ROK 2022
The year 2022 was a pretty successful one for us when it came to birdwatching, bringing plenty of exciting sightings along the way. As usual, we were particularly interested in owls, birds of prey and waders. These are some of our favourite groups, and throughout the year we managed to add several fantastic species to our bird list, both during planned trips and through some unexpected encounters in the field.
We got off to a good start on 22 January, when we recorded a Eurasian Sparrowhawk. February brought some more interesting sightings: a Northern Pintail, Common Crane and Red Kite on 19 February, followed by a White-tailed Eagle just a week later. On 20 March, we spotted a Hen Harrier, and from the following day onwards, a Tawny Owl began calling quite regularly near our window. It usually woke us up early in the morning, sometimes as early as 4:30 a.m., but occasionally we could hear it in the evening, too. It was a nice little bonus to our birdwatching, without even having to leave home!
On 25 March, I managed to score a truly fantastic sighting: a Eurasian Bittern! And this was no ordinary encounter. The bird actually swam towards the sound of a Great Crested Grebe call being played by a photographer at the site. You don’t get to see something like that every day, so it was a particularly memorable moment and a great addition to my bird list.
Another regular highlight was observing Black Grouse, which I occasionally visit at a familiar site. We recorded our first Western Marsh Harrier on 2 April and our first Barn Swallow of the year on 16 April.
Black Grouse perched on the top of a spruce tree, Ore Mountains.
That same day turned out to be particularly rewarding at one of our favourite birding locations. We managed to observe several species that were especially important to us: Little Ringed Plover, Ruff, Common Sandpiper, Moustached Warbler, Bluethroat and Common Linnet. It was one of those days when you return home feeling that the trip was absolutely worth it.
Things got even better on 21 May, when we visited a sand quarry and managed to record three interesting species in a single location: European Bee-eater, Eurasian Hobby and Peregrine Falcon. And apparently, one successful visit wasn’t enough! On another site later that same day, we also spotted a Montagu’s Harrier. Days like these are exactly what we love about birdwatching: several great sightings packed into a single day.
Peregrine Falcon, Lusatian Mountains.
Montagu’s Harrier, Mladá Boleslav region.
One of the major highlights of the year was our expedition to South Bohemia, from 13 to 16 June. During this trip, we managed to spot the beautiful Eurasian Hoopoe, another fantastic addition to our bird list. We also observed a whole range of interesting waterbirds and waders, including Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Egyptian Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Spotted Redshank and Marsh Sandpiper.
It was a few days full of new species and memorable encounters, exactly the kind of experience that makes travelling further afield for birdwatching worthwhile.
We turned our attention to waders again in September. On 19 September, we added Red Knot, Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint to our list, along with Sanderling. Our autumn trip to South Bohemia brought two more interesting species: Pygmy Cormorant and Spotted Crake. The sighting of the Spotted Crake was the icing on the cake and a fantastic way to round off a successful birding season.
Spotted Crake, a gap in the reed bed, Velký Tisý.
I must also mention a joint sighting of a Sacred Ibis and a Cattle Egret. The Cattle Egret was another interesting species for our list, while the Sacred Ibis was clearly an escapee from captivity. Nevertheless, it had been roaming freely in the wild in the same area for quite some time, giving us a good opportunity to observe it properly. Encounters like this are also part of birdwatching: not every bird we come across in the wild necessarily belongs there naturally!
Cattle Egret, manure heap, Sedlčánky.
Sacred Ibis, manure heap, Sedlčánky.
Looking back, 2022 was a really good year for us. It brought plenty of new species, several unforgettable sightings and some fantastic trips that we will remember fondly. Most importantly, we managed to beat our previous record.
We finished 2022 with 153 bird species recorded, making it the most successful year of my birdwatching journey up to that point. By the time I wrote this article, my personal bird list had reached a total of 192 species.
And since the search for new birds, the excitement of spotting them and the discovery of new places still kept us going, one thing was certain: our birdwatching adventures were far from over.
