BirdID training in Bulgaria on mountainous birds

The second training on bird identification is just finished. After the general countryside and common farmland birds, we moved into the mountainous and woodland birds. A group of 11 students joined the activity in the Central Balkan mountains. We spent the last couple of days in the area of Dermenka chalet on the very edge of Steneto Biosphere Reserve. We conducted several morning, afternoon and evening sessions for song birds, woodpeckers and owls. In addition to the field training we also conducted several indoors training with the online training quiz of BirdID here.

Steneto biosphere reserve © Iordan Hristov 2013

Participants were rather positive about the results from the training. "The training is very helpful" suggested one of the participants.

BirdID training 

White backed Woodpecker © Svetoslav Mitkov www.birdslife.net

BirdID training 

owling during the BirdID training 

the group of students and myself behind the camera

© Iordan Hristov 2013

Central Balkan Mountain © Iordan Hristov 2013

Some of the highlights were White-backed Woodpecker, Rufous tailed Rock Thrush, Water Pipit, Honey Buzzard, Rock Bunting, Whinchats and Stonechats. In total we logged 50 bird species. Here is a full list of the species seen in no order:
1. White-backed Woodpecker
2. Rufous tailed Rock Thrush,
3. Water Pipit
4. Honey Buzzard
5. Whinchat
6. Stonechat
7. Whitethroat
8. Lesser Whitethroat
9. Tree Pipit
10. Yellowhammer
11. Kestrel
12. Raven
13. Blackcap
14. Short-toed Eagle
15. Green Sandpiper
16. House Martin
17. Red-Rumped Swallow
18. Common Buzzard
19. Grey Partidge
20. Wood Pigeon
21. Feral Pigeon
22. Common Cuckoo
23. Pallid Swift
24. Common Swift
25. Great Spotted Woodpecker
26. Skylark
27. Woodlark
28. White Wagtail
29. Grey Wagtail
30. Dunnock
31. Robin
32. Black Redstart
33. Northern Wheatear
34. Song Thrush
35. Mistle Thrush
36. Blue Rock Thrush
37. Blackbird
38. Ring Ouzel
39. Chiffchaff
40. Goldcrest
41. Great Tit
42. Blue Tit
43. Wood Nuthatch
44. Treecreeper
45. Red-backed Shrike
46. Jay
47. Chaffinch
48. Linnet
49. Goldfinch
50. Bullfinch
51. Crossbill
52. Corn Bunting
53. Rock Bunting