19th to 27th May 2007

Bence Matte's drinking pools in Hungary have become very well known and for very good reason. The range of birds coming to drink and bath here is spectacular and the hides very well designed.

Kestrel

Bence provides accommodation, meals and transport from the airport as well as running you about to the various hides during your stay. If you want to save weight on tripods he has plenty of those too.

Song thrush

The hides are numerous and not just at drinking pools. Some are within easy walking distance from the accommodation and others 60km away. Ideally a party of three people is best, but Bence may be flexible. I am sure details will vary from year to year.

The closest hide is the tall tower hide from which we photographed kestrel, cuckoo and golden oriole. Very closeby were hides for bee-eater and roller.

European bee-eater

At the drinking pools we photographed red squirrel, fox, roe deer, hawfinch, goshawk, song thrush, blackbird, wood warbler, chiffchaff, robin, yellowhammer, greenfinch, nightingale, turtle dove, great-spotted woodpecker, chaffinch, blackcap, jay and starling.

European roller

The pools are all designed so the photographer is shooting at low water level and are perfectly located. Several also have a large mirror hanging in the trees to reflect light onto the backs of the birds. All very cleverly designed. The water reaches the pools by pumping from deep boreholes next to the hides.

Hawfinch

There are two hides for waders and herons too, but we did not have a lot of success at these. Like all things to do with wildlife things vary.

Goshawk

Full details can be found on Bence's web site at http://www.matebence.hu/