Sound recording in the Danube Delta

May 8 - 18 2020 CANCELED

£990 (+VAT if you’re based in Europe)

Dawn on the water in the Danube Delta

Dawn on the water in the Danube Delta

 

Do you want to escape man-made noise while recording Golden Jackals, White-tailed Eagles, millions of frogs and wetland birds? There will also be abandoned houses and feral horses which make for very interesting and surreal soundscapes. This is going to be a wild and exquisite retreat in one of Europe’s best-preserved wetlands.

I’ve been to the Danube Delta twice and I feel like I barely got to experience this incredible location. The soundscape is magnificent year-round, but Spring is even more gorgeous and the mosquitoes aren’t at their peak just yet.

Expedition itinerary

I will pick you up at Otopeni airport (OTP) on May 8th. We’ll spend the day in Bucharest visiting the city and making any last-minute purchases. The following day we take a shuttle to Tulcea where we jump on a speedboat and arrive at our destination by evening.

Speedboat cruise in Danube Delta

Our focus here will be twofold. First there’s the extensive wetlands that we’ll reach via boat. These are home to countless water birds, raptors, frogs and insect species. There are many places within reach where we can leave recording equipment overnight to capture soundscapes like these:

The wetland areas are home to many mammals on top of the aforementioned birds, frogs and fish. Wild boar, wildcats, raccoon dogs and even jackals roam around, especially at night. During daytime there will be ample opportunity for hydrophone recording from boats and edges of the water.

The second location we’ll focus on is Letea Forest. This is the northernmost subtropical forest in Europe and is home to a huge variety of birds. Dawn choruses here are lush and colorful, especially once the migrating species are back from Africa in early May. The feral horses will make appearances, especially at night. Expect to record beautiful neighing and galloping sounds reverberating from the forest edges.

Hydrophone recording in the Danube Delta

The jackal packs will be a definite highlight. They come out at dusk and are vocal through the night although very difficult to see. This will be an excellent application for camouflaged mini drop rigs deep in the forest. We’ll have plenty of opportunity to scout out good locations and to leave out camera traps and microphones.

Access to the edge of the forest is by vehicle and then on foot. You’ll have to be in decent shape so you can hike relatively long distances with your gear. The location is basic and the terrain a bit rough so effort is required to reach recording spots, but this makes it even more rewarding when you finally capture that beautiful soundscape or focused call.

Although not our main focus on this trip, the location lends itself perfectly to landscape and wildlife photography. I encourage you to bring cameras and binoculars if you can, you won’t regret it. A field guide for the birds and mammals of Europe will also come in handy.

Prices

The £990 (+VAT) fee covers dates from May 8th to 18th and includes the following:

  • transportation within Romania

  • lodging (two sharing)

  • 3 meals per day (at restaurants or self-cooked/packed lunches depending on location)

  • park fees

  • airport transfers

The fee does not cover: