Region covered by this guide
This guidebook covers – roughly – the province of Podlasia in northeastern Poland, where the two most famous National Parks of the country are situated: Biebrza and Bialowieza. The guide also covers the smaller National Parks of Wigry in the north and Narew in the centre, plus the large forest of Puszcza Augustowska and Suwalki Lanscape Park.
The Crossbill Guide is a thorough and practical guide for naturalists and nature lovers. It offers background information and detailed routes and site descriptions, plus tips on finding and watching all kinds of wildlife. Each route offers detailed descriptions of where and how to find wildlife and wildflowers and shows you the characteristics of the landscape and geology. The book offers a mix of walking routes and car itineraries with stops and short walks.
About North-east Poland
In North-east Poland lies the most intact primeval lowland temperate forest of Europe: Bialowieza. Moreover, it is just a short distance from the most unspoilt large river of the continent: the Biebrza. A multitude of other reserves hold splendid woodlands, fen mires, lakes and bogs within a beautiful small-scale rural landscape. All this makes north-east Poland the most untouched section of temperate Europe. The landscape, the very rich birdlife, the Elks, Bison, Wolves and other mammals, and the many untouched habitats which form a benchmark for nature conservation throughout the continent, are all reasons to visit this superb part of Europe.
About the authors
Dirk Hilbers (NL, 1976), set up the Crossbill Guides Foundation and travels Europe to research the guidebooks. This is the 14th guide on which he has worked. Its twin predecessor however, the Biebrza and Bialowieza guides, were the first in the Crossbill Guides series. In fact, it was during a trip to Bialowieza that the idea of the Crossbill series was born.
As a biologist, when not in the field, Dirk Hilbers is a free-lance writer and lecturer in the field of environmental ethics.
Bouke ten Cate (NL, 1985) practically grew up in the field and is out and about in nature whenever he can. Bouke is an all-round naturalist with a special interest in birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. But above all he is a keen nature photographer. North-east Poland his first Crossbill Guide.
Rogier van Vugt –
This was the third Crossbill guide we used to accompany us on our travels and again is was of great value.
We traveled to Augustow with the main goal to photograph the pink frog orchid. As it flowers in August it was not the best time to see many animals but with the locations provided we did see quite a few birds such as Cranes, Golden Oriole, various woodpeckers and more. Also remarkable where the beavers, minding their own business while we watched them from within ten meters distance in a canoe. The whole area doesn’t stand out for its landscape, at least when you love mountains. In a way it reminded me a lot of back home (the Netherlands) but the details are amazing. Creatures that are rare of extinct here in the west are still abundant there and the woods up close are a beautiful blend of different climatic zones. Of course we also spotted the orchid and not just one of them but hundreds in full bloom. A crown on a journey that without this book we might have never made.
Jan van Holten –
For over twenty years now I visit the Biebrza marshes in north-eastern Poland. In many years, even two or three times and that means I’ve lost count of the number of visits to the area. Because during those visits I’am mainly busy with nature photography, it means that in my case I’am still confined to the known areas. Photography takes time and that at the expense of exploring the entire area. And that is exactly what both writers of this guide have done. Together with information from local contacts, this has resulted in a guide which gives a very complete and attractive representation of the region. Whether the interest is now being given to birds, plants or the insect world (butterflies), this guide highlights many of the details. The maps and directions used are easy to follow and bring you to those places, providing a complete picture of this jewel of the Polish countryside. This book is undeniably an excellent start to become, like me, addicted to north east Poland.