Birdwatching, Bulgaria

A week of excellent birding with many Eastern European specialties.

Via Pontica - early autumn migration

Saturday 1st - Saturday 8th September 2012

This tour gives you the opportunity to see more than 160 bird species and witness the spectacular autumn migration on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Along it is the second biggest bird migration route in Europe – Via Pontica. Every autumn more than 90 000 raptors, 30 000 pelicans, 240 000 storks as well as thousands of waders and passerines fly over here to their wintering grounds. The Bulgarian Black Sea coast and especially its southern part is a “bottle-neck” for the migrating birds from all Eastern Europe, also Scandinavia and Russia.That’s why it is likely to see more than 50 000 storks or 3 000 pelicans or 8 000 Lesser Spotted eagles just in a single day!
The tour period will allow us to watch great variety of species, many of them in considerable numbers, especially waders. We will also see many terns, gulls, pelicans, storks and raptors. Our main observation areas will be several wetlands along the Black Sea coast – Burgas lakes as well as Shabla and Durankulak lakes in the north.
We will however visit also the step, forests, shrubs, grasslands and rocky habitats where we will find different birds. We will look for species such as Terek, Broad-billed, Marsh and Curlew sandpipers, Temminck’s Stint, Red-necked Phalarope, Collared and Black-winged pratincoles, Slender-billed Gull, Caspian and marsh terns, Baillon’s, Little and Spotted crakes, Red-throated Pipit, Sombre Tit, Pied Wheatear and many more. Raptors will be Pallid and Montague’s harriers, Levant Sparrowhawk, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Saker Falcon etc. The big numbers of raptors however pass through here towards the end of the month, but we will still see many species, plus vast numbers of pelicans and the last big flocks of White Storks.
Despite late in the season we can see quite a few butterflies and some of them will be even fresh – Purple Hairstreak, Swallowtail and Scarce Swallowtail, Cardinal, Great-banded Grayling, Map Butterfly, Lesser Fiery Copper, Lattice Brown etc.
It will be a relaxing holiday, with only two bases to be used. Both hotels are situated next to very good birding locations and very close to the Black Sea.

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival at Burgas airport followed by short  transfer to Pomorie where we will be based for the next four nights. Accommodation and birding in the area if time permits.

Days 2 to 4

These days we spend around Burgas wetlands – four big lakes and few smaller marshes. These wetlands are real paradise for the waders and many of them will be in considerable numbers. Here we will look for Terek, Broad-billed, Marsh and Curlew sandpipers, Red-necked Phalarope, Spotted Redshank, Temminck’s Stint, Collared and Black-winged pratincoles and many more. We also expect the three marsh terns plus Caspian, Gull-billed and Little; also Slender-billed, Little, Yellow-legged and Caspian gulls. If the water level in some of the wetlands is low enough (which is often the case this time of the year) we will search the edges of the reed beds for the elusive crakes – Baillon’s, Little and Spotted. Other water birds will be Dalmatian and White pelicans, Pigmy Cormorant, Ferruginous Duck, Garganey, Kingfisher and many more. Small passerines will be represented by Penduline Tit, Icterine Warbler, Wryneck etc.
We will also visit Strandja Mountain, situated further south, as the deciduous forests here are excellent habitat for woodland birds. We expect to see Middle Spotted, Lesser Spotted, Grey-headed, Black, Green, and Great Spotted woodpeckers. Other species may well include Red-breasted Flycatcher, Sombre Tit, Hawfinch, Hoopoe and Cirl Bunting. On the way we will visit another coastal wetland – Alepy marsh. Here we can find Purple, Squacco and Night herons, Bittern, possibly Bearded Reedling, Black-headed Yellow Wagtail etc. This day we will have a dinner in the old town of Sozopol, with its beautiful wooden houses.

Day 5

Today we will move north. Our first stop will be at some hills, partly covered by oak trees, near to another lake. Here we can see Woodchat, Masked and Red-backed shrikes, Woodlark, Hawfinch, Redstart, Sombre Tit and woodpeckers. Depends on the water level the wetland can provide more waders, Black Stork and various terns. Next stop will be into a true forest where we will look for several species of woodpeckers – Middle and Lesser Spotted, Grey-headed and Black; Short-toed Treecreeper and other woodland species. We will arrive at Shabla late in the afternoon. Our hotel is situated between the sea and Shabla lake, among old poplar forest – a very good birding location. Here we will stay for the next three nights.

Day 6

This day will be devoted to the area of Kaliakra step reserve – the last remaining step habitat in Bulgaria. The step is lifted at more than 100 m above the sea, and the vertical cliffs create not only picturesque view, but also very favourable conditions for the soaring migrants – storks and pelicans, as well as raptors – Red-footed Falcon, Levant Sparrowhawk, Hobby, Pallid and Montague’s harriers. Other birds will be Quail, Roller, Tawny Pipit and Red-rumped Swallow. The trees in the villages will reveal Golden Oriole and we have all the chances for finding a bright adult male, Syrian Woodpecker and Hoopoe. Flocks of Bee-eaters will be passing through and we will also catch some of the local breeders like Stone Curlew, Calandra and Short-toed larks, Isabelline and Pied wheatears. Late in the afternoon we will visit Bolata valley – one of the most reliable site for finding the Eagle Owl in Bulgaria.

Day 7

Today we will explore Durankulak and Shabla lakes at our leisure – both are important step stones for all migrating species. Here we will see White and Dalmatian pelicans, Ferruginous Duck, Pygmy Cormorant, different herons and terns. Passerines will include Great Reed Warbler, Bearded Reedling and possibly Moustached Warbler. Despite late in the season we also have a chance for a late Paddyfield Warbler. We will also do some sea watching for the first Black-throated divers, Black-necked Grebe and of course Yelkouan Shearwater.

Day 8

Transfer to Burgas airport with several stops for birding, depending on your return flight. If time permits we will also have a quick check at the Burgas wetlands. Departure.