Babadag

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Romania

Overview

Babadag, in the northern Dobrudja, is surrounded by a diversity of habitats giving rise to a wide variety of birds species. As well as the rolling Babadag Hills with extensive oak and lime woodlands, there is grassland and farmland, stony steppe areas and Lake Babadag and its associated areas of marshes and fish-ponds.

Birds

Notable Species

The area is well-known as a raptor haunt with breeders including Eastern Imperial Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Booted Eagle and Short-toed Eagle. Small numbers of Lesser Kestrel breed but larger numbers occur on passage along with Levant Sparrowhawk, Long-legged Buzzard, Saker Falcon and others occur on passage sometimes joined by Pallid Harrier.

The woodlands hold woodpeckers such as Black Woodpecker, Syrian Woodpecker, Middle Spotted Woodpecker and White-backed Woodpecker as well as Eurasian Golden Oriole and Icterine Warbler.

More open areas support Ortolan Bunting and Black-headed Bunting, Calandra Lark and Lesser Grey Shrike with Pied Wheatear in stony steppe areas.

Lake Babadag hosts Great White Pelican on passage and geese occur throughout the wetland areas in winter.

Rarities

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Checklist

Birds you can see here include:

Great White Pelican, European Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Short-toed Eagle, Pallid Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Northern Goshawk, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Levant Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Booted Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Northern Hobby, Saker Falcon, Eurasian Eagle Owl, European Nightjar, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Black Woodpecker, Syrian Woodpecker, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, White-backed Woodpecker, Calandra Lark, Greater Short-toed Lark, Tawny Pipit, Eurasian Blackbird, Pied Wheatear, Icterine Warbler, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Lesser Grey Shrike, Chaffinch, European Serin, Ortolan Bunting, Black-headed Bunting

Other Wildlife

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Site Information

History and Use

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Areas of Interest

Groups of fish ponds lie to both east and west of the lake and permission should be sought before entering these areas. The stony steppe area is south of the lake with the ruined castle of Enisala which provides excellent views over the whole area and has breeding European Bee-eater and Syrian Woodpecker.

Access and Facilities

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Contact Details

Babadag is situated on the E87 road about 35km south of Tulcea and can also be reached by rail. The hills and forests lie south and southeast of the town and can be explored from the E87 road and the lake is situated to the northeast. The Babadag area is ideally placed for a one or two day trip for birders covering the Danube Delta.

External Links

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Content and images originally posted by Steve

Reviews

Szabo Jozsef's review Levant Sparrohawk breeds, and there are excellent opportunities to see turtles, snakes, lizards. Vegetation is steppe, which is also a novelty for Europeans, including species of Salvia and others. Excellent place for Sombre Tit (although quite shy, and hard to be found), Levant Sparrohawk, Booted Eagle, European Nightjar and others.

Pros

• Easy to acces
• good place for birdwatching

Cons

• Most of the forrest is young