Hungary

Hungarian Blind Mole-rat, Spalax hungaricus, Kunamadaras Airbase.

Hungary is one of my favourite mammal watching destinations in Western and Central Europe. I’ve been three times: for a few days in July 2010, and then for long weekends in May and September 2013. I used the fabulous Balazs Szigeti at Ecotours to organise my first trip, and he introduced me to Sandor Boldogh at Aggtelek National Park who helped with my 2013 visits.

Little Balaton

Root (Tundra) Vole, Microtus oeconomus, Little Balaton.

In a morning’s trap checking we had Root (Tundra) Voles in the wetlands, a Northern Water Vole. a Field Vole and a Striped-field Mouse.

Gemenc Region

Pond Bat habitat

During a short stop we saw several hundred Pond Bats and a thousand Soprano Pipistrelles under a bridge.

Bukk Mountains

Greater Noctule, Nyctalus lasiopterus, Bukk Mountains. Photo Jean-Michel Bompar.

Mist netting caught a Greater and Common Noctules

Hortobagy National Park

Hungarian Blind Mole-rat, Spalax hungaricus, Kunamadaras Airbase.

In a half day here we caught a Hungarian Blind Mole-rat and saw 60 or so Przewalski’s Horses.

Around Budapest

European Ground Squirrel (Souslik), Spermophilus citellus, Budapest Airport

During a day around Budapest we had European Sousliks (at Budapest Airport) and trapped Pygmy and Common Shrews near the town of Ocsa.

North East Hungary

Bódva Valley after the rain, May 2013

During a few days over the course of two trips in May and September 2013, we caught Ural (Pygmy) Field Mouse, Harvest Mice, Wood Mice, Yellow-necked Mice, Striped Field Mice, a Black-bellied Hamster and Common Voles. I saw Red Foxes, Red Deer, Red Squirrels, Steppe Mice and Brown Hares. And there were plenty of bats including Common Bentwing Bats, Common Noctules, Daubentons, Lesser Mouse-eared Bats, Geoffroy’s Bats and Mediterranean Horseshoe Bats.

European (Black-bellied) Hamster, Cricetus cricetus, Mezozombor.