We made the annual midwinter waterbird count on the lower (Carpathian Basin section) of the River Danube from Orsova to Bazias. This c.130 kilometer stretch of Danube usually holds 25,000-30,000 waterbirds in winter. Numbers also depend on ice cover of the upper Danube sections (mainly in Hungary) as well as the weather generally.

This year the count was 24,632 waterbirds, of which the outstanding result was the record number of Pygmy Cormorants. We counted a total 3,766 birds at their roost, which also represents the biggest ever flock of this species in the Carpathian Basin and the grand total for this species was 3988.

Pygmy Cormorants along the Danube Photo: János Oláh

Other highlights included 15 divers, 10 Scaup, 9 Velvet Scoters, 8 Red-breasted Mergansers, 887 Smews and several Sombre Tits. The latter is a rare and restricted breeding bird in the Carpathian Basin. The mammal highlight was a superb lynx in the Bihar mountains on our drive to the Danube near the village of Halmágygórós (Grosi).

Sombre Tit Photo: János Oláh

Sakertour team