Poland West (lower Warta area) 1 - 9 June 2007
Birding trip report John van der Woude http://johnbirding.wolweb.nl

This was our third trip to this wonderful area of wetlands, old meadows, woods and forests, but now in a slightly later period, which we did not regret at all. Species like Rosefinch and Barred Warbler were easier to find than in the earlier periods. We drove here in our own car and stayed at a simple cottage of Dutch friends, near Lubniewice which is in the Southeast of the area, with good shops and restaurants (and this year a few Bee-eaters in the sandpit E of the village). The weather was fine except for a few showers, and I think that especially the humid warm air kept many birds singing also later in the day.
See also the earlier reports on this same website.

Map of the area. Visit Google Maps for zooming in. Numbers refer to sites of photos below. 
Good regional tourist maps 1:100.000 are for sale in the bigger towns.
German-Polish border left (= Oder river). Warta river flows into the Oder at Kostrzyn. 
Drawienski NP is 60 km NE of Gorzow (buy a map of the NP at the office in Glusko, 3 km into the park from road 22).


White-winged Tern, one of a few hundred, N of Slonsk (1 on map above). To get here, turn into Slonsk at GPS413 and turn right at GPS414. (See GPS locations at the bottom of this report.) Also Little Ringed Plover.


One of several families of Crane seen in the area.


A fine botanical reserve at Owczary (at 2 on map above) on the dry hill slope bordering the Oder valley. oriole, Good riverine forest in the distance along the Oder, with River Warbler at the floodplain  edge of the forest. Drive the good track from Owczary all the way to the river.


This narrow canal at 3 had several Barred Warblers. Best to enter the track from road 22 (Slonsk-Kostrzyn) at about the sign '22' on map above. Photo is at GPS410. Also River Warbler, Turtle Dove, Red-backed Shrike, Great Reed Warbler.


Good forest just W of Lemierzyce, at 4 on map above. Black and Middle-spotted Woodpecker, with Rosefinch in the wetland below. To get here, leave road 22 at GPS412 to Lemierzyce (this is the most western exit of the two to Lemierzyce) and turn left immediately on a dead-end (old) road, then turn right into a forest track and park after about 100 m (at GPS411), and walk a bit onwards down the hill slope. Below, both the track to the left and to the right are good.


The famous old concrete road into the national park N of Slonsk. To get here, turn into Slonsk at GPS413, turn right at GPS415 and park at GPS416. Not easy to find without these or other directions, so take your time.


Further along the concrete track. White-tailed Eagle flew up here. Black Stork in the air. Little Tern, and all three black terns. 


Drawienski NP 60 km NE of Gorzow, at the 'Karolinka' bridge across the sandy Plociczna creek, at 2 km ENE of Glusko, amidst alder forest. Just left of the photo was an apparently territorial Green Sandpiper. 
The main river in the park is the Drawa, along the western edge, and there we had Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher (at a nest) and Goldeneye with young.


Beaver had felled this tree very recently given the freshness of the leaves. This is at the Czarne lake 2 km NE of Glusko in Drawienski NP. These forests have many Wood Warbler and Hawfinch.



Just an ordinary roadside spot (at 5 on map above; GPS417) but very good: Lesser Spotted Eagle, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (family), Golden Oriole. Red-backed Shrike, Great Reed Warbler, Hawfinch, Crane. Hoopoe and Great Grey Shrike (parent with young) a bit further West.


The excellent dike at 6 on map above, just NE of the hamlet Kolczyn, and at GPS418. The two photos below are views N and S of this spot. Little Crake (well heard), Great Reed Warbler, Bittern, Rosefinch, Black Stork, River Warbler, Garganey, Penduline Tit, etc.


See at photo above. Crake heard.


See at photo above.


Nature reserve in the big bend of the Warta river at 7 on map above. To get here leave road 3 at GPS422 to Borek, then turn right at GPS421, and this photo is taken from the small dike at GPS420.


See at photo above. This reserve has large natural meadows and interesting shrub areas. Also wooded creeks/old river branches in the Eastern part but we could not drive there. Cycling or a long walk would be best.


The track along the Western edge of the reserve (see at photos above). Wryneck, Penduline Tit and several River Warblers here. Marsh Warbler abundant.

GPS Waypoints (in WGS84)
GPS410    N52°32'16,80" E014°43'25,13"
GPS411    N52°33'45,42" E014°52'53,08"
GPS412    N52°33'42,39" E014°53'15,62"
GPS413    N52°33'42,37" E014°48'09,81"
GPS414    N52°34'33,30" E014°47'32,75"
GPS415    N52°34'34,74" E014°47'17,11"
GPS416    N52°35'04,39" E014°46'28,35"
GPS417    N52°37'32,90" E015°09'02,54"
GPS418    N52°37'43,36" E015°07'50,66"
GPS420    N52°42'20,45" E015°23'14,96"
GPS421    N52°41'45,88" E015°22'46,48"
GPS422    N52°39'19,21" E015°22'12,05"

Species list
Great Crested Grebe
Cormorant
Bittern
Great White Egret
Grey Heron
Black Stork
White Stork
Mute Swan
Greylag Goose
Shelduck
Gadwall
Teal
Mallard
Garganey
Shoveler
Pochard
Goldeneye
Goosander
Black Kite
Red Kite
White-tailed Eagle
Marsh Harrier
Sparrowhawk
Buzzard
Lesser Spotted Eagle
Kestrel
Quail
Pheasant
Water Rail
Little Crake
Corn Crake
Moorhen
Coot
Crane
Oystercatcher
Little Ringed Plover
Lapwing
Snipe
Woodcock
Redshank
Green Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Black-headed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Common Tern
Little Tern
Whiskered Tern
Black Tern
White-winged Black Tern
Stock dove
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Turtle Dove
Cuckoo
Nightjar
Swift
Kingfisher
Bee-eater
Hoopoe
Wryneck
Green Woodpecker
Black Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Wood Lark
Sky Lark
Sand Martin
Barn Swallow
House Martin
Tree Pipit
Yellow Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
White Wagtail
Wren
Robin
Thrush Nightingale
Black Redstart
Redstart
Whinchat
Stonechat
Blackbird
Fieldfare
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Grasshopper Warbler
River Warbler
Savi's Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Reed Warbler
Great Reed Warbler
Icterine Warbler
Barred Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Whitethroat
Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Wood Warbler
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Firecrest
Spotted Flycatcher
Long-tailed Tit
Marsh Tit
Willow Tit
Crested Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Nuthatch
Short-toed Treecreeper
Penduline Tit
Golden Oriole
Red-backed Shrike
Great Grey Shrike
Jay
Magpie
Jackdaw
Hooded Crow
Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Chaffinch
Serin
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Common Rosefinch
Bullfinch
Hawfinch
Yellowhammer
Reed Bunting
Corn Bunting