LONDON TO BUDAPEST - TRANSFER TO EGER - SHORT WALK AROUND HOTEL GROUNDS Our flight was delayed by 30 minutes but we touched down in Budapest more or less on time. The weather was good with sunny spells and 17C.
The seven of us were met by our driver who escorted us to our bus and then drove us to Eger some 2 hours to the north-east of Budapest. We notched a few species during the journey but not many: Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Serin, Crested Lark, Hooded Crow, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and a few Collared Doves and Wood Pigeons.
After settling into our rooms we had about 20 minutes in the hotel grounds and nearby lane before dinner. We Heard Blackcap, Common Nightingale, Wood Warbler, Robin, Green Woodpecker and we watched Song Thrush, Common Starling, Jay, Great Tit and to our great enjoyment we saw LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER as a pair visited their nest hole.
Later, after dinner we scanned the roof of an ancient chapel in the hotel grounds for Scops Owl, we heard two calling but found neither of them.
Our beds beckoned at 9pm. it had been a long day.