The Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve

Some of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve bird colonies can be visited by ornithologists or birdwatchers using the birding routes approved by the Authority of the Biosphere Reserve. These routes offer the opportunity to watch birds near their breeding places without disturbing the colony.

Purcelu Lake Bird colony

The trip to the colony can be done by small motor boats or rowing boats with a small engine. For reaching the colony area you have to use only the oars or paddels near the colony. Birdwatching will take place only on the south-western edge of the colony where a ‘passage’ is located.

Eight species are breeding in this colony from March to July. You can observe during your trip bird species like Little egret, Spoonbill, Glossy ibis and Pygmy cormorant which is one of the protected bird species around the world. The best time of year to visit is early in April to middle of June, when all eight bird species are in the colony.

Martinca Lake bird colony

Located in the northern part of Martinca lake, this colony has as a dominant species the Cormorant. At the begginig, this colony was formed only by the cormorant, joined then by other species, like Pygmy cormorant, Grey heron, Night heron, Spoonbill, Squacco heron and Glossy ibis. Sometimes, here is breeding the Little egrets too, and near the Martinca lake colony other colonies of gulls and terns can be seen. The total number of nests is about 900.

Obretinul Mic Lake Bird colony

The route starts at Mila 26 on Sulina Branch where a connection with the river is taking place. From this connection, masked by the dam, the route continues to the south of the lake where a willow plot can be observed. This is the point where the colony is formed. Sometimes, along the channel which enter the lake, resting pelicans or water birds reaching for food can be observed. If you are lucky, you can also see an white-tailed eagle sitting on a tree-stump and watching the fish in the channel.

Duration: 30 minutes
The colony can be reach by rowing boats which allow you to penetrate the reeds along the edge of the lake. Till the colony you can use the motor boats but you definitely need rows. The

entire area of Obretinul Mic lake is rich in bird species which are resting on the bank, are feeding here or are nesting on the edges of the lake. A lot of passage bird species can be observed here in spring, like: Pintail, Shoveler, Smew, Osprey as well as migratory bird species, some of them staying here for breeding. The colony of Obretinul mic is formed by 8 species with Pygmy Cormorant as the dominant species.

The core of the colony is located at the entrance where the nests placed according with the species are in the greatest density. The visitors could see that in the upper part of the trees there are the Pygmy cormorant nests, in the middle part those of the Glossy ibis, Night heron and Little egrets and in the lower part the nests of Glossy ibis and Squacco heron.

Bondar Lake Bird colony

There is no special route for this colony due to its location. The colony was formed at 1.5 Km downstream of Crisan village on the right bank of Sulina Branch. This colony is located in the willows and reed beds developed at 200 - 300 metres from the bank. The visitors can observe the colony right from the boats using binoculars or field glass. The best day time for this activity is between 14,00 and 15,00 hours when the sun light is coming from the back.

In April and May, when the water levels are high, the colony can be reached using rowing boats thus observing at the small distance the Little egret, Glossy ibis, Night heron and sometimes the Great White egret.

If you are willing to continue the trip to Sulina you can often see along the Sulina Branch a lot of bird species feeding or resting on the banks. Here can be seen families of geese, Glossy ibis, Egrets, Spoonbills, and the Swallow, Red-footed falcon, Kestrel on the wires.

If you come to the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve you have also the opportunity to observe shallow waters bird species which are gathering in some spots of the Biosphere Reserve. These places are easy to reach by car and offer a lot of enjoyment for birdwatchers. Species like Avocet, Redshank, Black-winged stilt, Lapwing and many more others can often be seen in these places.

For birdwatch tourist services the best choice is ATBAD Tourism Agency in Tulcea, Romania.

Address:: S.C. ATBAD S.A.
11 Babadag Street, 8800 Tulcea
Romania
Tel : +40 40 514 114
Fax : +40 40 517 625
e-mail : atbad@tlx.ssitl.ro
web address : http://atbad.hypermart.net