January - September 2011

Pygmy Cormorants in Blagoevgrad wetlands during autumn migration

Posted by Rossen 

On 22th and 25th September near Blagoevgrad observed Pygmy Cormorants during the autumn migration. The small flock of 21 birds saw on island of Struma river covered with dense vegetation of willow and reedmace.

Observation of rare waders

Posted by Rossen 

In late August I had the opportunity to observe rare waders migrating through the valley of the Struma River. The little flock of four Black-winged Stilts (one young and three adult  birds) used wetlands near Blagoevgrad for accumulation of food base before re-take south to wintering areas.

Summer bird observations 2011

Posted by Rossen

June
Masked Shrike - 4 n. - IBA Kresna gorge	breeding
Black-eared Wheatear - 4 n. - Tisata reserve (IBA Kresna gorge)	breeding
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - 1 n. - IBA Kresna gorge	breeding
Woodchat Shrike - 6 n. - IBA Kresna gorge	breeding
Lesser Whitethroat - 3 n. - IBA Kresna gorge	breeding
July
Spotted Nutcracker - 12 n. - Tiha Rila - Dolen Govedarnik (Rila Monastery Nature park)
Common Crossbill - 4 n. - Tiha Rila (Rila Monastery Nature Park)
Water Pipit - 5 n. - Fish lakes (Rila Monastery Nature Park)
Yellow-billed Chough - 2 n. - Fish lakes (Rila Monastery Nature Park)
Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus) - 18 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Whiskered Tern - 1 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands
Sombre Tit - 1 n. - near Dabrava
August
Wood Sandpiper - 21 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
White Stork - 57 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Black Stork - 2 n. - IBA Boboshevo meadows
European Honey Buzzard - 1 n. - IBA Boboshevo meadows
Black-headed Gull (Immature) - 9 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Little Gull (Immature) - 1 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Short-toed Snake Eagle - 2 n. -Blagoevgrad wetlands
White Stork - 11 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Yellow-billed Chough - 5 n. -Jumerdjika lakes (IBA Rila)
Whinchat - 2 n. - Jumerdjika lakes (IBA Rila)
Black Redstart - 1 n. - Jumerdjika lakes (IBA Rila)
Water Pipit - 2 n. - Jumerdjika lakes (IBA Rila)
Peregrine Falcon - 1 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	vagrant
European Bee-eater - 23 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Black-winged Stilt - 4 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Hoopoe - 7 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Greenshank - 1 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Common Snipe - 3 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands
Yellow-billed Chough - 3 n. - Moussala (IBA Rila)
Alpine Accentor - 5 n. - Ledenoto lake (IBA Rila)
Eleonora's Falcon - 1 n. - Tisata reserve (IBA Kresna gorge)
Curlew Sandpiper - 1 n. - Stoykovtsi Dam	migratory
Eurasian Teal - 6 n. - Stoykovtsi Dam	migratory
Sombre Tit - 1 n. - IBA Kresna gorge
Ruff (Immature) - 1 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory

 

 

Migration of gulls over Struma river

 Posted by Rossen

The beginning of autumn migration, as always, began with observations of flocks of gulls over the Struma River. On 17.07.2011 a flock of 18 Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus) migrated over Blagoevgrad wetlands, followed by a small flock of 9 immature Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus), among them and one immature Little Gull (Larus minutus).

 

Osprey migration

  
Posted by Rossen

This spring, the observations of migratory Osprey over Blagoevgrad wetlands was not rarity. A total of five separate sightings of Osprey make in March and April. The most exciting observation was in April of Osprey hunting, which stays around for a week. 

Eurasian Golden Plover

Posted by Rossen

On 13.03.2011 observed four of migrating Eurasian Golden Plover in Blagoevgrad wetlands on the sandbar formed after the last flood of the Struma in December 2010. Bad weather during the day were apparently forced the little flock to stop and use the site to accumulation a food base before again make the long way to breeding grounds in the tundra. This is the first recorded observation of Eurasian Golden Plover in Blagoevgrad wetlands.

Pluvialis apricaria altifrons

Spring bird observations 2011

Posted by Rossen

February
Griffon Vulture - 3 n. -IBA Kresna Gorge	breeding
Eurasian Coot - 450 n. -Stoykovtsi Dam	wintering
Northern Pintail - 2 n. - Stoykovtsi Dam	wintering
Eurasian Wigeon - 4 n. - Stoykovtsi Dam	wintering
Northern Lapwing - 2 n. - Stoykovtsi Dam	wintering
Common Snipe - 17 n. - Stoykovtsi Dam	wintering
Hen harrier - 3 n. - Stoykovtsi Dam	wintering
Great Crested Grebe - 13 n. - Stoykovtsi Dam	wintering
Little Grebe - 17 n. - Stoykovtsi Dam	wintering
March
Mute Swan - 1 n. - Stoykovtsi Dam	migratory
Eurasian Golden Plover - 4 n. -Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Common Blackbird (Leucism), Park Bachinovo
Osprey - 1 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Short-toed Snake Eagle - 1 n. - near Barakovo
Common Snipe - 15 n. - near Stob	wintering
Eurasian Wryneck - 1 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands
April
Greenshank - 3 n. --Stoykovtsi Dam	migratory
Mediterranean Gull - 2 n. - Stoykovtsi Dam	migratory
Garganey - 13 n. - Stoykovtsi Dam	migratory
Black Stork - 1n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands
Ruff - 18n. - Struma River near Krumovo	migratory
Short-toed Snake Eagle - 3 n. - Struma River near Krumovo
Osprey - 1n. -Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Osprey  - 2 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Osprey (left to hunt around for one week) - 1 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Ferruginous duck - 2 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Purple Heron - 2 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Night Heron - 9 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Black Tern - 6 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
May
Roller - 1 n. - IBA Rupite
Hobby - 2 n. - IBA Rupite
Long-legged Buzzard - 2 n. - IBA Rupite
Marsh Harrier - 1n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Squacco Heron - 3 n. -Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Short-toed Snake Eagle - 2 n. -Blagoevgrad wetlands
Short-toed Snake Eagle - 1n. - Smochevo village
European Nightjar - 2 n. - Moshtanets village
Whiskered Tern - 1 n. - Stoykovtsi Dam	migratory
Whiskered Tern - 7 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Eurasian Stone-curlew - 1 n. - Blagoevgrad wetlands	migratory
Barred Warbler - 1n. -near Dragodan	breeding
Levant Sparrowhawk - 1n. - near Poleto