Kamen Bryag Moths and Butterflies update

An excellent couple of weeks trapping at the project plot. A work in progress but here is the updated I-Naturalist project HERE. I've added over 230 records which are mostly single examples of the different species we had (was getting over 200 moths of 50 or so species a night). The project moth list is now over 300 species and hopefully there will  be some rare ones in there yet to identify. Thanks again to Stephen & Co from the Bulgarian moth I-naturalist community for all the invaluable help in getting these identified. 

Here's a selection of some of the species we had.  A mix of the familiar from back home, particularly migrant species and plenty of new ones. The main focus here is on migration (birds and leps) and not sure on what are considered migrant moth species in the region. Plenty of Scarce Bordered Straws, Silver-Ys, Rush Veneers, some Rusty-dot Pearls and Diamond-back moths, Convolvulus Hawks, lots of Small Mottled Willows, single Beautiful Marbled, Scarce Oak Knot-horns and other species we consider as migrants in the UK. The full species list can be found on the I-Naturalist Project HERE

Scarce Copper 

Porter's Rustic 031023 update- confirmed as Athetis lepigone, 

Scarce Oak Knot-horn

Luperina rubella. The first records for the Bulgaria I-Nat project. Our Cervyna cervago from earlier in the week was also a first for the national project. 

Willowherb Yellow Underwing, Epilecta linogrisea

The Passenger

Celypha rivulana (according to Obsidentify)

Great Dart 

Agate Knot-horn 

Scarce Bordered Straw- lots of these and during the day too (see video below) 

Alchymist - update 061023- this might be a Sorcerer- waiting for a consensus 161023- seems like the vote is for a Sorcerer on this. Sorcerer is similar to the Alchymist but generally is smaller with a more brown hue 

Mompha sp?

Centre-barred Sallow- the Bulgarian variant 

Dark Spinach

Triodia amasinus- seems to be a variable species (see below) 

European Praying Mantis 051023 update-nope this is Male Ameles heldreichi (Thanks Teodor!) 

Eupithecia variostrigata

Ni-moth 

Dewick's Plusia 

Long-legged China Mark (above and below) 

Ethmia fumidella- gorgeous

Old World Webworm,  I think- if so nice to get in on this influx going on in the UK at the moment- sort of

Atethmia ambusta

Triodia amasinus

A huge Caddis

Mint moth variant according to Obsidentify

Two-lines- stunner! 

Small Mottled Willow- lots of these daily 

Crombrugghia distans according to Obsidentify

Ecpyrrhorrhoe rubiginalis

Euxoa temera

Gymnancyla hornigii

Spotted Clover

Beautiful Marbled 

Luperina rubella

Dumeril's Rustic 

Cosmopolitan? 031023 update- nope this is Mythinma riparia

Purple Bar

Notocelia incarnatana according to Obsidentify 

Clancy's Rustic

Eastern Nycteoline. Update 031023- nope this is Garella musculana

Dysauxes famula- lots of these particularly at the beginning of the trip

The Kamen Bryag egg trays- a great selection of moths 

Scarce Bordered Straws and Silver-Ys at Cape Kaliakra 

Bulgaria Day Fourteen - Final Day

A nice end to a great trip with Arjun finding a Dusky Warbler at Kamen Bryag on the final morning, a mega for Bulgaria (only the second national record) and the first found in the field (as opposed to caught in nets). Ebird list from Kamen Bryag HERE. 

Before we headed to the airport we visited Cape Kaliakra again and had some nice bits on the move including White Pelican, Pintails, Purple Heron, Golden Plover, European Sparrowhawks and Red-throated Pipits . Ebird list HERE

Final trip list was 179 species. Ebird Trip Report HERE. Highlights include River Warbler (lifer), Ring Ouzels in Dobrich, Dusky Warbler, Caspian Stonechat and Red-necked Phalarope. Some impressive counts in there too despite the unfavourable easterly winds (west winds are the best in Bulgaria for autumn vis-mig and we have had two weeks of solid easterlies) including nearly 5000 Med Gulls, 16 Ospreys, nearly 17000 Barn Swallows, over 10000 White Wags, 163 Red-breasted Flycatchers and 70 Spotted Flycatchers, 2000 Spanish Sparrows and 62 Red-throated Pipits.  

The Kamen Bryag Ebird Hotspot is now on 165 species although by the looks of it that does not include any of the rarities that we have found (which are presumably awaiting ratification). Hotspot data HERE. 

Yet another absolutely fantastic trip to Bulgaria and looking forward to returning next year to complete the pond, start building the lodge, planting out the garden, doing more recording/rarity hunting, the first Eastern BirdFair (which Arjun and I have been helping Pavel arrange)  and also looking forward to see Arjun's Cambridge University dissertation on the project too. Thanks to Arjun, Roger, Dylan, Pavel & Tatyana, Dimiter and the Mimoza Guesthouse for the great company and all the help as always. 

060125 Update: Nocturnal Sound Recordings from this trip by Arjun HERE. 

Dusky Warbler- superb! Since we started this project in 2021 we've now found Desert Wheatear, Little Bunting, Caspian Stonechat and Dusky Warbler in the neighbourhood. 

Juvenile White Pelican 

Pintails on the move

Juvenile Hobby

Lesser Whitethroat. Arjun has spent the last two weeks getting his ear in on all the ticks and tacks of the various migrants and picked the Dusky Warbler up on it's distinctive sharp and slightly wet tack call. 

Spotted Clover (above). Some epic insect migration today with well over 100 Scarce Bordered Straws and Silver Ys on a single shrub and 100s of Ruddy Darters everywhere with Painted Ladies, Clouded Yellows and Red Admirals around and Rush Veneers coming out of the grass everywhere we walked. Yesterday evening we had over 10 Convolvulus Hawkmoths feeding on flowers by the road and there have been plenty of moths in the trap too- will do a separate post about that but I think we've had 250 species of moths over the last two weeks with presumably some rarities in there too (once we identify the photo specimens).  

One of the many Convolvulus Hawkmoths around