Exciting News!! More Red-breasted Geese Arriving!!


Today, January the 18th 2012, after two days of cold weather (-7 C), a flock of about 1500 Red-breasted Geese flew in from the sea near Shabla Lake and continued inland. At noon additional small flocks of red-breasted geese ranging from 50 to 120 birds flew in from the Black Sea in front of Durankulak Lake and after a traditional flight over the lake they landed in a harvested maize field near the south-eastern part of the lake. The field was already full of newly arrived flock of White-fronted Geese (about 8,000 birds), suggesting the severe winter in Russia and the Ukraine are finally pushing the geese towards their traditional wintering grounds. We hope this is only the vanguard of many more red-breasted geese en route to Bulgaria!

Other waterbirds observed included: 12 red-breasted mergansers; 3 eiders in the sea(at Cape Kaliakra); 2500 mallards; 220 pochards; 212 tufted ducks; 53 wigeons; 2150 coots; 42 mute swans; 26 black-necked grebes; 160 creasted grebes; 14 little grebes; 6 black-throated divers; 123 pygmy cormorants and 280 cormorants. Several species of raptors and songbirds were also observed, adding to enjoyment of conducting the surveys including 3 White-tailed Eagles, 4 Merlins, 1 Perregrine, several Sparrowhawks, Hen and Marsh Harriers and 1 Long-legged Buzzard. Several stops along the Black Sea coast gave us the opportunity to find a number of good species, including 2 Spanish Sparrows, 7 Golden Plovers, 12 Medow Pipits, 200 Calandra Larks, many Corn Buntings and, in particular, 2 Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena)and a Wild Cat were also spotted near the village of Tyulenovo.

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