Birdwatching Trip Report from Bulgaria - The Black Sea Coast
Birdwatching Trip Report from Bulgaria - The Black Sea Coast
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A telescope is very useful at this site. A track leads of to the left (west) towards a clump of trees, and there bear left again keeping a small pond on your left. After breakfast I travelled north to Cape Emine and in the afternoon south down the E87 to Pomorie Lake, stopping at Aheloi on the way. Although it does not look so, the railway is in use so cross with care and walk north along the track from about 50 metres. As this is a Ramsar site with written permission required from the Ministry of Environment before entering except at specific points, I was reluctant to cross fences or closed gates. At Gorno Ezerovo go left to bypass the village and shortly afterwards the road gives good views across the lake. At the northern end of the industrial area there is an inconspicuous road leading off at a right angle to the west. At the southern end, the E87 crosses the river and immediately to the left (east) there is jetty where one can hire boats down to the river mouth. At the traffic lights turn right and proceed through Meden Rudnik towards Sredec . Being on the package holiday circuit it is easy to get to, prices are reasonable and the infrastructure makes easy access to major sites. By continuing along the road you come to the western end of the lake which has water meadows and an old fish farm. By turning east toward Pomorie town the southern part of the lake can be accessed by then taking the first left on reaching the town, then sharp right and then first left in to a cul-de-sac. Care is required, particularly when turning back on to the road, as this is a straight stretch and traffic will be travelling fast. Continue through Balgarevo to the car park at the Cape. Continuing east through the village of Dimchevo you will reach the mouth of the Izvorska River which is a designated nature reserve. Depending on your time of arrival, there may be a small toll to pay when you reach the Cape. Do not take the first sign on the south side of Kavarna as this leads into the centre of town. Follow this road until it turns sharp right and passes over a small tree lined stream and then continue to the Cape and park close to the military installation. For example, the wooded areas in the north of Sunny Beach mentioned by Petar Iankov have disappeared under hotels and his advice to simple stop by the road side is no longer possible in some areas because of changes in road structure. For people staying in the Sunny Beach area it can easily be combined with a visit to Cape Kaliakra. From the south, travel north along the E87 until reaching Kavarna and then look out for the signs to Cape Kaliakra . Heavy rain showers curtailed birding in the late afternoon so I returned the rental car and checked in at the airport for the return flight. However, I did see Semicollared Flycatcher here, which was easily located by its call in the riverside trees. I circuited Mandra lake before returning back to Elenite via Pomorie Lake. I did not find this area very rewarding as I can not find a way beyond the resort, but it may be that I did not explore sufficiently. I did not have time to do any detailed planning and the timing was a bit late for spring migration, with just a trickle of shore birds passing through and few passerines. I found Semicollared Flycatcher and Middle Spotted Woodpecker easy to see here. I had a flock of 200 Great White Pelicans in the water meadows. In addition to a good range of breeding species, it looks as though it can be exciting during migration periods. In less developed areas, such as Cape Ermine and Shabla , the information in these books is still 100% accurate. In the end, it was very successful, passed expectations and I will certainly consider a return trip. Instead, bypass the town and take the second sign on the right hand side (east) and turn back on that road towards the southeast. It has the reputation of being an excellent birding area with a variety of habitats, but I was disappointed as I was not able to find access to the woodlands. It is crossed by the E87 but at that point it is a fast dual carriage way with little or no roadside access. It is easily viewed from the E87, and apart from the full range of Bulgarian heron species it has a breeding colony of Pygmy Cormorants towards its southern end and in some years Red-necked Grebe. It is frustratingly difficult to get close to the water or the reed beds. It is possible to drive right round the lake, but the more interesting areas are along the southeast shore. It is possible to get a view of the lake from the hills north of Tvardica. It is possible to turn off the E87 on the north side on to a disused road to park. It is possible to walk along the east side of the river to the lake shore. Many of the lagoons can be viewed from the E87 and there are a few places where it is possible to pull off the road. Near the village of Debelt turn left (south) to round the end of the lake and follow the road through forest until it comes down to the lake again at the mouth of the Fakijska River . On my first visited I had two singing birds but neither showed. On my visit there was a pair of Eurasian Penduline-Tits nesting in the trees by the road. Some of the information for the fast developing tourist areas is no longer valid. Soon after the end of the dual carriage way a small cream, flat roofed building will be seen on the left hand side (north) of the road. The alternative is to turn left before reaching Marinka, pass through Tvardica and after crossing a causeway over Mandra Lake pass through Meden Rudnik and so back to Burgas. The best access strategy is to take the E87 through Burgas following the signs for Sozolpol and after driving along the eastern shore of the lake take a right turn (west) at the first major set of traffic lights. The birds are very easy to see from the road or around the archaeological ruins at the end of the Cape. The birds skulk deep in the shrubbery so that the best strategy is to locate them by song and then sit and wait in the hope that they will show themselves. The eastern side of the E87 gives access to the shore of the Black Sea. The marsh can also be accessed from a side road running along its western edge. The marsh is heavily vegetated with very little open water but looks good for heron species including Black-crowned Night-Heron. The more direct route is to continue on the road to Marinka and then turn left (north) to join the E87 near Poda. The only bird of note I had here was the only Little Bittern of the trip. The road, which is in poor condition but passable, passes through forest and it is worth stopping to bird the forest and also at the bridge where the road crosses the stream. The roadsides have been protected with steel barriers so that it is no longer possible to park by the road as recommended by Iankov. The whole area was fenced from the road and I was unable to find the access to the marsh at the northern end at Arkuitno . There is a small parking area at the end of the road. There is a lay-by on the east side of the road and a number of paths leading off into the forest. There is a choice of two routes back to Burgas from this point. There is a restaurant set in the cliffs on the south side of the Cape. There is ample parking on the sea side of the road. There is limited access to the woodland at this point. This is a straight road; opposite a petrol station on the right hand side of the road take the left hand turn (east) towards Balgarevo . This is the BSPB centre and is reached by taking a short unsurfaced track leading off the E87. This road runs parallel to the eastern shore of the lake but separated from it by fields and an industrial area. This should be done with care, as the road is busy. This will lead you to a sluice which can be crossed giving access to a dyke with views over the reed beds and lake. To the right of the track there is a wooded gully running down to the sea. Turn east through the village and proceed through Novo Orjahovo after which the road enters the forest, then turn north on a narrow single-track road immediately before Camping Izgrev , which is marked by a large sign. Two hundred metres along the reed bed I located a Paddyfield Warbler by song and by waiting patiently on the edge of the reeds I was able to obtain good views. Unfortunately, this meant that we did not have time to arrange a comparable tour for the spring, so this trip to Bulgaria was something of a stop gap.
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