Itinerary:

• The Spring Tour


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Day 1: Flights to Sophia and transfer to Rodopi mountain

We`ll be staying for 1 night at local hotel, which is situated amidst pine forests at an altitude of 1500m. Birds to be seen in the hotel vicinity include: Common Crossbill, Rock Bunting, Pallid Swift, Nutcracker etc. During the transfer few stops with good opportunities to spot White Stork, Honey Buzzard, Hoopoe, Syrian Woodpecker, & Red-backed Shrike, etc.

Days 2: Rodopi Mountains

After an early breakfast we`ll pack up and head for a magnificent gorge. This area is part of the Rodopi Mountains but it is something quite different form the rounded hills covered with coniferous forests around the hotel. The first thing that impresses the visitor are the huge cliffs towering above and the deep rocky valley, where the meandering local river can hardly be seen. Strange trees of a local subspecies of Black Pine ? Pinus nigra ? grow right out of the rocks where there is no soil for their roots. All the time while we are there we cannot help but stand in awe before the nature`s grandeur. Unfortunately, this is only a poor and sketchy description of this extraordinary place with its caverns and the rumble of its waterfalls. One can hardly imagine the gorge beauty if one does not see it with one`s own eyes.

This exceptionally beautiful area is 1200 m above sea level. Welcome to the land of the Wallcreeper. This is simply the best and the most accessible place in Europe or maybe in the world to see this marvelous bird that reminds one of an enormous butterfly in flight. It is here where after a short and easy walk along the road for about 2 km, that we hope to see this wonderful bird. After lunch we will travel to the next main stop for the trip. The road is not long but it`s very slow, because we are in the Rodopi Mountains. You will notice with amazement how kilometer after kilometer the mountain changes, the conifers are replaced by mixed forests and afterwards by pure deciduous stands, and the trees become smaller and stunted. Then come the shrubs followed by bare rocky hills and finally the huge cliffs. The world of the large birds of prey lies before us. We?ll be saying for 2 nights at the local hotel. There are good opportunities to watch Black and White Storks, Spanish Sparrow, Lesser Grey Shrike, Red-rumped Swallow & Scops Owl. Lunch in the local mountain hut.

Day 3: Rodopi Mountains

The next visit is to a rocky region close to our hotel. The area is of ancient volcanic origin with stony ground, huge rocks scattered around, small stunted shrubs and almost complete lack of wild growing mature trees. This part of the Rodopi Mountains is well known as one of Europe`s most important regions for birds of prey. We will spend all day birdwatching around and hopefully will see Golden, Imperial, Booted and Short-toed Eagles, Long-legged Buzzard, Black, Egyptian and Griffon Vultures and many species of smaller birds like Pallid Swift, Rock Nuthatch, Rock and Blue Rock Thrushes, Roller, Bee-eater, Red-rumped Swallow, Lesser Grey and Woodchat Shrikes, Sombre Tit, Cirl, Black-headed and Ortolan Buntings, Barred, Sub-alpine, Sardinian and Orphean Warblers. Packed lunch for the day.

Days 4: Rodopi Mountains to Black Sea coast

Again a long but necessary transfer, this time to the lowlands along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. We will stay for 1 nights at local hotel, situated almost on the beach, overlooking the local saltpans. This is the most important area in Bulgaria for large and small migrating birds from the huge region of Central and Eastern Europe during the spring and autumn migrations. While on the move we will have plenty of time for stops to look for specialties like Masked Shrike, Olive-tree Warbler, Lesser Spotted Eagle, & Montagu`s Harrier. Packed lunch for the day.

Day 5: Black Sea coast

After breakfast we?ll visit the local lakes, with their extensive reed-beds. There are flooded meadows, marshes, low hills, and oak forests in the surrounding countryside. These diverse habitats make this region one of the best in Europe for wetland and other species of birds. There we can spot Pygmy Cormorant, Night, Squacco, Purple and Grey Herons, Little Egret, White Pelican, Slender-billed, Mediterranean and Little Gulls, Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Sombre Tit, Grey-headed and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers, White-tailed Sea Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Honey Buzzard, & Short-toed Eagle.

After the packed lunch we travel again to the north. The next 2 nights we will spend at another hotel. The hotel is outside of small town, perched on a hill just above the sea. Two nice wooded valleys can also be seen from the hotel. We will have very good opportunities to watch Golden Oriole, Bee-eaters, Roller, Syrian Woodpecker, Hobby, & Levant Sparrowhawk. On the way north we will stop at oak forest , where we will concentrate on spotting Great, Middle and Lesser Spotted, Grey-headed, Green, and Black Woodpeckers, and, if we have some good luck, the rare White-backed Woodpecker as well as Short-toed Treecreeper.

Day 6: Lakes & Marsh

After an early breakfast a visit to a lake follows. It`s a very important wetland area for the breeding, migrating and wintering birds with its extensive reed-beds and open water area. Here we will be most interested to spot Paddy-field Warbler, Collared Pratincole, Spotted and Little Crakes, Pygmy Cormorant, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, Ferruginous Duck, Little and Great Bitterns, Gull-billed and Caspian Terns, Bearded Tit, Red-footed Falcon, Levant Sparrowhawk, & Long-legged Buzzard. After the packed lunch we visit to a local steppe region. This is a coastal headland. Its white and reddish cliffs descend precipitously into the depths of the sea from a height of over 200m. Inland, the sky above the rolling steppe is dotted with slow-flapping Calandra and Short-toed Larks. Almost everywhere, perched on small shrubs we can see Lesser Grey and Red-backed Shrikes, Black-headed and Corn Buntings. This is also the region where, sometimes, Rose-coloured Starlings appear during their periodic invasions from Asia.

Day 7: Dobrudja

After an early breakfast we continue with the observation in the steppes. The habitat suits Isabeline and Pied Wheatears and Stone curlew. After the packed lunch we drive inland , we`ll cross the Dobrudza steppes to reach the Danube river valley, with its famous lakes. Its extensive reed-beds give perfect shelter for the globally threatened Dalmatian Pelican, as well as Ferruginous duck, Pygmy cormorant and a number of other more or less rare birds such as Red-necked and Black-necked Grebes, Purple, Squacco and Night Herons, Marsh Harrier, & Penduline Tit. Lesser-Spotted Eagle, Levant Sparrowhawk, & Goshawk breed in the broad-leaved forests around the lake. Ruddy Shellduck also breed in the banks of the small dry valleys around the lake. Late afternoon we arrive in a small village , where an accommodation for two nights , at local guest house, follows.

Day 8: River Danube & its Lakes

All day long we?ll be close to Danube river, around the local lakes and marshlands. We`ll visit also a bee-eater`s colony. Possible birds for the day : as day 7.

Day 9: The Balkan

After the breakfast we head south to the Balkan mountains, where we can visit an open-air museum . We will stay overnight at the local Hotel (built in the traditional Bulgarian architectural style). There is a restaurant at the hotel offering Bulgarian national dishes and drinks. At the open-air museum those interested can have a look at our old Bulgarian crafts and buy some typical Bulgarian souvenirs. Here is one of the last opportunities on this trip to see the Dipper, Sombre Tit and some more Woodpeckers.

Day 10: Danube to Sofia

• Transfer to Sofia, where our tour is over.

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