Special animals and their observation

The summer goose, also known as the “blonde goose” by the people living in the Great Plain region, is the only wild goose that nests in our country. It builds its nests in reedbeds, grasslands and small islands, but takes its young to graze on coastal grasslands. You can see groups of them at all times of the year, as they usually overwinter in our lakes. From September onwards, nesting birds from further north (Poland, Germany) also flock along the Fertő, and from October to April, they fly in flocks of thousands to the cornfields in the mornings, mixed with sowing geese and greater white-fronted geese. This special animal is also a nice subject for photos: pink legs and beak, with dark grey plumage.

According to Attila Pellinger, head of the Nature Conservation Department of Fertő-Hanság National Park, summer geese behave confidentially in protected areas and can therefore be observed at close range, only in compliance with the etiquette and unwritten rules of nature walking.

Life is bustling in this wild, marshy area on the south-western shore of Lake Balaton, a Natura 2000 site with a unique flora and fauna. The wildlife of the grove is fascinatingly varied: several species of orchids live in the patches of marshland, families of otters, herons and egrets hide in the reeds, and the only native species of turtle in Hungary, the marsh turtle, lays its eggs in the sand hills of the grove. The animals are active from March to November, and on warm summer days, they can easily be seen basking on the water’s edge or driftwood. The marsh turtle belongs to endangered species, threatened not only by habitat loss, but also by the red-eared jewel turtle, which is a pet - whose owners got bored of it - that finds its way into natural waters, and by predators.Life is bustling in this wild, marshy area on the south-western shore of Lake Balaton, a Natura 2000 site with a unique flora and fauna. The wildlife of the grove is fascinatingly varied: several species of orchids live in the patches of marshland, families of otters, herons and egrets hide in the reeds, and the only native species of turtle in Hungary, the marsh turtle, lays its eggs in the sand hills of the grove. The animals are active from March to November, and on warm summer days, they can easily be seen basking on the water’s edge or driftwood. The marsh turtle belongs to endangered species, threatened not only by habitat loss, but also by the red-eared jewel turtle, which is a pet - whose owners got bored of it - that finds its way into natural waters, and by predators.

You can get to know this special creature by walking along the 1-kilometre Mocsári teknős tanösvény (Marsh turtle trail) in Fonyód, and the short hike will give you an insight into the history of the Ordacsehi-berek (Ordacsehi grove), the habitats in the area, the biota of the grove and the invasive species that threaten the native species living there. Let’s start from the Berek Világa Látogatóközpont (World of the Grove Visitor Center) in Fonyód and explore this wonderful area alone, with family or friends.  The trail is free to visit, but you can also take a guided walking tour. The grove walk is accompanied by an exercise sheet, which you can pick up at the reception of the World of the Grove Visitor Center.

Few people know that 8 out of the 80-90 freshwater species of moss animals can also be found in our country. One, the giant moss animal, was first observed in 2011 in the lower sections of the Danube at Ráckeve, but recently it has also colonised Lake Tisza. The giant moss animal, a newcomer to the area, is becoming increasingly abundant in summer in coastal reed beds and currently has no known natural predators. The species is almost 40 cm in diameter, with a spherical, spongy body that makes it an extremely bizarre sight. The giant moss animals can be found 30-50 centimetres underwater, clinging to the reeds. All individuals are androgynous, so the colonies are reared asexually, with the individuals budding. During reproduction, the young individuals become very similar to the mother animal very quickly and are able to produce extremely large numbers of surviving individuals year after year, making them almost impossible to eradicate.

Although the swarming of the Scarce Fritillary is not as spectacular as, for example, a Tisza blooming, it can be a pleasant sight in the forests around Kömörő and Fülesd. They fly in forest clearings and gullies, are large and easily recognisable. In the operational area of the Hortobágy National Park Directorate, in the hardwood forests of the Szatmár-Bereg plain, the swarming season is in May. 

If the weather is kind, the imago can be seen until early June.