• Little Egret - Egretta garzetta

  • Little Egret - Egretta garzetta

  • Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis

  • Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis

  • Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis

  • Sanderling - Calidris alba

  • Sanderling - Calidris alba

  • Sanderling - Calidris alba

  • Little Stint - Calidris minuta

A Wonderful Birdwatching Day at the Hungarian “Seaside”

News about bird guests arriving to Lake Balaton spread around fast among birdwatchers.

I didn’t want to miss the occasion.

I didn’t feel like going alone but to my luck my niece visited home from distant England, so we made it a family excursion and in the end I got to the Lake to watch the birds.

Our first stopover was Fony’d where the morning brought cool autumn weather but no birds at all so we pressed on to the next town, Balatonboglar.

The situation didn’t improve here so we just grabbed a quick breakfast and continued to Balatonlelle, our destination.

Due to the extremely dry weather the lake pulled back 40-50 metres from the shore, so there was a huge area of sand that the birds just love!

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This is just what I need as well, here I can find my little targets as they are digging in the sand with great enthusiasm…

I take off some excess clothes and lie down on my belly to watch the world from the perspective of my little friends.

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Little Stint – Calidris minuta
Little Stint -  Calidris minuta
Little Stint – Calidris minuta

I could ahoot a few nice pictures of the little sand diggers.

I fully stretch myself out the lens is quite deeply in the sand and I’m patiently waiting..

My patience pays off and soon the birdies don’t pay attention to me, they might think I’m one of them so they are just digging the sand so I can make a few close-ups. .

Sanderling  -   Calidris alba
Sanderling – Calidris alba
Sanderling  -   Calidris alba
Sanderling – Calidris alba
Sanderling  -   Calidris alba
Sanderling – Calidris alba

Later I walk towards the pier to take a look at what else is moving around in the sand.

Yellow-legged Gull -  Larus michahellis
Yellow-legged Gull – Larus michahellis
Yellow-legged Gull -  Larus michahellis
Yellow-legged Gull – Larus michahellis

On my way I stumble upon some Yellow-legged Gull as they are sitting on the small islands.

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The water and the beach are very quiet, I can only see a windsurfer trying to tame the wind.

Little Egret -Egretta garzetta
Little Egret – Egretta garzetta

Then I can see a Little Egret as it’s running up and down in the water, intoxicated by the abundance of small fish caught up in the shallow water.

Little Egret -Egretta garzetta
Little Egret – Egretta garzetta

It’s scratching with its leg trying to stir up the small fish, then catching them with a sudden movement. .

Yellow-legged Gull -  Larus michahellis
Yellow-legged Gull – Larus michahellis

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With plenty of wonderful experience and pictures in my bag I say farewell to this place, put my clothes on my burnt body and go home.

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