14 - 20 April 2012

Left the cold, rain filled country of the UK and headed to Poland via the Harwich, Hook of Holland Ferry. Amazingly comfortable cabin (£20 upgrade) and a good night's sleep before dis embarking the following day for our drive to the house in Western Poland. Motorway almost all the way and nine hours later we were arriving in Gluchowo just forty minutes inside the Polish border.

Sunday 15th April
Not especially warm, but no rain and woken to the sound of Cranes honking in the ploughed fields behind the house.

A drive to the main Nature Reserve and loads of Grey-lag Geese in the fields, numerous Grey Herons and a couple of Great White Egrets flying past. Managed to find a couple of Rough legged Buzzards among the Common Buzzards. Other birds of prey included Marsh Harrier, Red and Black Kite and a very fleeting view of Goshawk. White Storks were wandering around feeding and about one third of the nests appeared to be occupied already.

The reserve was partially flooded but good road access to the "betonka" a concrete track leading out into the reserve. The first waders were a group of some three hundred Ruff, which were wheeling around and feeding frantically. A few birds indulged in a bit of courtship, but food was the overriding priority.

Other waders included Dunlin, Greenshank and Green Sandpiper. Behind these were zillions of wildfowl, with about twenty Garganey.
On the track as we left a fine White Wagtail and some Yellow-headed Wagtails wee feeding.

Time had slipped away as usual and the quick couple of hours had turned into four ! Time to return and attend to house duties. The purpose of our trip was really to ensure the house was ready to rent out so some domestic duties were required.

Monday 16 April
A cool wind and only 10 degrees but no rain, apparently back home it was described as "evil weather".  A walk round the garden and in the compost heap these fantastically coloured beetles. We later found them in much of the woodlands and in the city centre of Kostryn.

Only brief birding today but over the house and a Raven was calling, joined by another and then something larger. A quick dash for the binoculars, although hardly needed, and a White-tailed Eagle flew overhead being mobbed by the two Ravens.

A visit to an old Prussian Fort just twenty minutes away and a drive through some woodland gave us views of Hawfinches and Northern Long-tailed Tits, but alas the telephoto lens was back at the house !

However this Grass Snake ( I tried stringing it into Aesculapian Snake ) was basking and allowed very close approach.

A check of the reserve in the early evening and more Ruff had arrived and this time I took the correct lens.

Another day over and the next couple were spent on the house. Three rooms completed and ready to receive guests. 

Thursday 19 April 

Temperatures soaring to 22 degrees and signs of migrants. A big influx of Swallows and Blackcaps were everywhere. The villages now had Serins singing and more White Storks seems to have arrived. On a trip to Kostryn we saw a Beaver crossing the road, it came out from the verge, narrowly missing our car and through the rear view mirror we saw it waddled across to the other side unharmed. Other mammals included Roe Deer, Fox, and a Fox cub (below).

More domestics and a few more visits to the reserve added more common birds including, Corn Bunting, Tree Sparrow, Willow Tit, Reed Warbler, Common Tern, Goldeneye, Wood Sandpiper, Curlew, Fieldfare, Black Redstart, Redwing, to name just a few.

Return via the Channel Tunnel with an overnight in Cologne was easy, again motorway all the way.

This is the first post and a fairly hurried one at that. The house is now ready for rent though we have restricted it to sleep four, although it can sleep seven we only have utensils and settings for four ! It's a great place if you want to discover rural Poland, have an interest in Natural History or just want to relax. Our house site is : www.our-polish-cottage.co.uk  has more details but at £285 per week four 4 people we thinks it's great value and flights to Berlin or Poznan are currently around £50