[chrischapman]

We're currently staying in our Bulgarian house, located in the foothills of the Stara Planina not too far from Sevlievo and Gabrovo. We've been here 10 days now and I've been keeping track of the birds seen and heard. Not a great many species but interesting, especially when compared to our Sussex garden.

25 species so far, of which 17 have been recorded in the garden itself.

The highlights so far being lesser spotted woodpecker, grey-headed woodpecker, golden oriole, red-backed shrike and a solitary hawfinch.

It's great to be in a place where the predominant songsters being heard are nightingale, golden oriole, cuckoo and corn bunting.

A few notable absentees as well; blue tit (haven't seen one at all in Bulgaria yet) and sombre tit (encountered on all previous visits). Black woodpecker was seen in the garden during our last visit - so hopefully it will turn up again.

As we drove down I brought a feeding station with seed and peanuts but so far nothing has been near them! I can't see this changing very much either, although there a few great tits around they are busy feeding their young.

[chrischapman]

Sat in the garden in the early evening yesterday and after about an hour a sombre tit did turn up - hunting for food amongst the scrub at the bottom of the slope in the back garden.

In the 70 minutes I was there a total of 14 species were recorded, highlights being a pair of hawfinch, a nightingale singing from the scrub and a syrian woodpecker.

The nightingale seemed to be encouraged into singing by a blackbird. 3 or 4 times the blackbird would start singing from a dead tree in the scrub and within a minute or two the nightingale would start up.

The great tits that were nesting in a hole in a dead tree now seemed to have fledged. I noticed a female chaffinch collecting nesting material, including a spiders web, so as one finishes another starts up.

[Kits]

Sounds lovely; lucky you having two gardens for birds.

[delia todd]

A great report that Chris - I'm particularly jealous of the Syrian Woodpecker, a species I've not seen yet.

When you say Nightingale, do you mean the same one we get here, or the Thrush-Nightingale? Golden Orioles led me a dance, but I eventually found them LOL.

D

[chrischapman]

Originally Posted by Kits

Sounds lovely; lucky you having two gardens for birds.

Very true - I am lucky. They are both great gardens in their different ways and I wonder which one I'd prefer if I had to choose between one or the other. I've certainly recorded more species from the Sussex garden but from a much greater time of observation. The number of birds visiting the Sussex garden is also far greater but that's due to the feeding stations which the birds here have not yet got used to. The birds in the Bulgarian garden are certainly more exotic (listening to a nightingale as I write this) but then after a period of time that effect will wear off - already getting a bit blasé about the Orioles. The Bulgarian garden certainly has the edge at the moment though because of the excitement of not knowing what might turn up next.....

[chrischapman]

Originally Posted by delia todd

A great report that Chris - I'm particularly jealous of the Syrian Woodpecker, a species I've not seen yet.

When you say Nightingale, do you mean the same one we get here, or the Thrush-Nightingale? Golden Orioles led me a dance, but I eventually found them LOL.

D

Thanks Delia, I have to say that in my ignorance I assumed common nightingale not realising that thrush-nightingale is a possibility. Having done some research on the Web I've now learnt that it is a very real possibility! Having said that I do believe that the vast majority of the birds I've heard are common nightingales for two main reasons:

(a) the song matches the familiar song I hear in Sussex in the spring (I've learn't that the thrush-nightingale's song is markedly slower) and

(b) that the thrush-nightingale occurs mainly on passage in Bulgaria and there only a few breeding pairs. The ones I here locally are definately common because they have taken up residence.

However I will now be listening a lot more closely when I encounter nightingales (and there are lots of them) in the hope that I can identify one or two as a thrush-nightingale - so many thanks for the question Delia.

[delia todd]

It's interesting how a question can lead you on paths you weren't expecting to travel, isn't it LOL. I'd asked, because here we drop 'common' when talking about them, as it's the only species we get and I know that some areas of the continent drop 'thrush' as they don't get the common one.

You can compare the two songs on the Opus articles.

I saw a Thrush Nightingale feeding a youngster once, but it was much too dark to get a picture with my wee camera - I've never even heard a Common Nightingale (but that's another story LOL).

Good luck in your research now!

D

[chrischapman]

There has been a great deal of rain here for the last couple of days together with much cooler weather (12-14C), which has reduced the bird watching to a degree.

Did manage to get a great view of a male golden oriole yesterday, high in the branches of a dead tree and their song is still commonly heard. The nightingales song is getting less frequent now though. However a new sound for the garden this trip was a common whitethroat, heard both yesterday and today and so hopefully it will take up residence in the garden scrub.

The grey-headed woodpecker has been visiting more often recently and the last time it definitely was carrying food so there must be a nest fairly nearby - probably in the heavily wooded valley at the front of the house. Hopefully it will mean I get to see a lot more of them and give me a chance to better learn their calls.

Signs of summer visitors still arriving, for example a small movement of swifts passed over yesterday heading West.

Had my first sighting of a woodpigeon yesterday, a species I'd only heard a couple of times below. This reminds me that the skies are generally clear of medium to large sized birds around here - just the odd jay and cuckoo. No other corvids, pigeons and only the odd buzzard. Quite a contrast to the Sussex garden, where there are a lot of corvids and pigeons and a fair few buzzards now.

Still no action on the feeders ....

In garden: 18 / From garden: 26 / In Bulgaria: 58

[chrischapman]

The poor weather continues, although not quite as much rain, but low cloud, poor visibility and temperatures around 12C.

Visited Veliko today so not much birding around the house, although a pair of mistle thrush appeared in the trees the otherside of the lane so the "from garden" species list got a new addition today. Their rattling alarm calls were a bit muted compared to the British birds.

Did get an excellent view of a hawfinch feeding in the lane as we returned from our trip. At least two others flew up but this one stayed for a minute or two giving great views. Unfortunately the camera was in the boot.

Hopefully the weather will improve soon...

In garden: 18 (common whitethroat) / From garden: 27 (mistle thrush) / In Bulgaria: 60 (crested lark)

[chrischapman]

The bad weather continues, although the rain has turned mainly to drizzle. The low cloud persists and consequently visibility remains poor.

I did do 80 minutes of birding from the veranda in the morning and reported 14 species; starling, cuckoo, blackcap, blackbird, golden oriole, common nightingale, yellowhammer, chaffinch, great tit, jay, barn swallow, whitethroat, woodpigeon and two great spotted woodpeckers.

Most of these were heard rather than seen and no new species to report.

The cherry trees are attracting the most birds at the moment as the cherries are now rapidly ripening. They are being enjoyed by blackbirds, jays, starlings and the orioles. Watched a jay yesterday eating a cherry by first removing the stone and then tearing off bits of the remaining fruit. Despite the profusion of ripe fruit I saw one jay yesterday eat a very unripe cherry.

The only other thing of interest was a starling flying down to a wood ants nest and picking up a dozen or so ants (at least I think that's what it was pecking at) and placing them under it's wings.

Will look at the camera trap today. It's been in place for a week now, overlooking a part of the back garden. I'm betting the most interesting thing it has picked up are the chickens from next door.

In garden: 18 (common whitethroat) / From garden: 27 (mistle thrush) / In Bulgaria: 60 (crested lark)

[chrischapman]

At last the poor weather has broken and sunny skies return. Took advantage by visiting the Emen Gorge. Wonderful scenery, swathes of wild flowers and insects plus a few birds.

In the garden a new addition in the shape of a single tree sparrow.

Off to the Black Sea coast today ....

In garden: 19 (tree sparrow) / From garden: 28 (tree sparrow) / In Bulgaria: 62 (hoopoe)

[chrischapman]

Back from the Black Sea yesterday, where a few interesting birds were found (black-crowned night heron, squacco heron, pygmy cormorant, black stilt, bee-eater, ferruginous duck, etc.) and, as an added bonus, the weather was sunny and warm.

So first full day back in the garden today. I did a 70 minute birding stint in the back garden at mid-morning and recorded 13 species; blackbird, nightingale, yellowhammer, golden oriole, starling, corn bunting, barn swallow, great tit, raven, whitethroat, cuckoo, chaffinch and last of all a sombre tit - only the second I've seen in the garden during this trip.

The nightingale in the scrub is still in full voice and another could be heard in the valley.

Also fortunate to see the pair of whitethroats mating - so they have definitely taken up residence.

Other notable sightings during the remainder of the day were a pairs of hawfinches and red-backed shrikes. At least I think the shrikes were a pair as the male fed the female something it caught, which made me think that perhaps it was a juvenile but then the female caught its own food and surely it's too early for juveniles yet?

To my surprise the male shrike sat on top of a medium sized tree and started to sing. And it was surprisingly pleasant, even though it wasn't very loud. A constant stream of chirping and odd sounds, including what sounded like decent mimicry of a chiffchaff. A bit like a quiet starling, although generally more pleasant.

Also pleased to see the lesser spotted woodpecker appear again, albeit far too briefly, flitting about at the very tops of one of the trees.

So, although there were no new species, quite an interesting day.

In garden: 19 (tree sparrow) / From garden: 28 (tree sparrow) / In Bulgaria: 89 (squacco heron)

[chrischapman]

A very good day for woodpeckers in the garden, with two new species. First up was a middle spotted woodpecker - a lifer for me. Appeared in the garden on one of the old electricity poles - in the days when they were made from tree trunks. There are three within view from the veranda and they all act as woodpecker magnets.

What made the sighting even better was that it was joined by a great spotted so I could easily compare and contrast.

Later on in the morning I then had a brief view of a black woodpecker as it flew over the garden. Having had very good views of them from a previous visit it didn't take a moment to realise what it was as it disappeared from view.

Better still, in the afternoon, after checking the camera trap (still nothing) I noticed a black woodpecker on (where else?) one of the old electricity poles in the corner of the garden.

So that's now six woodpecker species for the garden. What next I wonder?

Also noticed today, amongst the heavy rain, that the great spots were eating cherries. Not something I've seen before.

In garden: 22 (black woodpecker) / From garden: 31 (black woodpecker) / In Bulgaria: 91 (black woodpecker)

[chrischapman]

Yes it's been a while since the last update but birding around the garden has been a bit slow. Not helped by some inclement weather - 48 hours of solid rain for example last week. However summer has now truly arrived with much sunnier and warmer weather.

Today was definitely more exciting than many days recently. We've decided to build a pond in the front garden hoping to entice further wildlife and while digging the hole noticed an odd sounding bird. I remembered reading somewhere that Wrynecks have calls that sound a bit like a kestrel and this sounded a bit like that. So I said to Jane can you see the bird making that noise and Jane said "Is it the small brown bird at the top of the dead pole?" That sounded promising so I moved to get a look whereupon the small bird flew into a tree further up the lane. Intrigued and somewhat hopeful I got the bins and went into the lane after it. It was obviously still there as it was calling fairly regularly but I couldn't see it. A bit frustrating! Anyway I edged a bit closer and waited for some movement, very much hoping it wouldn't just fly away from the back of the tree and down the hill. After what seemed ages, but probably just 5 minutes, my luck was in as it dropped out of the fairly dense leafy branches and onto a bare branch; instantly confirming it was indeed a wryneck! I managed about 20 seconds of decent views before it flew off down the hill.

That's only the second wryneck I've ever seen and that first one was in the Sussex garden in August 2010.

Second piece of good news is that I eventually saw a bird on one of the feeders. I knew something had visited this feeder because a few days ago I noticed a couple of the nuts had been pecked. Not surprisingly it was a great tit. Still haven't encountered a blue tit anywhere in Bulgaria yet or captured anything interesting with the camera trap.

Nightingales are still singing, especially at night, although they are singing less frequently now. The odd cuckoo can still be heard.

The black woodpecker made a few appearances over the days following the first sighting but it's gone quiet as far as they are concerned now.

As far as other types of wildlife are concerned in the garden, we spotted a deer first thing in the morning, a forest dormouse has come down the chimney a couple of times (and then smartly ran back up it!) and this morning I found a small snake on the back patio. Not sure what species it was but not an adder or a grass snake.

In garden: 25 (wryneck) / From garden: 36 (wryneck) / In Bulgaria: 97 (wryneck)

[chrischapman]

The birds, well great tits, have now found the feeders and are visiting on a regular basis. As many as 5 birds, a family group, have been seen on the feeder at the same time. I've also noticed that they are also starting to take some seed from a tray next to the feeder.

Interestingly when the male red-backed shrike is around it will behave very aggresively towards the great tits by chasing them off. Fortunately it doesn't seem to have put them off.

No other species has yet taken an interest.

Two new species to the garden. First up a very brief visit from a spotted flycatcher and then a couple of days later a sparrowhawk was attracted by a group of great tits by the feeder but missed.

The forest dormice returned again. This time visting the bedroom on the ground floor. Seems that they have been raising a family either in the chimney itself or in the roof. There have been at least six individuals, five of which I managed to catch and release into the garden - near cover of course.

Since the last post I've built a pond in the garden for the wildlife - so no fish. It's amazing how quickly the ponds get colonised. A pond skater arrived the first day, followed by water boatmen and or course loads of midge larvae. The first bird, a blackbird, took a drink this morning.


In garden: 27 (sparrowhawk) / From garden: 38 (sparrowhawk) / In Bulgaria: 99 (sparrowhawk)