Daniel Bastaja

Hungary got a winter wallop today with snow, sleet, plunging temperatures and extreme wind, but it cleared up in time for a great sunset. 😀 #BirdingHungary

Speaking of harbingers of spring, the Snowdrops have been out in the garden for almost 3 weeks now. #WildHungary #wildflowers

A gaggle of Graylag Geese (Anser anser). Decades ago it used to be primarily a summer goose, but now they are abundant year round. Outnumbered in the winter only by the Greater White-fronted Geese. #BirdingHungary #geese #wildgeese #waterfowl

Northern Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) in overflight showing their characteristic "frying pan" wings. Most #shorebirds have pointy wings. Not these suckers. 😄 #BirdingHungary #plovers #waders #lapwings

One of the earliest harbingers of spring in these parts.. the return of the Northern Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus). A short-distance migrant, February is the month when thousands arrive from the near south in their fresh breeding plumage. #BirdingHungary #lapwings #plover #shorebirds #waders

Here's something else that will put the geese to flight.. an adult Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca). Video is a bit shaky because handheld. #BirdingHungary #eagles #raptors #birdsofprey

A low-flying plane came by and flushed all the White-fronted Geese. #BirdingHungary #geese #wildgeese #waterfowl

In addition to the Barnacle Geese, we saw a Red-breasted Goose and a whole lot of these guys... Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) #BirdingHungary #geese #wildgeese #waterfowl

Phonescope photo of a pair of distant Barnacle Geese (Branta leucopsis) today. Rare but regular winter visitor to Hungary. #BirdingHungary #geese #wildgeese #waterfowl

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Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris). Not sure how it got that name because I've never seen one anywhere near a marsh.... ever! 😄 #BirdingHungary #tits #chickadees

This is a Stock Dove (Columba oenas). If you want a Custom Dove you have to pre-order. 😂 #BirdingHungary #doves #pigeons

Playing hide-and-seek with this White-backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopus leucotos). Least common of the #woodpeckers that occur in Hungary. It prefers mature deciduous forest at higher elevations. #BirdingHungary #woodpeckers #BirdsSeenIn2026

Saw two separate pairs of Black Woodpeckers (Dryocopus martius). They were both into courtship... calling frequently and chasing each other around. Hard to get them in flight though... just too fast and always trees and branches in the way. #BirdingHungary #woodpeckers

Went up into the hills today to see if I could find some #woodpeckers The Black Woodpeckers were very active and noisy. This one looks like it has a cigar in it beak. 😀 It's a piece of bark about to be flung away. #BirdingHungary

😀 Thanks Lori!

Testing out my new thermal imaging camera on the weekend. Looking forward to using it in April and May.. the peak months for night birding in Hungary #BirdingHungary

Another portrait of a male Smew (Mergellus albellus). Speaking of moving on.. these guys will be gone very soon. They tend to head back north very early. #BirdingHungary #ducks #smews #waterfowl

The local Whooper Swan has moved on. Hey.. that rhymes. I should make it into a poem. How about... There once was a swan on the lawn / At dawn it chose to move on / The birders that heard / Went to search for the bird / But the swan on the lawn was gone 😂😂😂 #BirdingHungary #swans #waterfowl

Mute Swans have to be the noisiest flyers. You can hear the sound of their wings from a kilometer away. This big boys are not exactly stealthy. 😀 #BirdingHungary #swans #waterfowl

Love these older Fiat 500s. The mileage on that blistering half liter engine means it would be a great car for twitching those out of town rarities. But the only way I could fit in it is if I ripped out the front seats and drove it from the back seat. 😄 #Fiat #Fiat500 #BirdingHungary

Checking out the #ducks on Lake Balaton #BirdingHungary

A male Mallard practicing its best ski-jump landing on the ice. ⛷️😄 #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl

Great Egret (Ardea alba). Despite all the cold and snow in January, there are still a few hanging around. Now that things have thawed out, their life will be easier. #BirdingHungary #egrets #herons #waders

A group of amorous Common Goldeneyes in the fog. Their mating display is just great, but they were too far away for the video to pick up their characteristic calls. #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl

Yes! I'm definitely not a Pats fan! The rest of the league had to suffer for 20 years under the Brady - Bellichick dynasty. But I do feel for their fans. After the Cinderella season they had, it must be heartbreaking to come up short. I know how I would have felt if the game had gone the other way.

Great time of year for observing #ducks because they are all in fresh breeding plumage. Here is a pair of male Tufted Ducks (Aythya fuligula). The funny specific epithet means "sooty throat". 😀 #BirdingHungary #waterfowl

Here's a better photo of female Common Pochard (Aythya ferina). With 2 to 3 males for every 1 female of this species, she will have her choice of suitors in the spring. 😀 #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl #pochards

Nature's cruise missle .. a Common Merganser in flight! 🚀 😀 #BirdingHungary #ducks #mergansers #waterfowl