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My latest encounters in Bulgaria. (1 Viewer)

Ron Seymour

Well-known member
Bulgaria
!7th March 2018: The first Swifts (3) for the year flying overhead in the vacinity of our local supermarket.

23rd March 2018: A new bird for my Bulgaria list - Linnet. I don't think many of you out there will be experiencing a sharp intake of breath but I have never seen Linnets here in well over a year. This sighting almost certainly coincided with the recent very cold snap that has prevailed which resulted in a lot of snow and subzero daytime temperatures. This undoubtedly has accounted for the arrival of scores of Song Thrushes and Fieldfares as well as the increase in the numbers of Blackbirds and Robins. Black Redstarts are coming in and I have seen several on recent walks.

24th March 2018: As the cold weather continues, I saw 29 species on my walk around the village today including a female Ring Ouzel, a Wryneck, a Reed Bunting and at last my first Redwing (only one though) - all new birds for my Bulgaria list. Although I have seen Fieldfares in abundance, Redwings on the other hand have been conspicuous by their total absence. I would like to hear from anyone on BirdForum who can suggest a reason for this???
Other exciting birds on my day list were Woodlarks feeding with Song Thrushes and Fieldfares on tarmacked roads and tracks, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, a lovely male Brambling, at least five Black Redstarts, two Yellowhammers and a single White Wagtail (Motacilla alba).
Magpies and Jays are extremely common in my area as are Great Tits but Blue Tits are relatively scarce. I have yet to see a Coal Tit here, in spite of suitable habitat, but I have had several good views of Sombre Tits within a short walk from the house.

25th March 2018: I had not walked more than a hundred metres from the house when I saw my first Hoopoe of the year. This is not my first here but it always induces a feeling of euphoria within me whenever I see these charismatic birds! Moving on to the track where I saw my first Crag Martin and Hooded Crow, and more recently the Ring Ouzel, I scanned the sky and was thrilled to witness my first White Storks of 2018 - no less than 21 circling in the first thermals of recent days. Further on to where I had been cutting wood for our wood burner I surveyed the huge rocky escarpments in this 'mountainous' region and was rewarded with really close up views of a Long-legged Buzzard. On my return I had good views of two Black Storks where their commoner cogeners had been circling earlier. It was very obvious that the number of Thrushes had diminished to just a few, in particular Song Thrushes and Fieldfares. A single Raven, two Sombre Tits and a couple of Chiffchaffs were species that I had not seen the previous day. Nonetheless 25 species was a pleasing tally.
 
Swifts on 17 March would presumably be Pallid Swifts :t:

Whereabouts in Bulgaria is this? Both Linnet and Coal Tit are on my Bulgarian list, but (for the latter at least) a good chunk of my visits were in the mountains (Pirin & Rila).
 
Good stuff Ron!

Coal Tit is a vertical migrant in Bulgaria, coming down from the mountains in the winter, I had them here in Byala on the coast in Jan and Feb.
Had my first Alpine Swifts yesterday too, along with plenty of Barn swallows!

Chris
 
Hi Nutcracker - now that's a bird that I would really like to see in Bulgaria along with Wallcreeper - thank you SO MUCH for your reply! I am based in Samovodene just north of Veliko Tarnovo. I am not sufficiently knowledgeable to say whether the swifts were Pallid Swifts. You need a lot of experience to separate Common from Pallid, but if they were Pallids then this would be a welcome addition to my Bulgaria list. I have a hunch that my location is capable of producing some surprises. I get the feeling that nobody else birds this area. I would like to know if anyone out there has any experience of birding my patch.
 
Hi Chris - it was GREAT to hear from you. Samovodene (Sam-O-vod- in-ay), near Veliko Tarnovo, is a fantastic place, surrounded by rocky stacks and precipices and I feel that the area has great potential for the enthusiastic birder. The weather is set to improve here and I will be getting out and hopefully will see Alpine Swifts and Barn Swallows. Black Redstarts are singing and I have seen a lot of Chiffchaffs. I saw my first White Storks (21) and a Hoopoe on Sunday 25th. I feel quite optimistic about the future. A walk into the hills is not too strenuous and has produced some great birds - just have to wait for it to dry out a bit before attempting it.

Best wishes,

Ron
 
Well worth getting a close look at your swifts, they really 'ought' to be Pallid, which arrive a good month earlier than Common Swift, and also depart 2 months or more later. Pallids are easy to see at several places, including Rilski Manastir, and central Sofia; as well as being slightly paler, also listen out for their different calls, slightly lower pitch and more 'throaty'. They even breed up to 2500 m altitude in the Rila Mts., where the parents will fly through heavy snow to feed second brood young in the nest in early November. Hardy birds!! :eek!:

Wallcreeper - got mine (a pair) on Musala mountain chalet and nearby boulder scree :t:
 
Hi Ron,

Yes it's a great time to be out and about here, you just don't know what you'll see, I had my first Pallid Harrier less than a mile from home on Saturday.

@ Michael

Yup, the Rila Mountains are a great place to bird! Up there again next month hoping for Capercaillie and Pygmy and Tengmalm's Owl! Should be plenty of Nutcrackers too!

Chris
 
Hi Chris - Pallid Harrier is a species that I had the pleasure to see in Norfolk at Warham Greens and later at Winterton. I would love to see one in Bulgaria. I went out for a walk up into the hills today, the weather was great and I managed to see some good birds - Woodpigeon ( which is scarce here), a male Goshawk, a Sombre Tit and several Woodlarks and Fieldfares. I have been lucky in that I had breeding Golden Orioles in my garden last year. It looks as though a visit to the Rila mountains could very productive!

All the best,

Ron.
 
Hi Ron,
Some nice birds there, Wood Pigeon isn't common anywhere here! Just had 30 Common Crane fly over here!
I would highly recommend the Rila Mountains, apart from the birds mentioned I have also seen Hazel Grouse, Black Woodpecker, Crested and Willow Tits and Crossbill there amongst others.

Chris
 
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