Nagyerdo Forest is a Natura 2000 site which lies very close to the East Hungarian town Debrecen, and which is a part of the very large Debrecen Great Forest complex. It is a very beautiful old growth forest with impressive old oak stands. The mature forest holds a lot of dead wood and has a very varied forest structure with a well developed understory, a rich herbal layer and open sunny places.
These features are the perfect ingredients for a real insect heaven. Several habitat directive species such as the Stag Beetle and the Hermit Beetle are found inside the forest. Under here is an image of a female and male Stag Beetle, which we found drinking juice from a tree wound in a huge old oak. The adults of Stag Beetles and other beetle species are often attracted by these wounds. We also found several specimens of the Lesser Stag Beetle on the same tree. It is still not 100 % clear to science if Stag Beetles eat anything during the adult stage of their adult life. The only feeding behaviour observed so far is drinking juice form tree wounds.
Special thanks to Yves Adams who found the tree. The images of the Stag Beetles are the product of a nice cooperation in the field, helping each other taking the pictures.
Apart from the amazing insect diversity, the forest holds a very rich forest bird population. I was able to take decent images from several shy and difficult to observe forest birds. Middle spotted woodpecker (image under here) occurs in high densities in the forest. His calls are omnipresent when one enters the forest.
Same goes for the Hawfinch, which is regularly heard calling and often only observed when flying over. Though a very common forest bird in Hungary, making a decent picture from this species without a hide is nearly an impossible task. I spent two full days in a hide in Nagyerdo in june 2013 and one day at the end of july in 2010. Later on, I will write more about the hide.
Another shy species, which is becoming increasingly rare in the Lower Lands, and which I got in front of the hide was a Nightingale.
One of my most wanted species in Nagyerdo, was the Collared Flycatcher. It comes frequently to drink and bathe at the bird drinking hide during may and june, but becomes more difficult to observe during the summer periode. The bird didn’t show up in 2010, but luckily he showed up this time.
Under here images of both male and female Collared Flycatcher.
Two other species I was particularly glad with and which posed very nicely, are the Turtle Dove and Green Woodpecker.
If you are interested in seeing more images from Debrecen Great Forest, take a look at my stock photography.
More favourite images from Hungary can be seen by clicking here.