Birding in Bulgaria - 30th August to 5th September 2008

The birding in the first week in September, was particularly good with the migration well underway.  10,000 White Pelicans (above) and 17,000 White Storks (top) formed great swarms over the Bourgas area and headed towards the crossing point of the Bosporus.  The raptor passage didn't quite materialise as planned, but the range was as advertised, even if quantities were low.  Levant Sparrowhawk, Goshawk, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Montegu's Harrier, Steppe Buzzard, Osprey, together with Red-footed Falcon, Saker Falcon and Hobby were all seen in small numbers.  Marsh Harriers were particularly numerous around the large wetland areas, with Black Terns, Caspian Terns, Whiskered Terns and seven Broad-billed Sandpipers being the pick of the waders.  We staked out a position in a secluded valley and enticed a pair of Eagle Owls to show well and around this type of habitat woodpeckers included Lesser Spotted, Middle Spotted, Syrian and a single Wryneck.  On the barren Steppe areas of the north, flocks of Calandra, Short-toed and Crested Larks were visible together with a pair of breeding Stone Curlews.  In these dry northern areas passing Wheatears were common, they included four different species, Northern, Isabelline, Pied and Black-eared.  The coastal scrub and woodlands were frequently watched and migrating birds included Thrush Nightingale, Great Reed Warbler, Olivaceous Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Golden Oriole, Citrine Wagtail, over 30 Red-breasted Flycatchers and over 200 Red-backed Shrikes, which seemed to be everywhere, the Lesser Grey Shrike being seen on fewer than ten occasions.  A later visit to a mature, mountain woodland produced Sombre Tit and Woodlark and altogether 170 species in seven days birding was very good value, Bulgaria showing what an excellent place it is to be in early September.