About Me

How I Got Into Birding

My name is Tomas Bartos. I work as an environmental consultant in Brno, and birdwatching has been a central part of my life since 2018.

It started almost by accident. A colleague invited me on a dawn walk at the Lednице fishponds during a work trip to South Moravia. Within an hour, I had seen a Kingfisher catch a fish, watched a Marsh Harrier glide over reeds, and heard my first Nightingale. The intensity of those encounters was nothing like the passive nature appreciation I had experienced before.

I bought binoculars the following week and started visiting local parks around Brno. Within months I was planning weekends around birding trips to different regions. The habit never faded.

What I Know

I am not a professional ornithologist. I do not have academic credentials in biology or ecology. What I have is eight years of consistent field experience across every major birding region in the Czech Republic, detailed personal records of what I have seen and where, and a practical understanding of how to find birds reliably in Czech habitats.

My approach is systematic. I record every outing on eBird, take notes on conditions and behavior, and revisit locations across seasons to understand patterns rather than relying on single observations.

Why This Site Exists

When I started birding, English-language resources about Czech birdwatching were scarce. Most guides focused on popular tourist areas and missed the best locations entirely. The Czech-language resources were excellent but inaccessible to the international community living and traveling here.

This site fills that gap. Everything published here comes from personal observation and is updated when conditions change. I do not accept sponsored content, free equipment, or advertising partnerships. The site exists because I enjoy documenting what I have learned, and I hope it helps others discover the remarkable birding opportunities that the Czech Republic offers.

My Birding Record

As of early 2026, my Czech Republic life list stands at 247 species. My annual target is modest, usually around 160 to 180 species, because I prioritize quality observations over list-building. I am more interested in understanding behavior and habitat use than adding numbers to a spreadsheet.

My most productive single day was an April morning at Lednице that yielded 73 species, including several passage migrants I have not seen there since. My most memorable sighting was a Wallcreeper on the cliffs near Moravsky Kras in November 2022, a species I spent three winters looking for before finally connecting.

Get in Touch

Questions, corrections, and shared sightings are always welcome. Reach me through the contact page. I respond to every message, though it sometimes takes a few days during peak birding season when I am spending more time in the field than at my desk.