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Red Admirals (Vanessa atalanta) are one of the commoner late season #butterflies around here, but I just can't pass one up without yet another photo. It is such a zap of colour in the dun landscape of fall. This one is feeding on Daisy Fleabane (I think). #WildHungary #insects #bugs

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This little fluffball looking over her shoulder is a female Bearded Reedling (Panurus biarmicus). The reedlings are very active and noisy this time of year. #BirdingHungary #reedlings

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European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) sporting some new bling and ready to be released. 😀 #BirdingHungary #ringing #banding

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

At the ringing camp. Getting caught in the mist net and being manhandled is supremely stressful for the little birdies but it's only for a very short time. Check their condition, then measured, weighed and fitted with an aluminum leg band.. then released. #BirdingHungary #ringing #banding

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Short video of the Common Snipe that was kind enough to pose for me after all his buddies took off. 😄👍 #BirdingHungary #shorebirds #snipe #waders #WaderWednesday

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago). Prior to 2003, it was conspecific with North America's Wilson's Snipe. I've seen both and in the field, I can't tell the difference. To me they even sound the same. Have to rely on geography. 😄 #BirdingHungary #BirdsSeenIn2026 #WaderWednesday #shorebirds

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

It's another #WoodpeckerWednesday Here's a ♂️ Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)... the commonest woodpecker around here by a wide margin. This species has a huge range..found all the way from Portugal to Japan. #BirdingHungary #woodpeckers

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Graylag Goose .. the goose with all the ansers (Anser anser) 😂 Soon they will be joined by hundreds of thousands of Greater White-fronted Geese. November and December will be prime goose season in the Carpathian Basin. #BirdingHungary #waterfowl #geese

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus). For reasons that always puzzled me "pishing" just doesn't work as well in Europe compared to North America. This species is the most reliable for a reaction. They are more attracted to that sound than any other bird around here. #BirdingHungary #tits

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Autumn Crocus (Colchicum autumnale) ... a sudden splash colour on the dull brown forest floor. Beautiful but deadly. All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested. Native to Europe where it grows in the wild, but also cultivated as an ornamental plant. #WildHungary #wildflowers #WildflowerPower

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And here's the reason for all that singing.. a lady Black Redstart. 😄 #BirdingHungary #redstarts #flycatchers

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♂️ Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros). They're very amourous (or maybe just territorial) .. singing right through from early spring into late fall. #BirdingHungary #BirdsSeenIn2026 #flycatchers #redstarts

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You've heard of House Sparrow, House Finch, House Wren and House Crow. Well, here's a new species... the House Egret. 😂 👍 #BirdingHungary #egrets #heron #waders

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Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata). One of the hardier #shorebirds in these parts. As long as the ground is not frozen and there is no snow, you can usually find a few around even in winter. #BirdingHungary #curlews #waders

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Hung around the reeds for half an hour trying to get a flight shot of the Bearded Reedlings. This is the only one I got. Mr. and Mrs. Reedling out for a jaunt. Tough to get a flight pic because they're so small and so fast and there always seems to be reeds in the way. 😀 #BirdingHungary #reedlings

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Here's a female Bearded Reedling. Fairly common in Hungary anywhere there is a large, dense patch of Phragmites reeds. #BirdingHungary #reedlings

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The Bearded Reedlings (Panurus biarmicus) at Lake Velence were very active today.. flying around and calling like crazy. This male stopped just long enough for me to get a nice portrait. #BirdingHungary #reedlings #BirdsSeenIn2026

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One more from the archives for #BirdOfTheDay theme of #waders Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica). An uncommon passage bird in Hungary but this year there have been many more than usual. Likely due to the summer drought and the consequent low water levels. #BirdingHungary #shorebirds #godwits

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#BirdOfTheDay theme is #waders and I got a lot of them! Here's a Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) from Uruguay. #BirdingUruguay #sandpipers #shorebirds

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Little Stint (Calidris minuta) taking a break from frantic feeding. Gotta tank up for the long journey to Africa. ⛽ #BirdingHungary #sandpipers #stints #peeps #shorebirds #waders

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Ruff (Calidris pugnax). ♂️ Ruffs are one of the largest Calidrids, but the sexual dimorphism of the species is shocking. A big male can easily be double the size of a female. #BirdingHungary #shorebirds #waders #sandpipers

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Buff-breasted Sandpiper & small juvenile ♀️ Ruff can look very similar in the field. Same colouration, same yellow legs, same scaly back, same short bill. Ruff always has a bold white "V" or "U" on the rump, while Buff-breasted (right) has an all-dark rump. #BirdingHungary #shorebirds #waders

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European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) ... one of the tiniest flycatchers in these parts. #BirdingHungary #flycatchers #FlycatcherFriday

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Lousy phonescope photo of a great bird. Lots of twitchers today in Vesprém to see Hungary's first ever Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti). First record but a vagrant that has been overdue. #BirdingHungary #BirdsSeenIn2026 #wheatears #FallMigration2026

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

One more for #WaderWednesday A cute little Dunlin (Calidris alpina). Strictly a passage bird in Hungary, heading to the Mediterranean Basin and North Africa for the winter. #BirdingHungary #FallMigration2026 #shorebirds #waders #sandpipers

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) continues for the fourth straight day at Lake Balaton, much to the delight of local birders. Not often one of these is so twitchable. 😀👍 #BirdingHungary #waders #shorebirds #sandpipers #WaderWednesday

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Another great shorebird from the weekend. European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria) #BirdingHungary #BirdsSeenIn2026 #plovers #waders #shorebirds

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

A study in contrasts. The smallest and largest of the Calidris clan. Little Stint (Calidris minuta) on the left and a big male Ruff (Calidris pugnax) on the right. 😀 #BirdingHungary #sandpipers #waders #shorebirds

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

One for #MacroMonday ... the Wolf of Wall Street. Well, not exactly. More like the wolf of Velencei-tó 😄 Hungary has some great wolf spider species. I think this one is Hogna radiata but not sure. Notice mom is carrying some babies on her back. #WildHungary #spiders #wolfspiders #arachnids

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Nothing like laying in the wet sand with all your optics around your neck. 😬 Getting some photos of today's Buff-breasted Sandpiper. We were able to get reasonably close for some good photos and then withdraw without disturbing the bird. 👍 #BirdingHungary #sandpipers #waders #shorebirds

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Video of today's Buff-breasted Sandpiper. A big male Ruff came by to hog the spotlight. Then a cameo appearance by a Little Stint. 😄 👍 #BirdingHungary #sandpipers #waders #shorebirds

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Great bird today at Lake Balaton. Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis). This American vagrant is rare in Hungary, showing up once every 2 or 3 years. #BirdingHungary #BirdsSeenIn2026 #waders #sandpipers #shorebirds

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

This Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) kept popping in and out of the reeds. This was the only time the autofocus got the bird instead of the reeds. 😄 #BirdingHungary #warblers

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Tried a video thru my scope of the Great Bustards but it didn't turn out that well. Too much heat waves. Lots of gular fluttering going on but it didn't seem that hot to me. 24 celsius (75 F). #BirdingHungary #bustards #BigBirds

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Daniel Bastaja @kupac1.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

A few of the 33 Great Bustards (Otis tarda) I saw this afternoon. #BirdingHungary #bustards #BigBirds

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I'm told the #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BestBeaks with a focus on #YellowElements so here is my contribution. 😀 A pair of Shy Albatrosses having a little dispute. #BirdingTasmania #seabirds #albatrosses

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A Dunlin coming in to join his homies. If it's looking for a party, it may be disappointed ... most of its buddies appear to be sleeping. 😴 #BirdingHungary #shorebirds #waders #sandpipers #peeps

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Speaking of common birds, here's that bundle of twitchiness and constant motion known as a White Wagtail (Motacilla alba). This is a juvenile. Over the past month, billions have been moving through... anywhere where there is little bit of water. #BirdingHungary #wagtails #FallMigration2026

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Close-up of Great Egret (Ardea alba) .. totally focused on finding some sushi for lunch! 😄 #BirdingHungary #egrets #herons #waders

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