Selection of Photos from the 5 day trip

Day 1: 
Stansted to Gdansk Lech Walesa airport, bus to Wrzeszcz, train to Gdynia, change and train to Reda, bus to Wladyslawowo and 16 mile walk to accommodation at Jastarnia.
Bird species for the Day: 32.

Footpath leading from Wlasyslawowo. Good cover for warblers

white wagtail

Looking back over Puck Bay to Wladyslawowo

retiring and shy male redstart

One of 50+ grey herons present all along the coast

Ubiquitous house sparrow

On occasions the cycle track/footpath was tediously straight. Good bird cover both sides, though. Plenty of willow warblers and redstarts

Mute swan, another bird found in large numbers

Some of the flock of 20 distant goosanders

More grey herons

Day 2:
Completion of the Walk to Hel, arriving in Hel early afternoon after 6 hours of wandering through mixed forest, with plenty of birds present, but many too tricky to photograph on what was basically a walk. Time later to return to get the birds.
Total bird species for the trip: 55.

Jastarnia harbour

hooded crow

harbour based tufted duck drake

male great spotted woodpecker

raven

Great spotted woodpecker in Hel

End of the path, Hel harbour

pied flycatcher, male

female pied flycatcher

flyby greenshanks

willow warbler

blackcap, male

common sandpiper

1 of many lesser whitethroats

Day 3:
I spent the morning around reedbeds in Jastarnia. Highlight, a "singing" savi's warbler, as well as visiting the woods at Kuznica where the Baltic Sea Ringing Group had a camp. Spent time checking nets, but cold and too windy for most birds to be flying. Several buzzards and a goshawk through the conifers whilst plenty of crossbills at the tops of the conifers.
Total bird species: 66

10 of over 100 crane migrating north west over Jastarnia

crane heading north west

shelduck

female redstart

small copper

A very cold Baltic coastline, looking west

The mid point of the peninsula, here The Baltic to the north, and from exactly the same viewpoint........

The Bay of Puck to the south, with road, railway and cycle track

common crossbill

Baltic Ringing Group camp at Kuznica

1 of 150+ willow warblers seen and/or heard

Day 4:

Started with a walk through the harbour area and a walk to Jurata, some 4 miles through woodland. Not too much to be seen in the woodland with only song thrush and goldcrest being trip ticks. Plenty of birds about, mainly regulars like chaffinch, willow warbler, and blackcap. Coffee at Jurata and a walk on to the freezing Baltic shore. Nothing from a sea watch so a walk back to Jastarnia to collect bags and buss to Wladyslawowo.  Check on the conifers and birches in the sand dunes.

Total bird species: 68

Beach jackdaw on the Baltic shore

Good open spaced conifer forest

Evidence of wild boar digging up the ground.

whinchat

reed bunting

Extremely cold beach at Jurata

holly blue

Old type local fishing boats, now built as pleasure craft

Day 5:

A day around Wladyslawowo before return trip via trains and buses, repeating the journey made on Monday.

Total bird species 70

fishing boats on a cold Baltic

male redstart

woodcarvers turning logs into garden statues

The beginning of The Road to Hel

Greenfinch

swallow

None too warm on the beach at Wladyslawowo

Species list; in chronological order, beginning with bus and train journeys
hooded crow, house sparrow, collared dove, herring gull, jackdaw, magpie, blackbird, starling, swallow, white stork, (10 sp) skylark, chiffchaff, wood pigeon, mute swan, whitethroat, willow warbler, house martin,  redstart,  grey heron, goosander, (20 sp) tree sparrow, lesser whitethroat, blackcap, yellowhammer, white wagtail, marsh harrier, great tit, blue tit, hawfinch, chaffinch (30sp) lesser black backed gull, carrion crow, mallard, cormorant, robin, tufted duck, crossbill, pied flycatcher, black woodpecker, lesser spotted woodpecker, (40 sp) greater spotted woodpecker, middle spotted woodpecker, wood warbler, short toed tree creeper, raven, goldfinch, greenshank, dunlin, cuckoo, reed bunting, (50 sp) greenfinch, sparrow hawk, reed warbler, stonechat, whinchat, crane, shelduck, sandwich tern, black headed gull, savi's warbler, ( 60 sp) bearded tit, common sandpiper, nightingale, goshawk, wren, water rail, song thrush, goldcrest, siskin, black redstart (70 sp)
Ones in red are new birds to my Polish list that now numbers 188 species from 5 visits: Szczecin, Poznan x3 and Hel. As can be told by the highlighted new birds, this is my latest visit in the year to Poland, all others have been early April, hence lack of migrants.

Day 5 The Walk to Hel

Final day and again a cold northerly meant extra layers for a pre-breakfast sea watch and wander through the town park at Wladyslawowo. Upon arriving at the beach path a flock of 30+ siskins flew overhead, number 69 on the species list.

Puck Bay, looking East

On to the beach but just mallards, herring gulls, a few distant black headed gulls and cormorants so off t the tree lined paths that led to the park and sports arena. Willow warblers, blackcaps, redstarts and chiffchaffs called continuously and in the park I came across a pair of white wagtails. However, along with great and blue tits was a reasonably showy male redstart. I managed a few photos of this bird, certainly an improvement on previous efforts on this species.

male redstart

After this, a trip to a cafe for a good breakfast and much required coffee before i returned to my room to leave the rucksack in the porch and return the key.
I then headed off to Puck Bay at the beginning of the peninsula but not too much about. Green and goldfinches, plus the ubiquitous mallards, grey herons and mute swans.

Greenfinch, Puck Bay shoreline

 By now the wind had dropped considerably so a walk back to the beach. It was filling up with holidaymakers, most of the men carrying bags of beer and all wearing layers to keep warm, hidden behind wind breaks.

Warm enough?

2014 standard beachwear, Polish style

A beer at the marquee on the beach during a sea watch that again failed to offer anything new before I headed off to collect my sack and get the bus to Reda. Due to the roadworks along the peninsula at Jastarnia, the bus was over an hour late. On the journey, 2 cranes were noted in fields. Arriving at Reda we were encouraged to move quickly to catch the train to Gdynia. Here I alighted for a quick wander around the city before getting another train to Gdansk Wrzeszcz. Time for a beer before the bus trip to the airport, where I checked in having scored 70th species, a black redstart on the building site that was the front of the airport departures lounge.
 A 22.10hrs flight home got me to Stansted at 23.30 and home before 00.30 for a glass of celebratory duty free bison grass vodka.
All in all, a super visit, well worth the effort. In all the flight, booked several months previously, cost £80, including hold baggage charge and I spent £150 on accommodation, food, beer and travel. Excellent value for money and, being my 5th trip to Poland, a country that I will surely be birding again. Next time, the East with marshes and forests to check out.

Day 4: The Walk to Hel

Early start this morning and another bright, warm one, but after yesterday I wasn't going to be underprepared so out in trousers and carrying a jumper. As yesterday, the clouds and northerly wind rolled in about 11 and the temperature dropped to about 3C.
Firstly, a walk to Jurata, some 4 miles away, birding through mostly conifer forests but with stands of birches. This is where most of the birds were, with only crossbills and chaffinches in the conifers. A pair of ravens overhead and plenty of mute swans, herons, cormorants and mallards on Puck Bay. Several goldcrest caught my eye but too fast for the camera, a trip tick. Also, just outside Jurata, a song thrush was singing, species number 68.
A coffee in the village, which is mainly tourist hotels and holiday shops before I wandered to the Baltic side. By now I was glad of the jumper and the wind was too much for my hat. Good numbers of regular warblers around the birches here.
Several gulls out to see but nothing on the water. Obviously too late for the grebes and divers that overwinter here in huge numbers. So, a walk back to my room to collect the rucksack and an afternoon bus to Wladyslawowo, where I found a good room for one night. By now it really was cold, locals and the many tourists walking around with gloves, hats and blankets wrapped round them. I added an extra layer but the wind still got through.
The Baltic here held large numbers of gulls, mostly herring but with some interesting other candidates. One in particular looked very caspiany whilst another, too far out looked ylg. No scope so unable to nail it. Tomorrow I dhall get to the beach early.
Back to town and a bar where they had added a marquee. As you entered they gave you a blanket!
A meal in a good restaurant and back to my room for the night.
Tomorrow, more Baltic watching and a wander to the shoreline of the Bay where some reedbeds and mudflats look interesting.
New bird species:
67. Goldcrest
68. Song Thrush
Photos show map of the area, an interesting sculpture where sandstone has been carved into the shape and scale of the 10 highest peaks, bitterly cold Baltic shore and a photo of a willow warbler, phone snap off the back of the camera.
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Day 3. The Walk to Hel

Day started off bright and sunny so I ventured out expecting another 25C day, dressed in t shirt and shorts. 2 miles out on a walk clouds rolled over the peninsula, clinging to the land and views across Puck Bay disappeared. With the clouds came a bitterly cold northerly, so back to my room to change. Locals wearing gloves and bobble hats!
However, by now I had regsitered more good birds: 50+ migrating cranes over, sandwich tern, more endless willow warblers, lesser whitethroats, pied flycatchers and redstarts. One female redstart posed perfectly, low in a bush for a pleasing photo. Also, shelduck on the bay and a common sandpiper were trip ticks.
I returned to Jastarnia for a coffee and bus to Kuznica where I checked out the Baltic (nothing) and local woods. A goshawk through the trees and wren were new birds but, apart from redstarts, chaffinches and crossbills, nothing good. I popped into the camp run by the Baltic Ringing Group from Gdansk University, spending time checking nets with them, but just chaffinches. I made my way back via reedbeds and willows with plenty more of the same. A nightingale was seen briefly in undergrowth and a thrush sp disappeared as soon as I saw it. In the reeds both water rail and savi's warbler were heard, with a fleeting glimpse of the latter. Back at my room I planned today and went for another good meal. All in all, another excellent day.
New bird species:
56. Crane
57. Shelduck
58. Sandwich tern
59. Black headed gull
60. Savi's warbler
61. Bearded tit (heard)
62. Common sandpiper
63. Nightingale
64. Goshawk
65. Wren
66. Water rail
Photos show path to the Baltic, the nets and ringing camp, reedbeds around Jastarnia and a board explaining local birds.
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