Madzharovo, Bulgaria (1 Viewer)

Hello All,
I would like to share my experience in the Eastern Rodopes Mountain near the town of Madzharovo, Bulgaria. Have you ever been there? For me it is a place that every birdwatcher should visit. The red volcanic rocky massifs outside the small town in just one hour observation and walking in the nearby shrubby habitat gave me this interesting species list

Long-legged Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Marsh Harrier
Kestrel
Hobby
Griffon Vulture
Egyptian Vulture
Syrian Woodpecker
Kingfisher
Alpine Swift
Hoopoe
Green Woodpecker
Crag Martin
Red-rumped Swallow
Stonechat
Black-eared Wheatear
Rock Thrush
Blue Rock Thrush
Bonelli’s Warbler
Orphean Warbler
Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
Subalpine Warbler
Sombre Tit
Red-backed Shrike
Whoodchat Shrike
Cirl Bunting
Rock Bunting
Rock Nuthatch

The place is famous with its Griffon Vulture colony. There are some immature Black Vultures in the area, but I didn't have the oportunity to see them. It is best to be visited during spring.

Zdrave Svetzool,

Welcome to BirdForum!

Nice list - there's ten there that I missed in Bulgaria, four of which I've not seen anywhere

Michael

Hello svetzool and welcome to Bird Forum from all the Moderators and Admin Staff.
I look forward to seeing some of those species when I visit the Black Sea coast in September.

Michael Frankis said:

Zdrave Svetzool,

Welcome to BirdForum!

Nice list - there's ten there that I missed in Bulgaria, four of which I've not seen anywhere

Michael

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There are a lot of places to see in Bulgaria. At the moment the economic situation here is not very bright and with visiting some of these places you will be investing in the local economy, which is much needed act of conservation. Birding in Bulgaria is cheap and if you need any help with accomodation or routes I will be more than happy to provide it. Anyhow, I hope you see these species soon. You have nice places to go birding in UK, I recomend the Elmley - an RSPB reserve.

Hello Svetzool, and welcome to Bird Forum. I hope you enjoy it as much as we all do.

Regards

Michael Frankis said:

Zdrave Svetzool,

Welcome to BirdForum!

Nice list - there's ten there that I missed in Bulgaria, four of which I've not seen anywhere

Michael

Click to expand...

The Black Sea Coast is very good for observing Honey Buzzard, Black and White Stork, White Pelican and many other spectacular species's migration. For sure you are going to see most of them. If you are landing in Sofia, make a stop at the town of Sliven to obser Imperial Eagles and their food - Sousliks. I wish you good birding in Bulgaria.

helenol said:

Hello Svetzool, and welcome to Bird Forum. I hope you enjoy it as much as we all do.

Regards

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I'm staring to enjoy it more and more.

svetzool said:

There are a lot of places to see in Bulgaria. At the moment the economic situation here is not very bright and with visiting some of these places you will be investing in the local economy, which is much needed act of conservation. Birding in Bulgaria is cheap and if you need any help with accomodation or routes I will be more than happy to provide it. Anyhow, I hope you see these species soon. You have nice places to go birding in UK, I recomend the Elmley - an RSPB reserve.

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Hi Svetzool,

Thanks!

My birding in Bulgaria has all been in the west; my first visit was just a tourist trip to the Pirin and Rila, my second visit (September 2001) was with a Bulgarian birder (Anton Antonov from Kozloduy - do you know him?), we saw 174 species, my best birding trip ever. There's a trip report and list of what I saw here:
http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/bulgaria/bul1/bul-sept-01.htm
I did not get as far east as Sliven

Have to admit, I have never been to Elmley - it is 500 km away at the other end of the country from me! Can I guess that you have been there? But there are good places near me too, have you heard of the Farne Islands? There are 55,000 pairs of Fratercula arctica and 40,000 pairs of Uria aalge there :eek!:

Michael