Walks are very easy at Neusiedl, in South Moravia and in surroundings of Trebon. In Sumava NP we also don't have to climb very steep slopes and degree can be described as pre-intermediate.

Health care in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria is at very high level, vaccination against Lyme disease is recommended.

Weather varies from rather cold to warm in mid April, and mild to very hot on some days in May. Cover of the head and a pair of long trousers (pants) are recommended. Roads are in generally good condition, we use highways partly in all three countries. When looking for birds in remote places we follow forest tracks by car as far as possible to shorten our walking.

Each day, time spent outside the hotel is very similar. We leave usually at 8 - 9 A.M. to be back before 6 P.M. Distances we have to go each day vary slightly but usually they are up to two miles.

Beer is very good almost everywhere and includes famous Pilsner Urquell or Budweiser. Local wines are known by excellent quality, preferably at Neusiedl lake and in South Moravia. We have packed lunches on some days but where possible we enjoy local cuisine in a restaurant.

In Austria and the Czech Republic we sleep in first class hotels and chateaus with beautifull atmosphere and delightful surroundings, carefully choosen by our team. We also arrange economical variant based on three star hotels.

Don't forget to take a field guide to birds of Europe with you and Birds of the Czech Republic by Josef Kren.

Itinerary

Day 1

We begin at Vienna airport and go about one hour to our first hotel in the easternmost corner of Austria. Lake Neusiedl is the largest European steppe lake with extensive reedbeds and shallow natron lakes around it. Although the steppe is local counterpart of American prairie, it has been managed for many years. Changes in land use are typical for this densely inhabited part of Europe but now it seems fragile harmony between people and nature has established here. We sleep in the center of the National Park and before the dinner we can go out to find our first birds.

The most typical songs are performed here by Serin, Black Redstart, Blackbird, Song Thrush and Icterine Warbler. We stay here for three nights.

Day 2

We settled in the countryside of pools, fields and steppe remnants. Extensive reedbeds around the shallow Neusiedl lake with salt water hold vast numbers of water birds. Walk before breakfast is a must for everybody keen in birds and we will be probably delighted to add Wryneck, Syrian or Lesser Spotted Woodpecker to the list.

This day we spend at the water looking for local breeders and migrants on passage. More than thousand of Great White Egrets and several thousands of Moustached Warblers breed around the lake, although the latter is sometimes not easy to find. Whatever is possible and many birds are best observed in Seewinkel, area of shallow smaller lakes with system of hides.

Avocets, Black-winged Stilts, Spoonbills, Little Egrets, Purple and Night Herons, Kentish Plovers, Ferruginous Ducks, Greylag Geese or Grebes, Bluethroats, Black, Whiskered and White-winged Black Terns, Little and Mediterranean Gulls and various waders can all be seen in one day if we are lucky and visit more than one place.

After the dinner it is the best time to go out and listen to the confusing mixture of voices belonging to Savi's Warbler, Little or Spotted Crake, Little and Common Bittern and a number of frog species.

Day 3

Small Waasen-Hanság reserve lies on the border with Hungary. In early May we can have quite close and good views of displaying males of Great Bustard in the meadow. Maze is sown later here and thus we can even find mostly females standing on bare ground! Sleepy Short-eared Owl often overlooks flat carpets of grass, Montagu's Harriers, Curlews and Black-tailed Godwits all breed on artificially flooded meadows and in the fields. Roadside birds include here Stonechat, continental race of Yellow Hammer, Red-backed Shrike, we also try for Barred Warbler, Crested Lark or Nightingale, all not uncommon where we roam. Canal fringes, woods and windbreaks are also very much alive with Golden Orioles, Marsh Warblers, Hobbies or Long-eared Owls. Raptors are spot usually at longer distance, most commonly Buzzard and Kestrel. Osprey, an Eagle or Red-footed Falcon are regular visitors to the area. In between we choose convenient lunch place at the water and look for new birds that landed last night to have a rest after they overcame high Alps or The Great Hungarian Plain. Flocks of migrating waders can always hide a surprise like Marsh Sandpiper but we have to keep trying to see more.

Day 4

Transfer to South Moravia, about three hours altogether. En route we probably visit Saker, Red-footed Falcon or Lesser Grey Shrike at the nest or stop in Devinska Kobyla nature reserve to find some of the finest local plants in full flower including rare cross of Burnt Orchid and O. tridentata - O. x dittrichiana, Fly or Early Spider Orchid. In the afternoon we visit neo-gothic castle in Lednice and spend rest of the day in a wonderfull park around the castle with a colony of 500 Night Herons and another 500 Grey Herons on an artificial islet in the centre of the park. Here Grey-headed, Syrian and Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Collared Flycatcher or Red-crested Pochard are so easy to find a few steps aside from the path.

We sleep in the historical core of Mikulov with a view of its impressive castle.

Opportunity to spend evening with a concert of classical music.

Day 5

Short birdwatching before breakfast in a park few steps from the hotel is the best way to find those common-ish birds like Icterine Warbler, Wryneck or Golden Oriole. In last years, Syrian Woodpecker nested in front of the hotel. This day we spend walking through Palava hills. It is a limestone gorge dominating flat country of fields, ponds and alleys and it is the home of true Pannonian flora. Plenty of flowers (Arenaria grandiflora, Meadow Clary, Hesperis tristis, Asarabacca, Burning Bush, Golden Alyssum, Bloody Cranesbill, Carthusian Pink or May Lily to name just few of them) will be our main companions together with Barred Warblers, Collared Flycatchers, Short-toed Treecreepers, Red and Black Kites, Montagu's and Marsh Harriers, Honey Buzzards and Bluethroats, Savi's, River, Marsh and Great Reed Warblers which all breed nearby. In the evening we can look forward to wine cellar with the best choice of Moravian wines and folklore music. Walking is of medium difficulty when climbing up in Palava although not very long with nice scenery seen from the top. This place is well known for butterflies and some of them like Scarce Swallowtail or Clouded Apollo should sunbathe on the stones. Overnight in Mikulov.

Day 6

We haven't explored a floodplain forest yet, but in the morning we do so. It is another fascinating habitat with old oaks, ashes and poplars, formerly regularly flooded by river Morava in February or March. Honey Buzzard, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Collared Flycatcher and Short-toed Treecreeper are common here, Black Stork, Hobby, Red and Black Kite should be gliding over the trees. We have packed lunch presently we conclude this excursion in a large meadow with tens of White Storks' nests in old solitary oaks. If we haven't seen Hoopoe yet, then vineyards are good place for it and for Corn Bunting too.

Before we return to the hotel we pay a quick visit to the Bee-eater colony and Kingfisher territory.

Green Lizzard, Souslik, Hamster, Steppe Polecat and both Martens live in the area and we always have a chance of unexpected thrill as spending in South Moravia two full days out in the field.

Day 7

We travel west to vicinity of the Sumava National Park and stay for three nights in a small hotel in reach of all places where we will be looking for birds in days to follow. We choose the road along southern border, away from highway and larger towns. We will enjoy beautiful and ever changing landscape of this forgoten part of the country. Our several stops will aim to the most interesting town centers and historical monuments - we visit towns of Znojmo and Slavonice and a large castle ruin Landstejn. If time allows, also the gothic cloister in Vyssi Brod.

Day 8

Like no other place in Czechlands, Sumava mountains (Czech counterpart of German Bavarian Forest) remind of the coniferous forests in the far north. As mountains bordering to Germany, some parts of Sumava have been closed for visitors for nearly fifty years. Forested hills hide large moors, meadows and mountain streams. Wolf and Ural Owl once roamed around here. Both were brought back and follow extremely succesful re-introduction of Lynx in this area.

We can expect somewhat different passerines here. Along flowing water we find the Dipper, Wren and Grey Wagtail. In the forest it is not so easy to see birds but their voices help us a lot. Firecrest, Goldcrest, Crossbill, Siskin and Bullfinch are common here.

Local owls breed rather early but we should be able to spot at least Eagle Owl in an abandoned quarry or Tengmalm's and Tawny Owl in the forest. Quest for these night fliers is bit tricky sometimes and they are best observed at the nest.

In the meadows call males of Corn Crake. Their harsh voice mixed with the call of Fieldfare, Nutcracker and Meadow Pipit creates meditative atmosphere of this corner of nature.

Day 9

According to the season, we can wake up early in the morning and try the Capercaillie or Black Grouse at the lek. If we do not so, it will be question of luck to see either of them.

On this day we will be again looking for birds around secret pathways and forest tracks in Sumava mts. Three-toed Woodpecker is an abundant inhabitant here, especially in dying spruce forest. Black Woodpecker occasionally calls. Honey Buzzard, Goshawk and Hen Harrier are possible and one or two pairs of Lesser Spotted eagle breed here.

We all will be disappointed if we leave Sumava without seeing the Nutcracker and Ring Ouzel. Both are abundant and appear even near settlement. In case we will be succesful with birds in Sumava mts., we have planned a sightseeing tour around Cesky Krumlov in the afternoon. It is considered to be the most beautiful town in Bohemia. Downtown is not very large and we can divide into smaller groups. Beautiful castle built in the rock, as many Czech sights, is open for tourists.

Day 10

We move to the small town of Trebon, centre of the Trebonsko Protected Landscape Area. It extends in the countryside of medieval ponds, ancient forests, canals, alleys and peatbogs and is preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage.

We will do our best to see two 'target' species on this day. White-tailed Sea Eagle is the largest European member of the genus and due to its size we hardly can miss it. Pygmy Owl, on the other hand, is smallest of the family in Europe. It breeds in May and we will follow its repetitive call to find it sitting somewhere on the branch.

Stonechat, Whinchat, Common Rosefinch and Red-breasted Flycatcher in a good mix for birdwatching in the late afternoon, all of them at leisure pace. We certainly spare some time to visit small water castle Cervena Lhota and will admire cozy interior from past centuries.

Day 11

Early morning birdwatching in castle park is voluntary but hopefully most of us enjoy refreshing walk before breakfast. Than we leave for some of many ponds to do our morning 'waterfowl excercise'. Garganey, Teal, Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard or Gadwall all should be present. Cormorant, Greylag Goose and Mute Swan are biggest birds on water surface and quite common. In shallow water we maybe meet Spoonbill or Avocet.

Reedbeds are full of hopping, overflying and singing birds. Many of them we have already seen in Austria at Neusiedl lake but here we can have more close-up views. Bluethroat, Great Reed, Reed and Savi's Warbler, Reed Bunting, Bearded and Penduline Tit are fairly common birds here. Time from time, Bittern booms, Water Rail calls and Herons and Storks pass by. From adjacent fields and marshes we will hear far-carrying voice of Lapwing. After we move closer alarm calls of Redshank and Little Ringed Plover invite us. Marsh Harrier is very common and Montagu's should be seen too. Finally, we find Marsh Warbler and River Warbler along water margins where often other birds favour to rest and feed.

After our busy birdwatching, we devote our evening to chamber concert of classical music and a farewell party.

Day 12

We move to 'Golden' Prague, capital of the Czech Republic. Before we come to the seat of Czech kings, we stop in Ceske Budejovice (Budweis) to taste original Budweiser beer. Afterwards we stop again. Culture monuments are many and it's a pity we can't see all of them and have to choose one of them.

Some of us may choose extension of the holiday in the Czech capitol. Another two days are recommended as Prague has city center almost untouched by modern architecture. Historical core is rather compact and panorama with Prague castle, especially in the evening, is breathtaking. Although Prague is renowned for its gothic sights, it posseses a mixture of mainly baroque, renaissance and gothic buildings.

The end of the trip coincides with Prague Spring, a week-lasting well-known festival of classical music. Good tickets can be booked for everybody who decides to prolong this holiday in Prague.

BIRDS AND FLOWERS IN THE HEART OF EUROPE

From the first day for next eight to follow you will be full of experience you will never forget for we rely upon classic destinations combined into a completely new trip . With birds over your heads, orchids in grass, views of picturesque towns and castles and ears full of music you can´t imagine time passes so quickly. While Neusiedl is one of best sites for birding in Europe, southeast corner of the Czech republic still keeps its beautiful castles in unspoiled countryside. Local folklore songs performed in wine cellars and flowering meadows make you so busy you will be grateful for sleep in pleasant, mostly family run hotels.

Itinerary

Day 1

Approximately one hour drive from the Vienna airport to lake Neusiedl. In the evening there will be time left for first birds like Serin, Black Redstart, Stonechat or Red-backed Shrike in the vicinity of the hotel. Overnight in Apetlon or Illmitz.

Day 2-3

First two days we have leisure walking in flat countryside of Europe´s largest salt steppe lake. Bilateral Austrian-Hungarian National Park forms mosaic of dry plains and shallow lakes that provide ideal rest for numerous spring migrants. Birds are simply everywhere. Storks, herons, spoonbills and raptors in the air, waders on the shore, waterfowl on water surface and passerines in vineyards and trees. Displaying male of Great Bustard is guaranteed, Great White Egrets, Avocets and Moustached Warblers are so many!

At the Great Bustard we will be accompanied with Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Montagu´s Harrier and Short-eared Owl. We can meet whatever and have to keep our eyes open for Red-necked and Black-necked Grebe, Ferruginous Duck, Bittern and Little Bittern, Glossy Ibis, Little Egret, Squacco and Purple Heron, Spoonbill, Kentish Plover, Marsh and Broad-billed Sandpiper, all three Marsh Terns, Penduline and Bearded Tit, Bluethroat, Ortolan Bunting, River Warbler or flowers like Stemless Tragacanth, Dwarf Iris, Austrian Sage, Bastard Flag, Sea Wormwood or Camphor weed. In sparse vegetation it is not difficult to spot Russian Tarantula and main food of Imperial and Lesser Spotted Eagle and Saker Falcon - funny Common Souslik resembling ground squirrel. White-tailed Eagle is not impossible to see here.

Walking is quite easy with numerous stops. Overnight in Apetlon or Illmitz.

Day 4

Transfer to South Moravia, about three hours altogether, in the afternoon we visit neo-gothic castle Lednice and spend rest of the day in its wonderfull park with a colony of 500 Night Herons and another 500 Grey Herons on an artificial islet in the centre of the park. Here Grey-headed, Syrian and Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Collared Flycatcher or Red-crested Pochard are so easy to find a few steps aside from the path. En route we have to choose either to visit Saker and Red-footed Falcon and Lesser Grey Shrike at the nest or stop in Devinska Kobyla nature reserve to find some of finest local plants in full flower including rare cross of Burnt Orchid and O. tridentata - O. x dittrichiana.

We sleep in historical core of Mikulov with a view of its impressive castle.

Day 5

Short birdwatching before breakfast in park few steps from the hotel is the best way to find those common-ish birds like Icterine Warbler, Wryneck or Golden Oriole. In last years, Syrian Woodpecker nested in front of the hotel. This day we spend walking through Palava hills. It is a limestone gorge dominating flat country of fields, ponds and alleys and it is the home of true Pannonian flora.

Barred Warblers and plenty of flowers (Arenaria grandiflora, Meadow Clary, Hesperis tristis, Asarabacca, Burning Bush, Golden Alyssum, Bloody Cranesbill, Carthusian Pink or May Lily to name just few of them) will be our main companions together with Collared Flycatchers, Short-toed Treecreepers, Red and Black Kites, Montagu´s and Marsh Harriers, Honey Buzzards and Bluethroats, Savi´s, River, Marsh and Great Reed Warblers which all breed nearby. In the evening we can look forward to wine cellar with best choice of Moravian wines and folklore music.

Walking of medium difficulty when climbing up in Palava although not very long with nice scenery seen from the top. This place is well known for butterflies and some of them like Scarce Swallowtail or Clouded Apollo should sunbathe on the stones. Overnight in Mikulov.

Day 6

We complete our list with birds and flowers we missed yesterday, pay a quick visit to a bee-eater colony and head for East Moravia, where we stay for night for the next three nights. On our way we check quickly sand dunes near Bzenec for abundant Woodlarks and Pendune Tit´s nest in the nearby marsh. Our tour leader will be probably able to show a nest of Hoopoe. Only three hours drive affords us to go out in the afternoon and find how beautiful and diverse the landscape of White Carpathians is. Three nights hotel in the reach of W. Carpathians.

Day 7-8

White Carpathians are another UNESCO reserve which indicates its immense nature richness. Well known for its flowers and butterflies, they slowly reveal varied birdlife in the last years. With its highest point at 970 meters, they are the westernmost outpost of deep Carpathians.

Most orchids of these mountains that create Czech-Slovakian border, including spectacular Lady´s Slipper, are in flower in this season and we will try hard to divide our time carefully between birds and flowers so as not to miss Black Stork, Hobby, Goshawk, Eagle and Pygmy Owl, Corn Crake, Black and White-backed Woodpecker, Ring Ouzel, Nutcracker, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Hawfinch or Ophrys holubyana, Scorzonera purpurea, Military Orchid, Burnt Orchid, Purple Milk-vetch, Spiked Rampion, Variegated Iris, Spreading Bellflower and many others. May is also the right time to find Southern Festoon in Southern Moravia. While walking through exceptional park landscape, we will admire rich local flora together with our local guide.

The pace of walking is leisure. Several short walks again require moderate fitness of the participants. One evening we can try to catch a glimpse of Barn Owl at the nestbox.

On the second evening we have to be guests in wine cellar, listen to local folklore music and get a gift reminding us of this memorable holiday.

Day 9

Four-hour-drive to the Vienna airport and return flight home. If time allows, we visit an Imperial Eagle family breeding not far from the motorway.

NEUSIEDL LAKE AND CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS

General information

Best time to come - late April (you miss several late migrants) /half of May. It is best to exchange both currencies on the Austrian/Slovakian border. Slovakian crowns can be exchanged back for EC currencies. On most days we have packed lunches as spending usually great part of a day in the field or in our coach we have limited access to restaurants. Local tour leader will also show rare and typical flowers to all those who are interested.

Itinerary

Day 1

We drive straight from the airport to our first hotel where we stay for four nights. During our way we will see from a car window five or six castle ruins reminding us of ... history of the country. We arrive late in the evening. Before we fall asleep, repeating calls of Quails and Corn Crakes will sound like a lullaby outside our windows.

Day 2

We begin the day with pre-breakfast birdwatching. We don´t have to go too far, because our hotel stands alone on a small hill above large Liptovska Mara reservoir, surrounded by meadows, water and woods. In early morning all birds sing loudly and it is easy to find Marsh and Grasshoper Warbler, Stonechat and Whinchat, Fieldfare, Linnet or Common Rosefinch.

After breakfast, we go out to explore mixed forest with spruces and old beaches in the Chocske hills. It is about half an hour drive and with packed lunches we set on our way which is some four kilometers to and four back. Main species we will be looking for are those small and inconspicuous owls - Pygmy and Tengmalm´s, but there are more rarities to see here. During our stay in Slovakia we should add to our list Grey-headed, Black, White-backed, Three-toed Woodpecker and Crossbill and it might be here we will see some of them, because our local guide knows exactly where to find all birds in the vast areas of deep forests. Nest of Dipper will be a nice end of the day.

Day 3

Before breakfast our coach can take some of us to a one kilometer far-away small reservoir to see what´s new there. After the morning meal, it takes us forty minutes by car to get to this day´s starting point. Wallcreeper is no doubt one of the most sought after Slovakian birds and we will try to observe it near its nest at a limestone gorge in Chocske hills. The walk is usually not long but some parts of the track may be a little steep.

In forest we hope to see its numerous inhabitants - Nutcracker. Ring Ouzel is quite common. On both days we will seek for some of many Crested Tits, Firecrests, Crossbills and Red-breasted Flycatchers. In the evening after dinner our local guide will try to catch male Corn Crake in hands while playing its call from tape recorder.

Day 4

After breakfast we head for Low Tatra National Park some 60 km from the hotel where we will be searching above the tree line. We take a lift to 2000 meters asl and on the top of possibly snow-covered Chopok mt. (warm clothes are needed) spend one or two hours. First alpine flowers just start to bloom but birds are already active and building their nests. We expect to see Water Pipit and Alpine Accentor, with luck Chamoix or Golden Eagles hunting their main prey - Marmots. If we have some time left, we can look into the nest of Goshawk from above. In the evening, the more curious of us can prove the statement on the road signs along the motorway - ´Beware Otter´.

Hazel Grouse and Capercaillie are less predictable birds and it is always difficult to find them although they are not uncommon in places where we walk. Hazel Hen readily replies to its voice imitated by whistle but seeing one is a question of luck. Anyway, we have three days for challenging our luck. Lesser Spotted Eagles breed in hundreds of pairs in Slovakia and sometimes they even take their prey on the meadows adjacent to the hotel.

Day 5

Transfer back to Austria with two or three breaks. First with refreshment only, the second one possibly with Imperial Eagle and the third one near state border with Red-footed Falcons breeding in windbreaks, Sakers on a high voltage pole and maybe Lesser Grey Shrike above the road. We reach our hotel for dinner and stay four nights again. It is placed in the centre of the National Park in small village.

Day 6

Landscape has completely changed during the last days and now we are amidst the flat plains of the Neusiedl lake. We don´t have to hurry with our breakfast and we can expect easy walking here with many good birds to see.

Before breakfast we do some leisure birdwaching around our hotel. It is almost impossible not to meet with Syrian Woodpecker among ordinary birds like Wryneck, Serin, Black Redstart or Icterine Warbler.

After breakfast we start the day at the Lange Lacke reserve. It consists of shallow lakes, reedbeds and steppe meadows with sparse saline vegetation.

The system of five hides enables us to watch typical birds for this season: Avocets, Bittern and Little Bittern, Greylag Goose, Kentish Plover, Redshank, Great Reed and Savi´s Warbler all breed, Spoonbills with Little and Great White Egrets feed here and Marsh Harriers glide over the pool with peacefully swimming Red-crested Pochards and Garganeys.

Among spring migrants we will be happy to find all three Marsh Terns, Marsh and Broad-billed Sandpiper or male Little Stint in breeding plumage. But there is more wildlife to see in the meadows, especially Common Sousliks are not shy and you can catch a glimpse of steppe polecat or hamster. No doubt that with so much prey on the table, the Eagles and Sakers from Hungary love to feed in Austria.

Day 7

The last remnants of formerly strong population of Great Bustard are preserved in Waasen-Hanság reserve. Compared to similar places in Hungary or Spain it is a relatively small area with three hides from which you can have good views of displaying males unless the grass is too tall. Short-eared Owl often perches further afield and Montagu´s Harriers overfly while Black-tailed Godwits and Curlews are hatching their eggs in flooded meadows. By crossing a wooden bridge over the canal few meters off the road we hopefully will be allowed to get several steps into Hungary and watch busy birdlife below us. Water margins can produce Bearded plus Penduline Tit, River Warbler, Hawfinch, Golden Oriole, Short-toed Treecreeper, Yellow Wagtail or Middle Spotted Woodpecker. From time to time we also have to check the skies above for passing Honey Buzzard, Osprey, Peregrine or Hobby.

In the afternoon after a picnic lunch we will continue our birding along the road. While Red-backed Shrike, Nightingale, Corn Bunting and Barred Warbler are common birds, our main target will be male Ortolan Bunting singing from a vineyard and incresingly declining Crested Lark, Woodlark or Tawny Pipit. We can also visit small pools to increase our chance of seeing rarer spring migrants.

Day 8

We devote the whole day to looking for those attractive species we haven't seen yet. Among them there certainly are birds requiring special habitats like Moustached Warbler having European strongest breeding population around a proper lake. Together with it, thousands of hectares provide home to Red- and Black-necked Grebe, Purple Heron, Ferruginous Duck, Crakes, Bluethroat and many others mentioned above.

In the end we go by coach in hope to see both Kites and Collared Flycatcher in a distant woods. More excitingly, access to the nest of Black Stork is not difficult if our guide has found any. After dinner some of us go out to listen to a cacophony of marsh passerines and above all Water Rail, Spotted and Little Crake.

Day 9

We leave Lake Neusiedl to meet our plane at the Vienna airport. We stop at a Bee-eater colony before and maybe for more because we have two hours left to catch our last birds in Austria.

Lists of birds on request