Each year in mid-January raptor fans take part in a synchronised winter eagle count called “Sasszinkron” in Hungarian (“sas” = “eagle”). It is organised on the same day in most regions of Hungary and participants use the same method in order to get the most accurate national estimation on the number of wintering eagles.
On 15th January this year as many as 53 volunteers took part in the excellently organised eagle count in the Heves Plain alone and the hard core extended it with a night party…
I walked along one of my usual transects which is around 13 km long. I counted a total of 8 eagles, 2 adult pairs of Imperial Eagles, a distant 3rd or 4th calendar year IE and 3 White-tailed Eagles. An adult IE broke off and carried a poplar twig to its nest.
The weather was extremely mild to mid-January with sometimes stronger wind; raptors clearly enjoyed it, and the recovering Field Vole populations too. I saw a relatively good number of raptors including 4 Rough-legged Buzzards at the same time, a Merlin, a pair of Saker Falcons beside their nest box and 6 Hen Harriers in a 25-30 ha area.
I took distant photos about a “Northern” pale juvenile Common Buzzard. Buzzards in such plumage are not common in this region or in Hungary as a whole.
On the Heves Grasslands a total of 29 White-tailed Eagles and 28 Imperial Eagles were counted taht day (by L., Tóth, HGPLA, BNPD).
Many thanks to László Tóth (Heves Grassland Protected Landscape Area, Bükk National Park Directorate) for the regional data.
Best regards,
András
