Local Audubon members got to know Ferenc Domoki when he came from Hungary to do genetic research at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.
An avid birder, Ferenc had no trouble learning field marks, calls, habitats and even the Latin names of American species. Since his return home, he has been urging some of us to come see his native birds. In early May, seven of us arrived in Budapest eager to reconnect with the Domoki family and add to our life-bird lists.
Our itinerary took us a few kilometers south of Budapest to Kiskunsag National Park, then to the Zemplen region in northeast Hungary and finally south to Ferenc's home city of Szeged. In an unfamiliar country with a difficult language, we appreciated Ferenc's ability as a driver, interpreter, tour guide and bird finder.
As our rental van escaped from city traffic into the country, stork nests offered a clue to the great birding ahead.
At Kiskunsag, we were greeted by an aptly named golden oriole flying overhead, northern lapwings frolicking in the marsh and white wagtails sitting on the road.
Common and red-crested pochards and ferruginous "fudge" ducks swam in the canal. Reed and sedge warblers introduced us to the brown warblers of Europe, quite different from our colorful species. "Ruff," Ferenc called as we headed down the road. Susan Jones and I have seen hundreds of species, but this got our attention. Ruffs are known for their color variations and courtship displays. Rare individuals show up along the Carolina coast, but here was a group, or lek, of 40 in display mode.
The Zemplen area is known for Tokaj wine, but we won't forget its eagles and owls. Minutes from our base at the Solyomvar Inn in tiny Komloska, our local guide, Zoltan, pointed out a lesser-spotted eagle in a roadside tree. Imperial, white-tailed, short-toed and a more familiar golden eagle brought our total to five eagle species over the next two days. A black kite and red-footed falcons went under-appreciated. Not so, the nesting black stork, Ural owl and eagle owl with their fluffy chicks.
Woodpeckers hid in the forests. We located great-spotted, gray-headed and wryneck, but we missed others and had to be satisfied with only hearing the pileated-like black woodpecker. Nesting collared flycatchers and a tawny owl diminished our disappointment. One evening, Warren Jones and I photographed storks at a local village. Instead of chimney tops, Hungarian white storks prefer power-pole platforms provided by the utilities. High on Tara O'Leary's must-see list was another large bird, the common crane. At our final Zemplen stop, I spied a flock of about 30 birds on the horizon. Tara had her cranes, and our bird finder felt relieved.
Known for its paprika, Szeged is a beautiful city about the size of Winston-Salem. Mary Allen Martin and my wife, Mary, explored one morning while the rest of us watched waterfowl at nearby wetlands. Great-crested grebes, black-winged stilts, black-tailed godwits, whiskered and white-winged terns, gray and purple herons, great bitterns and more put on a show.
At Koros-Maros National Park, a great bustard looked part turkey, part ostrich as it strolled across a field. Later, we were tired as we left Pusztaszer Landscape Protection Area, but Jim Martin led the charge from the van when our guide Czaba shouted "roller!" This bright blue bird had arrived from Africa. That evening, we sipped celebratory champagne on the terrace as little bitterns cavorted about a nearby pond.
We tallied more than 150 species, but Hungary is not just about birds. Budapest is exciting, with its history, architecture, music, Danube and post-communist energy. When Ferenc invited us, we had to say yes — or always regret missing a beautiful adventure.
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