TRIP REPORT ROMANIA 17 TO 24 MAY 2014 SAKERTOUR PHOTO TOUR GLYN SELLORS MALE RED- FOOTED FALCON

TRIP REPORT ROMANIA 17 TO 24 MAY 2014 SAKERTOUR PHOTO TOUR GLYN SELLORS MALE RED- FOOTED FALCON

WE MET OUR SAKERTOUR TOUR GUIDE, ZOLTAN NAGY, AT BUCHAREST AIRPORT - THERE WERE 4 BIRD PHOTOGRAPHERS ON THIS TOUR ABDUL ALSIRHAN ( KUWAIT ), GORDON SMALL ( U.K. ), GLYN SELLORS ( U.K. ) & RICHARD PITTAM ( U.K. ) ALTHOUGH WE WERE IN ROMANIA FOR 7 NIGHTS, THERE S ONLY TIME FOR 6 FULL DAYS IN THE FIELD PHOTOGRAPHING BIRDS ETC. OUR FIRST HOTEL WAS ABOUT A 3- HOUR DRIVE FROM THE AIRPORT NEAR CONSTANTA GRINDUL LUPILOR PENSION- WE SPENT OUR FIRST 2 NIGHTS IN THIS AREA, VISITING SINOE BOTH DAYS & OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST NEARBY. SINOE WAS SUPERB A GREAT BLACK- HEADED GULL IN SUMMER PLUMAGE & PADDYFIELD WARBLERS WERE COMMON OTHER HIGHLIGHTS WERE 60+ BROAD- BILLED SANDPIPERS & A GOOD VARIETY OF OTHER WADERS. AFTER WATCHING PIED, ISABELLINE & BLACK- EARED WHEATEARS IN A SMALL QUARRY ON OUR SECOND AFTERNOON WE THEN DROVE TO MACIN HOTEL TURIST MACIN ( VERY BASIC ), WE HAD TO GO TO A RESTAURANT IN THE TOWN FOR OUR EVENING MEAL. THE NEXT MORNING THERE WAS NO BREAKFAST, SO WE CALLED AT A LOCAL GARAGE FOR COFFEE ETC. A FEW MILES FROM MACIN IS THE WOODLAND HIDE. WE TOSSED A COIN THE NIGHT BEFORE TO SEE WHO WOULD GO IN THE HIDE IN THE MORNING & AFTERNOON RICHARD & I WON THE TOSS, SO WE WENT IN THE MORNING FOR 4 HOURS. WE D ONLY SEEN CORN BUNTING IN FRONT OF THE HIDE ( DISAPPOINTING ) WHEN ZOLI ( ZOLTAN ) CAME TO COLLECT US, WE SAID IT WAS VERY SLOW IN THE HIDE HE SAID, WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAY ANOTHER 2 HOURS BEFORE ABDUL & GORDON HAVE THEIR AFTERNNON SESSION. WE DECIDED TO GIVE IT 2 MORE HOURS, I M GLAD WE DID A PAIR OF TURTLE DOVES CAME INTO DRINK THIS WAS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS FOR VISITING THIS HIDE, OTHERWISE IT WAS VERY SLOW. ABDUL & GORDON DIDN T DO MUCH BETTER IN THE AFTERNOON A GOLDEN ORIOLE CAME IN BRIEFLY. I M GLAD ZOLI SUGGESTED WE STAYED 2 DAYS AROUND SINOE NORMALLY IT S 2 DAYS AT MACIN. OTHER BIRDS SEEN AT MACIN ROCK THRUSH, ORTOLAN BUNTINGS ( COMMON ) (WHEN I REMEMBERED THEIR SONG ), A LOVELY MALE BARRED WARBLER GOLDEN ORIOLES, RED- BACKED SHRIKES & 2 STONKING LEVANT SPARROWHAWKS. FROM MACIN WE TRAVELLED TO TULCEA HOTEL CITY FOR THE NIGHT. NEXT MORNING WE WENT TO THE PORT TO MEET WITH ROMI ( OUR RUSSIAN BOAT CAPTAIN ), WELL, I SAY BOAT IT WAS TINY. WE THOUGHT THIS SMALL BOAT WOULD TAKE US TO THE LARGER BOAT, BUT ROMI SAID, NO, THIS IS IT APPARENTLY HE SOMETIMES DRIVES 23 MILES DOWN RIVER IN THE DARK ( I WOULDN T LIKE TO BE ON THAT TRIP ). SO, WE SET OFF DOWN RIVER TO PARADISE DELTA HOUSE PENSION IT TOOK OVER 2 HOURS ( 23 MILES )- & THE RIVER DANUBE IS VERY WIDE IF A LARGE BOAT WENT PAST US, WE HAD TO NEARLY STOP, BECAUSE OF THE WAKE FROM LARGER BOATS, BUT ROMI KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. EN ROUTE WE SAW ROLLERS, SQUACCO HERONS, PURPLE HERONS, PYGMY CORMORANTS & PELICANS. THE NEXT MORNING WE WERE UP AT 4.30 FOR BREAKFAST ROMI COLLECTED US AT 5.00 & WE SET OFF TO EXPLORE THE DANUBE DELTA IN OUR SMALL VESSEL IT S CALLED A

BORZAS IN ROMANIAN IT WAS IDEAL FOR GETTING DOWN THE SMALL WATERWAYS, A LARGER BOAT WOULD HAVE BEEN USELESS. WE SPENT THE NEXT 3 DAYS PHOTOGRAPHING TERNS, PELICANS, GREBES, CORMORANTS & GLOSSY IBISES ETC. WHAT A SUPERB PLACE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY FROM A SMALL BOAT- HIDE. ON OUR LAST MORNING WE HEADED BACK TO TULCEA ( ANOTHER 2 HOURS UP RIVER ON THE SMALL BOAT ) IT WAS THEN A 3- HOUR DRIVE TO THE AIRPORT FROM TULCEA EN ROUTE WE SAW ROLLERS, RED- BACKED & LESSER GREY SHRIKES, RED- FOOTED FALCONS &, THE ICING ON THE CAKE FOR ME, 2 STUNNING ADULT PURPLE HERONS AT A SMALL LAKE. PROS EXCELLENT FOR BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY BOTH OUR GUIDES WERE VERY HELPFUL & POLITE GOOD LIGHT ( EARLY MORNING & EVENING ) LOVELY COUNTRYSIDE CONS OUR VEHICLE HAD NO AIR CONDITIONING ( SAKERTOUR NEED TO SORT THIS ) SOME OF THE HOTELS WERE VERY BASIC ( THEY NEED TO SORT THEIR PLUMBING ) WE THOUGHT THIS TOUR WAS OVERPRICED OVER 2000 INCLUDING FLIGHTS & SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT PROBABLY 300 EUROS LESS WOULD BE FAIR! I KNOW THIS WAS A PHOTO TOUR, BUT ZOLI, OUR GUIDE, DIDN T HAVE A TELESCOPE WE DEFINITELY NEEDED A TELESCOPE AT SINOE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO SCAN THE WADERS & GREAT BLACK- HEADED GULL! ALL IN ALL THIS WAS A GREAT TRIP! FACTS & FIGURES FLIGHTS FROM HEATHROW TO BUCHAREST WITH BRITISH AIRWAYS - 240 EACH HOLIDAY INN HOTEL, HEATHROW - 100 EACH ( INCLUDING CAR PARKING ) SAKERTOUR PHOTO TOUR - 1750 ( INCLUDING SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT )

17 TH MAY QUAIL HEARD ONLY 18 TH MAY SINOE MUTE SWANS SHELDUCKS MALLARDS GADWALLS POCHARDS WHITE PELICANS C. 500 DALMATIAN PELICANS 4 CORMORANTS BITTTERN HEARD ONLY LITTLE EGRETS GREAT WHITE EGRETS 2 PURPLE HERON SEVERAL IN FLIGHT WHITE STORKS GLOSSY IBISES 15 SPOONBILLS - 2 MARSH HARRIER 1 MALE BUZZARDS KESTRELS RED- FOOTED FALCONS C. 10 HOBBIES 2 AVOCETS BLACK- WINGED STILTS STONE CURLEWS - 3 COLLARED PRATINCOLES - C. 25 RINGED PLOVERS KENTISH PLOVERS LAPWINGS DUNLINS CURLEW SANDPIPERS 60+ BROAD- BILLED SANDPIPERS C. 60+ LITTLE STINTS WOOD SANDPIPERS REDSHANKS GREENSHANKS CURLEWS RUFFS BLACK- HEADED GULLS MEDITERRANEAN GULLS 2 CASPIAN GULLS LITTLE GULLS C. 100 LITTLE TERNS

GULL- BILLED TERNS 2 COMMON TERNS WHISKERED TERNS C. 20 CASPIAN TERNS 4 BLACK TERNS WOOD PIGEONS COLLARED DOVES CUCKOOS SEVERAL LITTLE OWL 1 ( ABDUL ) HOOPOES BEE- EATERS ROLLERS 2 SKY LARKS CRESTED LARKS CALANDRA LARKS SEVERAL SWALLOWS RED- RUMPED SWALLOW - 1 HOUSE MARTINS TAWNY PIPITS WHITE WAGTAILS BLACK- HEADED WAGTAILS BLUE- HEADED WAGTAILS WHEATEAR BLACKBIRDS BLACKCAPS SAVI S WARBLERS SEVERAL REED WARBLERS PADDYFIELD WARBLERS COMMON A NICE SURPRISE! GREAT REED WARBLERS C. 20 GARDEN WARBER 1 IN HOTEL GARDEN LESSER GREY SHRIKES C. 15 RED- BACKED SHRIKES COMMON MAGPIES JACKDAWS ROOKS HOODED CROWS STARLINGS GOLDEN ORIOLE - 1 HOUSE SPARROWS SPANISH SPARROWS TREE SPARROWS REED BUNTINGS BLACK- HEADED BUNTINGS 6 CORN BUNTINGS - COMMON NOT A BAD FIRST DAY!

19 TH MAY SINOE AM GREAT BLACK- HEADED GULL 1 IN FULL SUMMER PLUMAGE AWESOME! SAVI S WARBLERS 3 GREAT REED WARBLERS BEE- EATERS BLACK- HEADED BUNTINGS PURPLE HERONS 2 RED- FOOTED FALCONS MALE & FEMALE HOBBY - 1 MARSH HARRIERS SEVERAL RED- BACKED SHRIKES TREE SPARROWS HOUSE SPARROWS SPANISH SPARROWS + ALL THE SAME WADERS FROM PREVIOUS DAY SMALL QUARRY PM NORTHERN WHEATEARS PIED WHEATEARS C.10 EASTERN BLACK- EARED WHEATEARS MALE & 2 FEMALES ISABELLINE WHEATEARS C.6 SAKER FALCON ( PROBABLE RICHARD ) LONG- LEGGED BUZZARDS 2 RED- BACKED SHRIKES COMMON LESSER GREY SHRIKES BEE- EATERS ROLLERS 20 TH MAY MACIN ( WOODLAND HIDE & MACIN VALLEY ) SYRIAN WOODPECKER 1 OPPOSITE GARAGE IN MACIN CORN BUNTINGS COMMON GOLDEN ORIOLES 2 STARLINGS RED- BACKED SHRIKES TURTLE DOVES MALE & FEMALE OUTSIDE THE HIDE LEVANT SPARROWHAWKS MALE & FEMALE SERINS ORTOLAN BUNTINGS COMMON

TURTLE DOVES BLACK- HEADED BUNTINGS MACIN VALLEY ROCK THRUSHES 3 ORTOLAN BUNTINGS BARRED WARBLER 1 MALE CORN BUNTINGS 21 ST MAY EARLY AM BEE- EATER COLONY NEAR TULCEA LITTLE OWL - 1 BOAT TRIP FROM TULCEA TO MILA IN DANUBE DELTA 23 MILES HONEY BUZZARD? - ( RICHARD ) CUCKOOS COMMON BLACK WOODPECKER 1 SQUACCO HERONS LITTLE EGRETS PENDULINE TITS QUITE A FEW CALLING PYGMY CORMORANTS CORMORANTS CASPIAN GULLS BLACK- HEADED GULLS ROOKS HOODED CROWS GREAT WHITE EGRET 1 NIGHT HERONS COMMON REDSTARTS - 2 SWALLOWS HOUSE MARTINS WHITE PELICANS DALMATIAN PELICANS GLOSSY IBISES 2 HOOPOE _ 1 BLACK REDSTART - 1 22ND & 23RD MAY 4.30AM START ON BOAT, BACK AT 11.00AM, THEN OUT AGAIN AT 15.30 FOR PM SESSION SQUACCO HERONS LITTLE EGRETS CASPIAN GULLS PYGMY CORMORANTS CORMORANTS GREY- HEADED WOODPECKER ( HEARD ONLY )

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER 1 SYRIAN WOODPECKER - 1 NIGHT HERONS GLOSSY IBISES 4 WHITE PELICANS DALMATIAN PELICANS CUCKOOS EVERYWHERE PENDULINE TITS WE EVENTUALLY SAW 1 KINGFISHERS BLACK- HEADED GULLS COMMON TERNS BLACK TERNS GREAT TO WATCH BLACK & WHISKERED TERNS BREEDING WHISKERED TERNS THE COMMONEST TERNS LITTLE TERNS RED- NECKED GREBES SEVERAL PAIRS STUNNING! BLACK- NECKED GREBES C. 20 PAIRS GREAT CRESTED GREBES POCHARDS MALLARDS GADWALLS FERRUGINOUS DUCKS SEVERAL BLUE TITS GREAT TITS WRENS 24 TH MAY 6.00AM START ON BOAT 2 HOURS TRIP BACK TO TULCEA ROLLERS WHITE PELICANS PYGMY CORMORANTS ETC. EN ROUTE FROM TULCEA TO AIRPORT PURPLE HERONS 2 ADULTS ( I TOLD RICHARD NOT TO PUT HIS CAMERA AWAY ) GREAT WHITE EGRET - 1 HOOPOES MARSH HARRIERS MONTAGU S HARRIER RINGTAIL ( GLYN FROM MINIBUS ) BEE- EATERS ROLLERS RED- BACKED SHRIKES BUZZARDS RED- FOOTED FALCONS WE PASSED A SMALL BREEDING COLONY NEAR THE ROAD MAGPIES SKY LARKS HOODED CROW & ORTOLAN BUNTING SINGING ON WIRES WHEN WE STOPPED FOR A DRINK

BOAT- HIDE, DANUBE DELTA PADDYFIELD WARBLER

PADDYFIELD WARBLER PADDYFIELD WARBLER

DISPLAYING LITTLE TERNS COLLARED PRATINCOLE

CASPIAN TERN BEE- EATER

TAWNY PIPIT COLLARED PRATINCOLE

TAWNY PIPIT LESSER GREY SHRIKE

LESSER GREY SHRIKE FEMALE RED- FOOTED FALCON

MALE RED- FOOTED FALCON FEMALE RED- FOOTED FALCON

CURLEW SANDPIPER BROAD- BILLED SANDPIPERS

BROAD- BILLED SANDPIPER BROAD- BILLED SANDPIPER

FEMALE RED- FOOTED FALCON LESSER GREY SHRIKE

PADDYFIELD WARBLER BEE- EATER

MALE PIED WHEATEAR MALE PIED WHEATEAR

MALE PIED WHEATEAR MALE PIED WHEATEAR

TURTLE DOVE MALE & FEMALE TURTLE DOVES

BEE- EATER BEE- EATER

BEE- EATERS BLACK TERN

BLACK TERN BLACK TERNS WITH FISH ( SMALL PIKE )

NIGHT HERON WHISKERED TERN

GLOSSY IBIS SQUACCO HERON

SQUACCO HERON SQUACCO HERON WHAT A HAIR- DO

DALMATIAN PELICAN RED- NECKED GREBE

WHISKERED TERN WHISKERED TERN

WHITE PELICAN DRAKE FERRUGINOUS DUCK

RED- NECKED GREBE ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS DISPLAYING RED- NECKED GREBES

RED- NECKED GREBE RED- NECKED GREBE

WHISKERED TERN WHISKERED TERN

WHISKERED TERN WHISKERED TERN

CASPIAN GULL CASPIAN GULLS

CASPIAN GULL NOTE THE DARK EYE & PARALLEL, LONG BILL CASPIAN GULL

MALE KINGFISHER MALE BLACK TERN

RED- NECKED GREBE NIGHT HERON

ROLLER ROLLER

SPOONBILL- FLEW OVER THE BOAT A SPANKING ADULT PURPLE HERON ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT FOR ME

ADULT PURPLE HERON EN ROUTE TO THE AIRPORT ON OUR LAST DAY MALE RED- BACKED SHRIKE

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