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 A Birding Tour
in 
BULGARIA

in the late-Summer


A country where probably many birders have never been, 
but certainly a place with many birds to be seen.

We've done birding tours in Bulgaria in the past, 
and in 2008 we're doing so again! 

A Full Week in Superb Habitats, including forest, mountains, and marshlands,
with birds, particularly in a notable migration 

August 29 - September 6, 2008

(tour: FON/BU-2 '08) 


With an optional extension
to the Bosphorous 
in western Turkey

September 6-10, 2008

(tour: FON/TU-1 '08) 


 

Links:

Lists of Birds during previous FONT Tours
in:  Bulgaria  Europe

List of European Mammals

European Bird Photo Gallery

Itinerary:

Fri, Aug 29: Arrival in Sofia, Bulgaria. (For those coming from the US, an overnight flight having departed on Thu, Aug 28. )
Upon arrival in Sofia, we'll board an internal Bulgarian flight to the city of Varna, along the country's northern coast of the Black Sea. From Varna, there's a short drive to the town of Kavarna (along the coast), where the first 3 overnights of the tour will be spent.

       
The Black Sea Coast at Dobrudja (left) & "Mediterranean Shags" (right)

Sat, Aug 30: Birding in the area of coastal Dobrudja, at Cape Kaliakra and the Kamen Briag steppes and cliffs. These are good sites for the Calandra Lark, Stone Curlew, Shag (the subspecies P. a. desmarestii), swifts, seabirds, and concentrations of migrating Quails, Corncrakes, and passerines such as: Red-breasted Flycatcher, Tawny Pipit, and various warblers.
At a small marsh in the area, Pygmy Cormorant, and an assortment of ducks, grebes, and waders (shorebirds) occur. 
Kaliakra is a very good place for raptors including the Long-legged Buzzard, Saker Falcon, and Red-footed Falcon.

 

 
 
Calandra Lark
(Melanocorypha c. calandra),
photographed in Bulgaria.

Sun, Aug 31: More birding in coastal Dobrudja, at Durankulak and the Shabla Lakes. Three freshwater lakes, and a saline lagoon, are located in this northernmost corner of Bulgaria. They are rich in birdlife with a number of waterbirds (ducks & grebes, herons & egrets, and waders or shorebirds). Migrating passerines and raptors will also be present.  

Mon, Sep 1: This day we'll drive to the town of Nessebar, along the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, by way of the Kamchia riverside forests and Pomorie Lake. 
The Kamchia forests, and the nearby coast, are very good places for migrating waterbirds, raptors, and passerines. 6 species of woodpeckers are resident in the forest: Black, Grey-headed, Green, Middle-spotted, Lesser-spotted, and Great-spotted. 
At the Pomarie Lake wetland, numerous waders (shorebirds) are expected. This is the first of 4 nights accommodations in the town of Nessebar. 

  
Atanaskovsko Lake

Tue, Sep 2: Birding, this day, in the wetlands around Bourgas, in the area of Atanasovsko Lake. At this place, the cast of waterbirds will be different. The lagoon is quite saline. And, thus, among the birds, those that favor such habitat such as Slender-billed Gull, along with other gulls and terns, and waders. Also to be sought are raptors such as Lesser Spotted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Red-footed Falcon, the 3 European accipiter species, all of the European harriers, and possibly Steppe Eagle.
There will be good numbers of migrating Storks, both the White and the Black. Resident birds include the Cetti's Warbler and Bearded Tit.

Black Storks

Wed, Sep 3: More birding at wetlands around Bourgas, including Mandra Lake and Poda Lagoon, with a visit to the BSPB (Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds) visitor center. Among the birds there would be: large numbers of both Great White and Dalmatian Pelicans, Pygmy Cormorant, all of the European heron and egret species, Spoonbill, Pied Avocet, and various waterfowl.

As many as 4 species of Terns

Thu, Sep 4:  Birding in the area of Cape Emine, a place where, in mid-September, there are many migrating passerines: warblers, shrikes, wheatears, pipits, and others, along with the resident Sombre Tit, Rock Bunting, and Cirl Bunting.

Fri, Sep 5: A drive to Varna, via the Dyulinski Pass in the Eastern Balkan Mountains, where soaring birds on their migration can be seen, including: raptors, pelicans, and storks. Also some wetlands will be visited near Varna, for more birds, and some cliff-areas for Long-legged Buzzard and Eagle Owl. Our last overnight in Varna.  

Migrating Pelicans

Sat, Sep 6: Departure from the Varna Airport, on the Bulgarian domestic flight connecting to the international flight departing for home from Sofia, Bulgaria (with arrival in North America p.m. the same day).

Morning bird walks (before breakfast) are possible every day.



Following this tour is an optional extension to Turkey & the Bosphorous, for the outstanding migration of birds that occurs there in early September:

Sat, Sep 6:  Flight from Sofia, Bulgaria to Istanbul, Turkey. Overnight in Istanbul.

Sun, Sep 7 - Tue, Sep 9:  Birding in & near Istanbul during a period of prime bird migration. The Bosphorous is a narrow strait of water, between Europe and Asia. During the time of our visit, hundreds of thousands of birds pass through that area on their way south, notably raptors and storks. It'll be the peak of activity, and with appropriate weather conditions, we'll see vast numbers of soaring birds passing over the Camlice Hills and from Europe into Asia. Most of the raptors will be: Lesser Spotted, Booted, and Short-toed Eagles, European Honey-Buzzards, and Common Buzzards. There will also be numbers of Levant Sparrowhawks, Northern Goshawks, and Black Kites, with other probable species being: Red Kite, Griffon Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Eurasian Hobby, Lesser Kestrel, and Red-footed Falcon. Also, with these, there will be large flocks of both White Storks and Black Storks. In addition to the birds in the sky, we'll also, during our time in Istanbul, see other birds in the trees of the forest and other habitats. And, from a boat in the Bosphorous itself, among the waterbirds, there will be Yelkouan Shearwaters. To those who wish a list of the birds found during previous FONT tours in Turkey, we'll gladly send one. 
Overnights in Istanbul, certainly an interesting city in which to stay, beyond the birds.

Wed, Sep 10: Departure for home.                          
    

Price for the Bulgaria tour: US$ 2,095, per person, based upon double occupancy. 
Single-supplement: $295.

Includes: All overnight accommodations, meals (Aug 29-Sep 5), and land transportation (by bus or van) within Bulgaria. Services of the local, Bulgarian leader/birding guide.

Does not include: Drinks and other items of a personal nature. Gratuities. International flights to/from Bulgaria and the round-trip domestic flight in Bulgaria.


Price for the Turkey tour:  US$ 1,050, per person, based upon double occupancy.
Single-supplement: $195

Includes: All overnight accommodations, meals (Sep 7-9), and land & boat transportation. Services of the birding guide.

Does not include: Drinks and other items of a personal nature. Gratuities. International flights to/from Turkey.   

A deposit of US$ 400 is required to reserve a place on the Bulgaria tour.

A deposit of $US200 is required to reserve a place on the Turkey extension.  

Arrival on the international flight into Bulgaria would be by mid-day Aug. 29, to be there for an afternoon flight (after 3pm) from Sofia to Varna. For those arriving in Sofia a day early (Aug 28), arrangements can be made for an overnight hotel accommodation in Sofia.        

Tour to be led by Dimiter Georgiev, an expert Bulgarian birding guide, very familiar with the birds and where they are.

Armas Hill, who has birded in Europe numerous (over 40) times, will be co-leading the tour.