Bulgaria 2018 Other Wildlife

Here's the final pics from Bulgaria, a few more things that caught my eye. Ids to follow. Made a start on the butterfly ids below. 

Philaeus chrysops, a jumping spider (cheers Roger Payne) 

Broad-bodied Chaser

Azure Damselfly 

Broomrape sp

Star Fungus sp.

Bulgaria 2018 Butterflies and Moths

I'll stick these up here to put the pressure on to id them at some point- please feel free to step in with any proposed identifications.

Previous attempts of this subject HERE

Grizzled Skipper sp- In Bulgaria species listed are Grizzled, Large Grizzled, Olive, Oberthur's, Sandy, Yellow-banded, Safflower, Alpine and Dusky. 

Lesser Spotted Fritillary 

Common Blue 

Queen of Spain Fritillary (thanks Roger Payne for id) 

Four-spotted, Tyta luctuosa (cheers Roger for id) 

probably Eastern Baton Blue, Pseudophilotes vicrama (thanks Roger) 

Geometrician, Grammodes stolida (cheers Roger) 

Small Heath 

Silver-studded Blue 

Glanville Fritillary 

Lesser-spotted Fritillary, Mellitaea trivia (cheers Roger) 

Spotted Fritillary, Melitaea didyma (cheers Roger) 

I think most of these Fritillaries are Lesser Spotted 

Queen of Spain Fritillary

Mallow Skipper ?

Speckled Yellow 

Euplocamus anthracinalis

Black Hairstreak

Oecophora bractella (thanks Roger for id) 

Southern White Admiral 

Forester sp? 

Bulgaria 2018, Day 5

Spent  a very wet today around Shipka, went up the valley east of the Monastery and then checked out the birding track and a quick visit to Sheynovo Pond. Here's the ebird list HERE.

 Just when you thought it was safe- another Hawfinch pic! 

 Male Red Backed Shrike 

 Female Red-backed Shrike (40+ in the areas were visited ) 

Oecophora bractella

Bulgaria 2018, Day 4

Our official herping trip is over now but still got another 3 days in Shipka at the Balkan Ecology Project with the family. Been checking out the local area following on from previous efforts out here see HERE and HERE.

As always an absolutely stunning area and still managed to add further species to the herping list: Fire Salamander, Wall Lizard, Dice Snake and Slow Worm (Eastern). Now had 20 herp species on this trip! 

Will need to blog separately about the butterflies, moths, botany and other wildlife (as will need to identify most of the photo specimens). Certainly a eco-abundance out here. 

Did the fields around plot 2 yesterday and went up the valley and stream east of the Monastery this morning. Added a few new species for out Shipka bird list HERE- including Red-footed Falcon (at least two males over the plot 2 fields), Marsh Tit (in the valley this morning) and also had Barred Warbler away from Koprinka Lake (one along the foothill path in plot 2 area). Also had Grey-headed Wagtail. 

A few pics: 

 View over the Balkans and Shipka Monastery from Plot 2 area 

 Black-headed Bunting- also at least 4 Ortolans around and Cirl and Corn Buntings

 Long-legged Buzzard 

Long-legged Buzzard and Red-footed Falcons 

Dice Snake 

BALKAN ECOLOGY PROJECT

Bulgaria 2018, Day 3

Another great day in the Eastern Rhodopes. Highlights today included Sand Boa, more Worm Snakes, Aesculapian Snake, Glass Lizard and Caspian Whip Snakes. 

Sand Boa 

Sand Boa 

Glass Lizard 

Glass Lizard 

Aesculapian Snake 

Caspian Whip Snake about to shed it's skin (in blue period) 

Happy Herpers 

Final Score (21 species) :

Worm Snake 23

Caspian Whip Snake 4

Aesculapian Snake 1

Sand Boa 1

Dahl's Whip Snake 1

Grass Snake 2 (road kill)

Spur-thighed Tortoise 15

Hermann's Tortoise 1

Glass Lizard 1

Green Lizard 1

Balkan Green Lizard 4

Marsh Frog abundant

Green Toad common

Yellow-bellied Toad 4

Agile Frog 1

Smooth Newt 2
Eastern Slow Worm 1
Wall Lizard 2
Dice Snake 2
Fire Salamander 2 

Kotschy's Geko 1