Bulgaria Spring 2021- Day Three (Epic Day!)

Well today was simply epic. The wind swung round to the north east over night and the day dawned with overcast and some rain. I decided to start off at Cape Kaliakra but wasn't expecting much because it was even colder for migrants than previous days. However I soon discovered I was very wrong and by lunch time had logged over 1720 birds of 82 species (most of them migrants). Ebird list HERE.

I then visited the project plot and had lunch there - the first meal I've had there and also did a bit of work before heading over to Shabla area. I did Shabla Tuzla and Shabla lake (a new site for me). Ebird lists HERE and HERE.  Slam dunk highlight were 2 Great Snipe - a lifer for me (don't get many of them in the WP nowadays!) . It was great to find my own ones as I was hoping to find this species on migration rather than twitch it on breeding grounds. 

There are simply too many other highlights today: the passerine fall on the Cape was spectacular including five Ortolans flying in (and 3 others on deck),  Woodchat and Lesser Grey Shrike, Red-breasted Flycatchers, Marsh Warbler, Thrush Nightingale, loads of Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Lesser Whitethroat etc etc - none of which were here yesterday! also 100s of Little Gulls and Black Terns moving, the first flock of White-winged Blacks, Glossy Ibis flocks moving through, good numbers of Little Egrets migrating, the first Montagu's Harrier of the trip, Hen Harriers and more- it was basically one of the best days birding ever I've had out here. What an incredible difference a single day makes out here- its like literally full on spring occurred over night. So many photos today, here's a short list. 

Also Golden Jackal, 4 Roe Deer and a huge Glass Lizard (also had Hermann's Tortoise at the archaeological reserve a couple of days ago). The herps get me started for the next few days as I'm meeting up with the Balkan Ecology Project Crew to recee out some herp sites for future tours.

 

A Cuckoo on the cliffs

One of eight Ortolans today 

Chiffchaff feeding on King Spear flowers 

Lesser Grey Shrike 

Lesser Whitethroat feeding on King's Spear- many of the small warblers were feeding from the flowers 

One of seven Hoopoes 

My first decent view of a female Pied Wheatear 

Little Gulls on the move- many were cutting over the tip off the Cape right over the car park 

Arctic Skuas at Shabla Lighthouse 

Black Terns over Shabla Tuzla- they were literally migrating over everywhere today

Little Stint 

Bird of the day- Great Snipe! Two of them at Lake Shabla.