This year Transylvania showed again a very nice face to “Birds & Brown Bears” tour participants. The weather was a bit hot for the season with +30 degrees Celsius maximum day temperatures. Seemed the summer arrived almost immediately in the beginning of May, after a short and rainy spring in April.
First full day were spent in a very nice Southeastern valley of the Ghiurghiu Mountains, an old coniferous woodlands where targets appears in a row. The show starts with an obliging pair of Three-toed Woodpecker which allowed close and prolonged scope view, than fallowed with a singing Firecrest, Crested Tit, a friendly pair of Nutcracker and finished with a pair of Black Woodpecker.
Male Three-toed Woodpecker (Photo: János Oláh)
Eurasian Nutcracker (Photo. János Oláh)
During the day we have seen several territorial Lesser Spotted Eagles, a single Goshawk and Common Buzzards on migration.
Next day was even more productive. We have visited first a nice park in Udvarhely, where Collared Flycatchers, a male Grey-headed Woopecker, lots of Fieldfares and European Serins were the mentionable species.
Collared Flycatcher (Photo: János Oláh)
Grey-headed Woodpecker (photo: János Oláh)
Just before we got across the Ghiurghiu Mountains took a quick detour after Red-breasted Flycatcher. We sow it pretty well while sang from its perch without intermission.
Red-breasted Flycatcher (Photo: János Oláh)
In the Békás Gorge NP male Wallcreepers were very territorial and chased each other most of the time. Suddenly a single bird appeared just above our heads and allowed excellent, prolonged view while feeding and preening. No doubt it was one of the best sighting of this trip!
Wallcreeper (Photo: János Oláh)
This afternoon a nice Brown Bear had visited the feeding place and attract us by its nice light brown, blonde color.
Last day newly arrived Thrush Nightingales gave us a morning concert and permits close view, than in Sanpaul wetland Ferruginous Ducks, White-winged Black Terns, Red-throated Pipits, Yellow Wagtails, Lesser Spotted Eagels, Black Stork and a scarce Saker Falcon enrich our daylist.
Yours sincerely,
Sakertour team















Three-toed Woodpecker (Photo: Paul Wilson/tour participant)
Crested Tit (Photo: Paul Wilson/tour participant)





























