Daniel Bastaja
@kupac1.bsky.social
Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris). Not sure how it got that name because I've never seen one anywhere near a marsh.... ever! 😄 #BirdingHungary #tits #chickadees
February 13, 2026 at 9:11 PM
Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris). Not sure how it got that name because I've never seen one anywhere near a marsh.... ever! 😄 #BirdingHungary #tits #chickadees
This is a Stock Dove (Columba oenas). If you want a Custom Dove you have to pre-order. 😂 #BirdingHungary #doves #pigeons
February 13, 2026 at 9:06 PM
This is a Stock Dove (Columba oenas). If you want a Custom Dove you have to pre-order. 😂 #BirdingHungary #doves #pigeons
Playing hide-and-seek with this White-backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopus leucotos). Least common of the #woodpeckers that occur in Hungary. It prefers mature deciduous forest at higher elevations. #BirdingHungary #woodpeckers #BirdsSeenIn2026
February 13, 2026 at 9:05 PM
Playing hide-and-seek with this White-backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopus leucotos). Least common of the #woodpeckers that occur in Hungary. It prefers mature deciduous forest at higher elevations. #BirdingHungary #woodpeckers #BirdsSeenIn2026
Saw two separate pairs of Black Woodpeckers (Dryocopus martius). They were both into courtship... calling frequently and chasing each other around. Hard to get them in flight though... just too fast and always trees and branches in the way. #BirdingHungary #woodpeckers
February 13, 2026 at 8:58 PM
Saw two separate pairs of Black Woodpeckers (Dryocopus martius). They were both into courtship... calling frequently and chasing each other around. Hard to get them in flight though... just too fast and always trees and branches in the way. #BirdingHungary #woodpeckers
Went up into the hills today to see if I could find some #woodpeckers The Black Woodpeckers were very active and noisy. This one looks like it has a cigar in it beak. 😀 It's a piece of bark about to be flung away. #BirdingHungary
February 13, 2026 at 8:53 PM
Went up into the hills today to see if I could find some #woodpeckers The Black Woodpeckers were very active and noisy. This one looks like it has a cigar in it beak. 😀 It's a piece of bark about to be flung away. #BirdingHungary
Testing out my new thermal imaging camera on the weekend. Looking forward to using it in April and May.. the peak months for night birding in Hungary #BirdingHungary
February 11, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Testing out my new thermal imaging camera on the weekend. Looking forward to using it in April and May.. the peak months for night birding in Hungary #BirdingHungary
Another portrait of a male Smew (Mergellus albellus). Speaking of moving on.. these guys will be gone very soon. They tend to head back north very early. #BirdingHungary #ducks #smews #waterfowl
February 11, 2026 at 7:06 PM
Another portrait of a male Smew (Mergellus albellus). Speaking of moving on.. these guys will be gone very soon. They tend to head back north very early. #BirdingHungary #ducks #smews #waterfowl
The local Whooper Swan has moved on. Hey.. that rhymes. I should make it into a poem. How about... There once was a swan on the lawn / At dawn it chose to move on / The birders that heard / Went to search for the bird / But the swan on the lawn was gone 😂😂😂 #BirdingHungary #swans #waterfowl
February 11, 2026 at 7:03 PM
The local Whooper Swan has moved on. Hey.. that rhymes. I should make it into a poem. How about... There once was a swan on the lawn / At dawn it chose to move on / The birders that heard / Went to search for the bird / But the swan on the lawn was gone 😂😂😂 #BirdingHungary #swans #waterfowl
Mute Swans have to be the noisiest flyers. You can hear the sound of their wings from a kilometer away. This big boys are not exactly stealthy. 😀 #BirdingHungary #swans #waterfowl
February 11, 2026 at 6:55 PM
Mute Swans have to be the noisiest flyers. You can hear the sound of their wings from a kilometer away. This big boys are not exactly stealthy. 😀 #BirdingHungary #swans #waterfowl
Love these older Fiat 500s. The mileage on that blistering half liter engine means it would be a great car for twitching those out of town rarities. But the only way I could fit in it is if I ripped out the front seats and drove it from the back seat. 😄 #Fiat #Fiat500 #BirdingHungary
February 10, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Love these older Fiat 500s. The mileage on that blistering half liter engine means it would be a great car for twitching those out of town rarities. But the only way I could fit in it is if I ripped out the front seats and drove it from the back seat. 😄 #Fiat #Fiat500 #BirdingHungary
Checking out the #ducks on Lake Balaton #BirdingHungary
February 10, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Checking out the #ducks on Lake Balaton #BirdingHungary
A male Mallard practicing its best ski-jump landing on the ice. ⛷️😄 #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl
February 10, 2026 at 6:48 PM
A male Mallard practicing its best ski-jump landing on the ice. ⛷️😄 #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl
Great Egret (Ardea alba). Despite all the cold and snow in January, there are still a few hanging around. Now that things have thawed out, their life will be easier. #BirdingHungary #egrets #herons #waders
February 10, 2026 at 6:41 PM
Great Egret (Ardea alba). Despite all the cold and snow in January, there are still a few hanging around. Now that things have thawed out, their life will be easier. #BirdingHungary #egrets #herons #waders
A group of amorous Common Goldeneyes in the fog. Their mating display is just great, but they were too far away for the video to pick up their characteristic calls. #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl
February 10, 2026 at 6:28 PM
A group of amorous Common Goldeneyes in the fog. Their mating display is just great, but they were too far away for the video to pick up their characteristic calls. #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl
Great time of year for observing #ducks because they are all in fresh breeding plumage. Here is a pair of male Tufted Ducks (Aythya fuligula). The funny specific epithet means "sooty throat". 😀 #BirdingHungary #waterfowl
February 9, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Great time of year for observing #ducks because they are all in fresh breeding plumage. Here is a pair of male Tufted Ducks (Aythya fuligula). The funny specific epithet means "sooty throat". 😀 #BirdingHungary #waterfowl
Here's a better photo of female Common Pochard (Aythya ferina). With 2 to 3 males for every 1 female of this species, she will have her choice of suitors in the spring. 😀 #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl #pochards
February 9, 2026 at 6:39 PM
Here's a better photo of female Common Pochard (Aythya ferina). With 2 to 3 males for every 1 female of this species, she will have her choice of suitors in the spring. 😀 #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl #pochards
Nature's cruise missle .. a Common Merganser in flight! 🚀 😀 #BirdingHungary #ducks #mergansers #waterfowl
February 9, 2026 at 6:36 PM
Nature's cruise missle .. a Common Merganser in flight! 🚀 😀 #BirdingHungary #ducks #mergansers #waterfowl
Congrats to my favorite team, the Seattle #Seahawks on their victory in Super Bowl LX. Redemption for Super Bowl XLVIII! Sound on! 😀💪 #Seattle #12s #TheDarkSideRules #redemption #BillyLivesay
February 9, 2026 at 4:14 AM
Congrats to my favorite team, the Seattle #Seahawks on their victory in Super Bowl LX. Redemption for Super Bowl XLVIII! Sound on! 😀💪 #Seattle #12s #TheDarkSideRules #redemption #BillyLivesay
I was scoping a flock of geese when the water buffalos came over to see what I was doing. I think they must associate humans with food. 😀 #BirdingHungary
February 7, 2026 at 8:31 PM
I was scoping a flock of geese when the water buffalos came over to see what I was doing. I think they must associate humans with food. 😀 #BirdingHungary
Hundreds of Black-headed Gulls on a frozen lake, picking something off the ice, but I just couldn't figure out what they were doing. Expending that much energy, you'd figure it has something to do with food, but I couldn't see any bugs on the ice. #BirdingHungary #gulls #SaturdayLaridae
February 7, 2026 at 8:02 PM
Hundreds of Black-headed Gulls on a frozen lake, picking something off the ice, but I just couldn't figure out what they were doing. Expending that much energy, you'd figure it has something to do with food, but I couldn't see any bugs on the ice. #BirdingHungary #gulls #SaturdayLaridae
Still lots of Smews (Megrellus albellus) around, although the numbers are sharply down from a week ago. Must be the milder weather. Here is a few quick images thru my scope of a nice male. #BirdingHungary #smews #ducks #waterfowl #mergansers
February 7, 2026 at 7:45 PM
Still lots of Smews (Megrellus albellus) around, although the numbers are sharply down from a week ago. Must be the milder weather. Here is a few quick images thru my scope of a nice male. #BirdingHungary #smews #ducks #waterfowl #mergansers
Red-crested Pochards (Netta rufina) through my scope. Ya gotta admire the male's sense of fashion. A flaming orange beehive hairdo, red lipstick and a black turtleneck. I'm digging it! 😂 #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl
February 7, 2026 at 7:41 PM
Red-crested Pochards (Netta rufina) through my scope. Ya gotta admire the male's sense of fashion. A flaming orange beehive hairdo, red lipstick and a black turtleneck. I'm digging it! 😂 #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl
♀️ Common Pochard (Aythya ferina). Although it has a huge range, this species is listed as vulnerable because of sharp population declines. And the population is 60 - 80% male. Nobody really knows why the females are disappearing faster then the males. #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl
February 6, 2026 at 6:30 PM
♀️ Common Pochard (Aythya ferina). Although it has a huge range, this species is listed as vulnerable because of sharp population declines. And the population is 60 - 80% male. Nobody really knows why the females are disappearing faster then the males. #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl
Never seen Com. Merganser courtship display before, but I presume that's what this was about. There were some females nearby and these two males were making low noises and periodically thrusting their heads straight up and pointing their beak at the heavens. 😀 #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl
February 6, 2026 at 6:17 PM
Never seen Com. Merganser courtship display before, but I presume that's what this was about. There were some females nearby and these two males were making low noises and periodically thrusting their heads straight up and pointing their beak at the heavens. 😀 #BirdingHungary #ducks #waterfowl
I guess this male Common Merganser got tired of swimming, and decided to go for a walk on the ice. 😀 #BirdingHungary #mergansers #ducks #waterfowl
February 6, 2026 at 6:10 PM
I guess this male Common Merganser got tired of swimming, and decided to go for a walk on the ice. 😀 #BirdingHungary #mergansers #ducks #waterfowl