Bulgaria- November raptors

I spent the first part of the morning completing the conservation work and by 11am I downed tools to watch Common Buzzards migrating over the project plot. In about 90 minutes there were at least 93 flying into the south wind. There was also 2 Hen Harrier (a male and female) , a Merlin and several Sparrowhawks moving over. EBIRD LIST HERE. This November raptor migration has been a welcomed surprise this week. 

I then headed off towards Shabla, there were raptors all along the coastal steppe, mainly Buzzards and Marsh and Hen Harriers but also a single Long-legged Buzzard. 

I then checked Shabla Tuzla and Shabla Lakes (a few Bewick's Swan and a group of Dunlin) before heading to the Harrier roost at Lake Durankulak. I had 86 harriers up in the air over the reed bed at one point and birds were still coming in and presumably many must have already settled in the reeds so who knows how many there were - the majority were Hen Harriers and there could well have been over 100 Hen Harriers and 20 or so Marsh Harriers. 

108 White-fronts came into roost and there were 16 Bewick's Swans in the field. 2 Water Pipits and a small flock of Golden Plovers  flew over  EBIRD LIST HERE. 

Had a few moths in the trap last night in the mild conditions. Will post separately on that. 

Migrating Common Buzzards (above and below)  over the project plot- a real bonus to be seeing November raptor migration and especially over the project plot as most raptor passage is concentrated inland from here usually in line with Balchik

Male Marsh Harrier over the Coastal steppe- is that a Steppe Mouse I see? I need Steppe Mouse (tried doing some night drives and spot lighting recently but no luck) and they are everywhere at the moment so it could be. I think I could see the legs still kicking. The tail looks a bit short though like a Field Vole. 

'Ring-tail' Hen Harrier over the Steppe 

Long-legged Buzzard over the Steppe. This has been a three buzzard trip- Common, Long-legged and Rough-legged. 

Male Marsh Harrier 

Difficult to photograph how impressive it looks to watch nearly 100 harriers (mostly Hen) coming into the reed bed (above and below) 

Bewick's Swans (above and below) . It was a barmy 22 C today. Watching wild swans and White-fronts in summer conditions was quite surreal especially considering it's November. A bit worrying really. 

Bottlenose Dolphins off Cape Shabla- this is the first time I can remember seeing these out here. If I recall correctly they are a Black Sea subspecies. Also had a couple of Harbour Porpoise off the coast in last few days. 

Had this Red Squirrel (or whatever these things are? Black Squirrels? whatever the latest taxonomy is) at the project plot. Also had at least four Golden Jackals calling at dusk yesterday. The project plot mammal list now includes Field Vole, Wood Mouse, Red Squirrel, Roe Deer (caught on camera trap last Spring) and Golden Jackal. Also a few unidentified Bats.