Romania – Danube Delta
Saturday 5th to Saturday 12th September 2009
AA9015
The
Danube Delta in late Summer/early Autumn supports a mosaic of birdlife,
for at the end of the breeding season resident species and Summer
visitors are joined by hordes of migrating birds on their way South to
their Wintering areas, creating a birdwatching spectacle. This tour is
concentrated in and around the Danube Delta with four nights on a luxury
hotel boat and 3 nights in Tulcea – with visits to the Black Sea area
and the Babadag Forest. Amongst an array
of birds will be herons, wildfowl, raptors, shorebirds, Bee-eaters,
Rollers woodpeckers and many other species. A marvellous tour situated
in the heart of the delta, will be an unforgettable experience.
Day 1: A flight from UK to
Bucharest and then transfer to Tulcea; en route we will stop for an
introductory bird watching session.
Overnight - Floating Hotel
Days 2 - 4: After breakfast we
will begin our boat journey travelling down the main Sulina channel into
the heart of the delta. For the next three days we shall be aboard the
pontoon boat/floating hotel exploring the delta but local conditions
will determine our itinerary and exact course. The delta is incredibly
rich in breeding birds, and the outline given below is merely a sample -
no doubt we will encounter additional surprises. The Danube Delta
comprises a vast complex of reed beds, willow forest, and wetland,
crossed by an intricate network of channels. We shall explore as wide a
variety as possible of these habitats, both on foot and using a
combination of the pontoon boat and a small motorboat – exploring the
smaller, less disturbed channels where bird life is more abundant.
Encounters with the birdlife may include: feeding Glossy Ibis, egrets,
herons, and cormorants, which can gather in impressive numbers where the
water levels are low. Large flocks of White Pelicans glide serenely
overhead whilst in the shallower channels Common Sandpipers, Green
Sandpipers and Greenshanks feed along the banks and the reedbeds contain
families of Penduline Tits and Little Bittern. Raptors include Marsh
Harriers, Red-footed Falcons and White-tailed Eagles, with Bee-eaters,
Hoopoes, Rollers and shrikes common in the open areas.
Overnights - Floating Hotel
Day 5: We travel southwards to
Sinoe-Razelm Lake, an area of shallow, brackish lakes and salt marsh and
with an extensive sand spit, which is extremely rich in birdlife: herons
and ducks can be seen in large numbers, Acrocephalus warblers usually
show quite well here and this is also the main feeding area for the
delta’s Dalmatian Pelicans.
Overnight – Tulcea
Days 6 & 7: On Day 6 we will
concentrate on the Babadag Forest. The target species for this day will
be Levant Sparrowhawk, Steppe Buzzard, Short-toed, Booted & Lesser
Spotted Eagles, Middle Spotted, Syrian & Black Woodpeckers, Hawfinch and
Sombre Tit. On Day 7 we will visit Parches, Jijila Lake and Macin
Mountains National Park. The combination of habitats should yield a fine
selection of birds - Long-legged Buzzard, Ruddy Shelduck, Saker, Roller,
Stone Curlew & Rock Thrush.
Overnights – Tulcea
Day 8: Transfer to Bucharest airport for the return flight to UK.