Poland in Spring

The extensive forests and marshes of eastern Poland have long been a favourite of birdwatchers. This popular spring tour focuses on two of the country’s very best wildlife reserves, the primeval forests of Bialowieza and the extensive marshlands and floodplains of the Biebrza National Park. Within these two contrasting areas we hope to enjoy such avian delights as Aquatic Warbler, Citrine Wagtail, displaying Great Snipe, Pygmy Owl, Spotted Eagle and up to eight species of woodpecker! In May the forests of Bialowieza will be alive with birdsong as newly arrived warblers and flycatchers compete for territory, whilst the adjacent wet meadows echo to the bizarre ‘crex crex’ call of the Corncrake and all three species of marsh tern hawk for insects over the flooded fields that edge the Biebrza River. As we explore these pristine habitats we may be silently — and unknowingly — watched by a Wolf or Lynx, both of which still patrol the forests, or perhaps come across a small herd of European Bison which are being increasingly recorded in the spring by our groups. Indeed, although birds will certainly take centre stage on this holiday, we will not ignore Poland’s wealth of other wildlife which should include Elk, European Beaver and perhaps Wild Boar, plus an interesting variety of butterflies, dragonflies and plants.

We begin our holiday with a flight to Warsaw from where we will drive east to the Bialowieza Forest, close to the Belarus border. This forest complex covers a total of 1,250 square kilometres of land straddling the border of Poland and Belarus. Of this, 580 square kilometres lie within Poland and hold some of Europe’s last remaining true primeval lowland mixed forest. It is home to over 200 species of birds and one of Europe’s last herds of Wisent, the rare European Bison. Other mammals include both Lynx and Wolf although we would be very fortunate indeed to find either of these. During our 4-night stay here we will visit the famous Bialowieza National Park, 47.5 square kilometres of magnificent untouched lowland forest. The swampy alder woods, old limes, oaks and hornbeams are truly impressive and important enough to have earned its selection as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. In the spring, the forest will be alive with the drumming of woodpeckers, White-backed and Black included, and the songs of a wide variety of other birds.

We will also explore the vast managed forests, home of such species as Pygmy Owl, Three-toed Woodpecker, Nutcracker and the elusive Hazel Grouse. The marshes and meadows surrounding the Narweka River hold a healthy population of Corncrakes, together with Lesser Spotted Eagles, Common Rosefinches, and Barred, River and Marsh Warblers, whilst a walk around the ‘Palace Park’ should add Thrush Nightingale, Icterine Warbler and Wryneck to our list. If there is one family of birds that epitomises the Bialowieza Forest for birdwatchers then it has to be the woodpeckers, and with careful searching we have every chance of leaving with sightings of no less than eight species — Green, Grey-headed, Black, Great Spotted, Middle Spotted, Lesser Spotted, Whitebacked and Three-toed — an impressive tally to rival any site in Europe!

We will then head north-west to our base for the latter part of the holiday, the Biebrza Marshes. En route we will visit Siemianówka Reservoir, a superb area of open water and marshes formed by the damming of the River Narew. Both Red-necked and Black-necked Grebes are common on the water, whilst over it hunt all three marsh terns (Black, Whiskered and the beautiful White-winged Tern). Continuing north-west we will stop for lunch on the edge of the Narwianski Landscape Park where the meandering Narew River has created a maze of reedfringed backwaters and flooded meadows, home to flocks of Common Cranes, breeding Black-tailed Godwits and numerous Marsh Harriers. From here it is only a short drive to our second base in the heart of the Biebrza basin.

The Biebrza Marshes extend along the meandering River Biebrza between the towns of Augustów and Lomza. This vast area, a mosaic of marshes, ponds, wet meadows, reedbeds and alder woodlands, makes up the largest continuous expanse of riverine marshland left in Europe. If Bialowieza conjures up visions of woodpeckers then, for the birdwatcher, Biebrza brings to mind pictures of Great Snipe and Aquatic Warbler. At dusk the Great Snipe move onto their lek site and during at least one evening we too will move in to watch the display unfold. Indeed, at this site there will be the opportunity to see all three European species of snipe — Great, Common and Jack — plus their close relative, the Woodcock. We will also search the sedge beds and wet meadows for Aquatic Warbler and during our stay in the marshes hope to see such species as Great Reed, River, Savi’s, Grasshopper and Marsh Warblers, Bluethroat, Penduline Tit, Black Grouse, Spotted Eagle, Bittern, Crane, Little Crake, plus breeding Ruff and White-winged Tern. Elk are also common in the marshes and we will have every chance of finding one of these magnificent cervids before being forced to head back to Warsaw for our flight home.