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Good Reasons
White-tailed Eagle
Do you need to add Reeves's Pheasant to your Euro or WP list? We know of a place in the Czech Republic with wild-breeding birds, probably the only genuine wild and hence "tickable" Symaticus reevesii in Europe.
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The Czech RepublicThe most westerly of the formerly so-called "eastern bloc" countries the Czech Republic is a land of surprisingly diverse habitats and landscapes. There are high mountains, dense forests, vast peat-bogs, riverine woods and in particular numerous fish-ponds, see BIRDING IN EASTERN EUROPE and WHERE TO WATCH BIRDS IN EASTERN EUROPE. And then there is Prague, one of Europe's most attractive cities, which also has good woodpeckers in its parks and wildfowl on its river in winter. The airport here can be reached on direct flights from all major European and several N.American cities. If visiting south Bohemia (home of fish-ponds dating from the Middle Ages) or south Moravia (the warmer wine growing region of the country) then Vienna Airport in nearby Austria is an option, too. With the possible exception of winter the country has good birds all year round, but as with most European countries spring is overall best. In April woodpeckers (all European species are present) and owls are still calling and by May migrant breeders have returned. Some wonderful bird areas include the Sumava National Park in the south-west on the border with Bavaria where there are extensive peat-bogs and forests with Black Grouse leks, 7 species of woodpecker and both Tengmalm's and Pygmy Owls; the Trebon Basin where ducks cover the wetlands in spring, Collared Flycatchers and Short-toed Treecreepers call from the tree-lined dykes and White Stork nests seem to grace most villages; the Palava Biosphere Reserve in south Moravia where White-tailed Eagle, Black & Red Kites and Saker breed and where in winter thousands of Tundra Bean Geese roost on the Nove Mlyny Reservoirs. In the north and east montane areas like the Beskydy are blanketed in vast forests, which though often hard to work, are home to raptors, grouse, warblers and flycatchers and even Lynx and Brown Bear. Classic Spring Tours to Bohemia and Moravia Join us in spring when grouse, owls and woodpeckers are all active and wildfowl passage is underway. The main areas we visit are the Sumava Mountains, Trebonsko Basin & Palava Hills which are outstanding for habitat diversity, scenery and birds. Our precise local knowledge means we regularly see otherwise difficult owls like Eagle, Tengmalm's and Pygmy and often find all ten European woodpeckers, too. Winter Weekends in South Moravia Join us on a long-weekend in winter in beautiful South Moravia for 1000s of Bean and Greater White-fronted Geese, Smew and other ducks, a host of woodpeckers & raptors such as Saker, Hen Harrier, Red Kite and White-tailed and Eastern Imperial Eagles. On most winter tours we find a Wallcreeper or two and also visit a Long-eared Owl roost. Upon request we also visit some of the region's traditional wine cellars.
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