|
Saturday 16 May to Monday 25 May 2009
Cost: £1280 plus about £300 for flights Single room supplement: £90 Click here for explanation of price breakdown Maximum group size: 14 with 2 leaders. 2 leaders will join this tour regardless of group size. |
'This was my first holiday with Sunbird and I was very impressed with the whole tour'. D. Helliar 2008 'James' leadership was outstanding.' T. Worsfold 2008 'The youthful enthusiasm and knowledge of James along with the most capable local leader made and excellent team.' R. Bradley 2007 'My third trip with Sunbird and I cannot imagine ever using another birding tour company.' V. Graham 2007 'Thank you for another excellent tour, James was a fantastic leader.' J. Mercer 2007 'The quality of leadership, the fantastic birds and the well-thought out itinerary made for a superb tour. I would recommend this trip to anyone' J. Theis 2008 |
Sandwiched between Romania to the north, Greece and Turkey to the south and with the Black Sea to the east, Bulgaria occupies a special position in Europe. Lying in the middle of the Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria sits on the crossroads between Europe and Asia Minor and has distinct influences from the Mediterranean and southern Russian steppes. On certain days during this tour you can travel from sea level up to nearly 3000 metres, passing along the way through an incredibly rich and varied landscape. Of course this means that Bulgaria’s birdlife is equally varied, and close to 400 species have been recorded here. Some of the breeding species are hard to see elsewhere in Europe, and birds such as Levant Sparrowhawk, Pied and Isabelline Wheatears, Paddyfield and Olive-tree Warblers, and Semi-collared Flycatcher are sure to set any birdwatcher’s pulse racing. Our tour, designed and co-led by the respected Bulgarian ornithologist Nikolay Dilchev, takes in the very best birdwatching Bulgaria has to offer and, at the same time, allows us to see much of the country’s unique culture. Day 1: The tour begins with a flight from London to Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital, from where we drive straight to the mountain resort of Pamporovo in the Central Rodopi Mountains. Birdwatching will begin immediately with White Stork, Honey-Buzzard, Hoopoe, Syrian Woodpecker, Red-backed Shrike, and Rock Bunting, all possible on the drive. The hotel is situated amidst pine forests at an altitude of 1500 metres, with Pallid Swift, Common Crossbill, and maybe a woodpecker or two in the immediate vicinity. Night in Pamporovo. Day 2: A visit to Trigrad Gorge would be well worthwhile for its fine alpine scenery alone. However the Gorge, formed by huge cliffs hiding the River Trigradska far below, is one of the best places in Europe for watching Wallcreeper, while Peregrine, Alpine Swift and Crag Martin offer distractions. In the afternoon we’ll drive to the town of Kroumovgrad. Our hotel is situated in the centre of this small town, only a 5 minute walk from the valley of the delightful River Kroumovitza where White and Black Storks, Red-rumped Swallow, Lesser Grey Shrike, various warblers and wheatears, and Stone Curlew are all possible. At night we should hear, and hopefully see, one or two Scops Owls near the hotel. Night in Kroumovgrad. Day 3: Today we visit the eastern part of the Rodopi Mountains and one of Europe’s most important regions for birds of prey – Kladenetz. The volcanic origins of this area are immediately obvious, with huge rocks scattered around the stony ground, stunted shrubs and an almost complete lack of mature trees. We will constantly scan the open skies for birds of prey such as Golden, Imperial, Booted and Short-toed Eagles, Long-legged Buzzard, and Black, Egyptian and Griffon Vultures. However not all the birds here are in the sky. The bushes and rocks are home to a variety of species including Roller, European Bee-eater, Rock Nuthatch, Rock and Blue Rock Thrushes, Woodchat Shrike, Sombre Tit, Barred, Sub-alpine, Sardinian and Orphean Warblers, and Cirl, Black-headed and Ortolan Buntings. Night at Kroumovgrad. Day 4: Our journey east will take us into the lowlands along the Black Sea coast. Some of the local specialties we should see during several birdwatching stops include Imperial, Lesser Spotted and Booted Eagles, Montagu’s Harrier, Isabelline Wheatear, Masked Shrike, and Olivetree Warbler. We’ll be staying just outside the town of Bourgas, close to the Atanasovsko Salt Lake Nature Reserve. This region gives us our first chance to see some wetland species and what a way to start with views across the Salinas from the hotel and a wealth of species within a short distance of our hotel. Night close to Bourgas. Day 5: We’ll spend some time visiting several different wetland areas where we’ll see a range of herons, pelicans, shorebirds, gulls and terns. The vast Ropotamo Nature Reserve contains a variety of habitats including wetlands, the River Ropotamo with riverine broad-leaved forests, a part of Strandza Mountain, and part of the Black Sea coast, complete with sand dunes. The birds are equally varied and among others we have a good chance of seeing are White-tailed Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Middle, Great Spotted, Black and Grey-headed Woodpeckers, Short-toed Treecreeper, and, with luck, Semi-collared Flycatcher. We’ll also visit the two big freshwater lakes at Bourgas with their extensive reed-beds. The surrounding countryside has flooded meadows, marshes, low hills, and oak forests. These diverse habitats make this a superb region for wetland birds. Here we will see Night, Squacco, and Purple Herons, egrets, Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, White Pelican, Slender-billed, Mediterranean and Little Gulls, Avocet, and Black-winged Stilt. Night close to Bourgas. Day 6: We now head north along the Black Sea coast. The next two nights will be spent close to the town of Kavarna. On our drive, we’ll stop in more woodland areas searching for species such as White-backed Woodpecker, Semi-collared Flycatcher and Icterine Warbler. Our hotel is perched on a hill just above the sea where we should see a variety of species such as Eagle Owl, Pied Wheatear, and Olive-tree and Barred Warblers. Night at Kavarna. Day 7: After an early breakfast we will travel close to the Romanian border to Lake Dourankoulak, a very important wetland for breeding, migrating and wintering birds. One species that reaches the western limits of its range here, and for which the region is famous, is Paddyfield Warbler, and we hope to get good views of this delicate bird. However, other species abound, and we should stand a good chance of seeing species such as Little and Common Bitterns, Collared Pratincole, Ferruginous Duck, Red-footed Falcon, Gullbilled and Caspian Terns, and Bearded Tit and possibly Spotted and Little Crakes. The afternoon will be devoted to the Cape Kaliakra Steppe Nature Reserve. This is a coastal headland where chalk and sandstone cliffs rise to a height of over 200 metres. Immediately inland is an area of rolling steppe where the sky should be dotted with the butterfly display flights of Calandra Larks and the surroundings echo to the sweet song of Shorttoed Larks. The habitat also suits two other species on the western edge of their range, Isabelline and Pied Wheatears, while almost every small shrub should be topped by a Lesser Grey or Red-backed Shrike, or a Black-headed or Corn Bunting. A few minutes spent gazing out from the cliff top should provide us with Yelkouan Shearwaters and this is also where Rose-coloured Starlings occasionally breed, having swarmed out of Central Asia earlier in the spring. Night at Kavarna. Day 8: Driving inland today, we’ll cross the Dobrudza steppes to reach the famous Lake Srebarna Biosphere Reserve. Its extensive reedbeds are a perfect habitat for many Pygmy Cormorants, breeding Red-necked and Blacknecked Grebes, a colony of Dalmatian Pelican, Ferruginous Duck, Marsh Harrier and Penduline Tit, while Levant Sparrowhawk, Goshawk, and Ruddy Shelduck inhabit the broad-leaved forests and small dry valleys around the lake. Night in Silistra.Day 9: Our journey inland follows the mighty River Danube. At the Nova Cherna marshland we will search for more wetland species including various grebes, ducks and Whiskered Tern. To end our visit to this fascinating country we will stay at Etara near the town of Gabrovo. Our hotel is built in the traditional Bulgarian style and the restaurant serves Bulgarian national dishes and drinks. Nearby there is an open-air museum where those interested can view and purchase Bulgarian crafts. Night at Etara. Day 10: Returning to Sofia through some impressive countryside we’ll have time for a short stop en route and a meal in a local restaurant before transferring to the airport to connect with our flight to London where the tour concludes. E-mail or phone +44 (0)1767 262522 for availability.
Last updated June 2008. |
Black-headed Bunting
Pied Wheatear
Rock Bunting
Little Bittern
Black Stork
Roller
Lesser Grey Shrike
|
Bird List
