One more from the archives for #BirdOfTheDay theme of #waders Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica). An uncommon passage bird in Hungary but this year there have been many more than usual. Likely due to the summer drought and the consequent low water levels. #BirdingHungary #shorebirds #godwits

Little Stint (Calidris minuta) taking a break from frantic feeding. Gotta tank up for the long journey to Africa. ⛽ #BirdingHungary #sandpipers #stints #peeps #shorebirds #waders

Ruff (Calidris pugnax). ♂️ Ruffs are one of the largest Calidrids, but the sexual dimorphism of the species is shocking. A big male can easily be double the size of a female. #BirdingHungary #shorebirds #waders #sandpipers

Buff-breasted Sandpiper & small juvenile ♀️ Ruff can look very similar in the field. Same colouration, same yellow legs, same scaly back, same short bill. Ruff always has a bold white "V" or "U" on the rump, while Buff-breasted (right) has an all-dark rump. #BirdingHungary #shorebirds #waders

European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) ... one of the tiniest flycatchers in these parts. #BirdingHungary #flycatchers #FlycatcherFriday

Incoming White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) 😲 #BirdingHungary #eagles #raptors #BirdsOfPrey #BigBadBirds

Lousy phonescope photo of a great bird. Lots of twitchers today in Vesprém to see Hungary's first ever Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti). First record but a vagrant that has been overdue. #BirdingHungary #BirdsSeenIn2026 #wheatears #FallMigration2026

One more for #WaderWednesday A cute little Dunlin (Calidris alpina). Strictly a passage bird in Hungary, heading to the Mediterranean Basin and North Africa for the winter. #BirdingHungary #FallMigration2026 #shorebirds #waders #sandpipers

Short video of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper. #WaderWednesday #shorebirds #waders #sandpipers #BirdingHungary #FallMigration2026

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) continues for the fourth straight day at Lake Balaton, much to the delight of local birders. Not often one of these is so twitchable. 😀👍 #BirdingHungary #waders #shorebirds #sandpipers #WaderWednesday

Another great shorebird from the weekend. European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria) #BirdingHungary #BirdsSeenIn2026 #plovers #waders #shorebirds

A study in contrasts. The smallest and largest of the Calidris clan. Little Stint (Calidris minuta) on the left and a big male Ruff (Calidris pugnax) on the right. 😀 #BirdingHungary #sandpipers #waders #shorebirds

Nothing like laying in the wet sand with all your optics around your neck. 😬 Getting some photos of today's Buff-breasted Sandpiper. We were able to get reasonably close for some good photos and then withdraw without disturbing the bird. 👍 #BirdingHungary #sandpipers #waders #shorebirds

Video of today's Buff-breasted Sandpiper. A big male Ruff came by to hog the spotlight. Then a cameo appearance by a Little Stint. 😄 👍 #BirdingHungary #sandpipers #waders #shorebirds

Great bird today at Lake Balaton. Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis). This American vagrant is rare in Hungary, showing up once every 2 or 3 years. #BirdingHungary #BirdsSeenIn2026 #waders #sandpipers #shorebirds

This Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) kept popping in and out of the reeds. This was the only time the autofocus got the bird instead of the reeds. 😄 #BirdingHungary #warblers

Tried a video thru my scope of the Great Bustards but it didn't turn out that well. Too much heat waves. Lots of gular fluttering going on but it didn't seem that hot to me. 24 celsius (75 F). #BirdingHungary #bustards #BigBirds

A few of the 33 Great Bustards (Otis tarda) I saw this afternoon. #BirdingHungary #bustards #BigBirds

A Dunlin coming in to join his homies. If it's looking for a party, it may be disappointed ... most of its buddies appear to be sleeping. 😴 #BirdingHungary #shorebirds #waders #sandpipers #peeps

Speaking of common birds, here's that bundle of twitchiness and constant motion known as a White Wagtail (Motacilla alba). This is a juvenile. Over the past month, billions have been moving through... anywhere where there is little bit of water. #BirdingHungary #wagtails #FallMigration2026