New birding trip around Bulgaria: 22-30.05.2013

A second trip around Bulgaria commenced a couple of days ago. Pretty busy in the early morning starts and late evenings. Will be adding a few images from the trip now and then.

In the mean time, have a look at my images from last week where I also want to add a few more images.

Here is the first and one of my most favourite for the moment.

Barn Swallow photography © Iordan Hristov 

© Iordan Hristov 

Masked Shrike photography © Iordan Hristov

Turtle Dove photography © Iordan Hristov 

Collared Pratincole © Iordan Hristov 

Night Heron © Iordan Hristov 

Squacco Heron photography © Iordan Hristov 

Cormorant photography © Iordan Hristov 

Dalmatian Pelican photography © Iordan Hristov 

Hunting Dalmatian Pelicans © Iordan Hristov 

House Sparrow © Iordan Hristov 

 Marsh Warbler photography © Iordan Hristov 

Roller photography © Iordan Hristov 

Rose-colored Starling photography © Iordan Hristov 

Bottle-nosed Dolphin © Iordan Hristov 

Bottle-nosed Dolphin © Iordan Hristov 

Ring Ouzel photography © Iordan Hristov 

Wren photography © Iordan Hristov 

More are coming soon...
In the meantime, have a look at the final list of birds we saw during the trip. A fantastic list of 189 bird species for 9 day period in May 2013:

	English name	Scientific name
1	Black-throated Diver	Gavia arctica
2	Little Grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis
3	Great Crested Grebe	Podiceps cristatus
4	White Pelican	Pelecanus onocrotalus
5	Dalmatian Pelican	Pelecanus crispus
6	Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo
7	Shag	Phalacrocorax aristotelis
8	Pygmy Cormorant	Phalacrocorax pygmeus
9	Grey Heron	Ardea cinerea
10	Purple Heron	Ardea purpurea
11	Great White Egret	Egretta alba
12	Little Egret	Egretta garzetta
13	Squacco Heron	Ardeola ralloides
14	Night Heron	Nycticorax nycticorax
15	Little Bittern	Ixobrychus minutus
16	Black Stork	Ciconia nigra
17	White Stork	Ciconia ciconia
18	Glossy Ibis	Plegadis falcinellus
19	Spoonbill	Platalea leucorodia
20	Mute Swan	Cygnus olor
21	Shelduck	Tadorna tadorna
22	Gadwall	Anas strepera
23	Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos
24	Garganey	Anas querquedula
25	Shoveler	Anas clypeata
26	Pochard	Aythya ferina
27	Ferruginous Duck	Aythya nyroca
28	Honey Buzzard	Pernis apivorus
29	White-tailed Eagle	Haliaeetus albicilla
30	Griffon Vulture	Gyps fulvus
31	Egyptian Vulture	Neophron percnopterus
32	Short-toed Eagle	Circaetus gallicus
33	Montagu's Harrier	Circus pygargus
34	Marsh Harrier	Circus aeruginosus
35	Sparrowhawk	Accipiter nisus
36	Buzzard	Buteo buteo
37	Steppe Buzzard	Buteo vulpinus
38	Long-legged Buzzard	Buteo rufinus
39	Lesser Spotted Eagle	Aquila pomarina
40	Imperial Eagle	Aquila heliaca
41	Golden Eagle	Aquila chrysaetos
42	Booted Eagle	Hieraaetus pennatus
43	Kestrel	Falco tinnunculus
44	Red-footed Falcon	Falco vespertinus
45	Hobby	Falco subbuteo
46	Eleonora's Falcon	Falco eleonorae
47	Peregrine	Falco peregrinus
48	Chukar	Alectoris chukar
49	Partridge	Perdix perdix
50	Quail	Coturnix coturnix
51	Pheasant	Phasianus colchicus
52	Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus
53	Coot	Fulica atra
54	Oystercatcher	Haematopus ostralegus
55	Black-winged Stilt	Himantopus himantopus
56	Avocet	Recurvirostra avosetta
57	Stone Curlew	Burhinus oedicnemus
58	Collared Pratincole	Glareola pratincola
59	Lapwing	Vanellus vanellus
60	Grey Plover	Pluvialis squatarola
61	Ringed Plover	Charadrius hiaticula
62	Little Ringed Plover	Charadrius dubius
63	Kentish Plover	Charadrius alexandrinus
64	Wood Sandpiper	Tringa glareola
65	Little Stint	Calidris minuta
66	Mediterranean Gull	Larus melanocephalus
67	Black-headed Gull	Larus ridibundus
68	Little Gull	Larus minutus
69	Whiskered Tern	Chlidonias hybridus
70	Gull-billed Tern	Gelochelidon nilotica
71	Caspian Tern	Sterna caspia
72	Common Tern	Sterna hirundo
73	Little Tern	Sterna albifrons
74	Sandwich Tern	Sterna sandvicensis
75	Yellow-legged Gull	Larus  michahellis
76	Feral Pigeon	Columba livia
77	Stock Dove	Columba oenas
78	Wood Pigeon	Columba palumbus
79	Turtle Dove	Streptopelia turtur
80	Collared Dove	Streptopelia decaocto
81	Cuckoo	Cuculus canorus
82	Scops Owl	Otus scops
83	Eagle Owl	Bubo bubo
84	Little Owl	Athene noctua
85	Alpine Swift	Tachymarptis melba
86	Pallid Swift	Apus pallidus
87	Common Swift	Apus apus
88	Bee-eater	Merops apiaster
89	Roller	Coracias garrulus
90	Hoopoe	Upupa epops
91	Wryneck	Jynx torquilla
92	Lesser Spotted Woodpecker	Dendrocopos minor
93	Middle Spotted Woodpecker	Dendrocopos medius
94	Syrian Woodpecker	Dendrocopos syriacus
95	Great Spotted Woodpecker	Dendrocopos major
96	Green Woodpecker	Picus viridis
97	Calandra Lark	Melanocorypha calandra
98	Short-toed Lark	Calandrella brachydactyla
99	Crested Lark	Galerida cristata
100	Woodlark	Lullula arborea
101	Skylark	Alauda arvensis
102	Sand Martin	Riparia riparia
103	Crag Martin	Hirundo rupestris
104	Swallow	Hirundo rustica
105	Red-rumped Swallow	Hirundo daurica
106	House Martin	Delichon urbica
107	Yellow Wagtail	Motacilla flava
108	Grey Wagtail	Motacilla cinerea
109	Tawny Pipit	Anthus campestris
110	Tree Pipit	Anthus trivialis
111	Water Pipit	Anthus spinoletta
112	Pied/White Wagtail	Motacilla alba
113	Red-backed Shrike	Lanius collurio
114	Lesser Grey Shrike	Lanius minor
115	Woodchat Shrike	Lanius senator
116	Masked Shrike	Lanius nubicus
117	Dipper	Cinclus cinclus
118	Wren	Troglodytes troglodytes
119	Dunnock	Prunella modularis
120	Robin	Erithacus rubecula
121	Nightingale	Luscinia megarhynchos
122	Black Redstart	Phoenicurus ochruros
123	Redstart	Phoenicurus phoenicurus
124	Whinchat	Saxicola rubetra
125	Stonechat	Saxicola torquata rubicola
126	Northern Wheatear	Oenanthe oenanthe
127	Black-eared Wheatear	Oenanthe hispanica
128	Isabelline Wheatear	Oenanthe isabellina
129	Pied Wheatear	Oenanthe pleschanka
130	Blue Rock Thrush	Monticola solitarius
131	Ring Ouzel	Turdus torquatus
132	Blackbird	Turdus merula
133	Song Thrush	Turdus philomelos
134	Mistle Thrush	Turdus viscivorus
135	Cetti's Warbler	Cettia cetti
136	Savi's Warbler	Locustella luscinioides
137	Paddyfield Warbler	Acrocephalus agricola
138	Marsh Warbler	Acrocephalus palustris
139	Great Reed Warbler	Acrocephalus arundinaceus
140	Eastern Olivaceous Warbler	Hippolais pallida
141	Olive-tree Warbler	Hippolais olivetorum
142	Chiffchaff	Phylloscopus collybita
143	Eastern Bonelli's Warbler	Phylloscopus bonelli
144	Blackcap	Sylvia atricapilla
145	Whitethroat	Sylvia communis
146	Lesser Whitethroat	Sylvia curruca
147	Barred Warbler	Sylvia nisoria
148	Eastern Orphean Warbler	Sylvia crassirostris
149	Subalpine Warbler	Sylvia cantillans
150	Goldcrest	Regulus regulus
151	Spotted Flycatcher	Muscicapa striata
152	Semi-collared Flycatcher	Ficedula semitorquata
153	Long-tailed Tit	Aegithalos caudatus
154	Penduline Tit	Remiz pendulinus
155	Marsh Tit	Parus palustris
156	Sombre Tit	Parus lugubris
157	Coal Tit	Parus ater
158	Great Tit	Parus major
159	Blue Tit	Parus caeruleus
160	Nuthatch	Sitta europaea
161	Wallcreeper	Tichodroma muraria
162	Treecreeper	Certhia familiaris
163	Short-toed Treecreeper	Certhia brachydactyla
164	Corn Bunting	Miliaria calandra
165	Yellowhammer	Emberiza citrinella
166	Rock Bunting	Emberiza cia
167	Ortolan Bunting	Emberiza hortulana
168	Cirl Bunting	Emberiza cirlus
169	Black-headed Bunting	Emberiza melanocephala
170	Reed Bunting	Emberiza schoeniclus
171	Chaffinch	Fringilla coelebs
172	Serin	Serinus serinus
173	Greenfinch	Carduelis chloris
174	Goldfinch	Carduelis carduelis
175	Linnet	Carduelis cannabina
176	Crossbill	Loxia curvirostra
177	Bullfinch	Pyrrhula pyrrhula
178	Hawfinch	Coccothraustes coccothraustes
179	House Sparrow	Passer domesticus
180	Spanish Sparrow	Passer hispaniolensis
181	Tree Sparrow	Passer montanus
182	Rose-coloured Starling	Sturnus roseus
183	Starling	Sturnus vulgaris
184	Golden Oriole	Oriolus oriolus
185	Jay	Garrulus glandarius
186	Magpie	Pica pica
187	Jackdaw	Corvus monedula
188	Raven	Corvus corax
189	Hooded Crow	Corvus cornix

Images trip 1, Birdwatching around Bulgaria: 13-21.05

Eastern Bath White © Iordan Hristov

Marsh Warbler © Iordan Hristov

Silver Studded Blue © Iordan Hristov

Red backed Shrike photography © Iordan Hristov

Red-rumped Swallow photography © Iordan Hristov

Cirl Bunting photography © Iordan Hristov

Black Stork photography © Iordan Hristov

More images will come soon...

Birding trip 1: 13-21 May - update

After the southern Black sea Coast, we are off to the North. We are fairly short of waders mainly because of the time of the year. On our way to the North we are not going to get any more waders but still decided to stop at the salpans at Pomorie. Not much. Still fairly quiet. A Green Sandpiper was added and that's about it.

We than headed to the Northern Black Sea coast across Diulinski Pass. Amazing picturesque landscape. We added a Steppe Buzzard, Tawny Pipit and enjoyed many Bee-eaters, Black-headed Buntings, and had a pretty good look at Lesser-grey Shrike.

After lunch we had a nicely perched Eagle Owl in its day roosting place. People from the group did enjoy it. Time was ticking away but decided to do a final stop before the hotel.This time our main target were the few Demoiselle Cranes that I saw last week with a group of Norwegians. Well, honestly I didn't expect them to be around but still had to check. The initial check of the place where I saw them proved in vein. However, I decided to change position and had a better look at some neighbouring fields. Well this was the right strategy. Two gorgeous Demoiselle Cranes were just sitting in the fields by the road and packing seeds from the farmland. How beautiful these birds can be. So close. I watched them for several minutes. This is the best view I have ever had. Went around with the idea to photograph them but the results were not very satisfying.

Demoiselle Crane © Iordan Hristov

It was a good end of the day.

The next dayon the North Eastern Black Sea Coast started pretty early. I decided to wake up and try to photograph the sunrise. Well it was worth it. I set the alarm for 5,30 and luckily I got up with no problem whatsoever. It was fantastic. Birds were singing. I got up right for the time of the sunrise. Didn't even want to lose time in brushing my teeth and dashed out straight away when I saw the sun coming up. What colors! Amazing!

We did a nice little walk around the hotel and ticked of a couple of new birds for the trip: Marsh Warbler and Rook. Lovely sitting Marsh Warbler gave us some opportunities for documentary photos because of the distance.

After that we came back to the hotel and I couldn't resist the swimming pool that was so inviting. Quickly jumped into the pool which was the most refreshing thing ever. Now I can start the day! How Wonderful. Early morning start for the sunrise, a few good birds, lovely refreshment and a gorgeous day coming up. This is work ;)

After breakfast we headed straight to the wetlands for Paddifield Warbler. It wasn't long before we had it. Luckily the weather was just right. It was somewhat special. Everyone was enjoying his time and didn't even wanted to leave that place. We had a Pygmy Cormorant and the first for the year Rose-colloured Starlings. A group of 20 was followed by another one of 5 birds that flied past us north to south. They would be coming from Romania this year in opposed to other years when they might be coming from the south.

Paddifield Warbler photography © Iordan Hristov

The afternoon was devoted to the Cape Kaliakra. We had more cetaceous than birds. Quite a few Bottle nosed Dolphins and Harbour Porpoise were jumping around. They were so active. Amazing.

All these emotions exhausted the guests and we decided to go back to the hotel. Another relaxed swim in the pool prepared me for a lovely dinner which was the end of the day.

Birding trip 1: May 13-21

Long days in the field make the writing on the blog a challenge. Wonderful landscapes, amazing intimate moments with nature, lots of travelling and bi mileage. That's what exhausts me pleasantly in the last couple of days. We started off from the Western Rhodopes where we were after Wallcreepers and birds of the conifer forests. We than moved into the mediterranean habitats of Eastern Rhodopes. Here we spend a day searching for Blue Rock Thrush, Subalpine Warbler, Eastern Orpean Warbler, Olive Tree Warbler, Sombre Tit, Rock Bunting, Black-headed Bunting, Vultures and Eagles. We saw them all. The only birds that we dipped on were the Rock Nuthatch and Chukar. Hope we'll see them next time.

Looking at a Booted Eagle © Iordan Hristov

Further along we moved into the rolling hills of Sakar mountains searching for Eastern Imperial Eagle. Two pairs of these gorgeous and majestic birds made our day. What can a person want: picnic lunch out in the field and displaying Eastern Imperial Eagles. Along the road Montagu's Harrier will make us to suddenly stop and add up a few other species.

Masked Shrike 

After these mountainous areas we move into the coast: waterfowl. Pelicans, Ibises, Herons. We have got them all. We are short of waders but that's the season time. A raft in a lake by Bourgas had a group of both Dalmatian and White Pelicans. A flock of 700+ White Pelicans made the morning adventure even more exciting. The hot temperatures were rather suitable for a couple of ice cream stops along the  road. Yes, people do need a break now and than.

What a trip...