, one should avoid thickets and bushes, areas which are seldom visited by people, river banks and lake shores overgrown with bushes and rushes. One should rather follow bitten paths and trails and stop at places where people often stay.
If you notice a nest, do not come close to it and back up carefully. Especially big birds of prey, although they may seem dangerous, they are very skittish and sensitive to the presence of humans in the vicinity of their nests. Moreover, mammal predators (e.g. fox, raccoon-dog, marten) often follow human tracks, which may lead them to nourishing eggs and vulnerable chicks. If you uncover a nest, chicks may be easily noticed by predators, both from the air and from the ground (among them crow, magpie and marsh harrier – specialized in robbing nests). It sometimes happens that a bird, once it has been frighten off from its nest, escapes and never comes back, leaving the eggs or chicks behind. Meanwhile, frightening chicks away from the nest, when they are still too young to hide efficiently, as well as fly and seek food on their own, jeopardizes their lives – they may die of hunger or be eaten by predators.
Polish White-backed Woodpecker
Protection of birds in Poland is guaranteed by the Act on Nature Conservation. According to the article 27b "all native animal species living in the wild and remaining under protection (this refers to all bird species excluding feral pigeon) cannot be frightened off, bothered, photographed, filmed, or observed from the distance, which may disturb animals in the breeding season".
In order to photograph birds in the vicinity of their nests one needs a special permission from the local authorities (voivode). Without such a permission, birds may be photographed only in areas described in the regulations concerning nature protection as "built-up areas and all areas of public use" i.e. by roads, trails and places indicated as road stops or car parks.
Polish Birds in spring - Spring migrations
The majority of birds leave before they run out of food and before it gets really cold, so they never have a chance to find out how winter really looks like. Autumn migration starts just after the young are big enough to manage on their own. They follow their parents once they learn to fly. To conclude, the main reason to migrate is not to avoid winter but to take advantage of spring.
The migration season in Poland starts in February, when birds wintering in Poland set off to their breeding areas in the north; among these birds are snow buntings, whooper swans and long-tailed ducks.
First migrant larks can be observed in Poland as early as the mid February. When the winters are mild, also the more impatient cranes arrive in February. Yet the high migration season begins in March. First to set off are sea ducks, which spend winter in our country.
Simultaneously, long-tailed tits and other tits, that winter in Germany and Holland arrive to Poland. The first swallows may be observed as early as 14th March. Throughout March and April almost all birds which nest in Poland arrive here. The last to come are river warblers, common rosefinches, golden orioles and swifts. They arrive in May.
Within five months, from February to June, almost 200 species of birds come to Poland to breed and they leave after the breeding season in over. There are just some twenty species of strictly resident birds – they nest in Poland and stay here afterwards.
In spring birds travel much faster then in autumn. For example marsh warbler (smaller than a sparrow, dweller of dense thickets) travels in autumn for 6-7 months (i.e. 26-30 weeks), it stops for winter for 8-10 weeks, and again in spring migrates for 9-10 weeks.
In most cases spring migrations are a kind for race - males race against one another to be first in the best locality. Those, which arrive first can choose the best place to build a nest and the area abundant in food. Moreover, when a male arrives to its destination after a long flight it has to be strong enough to fulfill a breeding season demands. It has to protect its territory from other birds and be attractive enough to attract a female. Meanwhile, a female short after the journey has to lay eggs, rich in fat and proteins. Thus birds which arrive at their hatching habitats in poor condition have little chance for healthy offspring if any.
