Romania's Danube Delta & Carpathian Mountains Naturetrek Tour Report 4 - 13 August 2018 Great Bittern by Florin Palade Campanula carpatica by Paul Harmes Melampyrum bihariense by Paul Harmes Report and photos compiled by Paul Harmes Additional Photo by Florin Palade Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Romania's Danube Delta & Carpathian Mountains Tour participants: Paul Harmes (leader), Florin Palade (local guide), George (driver), with 14 Naturetrek clients Day 1 Saturday 4th August Fly London Heathrow to Bucharest – Transfer to Zarnesti Fourteen tour-group members met with Paul at London Heathrow, Terminal 5 for the 1.15pm British Airways flight BA886, to Bucharest. After completing immigration formalities and collecting our luggage, we made our way into the arrivals area where we were met by Florin, our local guide, who showed us to the exit and to our bus where we met our driver, George. Leaving the airport, we made our way onto the E60 and drove north. After 10 minutes, we stopped at a local restaurant where we took our evening meal. After eating, we continued north through an area of light industrial buildings and arable crops, towards Ploiesti and on north-westwards, through the Sub-Carpathian hills, and the towns of Breaza and Sinaia. Our route took us through Busteni, before turning west to Rasnov. After about three hours, we arrived at the Hotel Elena Pension in Zarnesti, our base for the next four nights. We were welcomed by our hosts, George and Elena, who quickly settled us into our rooms, before we retired for the night. Day 2 Sunday 5th August Piatra Craiului National Park – Coltii Chiliilor – Bran - Tohmai Zarnesti is situated in the Piatra Craiului National Park, and our first two days would be spent in different habitats within the region. After breakfast, we joined our vehicle for the short drive to an area of meadows, tracks and light, patchy forest, in the Barsa Valley, where we spent the morning. As we approached the car park, White Stork was spotted on a roof, and a Fox was seen in the in a roadside field. Leaving the vehicle, we set off to explore, taking the main track towards the monastery of Coltul Chiliilor. Early finds included Common Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Red- backed Shrike and Lesser Grey Shrike. In the early sunshine, butterflies were becoming active. Common Blue, Clouded Yellow, Berger’s Clouded Yellow and Small White were all noted. Plants included Arctium tomentosum (a Burdock), Scabiosa ochroleuca (Yellow Scabious), Geranium pratense (Meadow Crane’s-bill), Salvia verticillata (Whorled Sage) and Parnsssia palustris (Grass-of-Parnasus). As we moved higher, we added Nutcracker, Raven, Crested, Marsh, Coal, and Willow Tits and Common Buzzard. By now, as the morning temperatures rose, more butterfies appeared. Brimstone, Small Heath, Silver-washed Fritillary, Meadow Brown, Peacock, Comma and Ringlet were all added, as well as Burnet Companion and Shaded Broad-bar moths. Aconitum vulparia (formerly A. lasianthum, Wolf’s-bane), Salvia glutinosa (Jupiter’s Distaff), Aconitum moldavicum (a Monk’s-hood) and Telekia speciosa were all seen along the margins of the woodland. We took our picnic in the shade of a large tree, by the Monastery, before retracing our route back to the vehicle. As we were in Transylvania, the afternoon was spent in the small town of Bran, where we had free time. Some of the group visited Castle Bran, one of the castles of Vlad the Impaler (also known as Vlad III Dracula); others chose to relax with refreshments, and a few went to the local park to look for birds. Nuthatch, Chaffinch, and a solitary Red Kite were seen. © Naturetrek January 19 1 Romania's Danube Delta & Carpathian Mountains Tour Report Returning to Zarnesti, we stopped briefly on the Bran Pass, where Florin explained the geography and geology of the area. Whilst here, we added Scarce and Common Swallowtail butterflies, Tree Pipit and Salvia transylvanica (a Clary). A second short stop was made in some extant meadows near Tohami. Here we saw Common Buzzard, Raven and Great Grey Shrike. (The taxonomy of Grey Shrikes is under review, but ‘Southern’ Grey Shrike now only exists as Iberian Grey Shrike.) We also added Eastern Knapweed Fritillary and Wood White butterflies and Latticed Heath moth, before returning to the hotel in time for dinner. Day 3 Monday 6th August Piatra Caruiliu National Park - Zarnesti Gorge – Stromba Valley This morning, after breakfast, we made a prompt start and travelled through the village of Zarnesti and down to the south-west. The plan was to spend the morning in the Zarnesti Gorge, which lies between the Piatra Craiului and Pietricica mountains. As we drove, House Sparrows, Magpie and Collared Dove were spotted. One of our objectives today, was to try and find the enigmatic Wallcreeper. Parking at the eastern end of the gorge, we followed the well-trodden track westwards through a limestone gorge which was forested, predominately, by Fagus sylvatica (Beech), Sambucus nigra (Elderberry) and Picea abies (Norway Spruce). As we went, we recorded Campanula carpatica (Carpathian Bellflower), Bellidiastrum michelii (False Aster) and Lunaria redivida (Perennial Honesty). Grey Wagtail, Coal Tit and Chaffinch were also seen, together with Common Buzzard and Honey Buzzard. As we moved up the gorge, we found Aconitum vulparia (Wolf’s-bane) and Delphinium elatum (Alpine Larkspur). Butterflies were, by now, plentiful as the morning sunshire permeated the gorge. Arran Brown, Woodland Ringlet, Hungarian Glider, Large Ringlet, Brimstone, Marbled White, Wood White, Southern Small White butterflies and Shaded Broad-bar and Common Heath moths, were all recorded. As we neared the top of the gorge, we added Jay and Marsh Tit to the bird list but, sadly, no Wallcreeper. We now retraced our steps back to the vehicle and made our way back to the Guest House for a hot lunch. As we were leaving the gorge, a Camberwell Beuty was spotted from the bus, which we stopped to photograph. With lunch completed, we rejoined our bus for the drive north-west to the Stromba Valley, near Sinca Noua, where we explored some more meadows and track margins. There were some particularly good stands of Inula helenium (Elecampane). We also recorded Jay, Great Tit, Common Buzzard, Song Thrush, Red-backed Shrike, Grey Heron and Lesser Spotted Eagle. Dryad, Small White, Silver-washed Fritillary, Map, Silver-spotted Skipper, Large Copper and Short-tailed Blue butterflies were also noted, together with Yellow-bellied Toad. At 6.30pm, we were met at a forester’s hut by the local rangers, who took us to a hide deep in the forest, where we hoped to see Brown Bear. After a drive of some 20 minutes, we arrived at the viewing hut, where we waited. It was not long before our patience was rewarded, when a solitary female Brown Bear arrived on the scene. Over the next hour and a half, we had a number of excellent sightings, with some obscured views of a solitary Fox and a pair of Ravens. The group returned to the Pension Elena, happy with our evening’s viewing. 2 © Naturetrek January 19 Romania's Danube Delta & Carpathian Mountains Tour Report Day 4 Tuesday 7th August Transfer from Zarnesti to Tulcea Today we were to make the long drive from the Carpathians to the Danube delta. After an early breakfast, we were soon heading south, retracing the route we had taken on the day we arrived. We drove down through Rasnov to Predeal and on via Busteni and Sinaia back to Ploiesti. After a brief comfort stop, we took the road through Buzau, heading towards the town of Urziceni. About 10 kilometres before the town, we made a stop at the Lacul Robeanu lake. Here we took some time scanning the water, finding Coot, Common Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Great Crested, Little and Black-necked Grebes, Garganey, Gadwall and Mute Swan. On the distant shore we found a pair of White-tailed Eagles and, over the reeds, Marsh Harrier. In addition, there was Great Egret, Black-headed Gull and Red-backed Shrike. Along the margin banks, insect life was active in the hot morning sunshine, with Small White, Scarce Swallowtail, Common and Short-tailed Blue and Clouded Yellow butterflies, Two- and Seven-spot Ladybirds and Broad-bodied Chaser Dragonfly, Common Blue Damselfly and a Wasp Spider, all recorded. Plants noted included Hibiscus trionum (Bladder Ketmia), Heliotropium europaeum (Heliotrope) and Artemisia maritimum (Sea Wormwood). Moving on through Urziceni, we continued eastwards to Slobozia and Tandarei, eating our sandwiches as we went. In Slobozia, we made a second comfort stop before embarking on the last leg of our journey. After crossing the Danube, at Harsova, we by now had turned north, and we made our second wildlife stop of the day at Hasorlac lake. Squacco Heron, Little Egret, Great Crested Grebe, Black-tailed Godwit, Bearded Reedling, Glossy Ibis, Pygmy Cormorant, Caspian Gull and Whiskered Tern were all recorded, together with Xantheum spinosum (Spiny Cocklebur) and Cannabis sativa (Cannabis) growing on the banks. A little further on, we made a second stop overlooking another section of this site. Eurasian Spoonbill, Greylag Goose, Lapwing, Black-winged Stilt, Gull-billed Tern, Red-backed Shrike, Montagu’s Harrier and Great White Pelican were added. In the grass around our feet we found Linaria genistifolia (a Toadflax), Nigella arvensis (a Love-in-a-Mist) and Xeranthemum annuum (an Everlasting). It now began to rain, so we quickly rejoined our bus. The final leg of our route took us through several villages, before joining the main road from Constanta, into Tulcea.