Day 1 The Walk to Hel

A 4 o'clock wake up for a 6.30 flight from Stansted to Gdansk. All went smoothly and I was on the bus to the station by 10a.m. From here I took a train to Gdnyia where I changed, after an hour and half wait, for a train to Wladyslawowo. However, line repairs meant a bus trip for the last 10 miles. Once at Wladyslawowo I started the walk along the Hel  peninsula. I stopped to buy fruit, kabanos and beer for a picnic on the shores of Puck Bay.
En route I had spotted white stork and hooded crow as well as an unidentified buzzard sp seen from the bus along with house sparrow, swallow, starling and blackbird.
I started the walk at 2pm along the narrow peninsula. At some points just 150 metres wide and basically, a long strip of land with a road and railway (not working) in the middle. I was on the brick laid path, which for some parts is dead straight for 2 - 3 miles. Conifers, beech and birch everywhere so soon ticking of willow warbler, whitethroat, lesser whitethroat and chiffchaff. 2 hawfinches failed to pose for the camera but today was about walking, more photography tomorrow.
As I continued toward Chalupy a marsh harrier lazed overhead. In Puck Bay were 100's of mute swans, 25 goosanders and numerous grey heron. During my picnic I heard a call I hadn't heard for ages, a male redstart, again elusive in the canopy.
After another brief stop at Kuznica, I arrived in Jastarnia and to the hotel I had booked sometime ago. £32 for 2 nights, good room with balcony.
All in all a long, tiring but enjoyable day. Tomorrow, after the 16 miles today, another 10 before I arrive in Hel.
Species list:
1. Hooded crow
2. House sparrow
3. Collared dove
4. Herring gull
5. Jackdaw
6 magpie
7. Blackbird
8. Starling
9. Swallow
10 white stork
11. Skylark
12. Chiffchaff
13. Wood pigeon
14. Mute swan
15. Whitethroat
16. Willow warbler
17. House martin
18. Redstart
19. Grey heron
20. Goosander
21. Tree sparrow
22. Lesser whitethroat
23. Blackcap
24. Yellowhammer
25. White wagtail
26. Marsh harrier
27. Great tit
28. Blue tit
29. Hawfinch
30 chaffinch
31. Lesser black backed gull
32. Carrion crow.
Last photo had me thinking I'd got off the bus in the wrong country.
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