Ron Seymour
Well-known member
!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.
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.