Danube Delta, IbisTours, Kaliakra for Mariana, Dimiter, Yanitsa & BIRD QUIZ!

Hello again ... has to be just a quick update - stealing internet from the IBIS TOURS office in Tulcea (thank you, Ibis Tours, Daniel Petrescu & Alina!). This where I stayed last night (Ibis Tours guest house, Tulcea - highly recommended).

For the last three days, I've been on a floating hotel (luxury!) doing almost nothing but birding in the spectacular Danube Delta. If you have even a slight interest in natural history, come here and do this - fabulous, unique and breathtaking. Birds include, pelicans (Great white and Dalmatian), all the herons (Purple, Gt White, Little Egret, Little Bittern & more), Red-footed Falcon & Roller (many) at close quarters, Pygmy cormorant (lots). I won't go on (full bird list another time) but the unexpected rarity was Gt Black-headed Gull.

Here are just a few pics from the Delta;

The floating hotel & small boat for exploring the channels

Pygmy Cormorants

More Pygmy Cormorants! - the fine people who took me in & were such good company, thank you all & hope you have a good second half to your trip.

Small but this is a Roller - what a stunning bird (honest). My little camera (without the scope) can't do it justice.

 ... and a pelican (Gt White). Same camera problem as last one but you can see what it is!

Flag Iris (I think). Fabulous place for botanists (if only I knew my plants)

We had to walk the plank a lot!

It's a watery place alright. Many reeds for the birds though (largest reed bed in the world)


And now ... especially for Mariana ... Cape Kaliakra, Bulgaria

... and the star bird there (click & zoom - it's not a bad pic) ... I will never, ever forget Kaliakra

Pied Wheatear - what a sweetie!

Hotel Yanitsa on the Black Sea (quiet beach hotel, away from crowds further south & near great birding sites in Nth Bulgaria - recommended).

Dimiter Georgiev from Varna, the man who showed me Black Woodpecker at the nest! He even put my bike in his office! Please don't forget to send me a copy of your excellent photo of that Black Woodpecker. Thanks for everything Dimiter.                                                                    (He did ...and here it is! .....

  

And now for the birders ... a quiz! don't blame the rubbish photos - all ID features are there (somewhere!)

Above, rubbish photo but two for price of one!