Romania with Naturetrek - Part 3, The Danube Delta

An early start saw us leave Zarnesti, heading for Tulcea a port on the Danube, where our House Boat for four nights and the gateway into the Delta awaited.

The journey was a very long one so 4 stops were built in, the whole journey including the stops was over 10 hours, in a not so comfortable 18 seater minibus with a large crack in the front windscreen! A few minus points again for Naturetrek!

Our first stop was for a short walk to stretch our legs up a woodland track, where we saw our first Collared Flycatcher,

 Also seen was our first Firecrest, although sadly we didn't see its crest!
So a nice little stop before continuing,  a later stop for the loo and a coffee (of course!) gave me a couple of photo opportunities at the services, this Crested Lark pose nicely,

 as did a Jackdaw,

we also saw Whinchat and Kestrel here.

Our lunch stop saw us at a lake/reed bed. We stopped for about 30-40 minutes, although the weather had turned a bit windy and rain looked immanent. We saw plenty here, although as I was eating lunch and the birds were a bit far for the dull weather, I didn't take many photos. We did however see; Spoonbill, Little Egret, Great Egret, Coot, Whiskered Tern, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Black-headed Gull, Mute Swan, Yellow Wagtail, Cuckoo, Grey Heron, Lapwing, House Martin, Corn Bunting, Wood Sandpiper, Night Heron, Collared Dove, Glossy Ibis, Mallard, Swallow, Little Bittern and the star of the show Great Reed Warbler.

We eventually arrived at our very nice house boat, about 6pm, time for a shower and change before dinner. Then early to bed for an early start the next day. We were on the Danube and its Delta for three full days, so I will condense the three days into one series of photos to highlight what we saw. The way it worked was that twice a day we would embark onto a small boat and cruise the channels and waterways of the Delta then find the House Boat, that had been towed somewhere else for us to meet it for lunch, then later to have dinner and overnight. The whole experience was fantastic, we didn't want it to end.

But what about the birds, where do you begin......................
Kingfishers,

 Common Tern,

 Pygmy Cormorant,

 European Roller,

 Little Egret,

 Collared Flycatcher,

 Cuckoo,

 Hobby,

 Night Heron,

 Black Tern,

 Caspian Gull,

 Roller,

 Our House Boat and Tug,

 White Pelican,

 Wood Sandpiper,

 Glossy Ibis,

 Ruff,

 More Ruff!

 Bearded Tit,

 Red-footed Falcon,

 Marsh Frog,

 Ferruginous Duck,

 Garganey,

 Black-winged Stilt,

 White Pelican,

 Ruff on fly by,

 Glossy Ibis,

 Purple Heron,

 Barn Swallow,

 Black Tern,

 Grey-headed Woodpecker,

 Penduline Tit (and nest)

 Cormorant,

 Red-necked Grebe,

 Great-crested Grebe,

 Pochard,

 Squacco Heron,

 Hoopoe,

 White Stork,

 Frog!

 Corn Bunting,

 White-tailed Eagle,

 Red-footed Falcon,

Montagu's Harrier.

I could have gone on and on adding photos, but that would get a bit dull! If you have the staying power you can go to, All the wildlife photos from Romania

But there is a part 4 to come so you might want to wait!