Last weekend (22-24. August, 2008.) I made a short trip to southern Transylvania (Krassó-Szörény). Along the river Danube Crag Martins were quite common, while a couple of Red-rumped Swallows and Alpine Swifts joined the huge focks of migrating Barn Sawallows.

As the weather conditions were excellent, birds of prey were soaring everywhere, with many Lesser Spotted and Short-toed Eagles, while a few White-tailed Eagles, Golden Eagles and Peregrines were also observed.

Best of all, a Sombre Tit, which is a very rare resident of the Carpathian Basin, was seen in a new locality.

Gábor Simay