Bird watching safaris
Europe’s biggest pelican colony at arm’s‑length
At first light thousands of great white pelicans glide out from their reed‑island nests on lakes. They form a living half‑moon, flap in unison, and drive shoals of carp toward the shallows—nature’s most graceful fishing net. Cruising alongside in a low‑wake boat lets you watch beaks scoop, pouches bulge, and water glitter with silver scales—without disturbing a single wing‑beat. Mid‑April to late‑August is prime spectacle, with the largest chick nurseries visible from respectful distance.
The Delta’s supporting cast 350 + avian stars
The Danube Delta isn’t just about pelicans. Glide a few bends farther and an entire bird circus appears:
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Glossy ibis: metallic green‑and‑chestnut flocks feeding shoulder‑to‑shoulder in the shallows, their curved bills probing for insects.
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Pygmy cormorant: Europe’s smallest cormorant; look for lines of them drying their wings on sun‑bleached driftwood.
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Mute swan: snow‑white pairs escorting grey cygnets across carpets of water‑lilies from May to June.
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Common (or whiskered) tern: agile dive‑bombers hovering, then arrowing into the water to snatch minnows—your attached photo shows one perched on a floating log.
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Seasonal bonuses: April and May bring rainbow‑coloured bee‑eaters and hoopoes; in September red‑footed falcons refuel on dragonflies during their southbound journey.
Whether you’re ticking life‑list rarities or just want that once‑in‑a‑lifetime photo, the Delta packs decades of birding thrills into a single dawn on the water.
A day on the Delta. Bird‑watching
Morning – Wake to bittern calls and a farmhouse breakfast of garden tomatoes, fresh‑laid eggs and honey. Step aboard your private boat just as the mist lifts; pelicans are already choreographing their first fishing run across the lakes.
Late Morning – We nose into narrow reed tunnels where kingfishers fire past the bow and glossy ibises gleam copper‑green in the sun. Cameras click; coffee brews on a tiny gas stove.
Mid‑day Pause – Tie up to a drifting reed island for wild‑herb tea and homemade pastries. Overhead, a whiskered tern patrols the lily field, diving for minnows.
Afternoon Return – Drift back through flooded willow forests; pygmy cormorants line up like dark ornaments on driftwood. Golden‑hour light paints everything amber—the perfect last frame before we slip quietly to the dock, memory cards full and spirits higher.
