Private General Natural History Holiday

Richard Tyler

Having spent three days in the Hortobagy at the end of May 2007 my brother and I then travelled to Farm Lator where we spent a week enjoying this beautiful part of Hungary. The farm is in an unspoilt rural location within the Bukk Hills. The Hortobagy and Aggtelek national parks are easily accessible from this area. Although we visited all of these areas abundant wildlife can be seen from around the farm itself and the local footpaths. Our interests are all wildlife but particularly ornithology and entomology. Using conventional photography and digiscoping we obtained many images. It would be true to say that we spent most daylight hours looking for wildlife as well as using one of Rob’s moth traps at night. We saw 155 species of bird, 70 species of butterfly, numerous moths as well as interesting amphibians and reptiles.

Highlights of the wildlife around the farm itself included very obliging Hawfinches, a pair of Collared Flycatchers, showy Nightingales and Wrynecks. Eastern Imperial Eagles were often seen over the farm as they patrolled up and down the valley. There were numerous fritillaries and Lesser Purple Emperors were quite common. With time and patience these beautiful insects gave in to our cameras.

Rob and Barbara were good hosts looking after us well. Accommodation was comfortable and food good. We just did our own thing and then would ask Rob for site information and benefited from his ID skills with some of the moths and butterflies. Robs knowledge of the area and entomology was much appreciated.

Richard Tyler
Manor Farm Cottage
Lower Slaughter
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire