POMORIE PUMPING STATION , LAKE AND SALT PANS - ALBENA RESORT - BALCHIK WHITE CLIFFS - KRAPETS
WEATHER: virtually the same as yesterday, rain to start, clearing later with lots of sunshine. Temp 5C - 22C
We had another day of transition today, moving from Burgas up the coast towards the border with Romania and passing through the large town of Varna.
Our pre-breakfast walk was just around the hotel and along the lane towards the beach. We saw several species but the highlight had to be the Marsh Warbler. Dancho tracked it down for us and we all had brief glimpses of it as it flitted around in the scrub.
Before we left the Burgas area we made a few stops in the seaside resort of Pomorie a few miles nothward. We stopped in the bay to scan the sea for passing migrant birds, we added three new species to the trip list there. First we found several Sandwich Terns feeding in the bay alongside Common and Little Terns. Then an Arctic Skua appeared, it chased the terns until they submitted their catch by throwing it up or dropping it from their bills. The Mediterranean Shag, (Gulosus aristotelis desmarestii) a subspecies of the Common Shag, (Gulosus aristotelis) was our third new sighting, we also saw Great and Pygmy Cormorants, Common and Little Terns and lots of gulls.
the group at the Pumping Station
At the pumping station lagoons we saw a lot of species but it was a disappointing visit because of the lack of waders. On the main lagoon we saw Garganey, Ferruginous Duck (4), Gadwall, Common Shelduck, Mute Swan (with chicks), Coots, a Purple Heron, Little Egret and Whiskered Terns.
Ferruginous Ducks with a Common Shelduck
In the reedbeds and scrub we saw Blackcap, Cetti's Warbler, Reed and Great Reed Warblers (heard), Sedge Warbler (seen) and quite a few Spanish Sparrows. The Bay held a few more species but not many. We recorded Eurasian Spoonbills, Little and Common Terns, Mallards, Avocet, Black-winged Stilts, Kentish Plover, Common Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and six Ruddy Turnstones. Careful searching produced Gull-billed Tern and a male Pintail, found by Paul and relocated by Guy the Guru.
Mute Swan with one of its 8 chicks
Marsh harriers drifted over and distant Short-toed Eagles hovered in the wind, a Cuckoo called and perched on the wires, Common Kestrel perched on a pole, Swifts, House Martins and Red-rumped Swallows dashed about picking up the abundant flying insects.
At Pomorie Salt Museum we ate our picnic lunch on the benches by the salt pans as we watched the huge tern colony in action. Sandwich, Common and Litle Terns all vied for real-estate space in order to build their nests whilst a number of Mediterranean Gulls looked on.
Black-winged Stilt
Pied Avocet
We left the area and put some miles on the clock heading for Varna, we noted many species along the way from the buses, these included Roller, Bee-eaters, Turtle Dove, Red-backed Shrikes and Marsh Harriers. Just before Varna we stopped for coffee and ice-cream and then we continued to our next stop, a wooded area inside the resort of Albena near the town of Belchik.
We spent an hour or so walking the wide trails through some interesting Ash Woodland, it was flooded in palces after the recent rains. We found Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers reasonably quickly but the Middle Spotted took a little tracking down. Eventually we found a family party of the Middle Spotted and enjoyed their company for a while. Other species seen or heard included: Spotted Flycatcher, Robin, Chaffinch, Blue and Great Tit, Jay, Short-toed Treecreeper (heard) and Semi-collared Flycatcher (h) and a few common species.
a fledged chick - Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Lastly we stopped near the town of Belchik ar some roadside 'White Cliffs' where over the years we have seen Eagle Owls. Today was no disappointment although we nearly gave up searching until Dancho found one, half hidded behind a tree.
Eurasian Eagle Owl playing hide and seek with us.
We continued our journey which was now running behind schedule, we arrived at the small village of Krapets at 7:15 pm. We had seen Golden Oriole, Common Pheasant, Marsh Harrier, Corn Bunting and much more from the bus windows. I think the total species count now exceeds 170, with three days to go.