Bagamér, Hungary (Bagamér, Ungarn) (Bagamér, Magyarország) 03.2018.

Most of the isolated remaining natural landscapes of the South Nyírség Region are integrated into the Hajdúság Landscape Protection Area. Here, on the north-eastern part of the Great Hungarian Plain, a slight depression may be called a valley, and small elevations are referred to as hills. Hence the names of some protected areas: Valley of the Kék-Kálló, or Daru Hills of Bagamér, parst of the Natura 2000 Network. Pannonic sand steppes, sand dunes, Molinia meadows, and lowland hay meadows sustain a remarkable biodiversity here. I visited Bagamér in spring, when the rare endemic Hungarian Pasque Flowers are in blossom.  Place: Bagamér. Date: 31.03.-02.04.2018.

Hortobágy National Park, Hungary (Hortobágyi-Nationalpark, Ungarn) (Hortobágyi Nemzeti Park, Magyarország) 10.2017.

We visited the Hortobágy National Park in late autumn and found a diverse invertebrate life in puddles. I took photos of these using an improvised aquarium. The local Hortobágy Wild Animal Park also offered an opportunity to see some members of the once-abundant megafauna of the Great Hungarian Plain. Along with other mammals, Przewalski's horses and Heck-cattle are kept here under semi-wild conditions. The Heck-cattle are part of an ongoing program to "breed back" domestic cattle to resemble their extinct ancestral form, the auroch. Location: Hortobágy. Date: 22.10.2017.

Panama City, Panama (Panama-Stadt, Panama) (Panamaváros, Panama) 07.2017.

In July 2017 we visited Panama City. South of the skyscrapers there are still relatively large but vulnerable mangrove habitats, called Los humedales de la bahía de Panamá (ecoregion of the South American Pacific mangroves). We took some photos of local species in Costa del Este and Palo Grande. Location: Panama City. Date: 24.07.2017.

Columbia River, Oregon, USA (Fluss Columbia, Oregon, USA) (Columbia-folyó, Oregon, USA) 06.2017.

I visited the Columbia River Gorge on a short trip from Portland. At the Boneville Dam, fish ladders with observation windows give a glimpse into the local fish fauna. Most notably, Pacific Lampreys can be spotted while the migrate. The local fish hatchery also displays gigantic White Sturgeons. Location: Boneville, OR. Date: 27.06.2017.

Ponkapoag Bog, USA (Ponkapoag Moor, USA) (Ponkapoag-láp, USA) 05.2016.

I went on a cycling tour to visit the Blue Hills Reservation and the Ponkapoag Bog south of Boston. The bog is famous for its red cedars the carnivorous plants. The whole area is a popular tourist destination but preserved a remarkable biodiversity in the Boston Metropolitan Area. Location: Blue Hills Reservation. Date: 22.05.2016.

Tisza River, Hungary (Theiß, Ungarn) (Tisza, Magyarország) 09.2015.

In September I visited the town of Tokaj and spent some time with photographing the plant and animal life of the river Tisza. Location: Tokaj. Date: 09.09.2015.

Bagamér, Hungary (Bagamér, Ungarn) (Bagamér, Magyarország) 03.2015.

Most of the isolated remaining natural landscapes of the South Nyírség Region are integrated into the Hajdúság Landscape Protection Area. Here, on the north-eastern part of the Great Hungarian Plain, a slight depression may be called a valley, and small elevations are referred to as hills. Hence the names of some protected areas: Valley of the Kék-Kálló, or Daru Hills of Bagamér, parts of the Natura 2000 Network. Pannonic sand steppes, sand dunes, Molinia meadows, and lowland hay meadows sustain a remarkable biodiversity here. I visited Bagamér in spring, when the rare endemic Hungarian Pasque Flowers are in blossom.  Place: Bagamér. Date: 21-31.03.2015.

Miskolc, Hungary (Miskolc, Ungarn) (Miskolc, Magyarország) 08-10.2014.

In the late summer and autumn of 2014 I visited two tourist destinations in the Bükk Mountains, Lillafüred and Miskolctapolca. Along native ones, at both places I spotted many non-native species. Especially the thermal waters of Miskolctapolca hosted many alien species. Location: Miskolc. Date: 08-09.2014.

South Nyírség, Hungary (Süd-Nyírség, Ungarn) (Dél-Nyírség, Magyarország) 04-05.2014.

Most of the isolated remaining natural landscapes of the South Nyírség Region are integrated into the Hajdúság Landscape Protection Area (and partially into the Natura 2000 Network). Here, on the north-eastern part of the Great Hungarian Plain, a slight depression may be called a valley, and small elevations are referred to as hills. Hence the names of some protected areas: Valley of the Kék-Kálló, or Daru Hills of Bagamér. I visited these places and the Jónás-rész Pasture, the Teleki Pasture, the Kis-Mogyorós Forest, the Káposztás-Plain and the small Keszler-tag Birch Moor in spring. Meadow-steppes, sand dunes, moors and old-growth forests sustain a remarkable biodiversity here. In the spring of 2014, I mainly focused on the characteristic and common plants of these places. Place: Vámospércs, Nyírábrány and Bagamér. Date: 04-05.2014.

High Tatras, Poland (Hohe Tatra, Polen) (Magas-Tátra, Lengyelország) 08.2013.

In August 2013 we spent some days in the High Tatras at the border of Slovakia and Poland. On the Polish side, at a glade called Łysa Polana, the Białka mountain brook provided a great opportunity to photograph the aquatic animal life of the Tatras. Location: Łysa Polana. Date: 19.08.2013.

Kács, Hungary (Kács, Ungarn) (Kács, Magyarország) 08.2013.

Last week we traveled to the small village of Kács in the southern part of the Bükk Mountains. This village is known for its historical buildings and small lukewarm thermal springs. These springs and the Kács Brook are the only remaining habitats of the Black Nerite Snail (Theodoxus prevostianus) in Hungary. This primitive snail was once a bit more common in the Carpathian Basin, however, nowadays it is only found in 3 other locations (in Austria and Slovenia) and nowhere else on the planet.

Syri i Kaltër, Albania (Syri i Kaltër, Albanien) (Syri i Kaltër, Albánia) 09.2012.

Syri i Kaltër, or the Blue Eye is a karst spring and lake in the Mali i Gjerë mountains near Sarandë in the Southern part of Albania. It is a popular tourist attraction: clear blue water bubbles forth from a more than fifty-metre-deep pool under great pressure. The round shape of this pool gave the place its name.

Fir of Hotova-Dangell National Park, Albania (Nationalpark Tannenwald von Hotova-Dangell, Albanien) (Hotova-Dangell Fenyvese Nemzeti Park, Albánia) 09.2012.

We visited the termal ponds of Ura ë Kadiut in the Fir of Hotova-Dangell National Park (Parku Kombëtar Bredhi i Hotovës-Dangelli) and spent two days here. The rapid-flowing river, Lëngarica that flows through the national park created a valley with sludgy rift and the thermal springs are found on the sides of this valley. They are very popular among tourists and local people as well. Some of the thermal springs have dense vegetation, while others are simple rock pools. The chemical composition of the thermal waters varies greatly. After heavy rains, the river even covers some of the thermal pools.

Øvre Pasvik, Finnmark, Norway (Øvre Pasvik, Finnmark, Norwegen) (Øvre Pasvik, Finnmark, Norvégia) 07.2011.

One of the most interesting destinations to visit on our spider-excursion in Finnmark was the so-called Pasvikdalen, the valley of the Passvikelva river located at the southernmost tip of the county. This is not really a valley, but instead a comlpex network of lakes and rivers and streams. The area is at the triple border of Finnland, Norway and Russia. It is also home of the Øvre Pasvik National Park that is famous of its brown bears. We visited this area on two occasions. The National Park is located more than 100 kms Southwards from Kirkenes in a largely uninhabited area.

Tiszacsege, Hungary (Tiszacsege, Ungarn) (Tiszacsege, Magyarország) 06.2011.

We visited the Kácsa-Island in June 2011, a remnant of the floodplain of the River Tisza, near the town Tiszacsege. This protected area is managed by the Hortobágy National Park and its flora and fauna represent how much of the Hungarian Plain looked like before its great rivers were controlled. The small 'island' is enclosed by the river and its oxbow. Location: Tiszacsege. Date: 17.06.2011.

Sebesvíz, Bükk Mountains, Hungary (Sebesvíz, Bükk-Gebirge, Ungarn) (Sebesvíz, Bükk-hegység, Magyarország) 06.2011.

In June 2011 we visited the the brook Sebesvíz in the Bükk Mountains. Lots of rare insects were swarming, mainly dipteran species that favour the humidity around the brook. Location: Sebesvíz Brook. Date: 13.06.2011.

Debrecen, Hungary (Debrecen, Ungarn) (Debrecen, Magyarország) 05.2011.

May is usually one of the best months for photographing plants and animals. I show some plants and insects that were photographed in gardens, parks and in the forest called Nagyerdő in Debrecen (some insects where collected when I did not have my camera with me and photographed later). Location: Debrecen. Date: 09-19.04.2011.

Sebesvíz I., Bükk Mountains, Hungary (Sebesvíz I., Bükk-Gebirge, Ungarn) (Sebesvíz I., Bükk-hegység, Magyarország) 04.2011.

 

The brook Sebesvíz in the Bükk Mountains is one of my favourite places for nature photography. It is a short but very fast-flowing mountain brook, flowing into the brook Garadna. Sebesvíz and its surroundings are home to many interesting and rare invertebrate species, some of which occur only here in Hungary. Location: Sebesvíz-brook. Date: 02.04.2011.

Aggtelek Karst, Hungary (Aggteleker Karst, Ungarn) (Aggteleki-karszt, Magyarország) 08-09.2009.

In August and September of 2009 I visited the villages of Aggtelek and Jósvafő in the Aggtelek National Park in North-Hungary. Location: Aggtelek Karst. Date: 08-09.2009.

Lake Balaton, Hungary (Plattensee, Ungarn) (Balaton, Magyarország) 10.2008.

In October 2008 I spent a weekend in Keszthely, a city on the shore of the lake Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe. Location: Keszthely. Date: 10.2008.