Bialystok fish pond birds, Poland

This video is called Little Crake, Bialystok Fish Ponds, Poland – 20.05.15

Poland, 19 May.

After Siemianowska lake, we go to Bialystok.

Just outside the city, there are fish ponds.

This artificial habitat is surprisingly rich, including in birds.

Closest to the city is a big black-headed gull colony. One female nesting in the colony has been ringed in Britain.

Also, white-winged black terns and whiskered terns are flying around.

Then, we hear the sound of a very rare and very elusive bird: a little crake. As usually, it hides in the reedbeds. Nevertheless, some of us see a glimpse. A photograph manages to “catch” only part of the bird’s small body.

This video says about itself:

Little Crake at Apaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary.

A sparrowhawk and a marsh harrier fly past.

The sound of many fire-bellied toads (see also here).

Two Caspian terns flying across the ponds.

Two black-necked grebes; see also here, and here.

A kestrel.

The sound of a bittern.

A penduline tit nest.

A red-necked grebe.

This video says about itself:

Two birds [red-necked grebes] displaying courtship rituals and mating at Dalkarlskärret, Uppsala, Sweden.

A Caspian gull.

Poland: In Górażdże mining sites at least 3 species threatened at the EU level are breeding on islands, i.e. Common Tern, Little Tern, Mediterranean Gull together with some other important species like Common Gull, Black-headed Gull, Little Ringed Plover. But the accessibility of islands for birds is often restricted, because of limited number of islands or their unfavorable structure, caused for example by overgrowing vegetation: here.