Bulgaria, Spring 2022, Days four and five

 It's been full on for the last couple of days. Ebird trip list HERE. I'm trying to juggle birding, moth catching, noc-migging and conservation work; really need to get a team out here (which was the plan but the covid restrictions for Bulgaria have only just been lifted so didn't attempt it this spring). 

Yesterday I started off checking the moth trap (from the Oak wood edge) and then walked from the plot to Yalata and then across the coastal steppe back to the village. In the afternoon I made a start on strimming the dead matt from the 'meadow', which is actually an abandoned vineyard complete with metal cable criss-crossing the entire site which is making progress very slow. 

Today I started off checking the traps and then went to Cape Kaliakra and then after lunch at the Kaliakra Castle restaurant (what a beautiful place to eat!)  back to the plot for a bit more work before spending the evening at Bolata Gorge. 

A few picture highlights below (still need to identify more moths and go through the noc-mig and sound recordings). Highlights have included the air thick of Calandra Lark song over the Steppe, Red-footed Falcon, Hobby and Honey Buzzard in off the sea over the Cape this morning, finally saw the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the village which is constantly calling, White-winged Terns flying low through Bolata Gorge over the trees this evening, great views and sounds of Icterine Warblers, lots of ficedula flycatcher action, an obliging Red-breasted Flycatcher, general Black Sea migration awesomeness, a bait ball close off shore from the Cape today and some nice looking moths. 

Male dark phase Honey Buzzard over the Cape 

Icterine Warbler

Red-breasted Flycatcher

Willow Warbler 

Calandra Lark

Female Pied Fly on the cliffs. Also had a male and female Collared today.

Pied x Black-eared Wheatear (or Pied morph) - first time I've seen one this trip. Pavel says that there were no Pied Wheatears in the region last week so all the birds I've seen recently are fresh in. More on these Finsch's-type birds HERE.

The wonderful sight of Harbour Porpoise with Black and Common Tern and Yellow-legged Gulls, Shag and Yelkouan Shearwater over a bait ball 

Balkan Wall Lizard

Red Squirrel

Orache- what a stunner! More on moths to come later (once I've identified them)

Slow conservation work at the plot with the meadow management turning into a bigger job than expected revealing an abandoned vineyard beneath the tall grass complete with metal wire mesh criss-crossing the vines making strimming extremely difficult.

View over Bolata Gorge

View over Bolata Bay towards Cape Kaliakra