questions for a trip to Bulgaria in August (1 Viewer)

[Steve Babbs]

Just starting to plan a, probably three week trip. Anyone got any thougths on a few questions?

semi-collared flycatcher - from the reports I have it seems that this is going to be difficult in august. Is that correct?
eastern imperial eagle - is Eastern Rhodopes or Studen Kladec? does anyone have any 'tighter' gen?
rock partridge - any good sites?

any advice much appreciated (as long as it doesn't contain the words 'you should hire a guide' )

cheers

 

[steve west]

ANd why not hire for a day, Steve? I doubt it will break your bank, while there are a number of advantages: getting to see the birds you want with the minimum hassle, encouraging positive attitudes towards nature conservation by raising the profile of ecotourism among the rural population, providing a little moral and financial support to the local bird/nature guides (often the staunchest nature conservationists in the area), getting excellent insight into the birds, the countryside, the country, etc.

All that comes damn cheap, especially if we're talking about the going rates in Bulgaria!

Steve
http://www.BirdinginSpain.com

 

[Steve Babbs]

personal taste i just prefer not having guides i have hired them in the past, a couple of days in a couple of years spent in foreign countries but it never felt right. every one to their own way.

 

[Strandman]

Just starting to plan a, probably three week trip. Anyone got any thougths on a few questions?

semi-collared flycatcher - from the reports I have it seems that this is going to be difficult in august. Is that correct?
eastern imperial eagle - is Eastern Rhodopes or Studen Kladec? does anyone have any 'tighter' gen?
rock partridge - any good sites?

any advice much appreciated (as long as it doesn't contain the words 'you should hire a guide' )

cheers

Hello there- the best general area by far for Imperial Eagle is the Sakar mountains- only isolated pairs elsewhere although increasing under protection. Beyond that, drop me a PM if interested.

There's also a a well-known (but not by me- I've not been to it) souslik colony in the Sliven area which is reportedly good for wandering immatures etc. and other raptors in late summer and autumn.

 

[balkantrek]

As Ed says, the Sakar Mountains are 'The Place' for Imperial Eagle. There is a major on-going conservation project in the region aimed at protecting the population there. For more information you contact the head of the project there: [email protected]
There are several other good sites dotted around the country, it really depends on your travel plans and itinerary.

The same is true for the other species you mention.

The so-called Goritza Forest along the road through the mountains between Sunny Beach and Varna has always been a recommended spot for Semi-collared Flycatcher. The species can also be seen in some of the other coastal woodlands, as well as at sites in the 'Central Balkan' National Park.

For Rock Partridge, the 'Chervenata Stena' Reserve and Trigrad Karst region in the Western Rodopi are good spots.

If you have any other questions about birding in Bulgaria or need any detailed maps to help with your planning, then you are welcome to drop me a pm.

 

[Steve Babbs]

Thanks. My travel plans and itinerary rather depend on where the birds are. It's a family trip so I've promised up to 2 weeks on the coast - near good birding spots of course - the rest of the time I have free to travel to where necessary. My wife has spent a lot of the 20+ years she has been with me being dragged around the world seeing birds and my children are amazingly good travellers. We're all into mammals so a souslik colony holds a lot of appeal for them alone. If they could be combined with eagles that sounds like an ideal site.

Ed I'm not sure if you remember me but we used to bump into each other quite a bit, in Suffolk, in the eighties.

Cheers

 

[Strandman]

Thanks. My travel plans and itinerary rather depend on where the birds are. It's a family trip so I've promised up to 2 weeks on the coast - near good birding spots of course - the rest of the time I have free to travel to where necessary. My wife has spent a lot of the 20+ years she has been with me being dragged around the world seeing birds and my children are amazingly good travellers. We're all into mammals so a souslik colony holds a lot of appeal for them alone. If they could be combined with eagles that sounds like an ideal site.

Ed I'm not sure if you remember me but we used to bump into each other quite a bit, in Suffolk, in the eighties.

Cheers

Hello there- I do indeed remember those days. I was expecting to be nipping up the coast this weekend for the now annual dose of Little Auks but they don't seem quite to be on the move yet.