Bulgaria (1 Viewer)

Would like to do Black sea coast, Lake Srebarna and the eastern Rhodope's.

What sort of travelling time/distance would be involved from the southern end of the Black sea to say Studen Kladenetz area? Also any solid site info on Levant Sprawk in the country?

This would be for spring trip in may/june next year.

Thanks

Hi Phil,

I've only been to western Bulgaria, so can't really help here. But if you want to see my trip report:
http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/bulgaria/bul1/bul-sept-01.htm

As for Levant Sparrowhawk, don't worry, they're common. I'd suspect the population info cited in the European Breeding Atlas (150 pairs for BG) is probably a good ten-fold under-estimate. My Bulgarian friend agrees, he too thinks of them as common and not at all difficult to see. In average low altitude farmland with small woods and streams/rivers not too far away, they're commoner than ordinary Sparrowhawk (these more in mountain forests), I saw several without trying particularly hard at all.

Michael

Thats interesting news on the Levants Michael, thanks.

Hi Phil,

Supported too by the passage totals seen in Israel - all figures below from the European Breeding Atlas

Israel autumn passage total:
49,000 birds, equivalent to a minimum 12,000 pairs (assuming 2 young per pair on average)

Documented breeding population: 3,589-5,787 pairs, comprising:
Europe excl. Russia 2,079-2,287 pairs (Greece c.1,100 pairs, Ukraine c.1,000 pairs, Bulgaria 40 pairs revised to 150, Albania, Romania, Hungary about 10-20 pairs each). Russia 1,500-3,000 pairs. Turkey 10-500 pairs.

Conclusion - there's between 6,000-8,000 pairs (nearly double the known breeding population!!) as yet unlocated on their breeding grounds. Many, maybe most, of them will be in Bulgaria and Romania, between the three known larger populations.

If Bulgaria has similar population density to the thousand pairs northern Greece, there'd be 1,500 pairs in Bulgaria. But the habitat is probably better (more lowlands, and less dry in summer); there could easily be double that in Bulgaria, and that would still be less half the 'missing' numbers (with others in Romania, Turkey, Moldova, etc).

Michael

Hi,

I am off to Sunny beach resort near Bourgas in september 2003, I have heard that there are loads of migrants to be seen in september . My wife and i have booked a cheap holiday and will let you know what there to see etc.

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