Vig Károly: Zoological Research in Western Hungary. A history (Szombathely, 2003)
182 Phylum Vertebrata regation pool at the Kaba Sugar Refinery, while in June 1996, they bred as well on the segregation pool at the Petőháza Sugar Refinery. At the end of July, the whole family moved to the habitatreconstruction area at Fertőújlak, where they could be seen from July 28 to August 2 on Pap Meadow. The first Hungarian observation of the shelduck nesting was made at Petőháza (HADARICS 1996e), where the species was observed nesting again by the segregation pool in 1997 (MOGYORÓSI 1997). In 1998, there was a nest in a fox's earth on the edge of Agyagosszergény, on the banks of the Kardos Brook. Although the nest and eggs were destroyed in that case, it was very important scientifically as a third case of nesting in the district (HADARICS 1999c). Several shelduck were seen at Nyéki-szállás in Fertőújlak in 1998 and 1999 (HADARICS 1998b, 1998d, 1999c, 1999d, 1999e and 1999h). At the same time, the species has nested almost every year in the Seewinkel (Fertőzug). An example of the white morph of the eastern subspecies of snow goose (Anser caerulescens atlanticus) was observed near Fertőújlak on January 5-14, 1996 (HADARICS 1998d; HADARICS et al 1998; MME NOMENCLATOR BIZOTTSÁG 1998a). It was probably an escape from captivity (BANKOVICS et al. 2002). Several shorter publications have appeared on the wild geese of Fertő (FARAGÓ 1991a and 1991b; HADARICS 1991; PELLINGER 1991b, 1992b and 1993a), as well as detailed studies (FARAGÓ 1992, 1993a, 1993b, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2001; FARAGÓ and JÁNOSKA 1995, 1966 and 1999; PELLINGER 1993b). Several writers have dealt with the rare goose and duck species in other parts of the West Hungarian border region (VASVÁRI 1928b, 1930b and 1932b; AUMÜLLER 1964), and data appear in other faunistic works as well (ANDRÉSI 1986). The winter of 1982-3 seemed as ifit would be mild at Fertő, but huge numbers of birds succumbed after a sudden cold spell in February. The high rainfall of the previous year and the melting of the show caused expanses of groundwater to appear on the Cikes Meadow at Mekszikópuszta, which had once been an alkaline pond separate from Lake Fertő (CHERNÉL 1889), 44 but it had dried out after the drainage work done at Fertő and in the Hanság. Flocks of goldeneye (Bucephala clangula), tufted duck (Aythya fuligula) and pochard (A. ferina) settled on the water, which was quite deep. The red-crested pochard (Netta rufina) first nested on the Hungarian side of Fertő in the mid-1980s and has since become a prevalent breeder. It has also bred regularly in the Austrian Seewinkel, principally on Zicksee at Illmitz (Illmic) (TRIEBL 1981). Earlier observations were known, of course (ANON. 1979b). The observed breeding data were summarized by LÁSZLÓ KÁRPÁTI (1987a). They are present in large numbers particularly at migration times, where there may be several hundred (a recorded maximum of 1500) in the habitat-reconstruction area at Mekszikópuszta (HADARICS 1998C, 1998d and 1999h; HARASZTHY 1998). In April 1992, a further nest of the species was 44 '... the Csikes [Cikes Meadow] on the Mekszikó Pond, where 'Schwarze Seeschwalbe' [black terns, Chlidonias niger] breed by the hundred' (CHERNÉL 1889). The pond also featured in the natureprotection plan for the Fertőzug devised by JAKAB SCHENK.
