Birdwatching

BIRDWATCHING IN NORTH-EASTERN POLAND ( 9 days / 8 nights )

Warsaw – BIEBRZA MARSHES (4) – BIALOWIEZA FOREST (4) – Lake Siemianowka – Warsaw

Day 1 – Warsaw – BIEBRZA MARSHES (D): 200 km

• Arrival to Warsaw.
• Meeting with your guide and transfer to hotel.
• In Warsaw, we take a short walk across 1 or 2 sites near the city (to search for several western species that do not occur in north-east Poland (warbles, nightingale, Syrian woodpecker).
• Afternoon: transfer to Biebrza Marshes.
• Check in, dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 2 – BIEBRZA MARSHES (B, D)

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Birdwatching in vast pools of the Narew River, exploring the Lower Basin of Biebrza from its western bank (ducks and geese, grebes, waders, marsh terns, eagles, garganey, ruffs’ lek, white-tailed eagle).
• Evening trip for beavers.
• Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 3 – BIEBRZA MARSHES (B, D)

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Trip, across the Lower Basin of Biebrza Marshes with several stops for birdwatching in open marshes and river floods (waders, ducks, terns, aquatic warbler, bluethroat, Montagu’s harrier), a number of raptor spots.
• Afternoon trip deep into flooded meadows on Biebrza River.
• Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 4 – BIEBRZA MARSHES (B, D)

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Exploring dryer habitats in search for shrikes, bee-eaters, tawny pipits, visit to the European Stork Village.
• Evening trip for snipes and warblers.
• Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 5 – BIEBRZA MARSHES – BIALOWIEZA FOREST (B, D): 140 km

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• After breakfast: transfer to Białowieża Forest with several stops en route for rollers, Dojlidy fish-ponds with ducks, grebes, penduline tits.
• Check in, dinner and overnight at the hotel in Bialowieza.

Day 6 – BIALOWIEZA FOREST – LAKE SIEMIANOWKA (B, D)

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Birdwatching around Lake Siemianowka (marsh terns, grebes, raptors, citrine wagtail, black stork).
• Evening trip for great snipe lek.
• Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Bialowieza.

Day 7 – BIALOWIEZA FOREST (B, D)

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• A walk in northern part of Białowieża Forest in search for forest birds, woodpeckers, grey-headed woodpeckers, barred warblers.
• Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Bialowieza.

Day 8 – BIALOWIEZA FOREST (B, D)

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Early morning visit to Strict Reserve of Białowieża National Park, a primeval forest with ancient trees and many forest birds, three-toed, white-backed, middle spotted woodpeckers, collared flycatcher; board-walk track through natural forest for red-breasted flycatcher, hazel grouse; exploring Narewka River Valley for woodpeckers, warblers, hawfinches, rosefinches.
• Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Bialowieza.

Day 9 – BIALOWIEZA – Warsaw (B): 240 km

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• After breakfast: transfer to Warsaw, short birding in Vistula valley (if time allows).
• Transfer to the airport for the flight back home.