galadrial and gimli
saturday afternoon we made our way from downtown bucuresti up to otopeni airport to meet the gay birders.
having located them, and imre our guide for the week, we travelled by van to tulcea, on the danube just before it branches into the delta. we took wha'ts probably romania's most extensive strip of highway towards constanta (prioritsied between bucuresti and the black sea coast), until it ran out (60km built to date, i believe), then mixed and matched skmaller roads and 'a' roads, eventually arriving at 9pm (5 hours).
birding started at the airport *winky smile* with a swallow flying around the arrivals hall, and continued on route, with many fantastic sights. hightlight for me were white storks nesting on telegraph (etc) poles - not an unusual sight within romania, but one that never ceases to impress me *smile*
sunday we took the roads out to macin national park, a little east of tulcea. we stopped on route at niuculitel to admire red backed shrikes and golden orioles, finches and raptors, and warblers. while the majority of the group had wandered quite a way up a nearby road and were watching a barredd warbler, i hung out at the junction and made acquaintance with an icterine warbler - enjoying its colour (yellow! *smile*) and song.
on arrival at macin national park, peeing against a rock i had a very close and brief encoutner with an isabelline wheatear *grin* i spent some time watching a family of them later - a beautifually subtley marked/plumaged bird.
we hiked into the hills, thoroughly enjoying our surrounds. one of the things i really liked about being with this group is that their enthusiasm for plants, insects, reptiles and amphibians (near) equals that for birds *smile* for everything that catches my eye there's usually been someone equally interested and excited *grin*.
i turned back and made my way back down the hill several corners after i first started thinking about it *smile* and enjoyed rock thrush, red backed shrikes, ortolan bunting and bee eater (amoung others) along my way, before relaxing with the isabelline wheatear family at the base. star bird of the day for me? spur thighed tortoise! (testudo graeca), whose tiny (10cm) acquaintance i made in some long grasses around a rock *grin*
monday, we journeyed further afield to istria and the shores of lake sinoe, on the edge of the black sea. we made a spectacular unplanned stop on route for a flock of starlings in a cut field, amongst which were 3 rose coloured starlings (has to be my star bird of the day, though monday contained probalby the most fabulous birds for me of the trip and there are others that would have been stars were it not for the rose coloured starlings). wow *grin* we were really lucky to see them cos they usually arrive in the country a week/two later. i think my experience of them is also very positively coloured by some lovely views of black headed, and 'standard', yellow wagtail, red footed falcon, and calandra lark. glorious *beam*
when we stopped by pools and reed beds on the banks of lake sinoe it was hard to know where to look - birds all around vying for our attentions: hoopoe; bee eater; bittern; little bittern; purple heron; common, whiskered and little terns; collared pratincoles; great reed warblers; kentish plovers and curlew sandpipers; avocets and black winged stilts... and as i approached the further lake, over which many of the terns were circling, a crowd of pelicans! my approach disturbed them *grimace* tho i think that i was redeemed by the beauty and majesty of them in flight *smile* and i later attempted to make up for it by spotting a dalmation pelican circling as part of a small group of four pelicans *smile*
the area had us occupied for several hours.. making our way up to cetatea istria (roman and greek ruins) later. on the way to istria though another spectacular stop, simply on the road side, by lake(s) and reedbeds and fields. perlicans - white and dalmation, an excellent opportunity to see the difference; herons, ducks... a paddyfield warbler, and stone curlew! wow, stone curlew *grin* i have long wanted to see these birds, and we came upon a pair of them. and they look just as fabulously starey in life as they do in pictures *grin*
as we entered cetatea istria we walked beneath several lesser grey shrike nests... having left a fabulous white stork family nesting by the cafe adjacent to the site. our stroll turned out to be otherwise fairly uneventful... except for a passing great black-headed gull - such luck! *grin* some beautiful plants and insects and lizards too *smile*
tuesday morning saw us strolling through babadag forest, most notable experiences there for me being the beautifully scented wild thyme/marjoram, and some henbane (i/we think). and caterpillars! we then journeyed on to picnic lunch at enisala, on the hill leading up to the citadel/fort there. we were delighted by bee eater colonies, and rolling rollers. not so delighted byt several classes of school children who descended voiciferoulsy upon the spot, and several of us gave up our intended quiet stroll up to the citadel to see what was out and about there. instead a nap in the sun *smile* and when those that had wandered returned, the rest of us had been enjoying raptors circling around the adjacent hill for bout half an hour - initially saker and hobbies, joined by marsh harrier and lesser spotted eagle. next stop sarina suf, where we watched some pure mediterranean gulls, and got blown about by the wind. a brief stop on the roadside to look for some imperceptable partridges, had us wandering through wild growing cannabis. and then a stop at a lake just outside murighiol rounded off the days adventure.
it was nice being back in tulcea - i'd not long left it with intention to return not that long later when i was run over in 1993. i didn't really have time to explore the town as thoroughly as i'd've liked to, but had opportunity to notice some of the changes...a nd some of the things that remained the same. as we sat on the boat on the danuble, alongside the promenade, before cruising into the delta, looking back on the town in the daylight (scousecat and i had taken a brief evening stroll between returning and dinner the night/two previously) i was struck by the fond familiarity i had and felt for the town. i was happy to be there again, and a mixture of sad and content to not be stopping longer.
so yes, wednesday, and leaving tulcea to travel into the danube delta - taking the (straightened) bratul sulina as far as crisan, and then turning into the more winding dunarea veche (old danube)... and later some smaller channels. we inhabited a 'floating hotel', towed by a tug, for the three days we were there, and spent many hours watching birds from the luxury/comfort of the shaded deck. after mooring for the night (usually tying to a compliant willow tree) we also took smaller boats out into the smaller channels and lakes surrounding us. really relaxed/laid back, and very beautiful.
the water levels were noticeably high following recent flooding, and at times so high as to change our plans. the flooding seemed to have affected human inhabitants more than others, tho we saw very few kingfishers and were concerned that their nest holes had maybe been washed out.
over the three days, birds have included all of the herons, little bittern and spoonbill; common, whiskered and black terns (i dipped out on a single caspian tern that was sighted while i was below deck - they're a bird that seemed numerous when i was in the delta in 1992/3, and have since declined in numbers); plenty ducks, including ferruginous ones *grin*, and a few greylag geese and many mute swans; rollers, hoopoe, golden oriole and kingfisher (splenidd colourful birds *smile*); pelicans; woodpeckers - some great views of black woodpecker, and grey-headed woodpecker, as well as greater spotted; and a few of the tit species, including penduline tits *grin* i was the only one not to see their faces, but i was content with listening to them call, the occasional fleeitng glimpse of them (picking out size and shape), and some good views of their nests.
the last afternoon we were in the delta, we took small boats out to tiptoe on the periphery of nesting colonies of cormorant, grey & night heron, little egret and spoonbill. the sight and smell and sound of them was incredible *smile* and many nest contained young birds, and it was great to see spoonbill bills in development - teaspoon bills! *grin*
the last couple of nights on the boat were amazing. on the penultimate night, heading below deck, we needed to negotiate a mass of insects at the door, attracted by the light. they were mostly fluffy litle stoneflies, with a few alder flies (i think) amongst them. and a mole cricket joined them on the floor. the dorr and floor were completely covered and moving with them - it was awesome *grin* it was also impossible to get below/to bed without treading on some (many!) of them *unsmile* the second night - less flies *winky smile* - standing before the door before going down to bed, looking up into a completely dark sky with bright stars (looking west, one so bright), and listening to nightinglaes singsing (over/under the sound of the frogs *winky smile* oh, the sound of the frogs! *grin*).
a fantastic week with a really fun and friendly group *smile*
overall star bird? has to be dalmation pelican, who are globaly threatened. i knew there was a possibility of seeing them, and i had hoped ot do so, but i really hadn't expected to *smile*
[footnote: the bird photographs are mostly googled ones, with the exception of disturbed and flying pelicans, the macin hills, the white stork nesting at istria, the rollers in the delta, and the first red backed shrike, which were photpgraphed by scousecat *smile*]
having located them, and imre our guide for the week, we travelled by van to tulcea, on the danube just before it branches into the delta. we took wha'ts probably romania's most extensive strip of highway towards constanta (prioritsied between bucuresti and the black sea coast), until it ran out (60km built to date, i believe), then mixed and matched skmaller roads and 'a' roads, eventually arriving at 9pm (5 hours).
birding started at the airport *winky smile* with a swallow flying around the arrivals hall, and continued on route, with many fantastic sights. hightlight for me were white storks nesting on telegraph (etc) poles - not an unusual sight within romania, but one that never ceases to impress me *smile*
sunday we took the roads out to macin national park, a little east of tulcea. we stopped on route at niuculitel to admire red backed shrikes and golden orioles, finches and raptors, and warblers. while the majority of the group had wandered quite a way up a nearby road and were watching a barredd warbler, i hung out at the junction and made acquaintance with an icterine warbler - enjoying its colour (yellow! *smile*) and song.
on arrival at macin national park, peeing against a rock i had a very close and brief encoutner with an isabelline wheatear *grin* i spent some time watching a family of them later - a beautifually subtley marked/plumaged bird.
we hiked into the hills, thoroughly enjoying our surrounds. one of the things i really liked about being with this group is that their enthusiasm for plants, insects, reptiles and amphibians (near) equals that for birds *smile* for everything that catches my eye there's usually been someone equally interested and excited *grin*.
i turned back and made my way back down the hill several corners after i first started thinking about it *smile* and enjoyed rock thrush, red backed shrikes, ortolan bunting and bee eater (amoung others) along my way, before relaxing with the isabelline wheatear family at the base. star bird of the day for me? spur thighed tortoise! (testudo graeca), whose tiny (10cm) acquaintance i made in some long grasses around a rock *grin*
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monday, we journeyed further afield to istria and the shores of lake sinoe, on the edge of the black sea. we made a spectacular unplanned stop on route for a flock of starlings in a cut field, amongst which were 3 rose coloured starlings (has to be my star bird of the day, though monday contained probalby the most fabulous birds for me of the trip and there are others that would have been stars were it not for the rose coloured starlings). wow *grin* we were really lucky to see them cos they usually arrive in the country a week/two later. i think my experience of them is also very positively coloured by some lovely views of black headed, and 'standard', yellow wagtail, red footed falcon, and calandra lark. glorious *beam*
when we stopped by pools and reed beds on the banks of lake sinoe it was hard to know where to look - birds all around vying for our attentions: hoopoe; bee eater; bittern; little bittern; purple heron; common, whiskered and little terns; collared pratincoles; great reed warblers; kentish plovers and curlew sandpipers; avocets and black winged stilts... and as i approached the further lake, over which many of the terns were circling, a crowd of pelicans! my approach disturbed them *grimace* tho i think that i was redeemed by the beauty and majesty of them in flight *smile* and i later attempted to make up for it by spotting a dalmation pelican circling as part of a small group of four pelicans *smile*
the area had us occupied for several hours.. making our way up to cetatea istria (roman and greek ruins) later. on the way to istria though another spectacular stop, simply on the road side, by lake(s) and reedbeds and fields. perlicans - white and dalmation, an excellent opportunity to see the difference; herons, ducks... a paddyfield warbler, and stone curlew! wow, stone curlew *grin* i have long wanted to see these birds, and we came upon a pair of them. and they look just as fabulously starey in life as they do in pictures *grin*
as we entered cetatea istria we walked beneath several lesser grey shrike nests... having left a fabulous white stork family nesting by the cafe adjacent to the site. our stroll turned out to be otherwise fairly uneventful... except for a passing great black-headed gull - such luck! *grin* some beautiful plants and insects and lizards too *smile*
tuesday morning saw us strolling through babadag forest, most notable experiences there for me being the beautifully scented wild thyme/marjoram, and some henbane (i/we think). and caterpillars! we then journeyed on to picnic lunch at enisala, on the hill leading up to the citadel/fort there. we were delighted by bee eater colonies, and rolling rollers. not so delighted byt several classes of school children who descended voiciferoulsy upon the spot, and several of us gave up our intended quiet stroll up to the citadel to see what was out and about there. instead a nap in the sun *smile* and when those that had wandered returned, the rest of us had been enjoying raptors circling around the adjacent hill for bout half an hour - initially saker and hobbies, joined by marsh harrier and lesser spotted eagle. next stop sarina suf, where we watched some pure mediterranean gulls, and got blown about by the wind. a brief stop on the roadside to look for some imperceptable partridges, had us wandering through wild growing cannabis. and then a stop at a lake just outside murighiol rounded off the days adventure.
it was nice being back in tulcea - i'd not long left it with intention to return not that long later when i was run over in 1993. i didn't really have time to explore the town as thoroughly as i'd've liked to, but had opportunity to notice some of the changes...a nd some of the things that remained the same. as we sat on the boat on the danuble, alongside the promenade, before cruising into the delta, looking back on the town in the daylight (scousecat and i had taken a brief evening stroll between returning and dinner the night/two previously) i was struck by the fond familiarity i had and felt for the town. i was happy to be there again, and a mixture of sad and content to not be stopping longer.
so yes, wednesday, and leaving tulcea to travel into the danube delta - taking the (straightened) bratul sulina as far as crisan, and then turning into the more winding dunarea veche (old danube)... and later some smaller channels. we inhabited a 'floating hotel', towed by a tug, for the three days we were there, and spent many hours watching birds from the luxury/comfort of the shaded deck. after mooring for the night (usually tying to a compliant willow tree) we also took smaller boats out into the smaller channels and lakes surrounding us. really relaxed/laid back, and very beautiful.
the water levels were noticeably high following recent flooding, and at times so high as to change our plans. the flooding seemed to have affected human inhabitants more than others, tho we saw very few kingfishers and were concerned that their nest holes had maybe been washed out.
over the three days, birds have included all of the herons, little bittern and spoonbill; common, whiskered and black terns (i dipped out on a single caspian tern that was sighted while i was below deck - they're a bird that seemed numerous when i was in the delta in 1992/3, and have since declined in numbers); plenty ducks, including ferruginous ones *grin*, and a few greylag geese and many mute swans; rollers, hoopoe, golden oriole and kingfisher (splenidd colourful birds *smile*); pelicans; woodpeckers - some great views of black woodpecker, and grey-headed woodpecker, as well as greater spotted; and a few of the tit species, including penduline tits *grin* i was the only one not to see their faces, but i was content with listening to them call, the occasional fleeitng glimpse of them (picking out size and shape), and some good views of their nests.
the last afternoon we were in the delta, we took small boats out to tiptoe on the periphery of nesting colonies of cormorant, grey & night heron, little egret and spoonbill. the sight and smell and sound of them was incredible *smile* and many nest contained young birds, and it was great to see spoonbill bills in development - teaspoon bills! *grin*
the last couple of nights on the boat were amazing. on the penultimate night, heading below deck, we needed to negotiate a mass of insects at the door, attracted by the light. they were mostly fluffy litle stoneflies, with a few alder flies (i think) amongst them. and a mole cricket joined them on the floor. the dorr and floor were completely covered and moving with them - it was awesome *grin* it was also impossible to get below/to bed without treading on some (many!) of them *unsmile* the second night - less flies *winky smile* - standing before the door before going down to bed, looking up into a completely dark sky with bright stars (looking west, one so bright), and listening to nightinglaes singsing (over/under the sound of the frogs *winky smile* oh, the sound of the frogs! *grin*).
a fantastic week with a really fun and friendly group *smile*
overall star bird? has to be dalmation pelican, who are globaly threatened. i knew there was a possibility of seeing them, and i had hoped ot do so, but i really hadn't expected to *smile*
[footnote: the bird photographs are mostly googled ones, with the exception of disturbed and flying pelicans, the macin hills, the white stork nesting at istria, the rollers in the delta, and the first red backed shrike, which were photpgraphed by scousecat *smile*]