At the Szeged Community House, the event series titled “Crane Festival: The Celebration of Bird Migration in Southern Hungary,” organized annually in November by the Kiskunság National Park, has become a cherished tradition. Each year, it offers us new experiences. This year, students from Szeged Group 2 joined forces with the newly formed Szeged Group 1 to attend the event. Unfortunately, the 24-hour Photography Race was canceled this year, but bird ringing, early morning frosty nature photography, and witnessing the cranes returning to roost in the evening more than made up for it.
We attended the event over two days. On our first outing, on November 7, we joined members of Szeged Group 1 to witness the cranes’ evening return to their roost near the Roller Visitor Center (Szalakóta Látogatóközpont) in Sándorfalva. Here, the children got acquainted with various tools and revisited theoretical knowledge shared during the autumn break while observing the flocks of cranes.
On Saturday, November 9, we set out in two teams to the event locations. The first group spent the night at the Community House and departed early in the morning to explore the frosty macro themes of Macskási Meadow. The foggy, frosty dawn provided an unforgettable experience. The colors and subjects made for some stunning photos.
After enjoying breakfast in the field, we regrouped with the others at the Roller Educational Center, where volunteers from the Hungarian Ornithological Society (MME) were already engaged in bird ringing. Over the course of a few hours, we actively participated in observing birds, removing them from nets, and, to our delight, releasing them back into the wild.
Following our bird-ringing adventures, we attended Gábor Tóth’s “Animal Fun” presentation in the garden of the Pallavicini Mansion in Sándorfalva. The trainer and presenter showcased animals featured in nature films, highlighting their unique characteristics to the audience.
After lunch and a warming drink, we returned to the educational center to once again await the cranes’ evening return to their resting grounds, just as we had on Thursday evening.
This time, we were luckier than on Thursday. Numerous crane flocks arrived, and we ended the event with a beautiful sunset. After nightfall, we gathered at the White Lake Fisherman’s Inn (Fehér-tavi Halászcsárda) to reflect on the day over fish soup and goulash, before heading home with promises of returning next year.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Kiskunság National Park and the Csongrád County group of the Hungarian Ornithological Society for their support and participation in this wonderful program.
Péter Mikics, István Vidákovics
Mentors of Szeged Groups 1 and 2
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