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    BIRDS AND CULTURE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND AUSTRIA

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Birds and Flowers in the centre of Europe
Neusiedel lake and carpatian mountains
 
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Central Europe lies in the geografical heart of the Continent but stretches largely behind the former Iron curtain. After the fresh wind in late eighties wiped out the comunism from the map of Europe, rapid changes begun. It took ten years to build what is believed to be small, stable and independent country - the Czech Republic. We tried to bring the best blend of what you can see here and included also lake Neusiedl that naturally belongs to the region. Variety of habitats ensures we will be delighted by sights of the representative choice of European birds during the trip. And among them we will certainly find White-tailed and Imperial Eagle, Great Bustard, Tengmalm's, Eagle and Pygmy Owl, Hazel Grouse, Bluethroat or Common Rosefinch. All Europe's woodpeckers can be seen during the trip! Cultural heritage is no less worth mentioning and small towns along the southern border of the Czech Republic hide beautiful pictoresque town centers and cobbled lanes. Where else can we relax after our walks? In an old wine cellar with folklore music, in the alehouse next to the Budweiser brewery or listening to the classical music in a small concert hall.

Itinerary
Day 1 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. The most typical songs are performed here by Serin, Black Redstart, Blackbird, Song Thrush and Icterine Warbler. We stay here for three nights.

Day 2 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 and we will be probably delighted to add Wryneck, Syrian or Lesser Spotted Woodpecker to the list. 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 Black 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. After the dinner it is the best time to go out and listen to the confusing mixture of voices belonging to Savi's Warbler, Little or Spotted Crake, Little and Common Bittern and a number of frog species.

Day 3 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 Yellow Hammer, 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. In between we choose convenient lunch place at the water and look for new birds that landed last night to have a rest after they overcame high Alps or The Great Hungarian Plain. Flocks of migrating waders can always hide a surprise like Marsh Sandpiper but we have to keep trying to see more.

Day 4 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 of Burnt Orchid and O. tridentata - O. x dittrichiana, 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. We sleep in the historical core of Mikulov with a view of its impressive castle. Opportunity to spend evening with a concert of classical music.

Day 5 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. We have packed lunch presently we conclude this excursion in a large meadow with tens of White Storks' nests in old solitary oaks. If we haven't seen Hoopoe yet, then vineyards are good place for it and for 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 and we always have a chance of unexpected thrill as spending in South Moravia two full days out in the field.

Day 6 Short 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. In last years, Syrian Woodpecker nested in front of the hotel. 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 (Arenaria grandiflora, Meadow Clary, Hesperis tristis, Asarabacca, 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. Walking is of medium difficulty when climbing up in Palava although not very long with nice scenery seen from the top. This place is well known for butterflies and some of them like Scarce Swallowtail or Clouded Apollo should sunbathe on the stones. Overnight in Mikulov.

Day 7 We travel west to vicinity of the Sumava National Park and 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.

Day 8 Like no other place in Czechlands, Sumava mountains (Czech counterpart of German Bavarian Forest) 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 and Ural Owl once roamed around here. Both were brought back and follow extremely succesful re-introduction of Lynx in this area. We can expect somewhat different passerines here. Along flowing water we find the Dipper, Wren and Grey Wagtail. In the forest it is not so easy to see birds but their voices help us a lot. Firecrest, Goldcrest, Crossbill, Siskin and Bullfinch are common here. Local owls breed rather early but we should be able to spot at least Eagle Owl in an abandoned quarry or Tengmalm's and Tawny Owl in the forest. Quest for these night fliers is bit tricky sometimes and they are best observed at the nest. In the meadows call males of Corn Crake. Their harsh voice mixed with the call of Fieldfare, Nutcracker and Meadow Pipit creates meditative atmosphere of this corner of nature.

Day 9 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 are possible and one or two pairs of Lesser Spotted eagle breed here. 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 in the rock, as many Czech sights, is open for tourists.

Day 10 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 hardly can miss it. Pygmy Owl, on the other hand, is 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 in 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.

Day 11
Early morning birdwatching in castle park is voluntary but hopefully most of us enjoy refreshing walk before breakfast. Than we leave for some of many ponds to do our morning 'waterfowl excercise'. Garganey, Teal, Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard or Gadwall all should be present. Cormorant, Greylag Goose and Mute Swan are biggest birds on water surface and quite common. In shallow water we maybe meet Spoonbill or Avocet. Reedbeds are full of hopping, overflying and singing birds. Many of them we have already seen in Austria at Neusiedl lake but here we can have more close-up views. 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 chamber concert of classical music and a farewell party.
Day 12 We move to 'Golden' Prague, capital of the Czech Republic. Before we come to the seat of Czech kings, we stop in Ceske Budejovice (Budweis) to taste original Budweiser beer. Afterwards we stop again. Culture monuments are many and it's a pity we can't see all of them and have to choose one of them. Some of us may choose extension of the holiday in the Czech capitol. 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. The end of the trip coincides with Prague Spring, a week-lasting well-known festival of classical music. Good tickets can be booked for everybody who decides to prolong this holiday in Prague.

Special list of birds on request.
 

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