Bulgaria, October 2025, Day Two

A cold front moved in overnight and the day dawned overcast with rain with a northwest wind. I quickly did the moths as I was eager to get to Cape Kaliakra to see what happens there in such conditions. It was as suspected pretty interesting with birds falling out of the sky with a steady stream of migrants incoming during the rain with nearly 9000 birds involved, mostly passerines. Throughout the rain Song Thrushes were coming in-off, I estimated 643 in total and after an hour or so Barn Swallows started coming in too with 545. Chiffchaffs were also on the move also coming in with at least 46. There was also a few other bits moving in the rain including an Osprey, 70 Pygmy Cormorant, Tree Pipits, Red-throated Pipits, over 30 Mistle Thrush, 9 Brambling, 4 Hawfinch and Crested Larks were also moving too with at least 36 through the morning. A single Ring Ouzel in with the thrushes flying over calling was the best bird. 

After the rain stopped a new procession started. Instead of birds coming in - (presumably the birds in the rain were reverse migrants as they were moving north) , the south moving river started with huge numbers of Chaffinches, Spanish Sparrows and Woodpigeons moving south and raptor passage starting up behind the front.  

On the deck there was Red-backed Shrike, Firecrest, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear, Redstarts, Black Redstarts and a few other bits and bobs. Full ebird list from today HERE.

Next up was a visit to Shabla Tusla to try and boost the day list as it was the Ebird October big day today. The lake is full again now after being almost completely dry when Kojak and I were here a month ago. A few waterfowl day ticks there but the highlight was another Ring Ouzel. Ebird list HERE .

I then spent the rest of the day at Kamen Bryag and the plot doing a little bit of work on the pond (the water was reconnected today so I filled it up and put the last of the flagstones down). A few more day ticks. Ebird list HERE. A covey of Grey Partridge in the fields was a first for the project Ebird hotspot. 

I make it 86 for the day which is not too bad. 

First-winter Ring Ouzel- T.t.alpestris. 

Today's Short-toed Eagle pic- a nice juv

Had this Eagle over Cape Kaliakra which I presume is a Greater Spotted Eagle hyrbid lacking the clear double comma around the carpal and contrast betwen coverts and remiges on a typical Lesser Spotted and showing extensive streaking/spotting on the underparts. However I can only count 6 long primary fingers (should be 7 in Greater Spotted) and it looks structurally more like a Lesser Spotted. 

Black Redstart 

Despite there being hundreds of them today and exploding out of every bush this is the best shot I got of one all day- Song Thrush

Spanish Sparrows - probably underestimated these. I went for 2000 but there were several massive flocks like this. The 3500 Chaffinch I estimated were also probably an underestimate. There was basically biblical numbers of birds. 

Grey Partridge 

Doesn't do it justice but here is one minute of the constant procession of Song Thrush during the rain