Note - The weather was overcast for most of the trip and most photos were taken at a very high ISO and lower speed than usual. It's amazing what you can do in Adobe Lightroom to improve photos these days. With regards to Redpol, I have not identified to specific species as this area is around the border for the breeding range of both species. Most of the Redpol had more white than typic Redpol in the UK, But having looked at a lot of my photos, the lack of a dark patch behind the eye and white eye ring points to them being Lesser Redpols.
Tuesday 24 October (Sopat)
Flew late afternoon to Gdansk Poland, then drove to the costal resort of Sopat at Gdansk Bay Wednesday 25 October (Jastarnia) Heavy rain set in for most of the day, making birding and photography very difficult. Sopot Hooded Crow, Black-headed Gull, Mute Swan, Mallard. Rewa Herring Gull, Cormorant, Puck Goldeneye on sea. Jastarnia Our home for the six nights, is basically a holiday resort/fishing harbour half way along a peninsula at the mouth of Gdansk Bay, not unlike a semi developed Spurn, but covered in forest for most of its length. There are also 3 harbours on the south side, with some fishing vessels, but mainly yachts, including many large luxury ones. The Baltic Sea (North) side is a sandy beach with a small strip of dune and with forest along its length, with little in the way of developments. This visit was a bit of a punt, it gets a small motion in 'Birding in Eastern Europe' Gorman 2006 as an area good for migrants. Apart from one flock of geese, Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Brambling and Redpol, not much in the way of migrants at this time of year. The aforementioned migrants, became scare when the winds changed from NE to SW for the last few days. Snow Buntings were a delight and seen most days. There were birders and photographers about, particular around Hel. Sea watching was disappointing, regular sightings of sea ducks, but no divers, only Great Crested Grebe, plus no waders.
About Starling, Jackdaw, Small parties of Common Cranes feeding in fields, Magpie, Rook, Sparrowhawk, Coot. Thursday 26 October (Jastarnia) Jastarnia The day started wet and overcast, I set off out at first light not expecting much, but had a productive few hours despite the weather. Great Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Black Redstart, Great Tit, Brent Goose, Grey Heron, many Cormorants in the harbour having a feast on flat fish, Wigeon. The woods and sand dunes were alive with birds, probably migrants Chaffinch, Yellowhammer, Redpols, Brambling. A Ring-tailed Harrier was spooked from a tree, but flew away too low and though scrub to ID, almost certainly a Hen. On the beach 3 very tame Snow Buntings. The strange sight of a male Stonechat on the mast of a fishing boat! Around the gardens Blackbird, House Sparrow and all too brief, a Treecreeper species, both species occurring.
Mid-morning walk through the town to the north beach and the Baltic Sea. Gulls on the beach and ducks passing way out to sea. The woodlands between the sea and the town were alive with Goldcrest, which presumably had just arrived across the sea from Scandinavia. Afternoon a drive to the end of the peninsula and the port of Hel. Amazing how many fishing boats compared to any ports in the UK. Collared Dove, Blackbird and surprisingly for so far north in late October two Sandwich Terns. Jastarnia Revisited the beach and dunes from this morning now the rain had stopped. The 3 Snow Buntings had been joined by two more, but were warier than this morning. A large flock of several hundred Redpol were flying around. Friday 27 October Jastarnia Harbour, Dunes, Beach on Bay side Pretty much as Thursday, typically no Snow Buntings as its brighter today. The Redpol were showing well and fairly approachable and feeding on the ground. A large flock of Chaffinch had a few Brambling mixed in.
On the North/Baltic Sea beach a couple of Sandwich Terns, in the woods still plenty of Goldcrest, plus new birds today Blue Tit, Jay and Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Kuźnika A walk round the harbour found a strange looking diving duck, that could really be nothing other than an imature Scaup. First Yellow-legged Gull was an adult. Also, present was a pair of Gadwall. Offshore a distant flock of male Long-tailed Duck. On rocks along the shoreline 4 tame Snow Buntings.
Jurata Many Goldcrest. A fair distance offshore but identifiable were small flocks of Red-breasted Merganser and Goldeneye. Two Reed Bunting flew out of one of the many reedbeds around the shore. Also, along the shoreline rocks Black Redstart. Saturday 28 October (Jastarnia) Jastarnia Harbour, Beach, Dunes A single male Velvet Scoter was found some distance off the harbour entrance. To my surprise it swam right up to me. The weather was very overcast and I only had my bridge camera, managed some photos and ran back to the car for my DSLR, but by the time I returned it had swum back out to sea. Four Snow Buntings on the beach, plus Redpols all over again. A flock of around 20 Yellowhammer by the harbour.
I then drove a short distance the west of Jastarnia to look at some heath like habitat. Two Bean Geese flew up from the ground. Small numbers of Fieldfare and an aerial duel between a Sparrowhawk and a Hooded Crow.
Late morning and into the afternoon a return to Hel with a walk to the end of the peninsula. Regular sightings of male Long-tailed Duck, but with much diving and the swell on the sea difficult to photograph. Also present a Great Crested Grebe and a Little Gull fly-bye. Many Goldcrest and Redpols around, that had just arrived from Kaliningrad across the Bay of Gdansk. Of note today many gardens had Redpol feeding low down on the seeds of garden plants, plus Goldcrests and the first Wren of the trip.
Sunday 29 October (Jastarnia) With the clocks going back an hour it meant, I could go out at just gone six when it's quieter. Jastarnia Marsh Explored a wetland to the west of the town. Mostly reed with open heath like woodland. Good start with an altercation between a Goshawk and a Raven of similar size making the Goshawk a female. A small party of Ravens flew over. A path through high reeds was very quiet until 4 Bearded Tit appeared and fed very close to me in dense high reeds, making it impossible for photos. Greenfinch was a new species. A very pale treecreeper was briefly observed.
Jastarnia Harbour Quiet compared to previous days, apart from a Cormorant trying to swallow a large flat fish. A skien of grey geese flew over high to the SW. From photos and calls these were thought to be Bean Geese.
Jastarnia Beach and Woods Baltic Sea side On the sea good numbers of mainly male Long-tailed Duck. Rafts of dark ducks of what I presume are Scoters further out on the sea. Two Bullfinch kept flying out low over the sea, then returning! On the edge of the woods a large flock of White-headed Long-tailed Tits. Heavy rain then set in midday until evening. Monday 30 October (Jastarnia) Jastarnia Harbour Male Velvet Scoter offshore. Jastarnia Marsh, Dunes, Heath 3 different Snow Buntings otherwise fairly quiet. Two Sparrowhawk and a Goshawk over (This was the fifth Goshawk, I have took decent photos of this year. Had not managed a decent photo until this year!). On returning to the car I noted a different track to the reedbed which is much bigger than I thought. With no new birds this morning, things looked up when I found a Skylark in a sandy area, then the first Common Buzzard of the trip. At a puddle by the car the first Siskin.
Hel beach and woodlands With calmer southerly winds and sunshine, much quieter than Saturday. Just a few Redpol and Goldcrest, but a flock of over 50 flighty Snow Buntings on the beach. Only 2 Long-tailed Duck offshore. Jastarnia Marsh, Dunes, Heath Took advantage of the rare late afternoon sunshine to revisit this site. Other than coming across 4 other birders, all very quiet apart from a flock of around 30 Greenfinch and a Green Woodpecker flew over.
Tuesday 31 October Jastarnia Baltic Sea beach and woods Managed a couple of hours pre breakfast before the rain set in. Little on the sea other than the commoner gulls at first, but a steady passage offshore of Long-tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser and Velvet Scoter developed. The woods were very quiet, just a few Great Tit. Constant rain all the way back to Gdansk Airport for a late afternoon flight. Stopped at a large reservoir Lake Żarnowiec. Huge numbers of wildfowl mainly Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot and a lone Pochard was picked out. Two Great White Egret flew over. Two fallow Deer crossed over the road back to the airport, were the only mammals of the trip.
Bumpy Rynair flight back to Leeds/Bradford, with an even bumpier landing due to strong winds. Bus to Treeton only went as far as Morrisons due to a road closure, managed to get someone to pick us up from there.
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