BBC 2006: North-east Poland

After the success of the first full BBC international birding trip to Spain in 2005, in 2006 we swapped sun-drenched tapas and sherry for the cold vodka and cabbage of north-east Poland - of course in summer this time, not Spring. We visited the wild areas around the town of Białystok - the town which gave its name to the character Max Bialystock (played by Zero Mostel) in Mel Brook's film The Producers. We stayed in Białowieża, 2 km from the border with Belarus, surrounded by one of the last, and largest, primeval oak forests in Europe - covering over 1,400 square kilometres and home to 800 European Bison.

We were joined by our Polish colleague, Waldemar - who came armed with bottles of Żubrówka Bison Vodka, each containing a blade of Bison Grass (Hierochloe odorata).

We drove up from Białowieża to the Biebrza National Park - 600 square kilometres of marshland on the Biebrza river.

The main aim of the trip was to see Great Spotted and Lesser Spotted Eagles (Clanga clanga and Clanga pomarina). And this we did. The Greater Spotted only breeds from eastern Europe though to Siberia, though populations may be seen in southern Europe in winter. The Lesser Spotted breeds in eastern Europe, Turkey and the Caucasus - overwintering in East Africa. I think this could be a Lesser, with a less broad bill than the Great.

We also saw the native White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), a resident of north-east Europe.

Altogether, we saw over 100 species of birds in Poland. Special to see were those species which can usually only be seen in this part of Europe, and only in summer when they migrate in to breed - such as White-winged Black Tern, Thrush Nightingale, Aquatic Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Barred Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher and Common Rosefinch. Now, can we go somewhere that's warm with decent food?