As spring migration is spectacular scenery for everyone, autumn migration is usually special time for dedicated birdwatchers and ornithologists.
During our autumn tour we focus mostly on this phenomenon, but in good conditions (as we had this time) it blows mind with absolutely amazing views and experiences. Lithuanian coastland being a part of Baltic Flyway offers intensive migration periods and during our tour last week we had a chance to feel it on our owns when in morning hours 1000 birds overhead per minute is just casual thing to see.
This time our tour took place in Curonian Spit National, Nemunas delta and Nemunas loops regional parks and with mixed team form Germany, Switzerland and Malta in 7 days we managed to see 139 bird species.
Highlights of the trip was Bewick’s Swans, Slavonian Greebes, Little Greebes, Red-necked Greebes, Black-throated Divers, 18 Grey Partridge, White-tailed Eagles, 20 migrating Hen Harriers in one hour, Rough-legged Buzzards, Merlins (record – 8 per hour), Water Rail, 2000 Common Cranes landing to roosting place, Grey Plover, Barr-tailed Godwit, Caspian Gulls, Kingfisher, Black Woodpecker, Middle-spotted Woodpecker, Rock Pipits, Great Grey Shrikes, Red Crossbills, Hawfinch, Bullfinch and of course MASSIVE passerines migration!
As the observed species show we watched birds in different habitats starting with sea and Curonian lagoon for water birds, visiting amazing Curonian spit dunes for migrating birds streams, Nemunas delta open landscapes and meadows for staging migrants and finishing with one of the most amazing ancient forests in Lithuania at one of the Nemunas loops for woodpeckers and other forest birds.
