Retezat Mountains: Four Days At Bucura Lake

I planned to spend a few days at Bucura Lake in Retezat mountains long ago. The lake can be reached best from Poiana Pelegii where one can go by car on a bad but viable forest road. After spending the first night in the car, on next morning I started my way up to the lake with a big backpack. This short trip with the heavy burden it's enough for today. The next day I climb up to the Peleaga peak (2509 m). From there the Bucura Lake and its surroundings look like this:

I didn't climb alone:

The next day I can photograph the lakes from the other side, from the Judele saddle:

In spite of the high altitude it's warm. At least for two days. Then comes a night thunderstorm and the next morning the lake becomes smooth:

In the valley clouds are still gathering, ...:

... then the wind's getting strong. Some rain starts to fall as well.

However by the afternoon the clouds roll away:

The remains of clouds become colorful by sunset:

On the last day I go and see how the Bucura-valley looks like from the "Little Retezat" side:

High-Tatras: Hiking Near The Poprad Lake

I planned some hiking in the High-Tatras again, namely near the Poprad Lake.

On the first day I set off to the Rysy peak:

On second day I wanted to reach the Koprovsky peak but I stopped at the Hincovo Lake to take some shots:

Mikepércs: Haze At Dawn

Some haze has formed again this morning at the pond. A pochard is the first to come in front of me:

Pochard (male)

Soon a red-necked grebe appears too:

Red-necked grebe

As the sun rises the lights are getting better and better:

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

Turning towards the sun the hazy water surface looks nice especially when there's a bird in the image:

Red-necked grebe

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

A pochard starts bathing but the haze is disappearing by this time:

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

The red-necked grebe appears again flapping its wings ...:

Red-necked grebe

Red-necked grebe

Red-necked grebe

Red-necked grebe

... then shaking itself:

Red-necked grebe

Red-necked grebe

Pochard (male)

Preening:

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

Garganeys arrive with pale feathers, one of them starts an intensive bath:

Garganey (male)

Garganey (male)

Garganey (male)

Mikepércs: The Skulking Grebes Have Turned Up!

It was some rain yesterday, and it should be sunshine this morning. I expect some haze above the water as there is no wind. I get to the pond early, it's still dark.

With the first lights a female mallard appears, taking its way towards the log I placed there last time. It steps up on it and starts to preen:

Mallard (female)

Then ferruginous ducks are coming, one of the males bundles off the mallard, he needs this nice place too:

Ferruginous Duck (male)

Pochards turn up as well:

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

Suddenly I can hear the known cries of the red-necked grebes! Wow! They are here! I catch sight of one of them in the backlight:

Red-necked Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

The haze has disappeared quite quickly, a pochard settles on the log again, ...:

Pochard (male)

... but not for a long time as whiskered terns are coming bundling him off:

Whiskered Tern

Several minutes later they fly away so the preening place is the ducks' again:

Ferruginous Duck (male)

Ferruginous Duck (male)

Pochard (male)

A gadwall turns up too getting to the log ...:

Gadwall (female)

... not allowing to get anyone else nearby:

Gadwall (female)

Later it's getting tired of it and gets away, ...:

Gadwall (female)

... handing over the place to the pochards which are falling out with each other:

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

A strange looking duck turns up, it looks like a mix of a ferruginous duck and a pochard:

The red-necked grebe appears again but it doesn't gorge the frogs as it did several weeks before:

Red-necked Grebe

In the end a whiskered tern lands to preen:

Whiskered Tern