When: 5 days in early April 2025
Where: Białowieża Forest
Who: Fiona, Deborah, Elizabeth, Tina & John from UK, Noel from US, Lukas from DE
Type of the tour: Early Spring Tour
Highlights: woodpeckers (White-backed, Middle spotted, Grey-headed, Black, Lesser Spotted, Wryneck, Green), Tengmalm’s Owl, Pygmy Owl, Hazel Grouse, Greater Spotted Eagle, Rough-legged Buzzard, Crane + Bisons, Wolves.
Trip report
After collecting all of the participants in Warsaw we set up for a journey to Białowieża Forest where we arrived around 4 p.m. There was still enough time to go for our first exploration of the forest so we decided to do it. The walk gave us excellent views of White-backed Woodpeckers, first Hawfinches & good views of Black Woodpeckers flying around. There were already lifers for few of us!
We started Day 2 before breakfast. After a short drive from our accomodation we entered a thick mist covering river valley. I notice strange shape which I looked up with binoculars that turns out to be a Wolf. We stopped our vehicle, walked out of it & waited on the road. In the foggy conditions three Wolves crossed our road which only some people saw. We didn’t give up & after a few minutes we relocated the animals, but even in bigger numbers – we were able to watch a pack of 10 Wolves for about an hour leisurely playing on the meadows & resting. Also nearby Grey-headed Woodpeckers were calling & Corn Buntings were singing. That was amazing!
Satisfied after watching wolves so comfortably we decided to try with woodpeckers as we still had time before breakfast. But not later than 30 seconds after departure we bumped into a huge bull of Bison, our first for the trip. Further we found another three individuals and while we were watching them Wryneck started to call. That was the earliest regional record – they should arive around mid April. But still we had some plans with more woodpeckers and indeed, a brief stop on the bridge around alder woodland gave us excellent views of a pair of Grey-headed Woodpeckers, Middle-spotted Woodpecker & Marsh Tits.
After hearty, polish breakfast we tried our luck with Tengmalm’s Owl. This species is very rodent-dependent & difficult to see in other time of the year than mid-March till mid-April. We tried in a nesting site where I watched a pair of the birds few days before but suprisingly – no effect. Around us Woodlarks were calling together with numerous Stock Doves.
Wishing to encourage our hearts we went to look for Pygmy Owl. On the way there we had copulating Nuthatches of scandinavian-ish subspecies. Once we arrive to the spot, Pygmy Owl male was guarding the nesthole where female was incubating. The male allows us for the fantastic views from a distance of about 10 metres.
After a very early start on that day we decided to had a little rest in the afternoon especially that we were planning to try again with Tengmalm’s Owl after dinner. And we tried – we drove through the deepest parts of the Forest in the night hoping to hear one calling but probably they were feeling change of the weather coming on the next day & didn’t sing at all. However, we have jointly said that being in the forest in the middle of the night with no artificial sounds, only natural calls was a fantastic experience.
On a Day 3 we did a short walk before breakfast. Nevertheless, it was pretty cool. We found Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers nesthole with both birds excavating it, Goldeneye male, another Grey-headed, Middle-spotted & Black Woodpecker & male Bullfinch.
Late morning hours we wanted to spend searching for Hazel Grouse & Three-toed Woodpecker. The latter unfortunately didn’t show, very probably due to wind that was peaking in the day, but the former gave us good flight views after listening to it song for a good time. First Blackcap was recorded then as well as Crested Tits, Siskins & Treecreepers.
At 2 p.m. we met a local Białowieża guide who led us to the Strict Reserve of Białowieża National Park (UNESO site). We had a zen moment there as we almost didn’t meet anyone and we had a moment of reflection on this amazing site and how european woodlans should look like. Especially that this was a moment of the weather change – a snow blizzard came changing the habitat in minute – about 4 cms of snow fell. After dinner the sky cleared up for the moment and we were able to watch thousands of stars over Białowieża Forest.
It was still snowing in the morning of Day 4 so we did our first excursion after breakfast. We decided to try for the last time with Three-toed Woodpecker but it didn’t play the ball. However, we had excellent views of tens of Hawfinches there as well as white-headed Long tailed Tits. On a meadow nearby a herd of 14 Bisons where feeding – such a privilege to see them in the snow in April! Suddenly, over our head a raptor glided. It turned out to be a pretty Rough-legged Buzzard.
Early afternoon hours we planned to spend on Siemianówka Reservoir. A change of the habitat increased our list of observed species. We started with Great Grey Shrike perched nearby the road, continued with a flock of 100 Waxwings & finished with two drakes Red-crested Pochard on the water. Later on we also had numeorus Ruffs, Black-tailed Godwits, rather distant White-tailed Eagles & finally a cherry on the cake – a local Greater Spotted Eagle!
But we still had one thing planned for the day. A friend of mine found active nesthole of Tengmalm’s Owl & he could take us there. Once we arrived there we waited in silence and… a beuatiful Tengmalm’s Owl showed up in the entrance of the hole!
On early morning of Day 5 we decided to try for the very last time with Three-toed Woodpecker. Sadly it didn’t answer our prays. But that was a sunny morning after snowy time & birds were extremely active – Middle-spotted Woodpeckers, Hawfinches, Redwing & Chaffinches were everywhere.
After breakfast we packed in the minibus & headed towards Warsaw with a stop in Białystok city planned to increase our list of woodpecker species. On the way there we had several Bison bulls foraging on the side of the road but also two Hoopoes flying over the road. In Białystok Syrian Woodpecker was not present but a pair of Green Woodpeckers were active. Also Fieldfares were preparing for upcoming breeding season & were singing everywhere – that was actually two lifers for our American participant of the tour.
Around 2 p.m. we arrived to Warsaw & we said goodbye to each other. We spent amazing few days together in wilderness of NE Poland!
Below you can admire pictures made by tour participant, Lukas Witkowski.
