Tours
Bulgaria - Mountain & Marshland Birding - Autumn Tour
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Min Group Size: 2
Max Group Size: 8
Internal Flights: 
Accomodation: Hotels or Lodges
Fitness Level: ** Some short walks on good flat paths
Wheelchair Friendly:
Price:€ 895.00
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Operator: Anytime Tours
Location: Bulgaria
Duration: 7 days
From : Mon 01st Sep 2008 to Sun 30th Nov 2008
Description:
You simply cannot find another European country where you can get face to face with such a diversity and richness of avifauna. When a tour like this is over, your checklist will usually exceed 200 species. And what a checklist at that; listing such rarities as: Dalmatian Pelican, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, Pygmy Cormorant, Black Stork, Ferruginous Duck, Egyptian, Black and Griffon Vultures, Levant Sparrowhawk, Long-legged Buzzard, White-tailed Eagle, Golden and Eastern Imperial Eagles, Lesser-spotted, Booted and Short-toed Eagles, Red-footed Falcon, Chukar, Little and Spotted Crakes, Slender-billed Gull, Eagle and Scops Owls, Pallid Swift, Roller and Hoopoe, Calandra Lark, Red-rumped Swallow, Black-headed Yellow Wagtail, Pied and Isabeline Wheatear, Paddyfield, Olive-tree, Olivaceous and Barred Warblers, Semi-collared Flycatcher, Sombre Tit, Rock Nuthatch, Wallcreeper, Lesser Grey and Masked Shrikes, Rose-coloured Starling, Black-headed and Ortolan Buntings - to name but a few!Why we think you should book with us:
For many years Nikolay has operated the only state registered Bulgarian specialist birding company...Special Target Species:
Itinerary:
The Autumn TourDay 1: Varna - Danube River
After the landing at Varna Airport , our tour begins with the transfer to Danube river and it’s 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 etc. During the transfer we’ll have the opportunity to see Black Storks, Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrikes , Syrian Woodpecker and Green Woodpecker, & White Storks etc. Accommodation for 2 nights in a guest house, situated in the small village of Vetren.
Day 2: Danube River and its Lakes & Marshes
All day long we’ll be in the region, watching local and migrant birds. We’ll have the possibility to see many migrating raptors, white storks / late August & early September / , pelicans, small birds. Packed lunch for the day.
Day 3: Danube River - Black Sea coast
On the way we will stop at many places to watch local and migrating birds. Likely encounters are Lesser Spotted, Booted, & Short-toed Eagles, Hobbies, Black Storks, White Storks, & Syrian Woodpeckers, etc. In the late afternoon we arrive at the seashore. Accommodation for 2 nights at local hotel. Packed lunch for the day.
Day 4: Black Sea coast
Today we visit a big lake and the seashore. The steppe along it is the southernmost outreach of the real East-European steppe. As far as the eye can see there is only steppe interspersed here and there with shrubs and small stunted trees. Unexpectedly deep valleys cut through the steppe. The coast is rocky, with abrupt white and reddish-orange cliffs falling away from over 200m into the clear bluish-green depths of the sea below. Interesting bird species to watch there include White Pelicans, Lesser Spotted, Booted, & Short-toed Eagles, Harriers, Long-legged Buzzard, Red-footed Falcons, & thousands of small birds. Packed lunch for the day.
Day 5: Black Sea coast - Salt Pans
After the packed lunch we travel again along the sea shore. The next 3 nights we will spend at another hotel, overlooking the sea and the local saltpans. During the transfer , we will concentrate on spotting Great, Middle and Lesser Spotted, Grey-headed, Green, and Black Woodpeckers. Lunch in a local restaurant.
Day 6: Black Sea coast
All day long we will be around the local lakes with extensive reed-beds. There are flooded meadows, marshes, low hills, and oak forest in surrounding countryside. These diverse habitats make this region one of the best in Europe for wetland and other species of birds. Species of birds likely to be seen there are the same as on day 4 so we hope to pick up any species we missed before.
Day 7: Black Sea Coast
Today we’ll visit a hilly region , close to the sea shore. Interesting bird species to watch will be the same as in day 7, also flocks of raptors, pelicans storks, and thousands of pipits, wagtails, swallows etc. Packed lunch for the day.
Day 8: Departure
After the breakfast a transfer to Varna airport follows , where our tour is over this tour to see Middle Spotted and Lesser-Spotted Woodpeckers, Grey-headed and Black Woodpeckers, Sombre Tit and some other species. After an hour or two of birdwatching we transfer to Sofia for your flights home.