Vultures and pelicans - Bulgaria in spring
Bulgaria, 9 days


Do you want to see pelicans, vultures, eagles and Eastern Mediterranean passerines on just one tour? Then come with us to Bulgaria to experience beautiful landscapes, fantastic bird species and friendly people. Our round trip takes you to the best places in the country from the Eastern Rhodope Mountains to the Black Sea Coast.
The Eastern Rhodope Mountains are famous for its breeding vultures and vulture feeding tables. The Sakar and Strandja Mountains along the Turkish border are a paradise for raptors and have an extraordinary biodiversity of fauna and flora. The Black Sea Coast is characterized by shallow lakes, coastal sand dunes, huge grasslands and beautiful riverine forests.

Day 1
After our arrival to Varna Airport we drive to Kavarna located in Dobrudja on the Black Sea Coast. After occupying our rooms time permitting we might visit the coast at Cape Kaliakra for European Shag, Yelkouan Shearwater, Arctic Skua and raptors.
Accommodation: Kavarna

Day 2
Today we visit the last remnants of the Great Steppe of Dobrudja at Yailata and Cape Kaliakra. Here the grasslands provide habitat for Long-legged Buzzard, Levant Sparrowhawk, Stone-Curlew, Calandra and Short-toed Lark, Tawny Pipit, Pied and Isabelline Wheatear, Lesser Grey Shrike, Rosy Starling and Black-headed Bunting. We might revisit the coastal cliffs for seabirds we missed the day before.
Accommodation: Kavarna

Day 3
We discover the famous Durankulak and Shabla Lakes not far from Kavarna. The lakes are located close to the sea and we can also explore coastal sand dunes and beaches. Many birds are found at the lakes including herons and egrets, Glossy Ibis, Pygmy Cormorant, Ruddy Shelduck, Ferruginous Duck, Marsh Sandpiper and Collared Pratincole. This is one of the few places in Europe where Paddyfield Warbler is breeding. The meadows around the lakes are the favourite places of Red-footed Falcon and Lesser Grey Shrike and the lakes are important stopover sites for thousands of migrating wildfowl, shorebirds and passerines.
Accommodation: Kavarna

Day 4
We drive south crossing the city of Varna. En route we stop at the Kamchia Reserve, an area around the Kamchia river mouth remarkable for its unique flooded forests, wide beaches with high sand dunes, freshwater marshes and old riverbeds. The varied habitats of the area attract Lesser Spotted and White-tailed Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Grey-headed and Middle-spotted Woodpecker, Semi-collared Flycatcher, Sombre Tit and Woodchat Shrike. By late afternoon we will reach our accommodation on the coast in the town of Nesebar.
Accommodation: Nesebar

Day 5
We spend two days in the region of Bourgas exploring the lakes of the area. Bourgas Lake and its surroundings are home to huge flocks of White Pelicans with Dalmatian Pelican possible as well. The shallow lagoons of Atanasovsko and Pomorie attract many shorebirds including Kentish Plover, Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Broad-billed and Marsh Sandpiper, Mediterranean and Slender-billed Gull, Gull-billed Tern. The freshwater Mandra Lake holds Squacco and Night Heron, White-winged and Whiskered Tern, Savi’s, Marsh and Cetti’s Warbler, Citrine Wagtail and Penduline Tit.
Accommodation: Nesebar

Day 6
We leave the wonderful area of Bourgas full of nice experiences and head west to the Eastern Rhodope Mountains. En route we drive through the Strandja Mountains in the extreme south-east corner of Bulgaria that is a stronghold for Booted Eagle, Roller, Bee-eater, Olive-tree Warbler, Semi-collared Flycatcher and Black-headed Bunting. Later we stop en route in the Sakar Mountains, an area of hills covered with broad-leaved forests and steppe grassland with scattered trees, bushes and agricultural land. Imperial, Short-toed, Lesser-spotted and Booted Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard, Levant Sparrowhawk, Roller, Calandra Lark, Eastern Orphean and Olive-tree Warbler, Sombre Tit and Masked Shrike inhabit this beautiful and lesser known area of Bulgaria.
Accommodation: Madjarovo in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains

Days 7-8
We will spend 2 full days in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains exploring the hills and valleys. Griffon Vulture is the most famous bird of this area as it is breeding here. We will visit the feeding tables for vultures in the morning where Griffon, Egyptian and European Black Vulture feed on carcasses along with Imperial and White-tailed Eagle. Other species in the region include Black Stork, Chukar, Pallid Swift, Red-rumped Swallow, Rock and Blue Rock Thrush, Black-eared Wheatear, Eastern Olivaceous, Eastern Orphean, Sardinian and Subalpine Warbler, Sombre Tit, Western Rock Nuthatch, Ortolan and Black-headed Bunting.
Accommodation: Madjarovo in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains

Day 9
Leaving the Eastern Rhodope Mountains we drive back to Varna or alternatively to Sofia to catch our plane back home.