Danube Delta 2012
On the second weekend of April all of our key destinations in the Danube Delta were visited in order to gain actual information`s and complete preparation works before our photography season starts. During this time we have made bird observation in the northern part of Delta, along Sulina branch, in the Macin Mountains National Park and around Sinoe lagoons. Beside bird watching our photo boat and drinking hide were improved and now ready for the season!
For more information please visit our Danube Delta blog.
Little Gull in the Danube Delta (Photo: János Oláh)
Isabelline Wheatear in the Măcin Mountain National Park (Photo: János Oláh)
First Collared Pratincoles arrived to Sinoe lagoons – and found rain lots of it… (Photo: János Oláh)
Sakertour Team
Photography Season 2012/1
Our first photography guests arrived and busily clicking away in the variety of subjects already on offer! This is still the very beginning of the photography season but some subjects already good enough. We have two pairs of Common Kestrels and a Long-eared Owl already breeding near the ´Red-footed Falcon Tower Hide´ and also the first Redfoots arrived on the 17th April. We also have a hide for Hoopoe and the ´Pygmy Cormorant Hide´ already performing well.
Spoonbill scratching (Photo: Hansruedi Vögeli)
Spoonbill and Great White Egret (Photo: Hansruedi Vögeli)
The weather is variable and we also had some rain recently but still being a very dry Spring and all the drinking hides have lots of activities. Black Woodpecker was photographed two days ago. The shorebird hide is also in operation with up to 5-6 species daily. Our new aquatic hide has an amazing start with a Black Stork regularly visiting it!
Adult Black Stork (Photo: Hansruedi Vögeli)
Adult Black Stork (Photo: Hansruedi Vögeli)
Sakertour team
Spring Photography with Sakertour just about to start!
Our team has been working hard in the last few weeks on our hide-system in Hungary. We have been installing new hides, maintaining the classic ones and elaborating new feeding places. Our season just about to start from mid April when the Great Bustard hide will be accepting the first photographers. By the last week of April we will have our full system of 8 hides ready for the season!
In mid April the Flacon tower and the shorebird hide offering photography possibilities. The former for mating Kestrels while the latter for waders and ducks.
Eurasian Teal (Photo: Gábor Simay)
Black-tailed Godwit (Photo: Gábor Simay)
Sakertour team
Lesser White-fronted Goose numbers
A flock of 80!! Lesser White-fronted Goose staging in the Hortobágy at the moment (2012 April 5th). Last time we had such a large flock together was back in 1997. In 2011 they had a great breeding year in Norway largely because of the eradication of red foxes. The project is still strongly implemented so in the autumn of 2012 we very much hope to see over 100 Lesser Whitefronts on the Hortobágy Plain!
Sakertour team
2012 is going to be a good OWL year!
This weekend we have started to check out our extensive network of owl nest-boxes in Hungary, Slovakia and Romania (Transylvania) and we can already see a good year coming up! We have lots of Ural Owls in boxes and also Eurasian Pygmy Owls very active. We have heard several Tengmalm´s Owls in different territories but its a touch early for nesting (two more weeks). So all in all we are hoping for a good owl year!
Calling male Pygmy Owl at dusk in March 2012 in Slovakia (Photo: János Oláh)
Male Pygmy Owl in March 2012 in Slovakia (Photo: János Oláh)
The weather can be tricky in early Spring. The completely Spring feeling was changed
in a single night as you can see on the snow-covered trees (Photo: János Oláh)
Carpathian Crocus (Crocus heuffelianus). Photo: János Oláh
Sakertour team