Bulgaria day nine to ten- Shipka (Balkan Ecology Project)

Spent the last couple of days in Shipka visiting my brother at the BALKAN ECOLOGY PROJECT.  The wind was howling so I took the time to catch up with family and the blog. Managed to get out for a bit of owling (had a Scops Owl calling at the monastery) and also spent a few hours at the local steppe. Ebird list HERE. Highlights included good numbers of Isabelline Wheatear, Long-legged Buzzard and amazingly the first Red-backed Shrikes of the trip (they are usually ubiquitous round here so presumably just arriving for the summer). 

Dodgy windy shot of Isabelline Wheatear 

Ring Ouzel (alpestris) at Vitosha while unsuccessfully looking for Adders on the herping trip. In addition to Ring Ouzel I did have a few other birds (trip ticks) on the herping trip including Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Olivaceous Warbler, Black Stork and Nutcracker.