Second national BirdID training: day 4 - the end

The last day of the training was planned for the conifer forest. We collected tents and gear and down we went to a lovely track in the middle of a coniferous forest. En route we had more Nutcrackers, Bullfinches, Crossbills, Wren, Blackcap, Great-spotted Woodpecker and a group of 20+ Pallid Swifts that have bread under the gutter of a chalet by the car park.

The track was fairly quiet. There were many flowers and some butterflies but birds weren't abundant. Still, we managed to get a Dipper, Grey Wagtail, a high flying Black Stork and lots of wild strawberries that distracted the participants from my talks.

Dactylorhiza cordigera, copyright Iordan Hristov

Dactylorhiza saccifera, copyright Iordan Hristov

Lilium martagon, copyright Iordan Hristov 

Well that was it. The second national training is over. Participants were glad to be in a different habitat and be out again. They definitely appreciate this training and look for the next trip in autumn.

We saw a total of 44 species listed below:
1.White Stork
2.Black Stork
3.Golden Eagle
4.Common Buzzard
5.Eurasian Sparrowhawk
6.Kestrel
7.Wood Pigeon
8.Pallid Swift
9.Hoopoe
10.Great spotted Woodpecker
11.Skylark
12.Crested Lark
13.Crag Martin
14.Barn Swallow
15.House Martin
16.Water Pipit
17.White Wagtail
18.Grey Wagtail
19.Wren
20.Dipper
21.Dunnock
22.Alpine Accentor
23.Robin
24.Black Redstart
25.Mistle Thrush
26.Blackbird
27.Ring Ouzel
28.Blackcap
29.Chiffchaff
30.Coal Tit
31.Crested Tit
32.Wood Nuthatch
33.Red-backed Shrike
34.Jay
35.Nutcracker
36.Alpine Chough
37.Raven
38.Common Starling
39.Common Chaffinch
40.Goldfinch
41.Siskin
42.Bullfinch
43.Crossbill
44.Corn Bunting
45.Lesser spotted Eagle
46.Whinchat
47.Greenfinch

Second national BirdID training: day 3

Day 3 from the training was under risk of heavy rain too. Today our group was larger since more people joined for the weekend. Today we wanted to go to a mountain shelter next to a lake called "Strashno ezero". Literary translated the name of the lake means "the scary lake". The reason for this name is the high risk of thunders that occur in that area. Apparently there is a lot of ore in the cliffs around that attract the thunders.

The first part of the route was even steeper than on the previous day. However, the part after that was nice to walk and quite a few birds turned up. There were more of my favourite Alpine Accentors. At a place we had quite a few juveniles.

Alpine Accentor juv, copyright Iordan Hristov

Further along we had Water Pipits and Siskins, which people appreciated.

Water Pipit, copyright Iordan Hristov

There were also a few orchids ...

Pseudorchis albida, copyright Iordan Hristov

Saxifraga rotundifolia, copyright Iordan Hristov

and again more superb landscapes.

Second national BirdID training: day 2

We woke up at 6 a.m. After the intense survey last week in Norway it was time to search for birds again. This time i wanted to show them to the participants in the BirdId training that I lead for the Bulgarian Society for the protection of birds and the Nord-Trondelag University college.

We wanted to make the route from Maliovitsa chalet to the peak with the same name. This was going to be the direction with no necessity to reach the peak. What I wanted most is to see and show some alpine birds.

Before breakfast we enjoyed the first sunlight and the Crossbills which were still around the chalet before people have started moving about.

Crossbill, copyright Iordan Hristov

The trail followed a picturesque valley surrounded by peaks. Lush meadows were home of the endemic Rila primrose Primula deorum. This pretty flower was everywhere.

Rila Primrose Primula deorum, copyright Iordan Hristov

Rila Primrose Primula deorum, copyright Iordan Hristov

Other than it we enjoyed at least five Balkan chamois that were calmly grazing on the top of the hills on the edge of the valley.

Balkan Chamois, copyright Iordan Hristov

The scenery was superb.

Rila mountains, copyright Iordan Hristov

Soon we had one of our target birds: Alpine Accentor. It is in severe decline and I am really worried about the fortune of this bird. Together with all the other alpine species it is understudied and we don't know why is the species disappearing.

Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris, copyright Iordan Hristov

Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris, copyright Iordan Hristov

Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris, copyright Iordan Hristov

We managed to reach the hill top but a gust of winds and dark clouds took over. Heavy rain was coming and we decided to go back to the chalet. Some of the group members really regretted that they couldn't climb up to the peak but our choice was wiser. A tourist passing by told us a site for the superb Wallcreeper but we had to give it up.

As it usually happens, once we got to the chalet Sun came out. Never mind, an hour later the heavy rain was back we managed to stay dry. That's the weather like in the mountains.

The second national BirdID training in Bulgaria starts today: day 1

The second national BirdID training starts today. It is organised by the Bulgarian society for the protection of birds and the Nord-Trondelag University College HiNT. The training is a part of the project for common bird monitoring and aims at preparing new participants in the monitoring scheme.

The second national training will be implemented in Rila mountains and will focus on mountainous birds. Before heading up to the mountains a small group of us decided to do some photography down in the lowlands. Birds weren't very active so we focused on butterflies and orchids. We did see a few Whinchats, Hoopoe, a pair of Lesser spotted Eagle and some Common Buzzards but the weren't very tame so we couldn't take many pictures.

It was getting warm and soon we decided to head up to the mountains. Not before we had lunch in a small restaurant in a village called Govedartsi. It was fairly difficult to find a place in the middle of the week but we managed anyway.

On the way up to the mountains we walked along a nice little road in a pine forest where we saw some Crested Tit, Nutcrackers and Crossbills. Butterflies weren't very abundant but some presented good opportunities.

Crossbill, copyright Iordan Hristov

Balkan Copper Lycaena candens, copyright Iordan Hristov

It was time to head up to the mountains. We packed our stuff and got ready for an hour and a half trek up a mountain trail. The heavy backpacks didn't let us do a lot of birding. Nevertheless we got a very distant Golden Eagle, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, more Nutcrackers and Crossbills and Bullfinches.

distant Golden Eagle

Soon we arrived in the mountain chalet at 1960 m above the sea level right on the edge of the tree line. Here we were going to be based for the nest three nights. After a refreshing drink we grabbed the cameras and binoculars and dashed around. Right in front of the chalet we saw a Ring Ouzel, Dunnock, which here is primarily a mountainous bird, Crossbills, Nutcrackers and Black Redstarts.

Dunnock is primarily a mountainous bird breeding in the dwarf pine, copyright Iordan Hristov

The sunset light nicely lit the surrounding summits...

view from the Chalet

Breeding bird survey in Norway: day 11

Route 1924 Lyngen

After the rest the new route with a number 1924 looked much easier. We were really worried looking at the steep hillside but after the rest it is a different story. The beginning of the route was fairly easy walking wise. It was flat going across some farms and house backyards. We still needed to go around some bogs and climb over some fences now and then but I assumed they were mainly for the animals and local people will have no problem with that although it is a private area. At 3 at night we didn’t meet anyone to say something anyway ;)

After the first 8 point counts we had to do the steep bit. Luckily the route was done by someone before me who had given good advice and coordinates of a point to be used as a direction. This was really helpful otherwise I was doomed in and perhaps I would not have managed going across the steep hill. Slowly and gradually we took less than an hour to walk about 2 km whereas if you remember it took us 1 hour to do a 300 m section during one of the routes. Soon we were at the top of a rocky plateau with another lovely view over the valley.

There was still quite some snow and a lot of water from its melting. Nevertheless it was a plateau so walking wasn’t difficult. There weren’t many birds if we don’t count the Rock Ptarmigan on the way up before the first plot on the top. Soon we finished with the bird survey and had to go down. This was the next challenging bit since everything seemed pretty rocky and no track was visible.

We gradually descended across a meadow and decided to follow the ridge hoping to see a trail. At certain point some sort of unnatural plastic tubes started to turn up here and there. This looked like a marking. We started following them and in half an hour we were already down from the hill. Quite a peculiar looking house was there. It looked like a house of Trolls J What was impressing was that in front of it there were some kind of Ikea chairs for relaxing J These people definitely know how to do it. We were very brave to look into the house but curiosity took over and we opened the door to the house. It looked pretty practical and comfy. Around a stove was set a wooden shelf where people can sit and put their meals.

the troll house 

the route from some distance. we had to go all along the bottom and the top

In a short while we arrived by the car. We changed quickly and off we went to the next plot.

We arrived in a nice area and quickly managed to find the plot which didn’t look far from the road. Soon we started searching for a place to put up a tent which proved very difficult after the last night adventure with the lady coming over at ‘night’. Nevertheless we decided to have a drink on the shore which was superb. Really pleasant after the hard day! Finally we managed to find a place which was fairly remote but at least with no proximity to private areas. It was pretty open though. The Sun was up all night. At the previous place the guys from the hostel are suggesting that we need to go to the top of the mountain to enjoy the midnight sun. Here it was fairly easy to ‘enjoy’ or rather witness the Sun in the middle of the night.

We woke up at 3 a.m. and the Sun was up. Moreover it was so hot that it didn’t let us sleep. Anyway it was time for a new route.

Breeding bird survey in Norway: day 10

As I mentioned today will be a day for relaxing. We slept until 9 a.m.  which is quite something for our every day 3 a.m. starts. I took the time to catch up with some blogging and data entry. We stayed in the hostel until lunch time and headed out for a walk in the area. Wanted to check again the survey route for the following day to make sure there will be no surprise. Luckily we managed to talk to a farmer and ask for his permission to leave the car in his yard while doing the route. After that we travelled to the North to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Dramatic views again combined with lovely houses with large terraces. People here apparently like the Sun (when they have it) 😊

The exhaust made us take a nap in the car parked on the shore line. Was rather pleasant and refreshing. Soon we headed to the area of the route to search for a place to sleep. It wasn’t quite easy since it was pretty built up with farms and houses everywhere. We decided to stop by a house which looked empty and quiet. The lawn was just mown though so that would make it pretty comfy for the tent ;) Had a drink or two and went to bed at 8p.m. or so thinking it should be all right to spend the night there.

At about 10 p.m. I head some screeching from the door of the house.:) Someone was back at home. Then a lady shouted out and I had to come out of my comfy sleeping bag. She wasn’t very impressed we were there. ‘This is a private area’ she said. Not that she isn’t right, but there was no one there so we had no one to ask. Moreover we were going to leave in a couple of hours so the lady let us stay for the few hours before 3 a.m. when we had to get up for the bird census.

See what a day would be tomorrow.