Danube Delta in Spring

Hide-photography in Europe’s largest wetland and the Dobrodgea steppes

We'll get amazing eye-level views of many great wetland species such as Dalmatian Pelican (János Oláh)

Saturday 9th June - Saturday 16th June 2012
(8 days)
Leader: Zoltán Baczó
Group Size Limit: 4

This fantastic eight-day tour focuses on the Danube-Delta and Dobrodgea area of Romania which is an amazingly diverse breeding and migration hotspot of Europe! The tour combines hide-photography and stalking photography, though these two will merge together in our special photo-boat inside the delta allowing superb possibilities getting close to birds!

Potential photographic highlights:

• Fantastic selection of waterbirds from a specially designed photo-boat inside the delta
• White and Dalmatian Pelicans
• Breeding plumaged Red-necked and Black-necked Grebes
• European Herons and Egrets
• Possibility of breeding plumaged Pallas’s Gull, a rare European species
• Whiskered Tern and Collared Pratincole colonies
• Drinking hides in the Macin Mountain National Park
• Delightful Souslik photography
   

About your boat: This 6,5 m long very stable flat bottomed boat was designed for photographers. It has four seats in the middle of the boat which are removable so when needed photography takes place from cushions allowing the lowest possible angle. The boat is installed with special photo-through glass – the same as in our hides in Hungary – on both side and also with a curtain system. The windows are turn able so photography also possible through the curtains only. The boat can be used in all weather as it has a removable roof as well.

Itinerary:

Day 1  The tour begins at Bucharest, from where we will transfer to Tulcea – the gateway to the Sulina arm of the Danube-Delta. Upon arrival we will board our special photo-boat and travel to Mila 23 which will be our base for the next 3 nights. If time allows we will spend this first afternoon with photography.

Days 2 - 3  We will have two full days of photography inside the Danube-Delta. This will allow us to enjoy a variety of subjects in this last wilderness of Europe. The exact programme will be determined by the available subjects and the desires of the photographers. We will have two photo sessions daily. We usually start 30 minutes before sunrise and return to our accommodation for lunch and rest. The afternoon session will last until sunset.

Day 4  After a last morning session we will sadly leave the Danube-Delta behind and travel back to Tulcea for an overnight.

Days 5 - 6  Early this morning we leave for the Macin Mountain National Park where we have a photo hide for drinking birds. This rather dry habitat support a lot of scarce birds and our drinking pool will most probably be visited by many species. Two people will spend the morning in the hide while our guide will take the other two clients to photograph Souslik and various steppe bird species. If any suitable subject found dog-house type blinds can be used any time. In the afternoon the other two photographers will use the drinking hide. The following day is the same but vice versa. One night will be spent in Macin. On the second day we will transfer to Constanta for a two night stay.

Days 7  A full day will be spent around Constanta where we will concentrate our efforts on Steppe species. We will be doing mainly stalking photography but blinds can be used if required.

Day 8  After an early morning photography we will return to Bucharest where the tour will end.

Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels are of a good standard for most of the tour. In the Macin area slightly lower standard but it is clean (one night). Road transport is by minibus and roads are generally good.

Walking: The walking effort is mostly easy throughout the tour.

Climate: In June most days are warm, dry and sunny and temperature is up to 30C. We will focus on the early morning and late afternoon hours however so it will not be inconvenient.

Recommended equipment: All sort of lenses can be used but a larger 400 or 500 mm lens is recommended on this tour. We will supply special beanbags in the boat. These are useful when photographing through the curtain or without. Tripods are essential to bring for the tour. It is possible to use them in the boat as well when the special windows installed.
 

The Danube Delta is the European capital of the stately White Pelican (János Oláh)

White Pelican (János Oláh) - they can usually be approached quite closely

Our purpose-built photography motor launch, the 'Borzás', which translated means 'shaggy'(!), although this refers to the Hungarian name of Dalmatian Pelican (János Oláh)

A pelican's eye view of the Borzás, with its photo-through glass screens raised (János Oláh)

Squacco Herons are common throughout the delta and offer great photo opportunites (János Oláh)

Little Bitterns are more elusive but with luck you will get one in the frame! (János Oláh)

Bee-eaters are common and offer good chances of flight shots (János Oláh)

The Borzás and sunset over the delta (János Oláh)