Birds Butterflies and a dark cloud

I have not blogged for a little while as I have been busy with guiding groups and other work, sorry!

We recently had a couple from the West Highlands of Scotland, Margret & Monte, who are very keen birders and well into butterflies. Well what I know about these you can write on an old "Yak Pee" bag.

However, they arrived late afternoon after a long drive from Samokov nr Sofia. Quite a nice couple I thought, really soft spoken and ready for birding!

After dropping their kit off in their room, followed by a cuppa and a piece of my Ali's wonderful cake, I offered to take them up to my patch for a little birding. We took the footpath up to the lower part of my patch, although not a Hot Spot area it can throw up some good birding.

Birds seen;- Red-rumped Swallow...Blackbird...Hooded Crow...Wryneck...Great Spotted Woody...Mistle Thrush...Chaffinch...Buzzard...Red-Backed Shrike...Corn Bunting...Corn Crake...Coal Tit...Ring Ouzel...Lesser-Whitethroat...Magpie...Syrian Woody...Robin...Chiffchaff...Cirl Bunting...Woodchat Shrike...Lesser-Grey Shrike...Spotted Flycatcher...House Martin...Crested Tit...Pallid Swift & Nightingale.

Day 2, A trip to Trigrad gorge, famous for the elusive Wallcreeper, an early breakfast & an early start to make the most of the day. So two cups of "Yak Pee" later, we arrive in Trigrad after about an hours drive. 

Already there are a number of birders from all over Europe, Dutch, German, Italian some Bulgarian bird photographers, two English and now us. To our advantage I know this place and where the Wallies go, and over the years their behaviour patterns.

The photographers were set up just below the nest hole of the "Wallies" & took up all the available space, some of the others were on another guided tour & I knew that they would not have a lot of time as the tours do rush around trying to get as many ticks as possible.

So with all this going on I decided to take my party to a rather under estimated spot. It is right on the road-side up against a barrier, because of the 100ft drop, I pointed out that if they were to concentrate on the opposite rock face, about 15mts up there is a small grassy ledge, keep looking there as this is where I normally see both male & females feeding.

We had only been there for about 10mins when not only one but both parent birds came into view. They where in a courtship flight, rekindling their partnership, going from left to right up the gorge. After a brief 2 mins of viewing, the female came back along the same route, back to the nest site (photographers happy). Monte tried to get nearer to them, but it was dangerous as cars would not see him, so I told him to come back to our spot and wait a while. He did not have to wait long..the male bird came back the same way as before, so this was the feeding flightpath.

We had goods observations over the next 2 hours, so all in all a good start, but I wanted to move on. There is not only the Wallcreepers to see at Trigrad, If you know where to look, and I did!!

There is an old Roman road that leads up to an Alpine meadow, the views along are worth the hike, but so is the birding. Only the locals know how to find the start of this track, and I was known to a lot of locals as a friend, so the info was passed on to me, good eh!
After a steep but steady climb, the track breaks out onto this amazing panoramic vista, and yes WOW factor plus.
We spent the next 4 hours up here, and it got the 10 out of 10 rating, birds seen that day:- Wallcreeper...Peregrine, nest site...Alpine Swift...Crag Martin...Red-Rumped Swallow...House martin...Black Stork...Black-Headed Bunting...Black-Headed Wagtail (Feldegg)...Grey Wagtail...Honey Buzzard...Coal Tit...Long-Legged Buzzard...White Wagtail...Yellowhammer...Chiffchaff...Black Redstart...Cmn Buzzard...Cerin...Goldcrest...Bullfinch...Chaffinch...Cetti's, Olivaceous, Willow & Icterine Warblers...Blackbird...Hooded Crow...Wheatear...Red-Backed Shrike...Lesser-Grey Shrike...Isabeline Wheatear...Wood Lark...Short-Toed Lark...Robin...House Sparrow...
Linnet...Dunnock...Dipper...Sombre Tit...Great Tit...Swift...Skylark & Wren.
Now all this is brill, but what of the dark cloud thing, oh yes! All the time we are birding M & M, as they became known, were bloody butterfly spotting!!! Do you know how time consuming this is? Not only were they spotting, but Mont, with his new bloody camera 
( he didnt know how to use it, it was new) Insisted on snapping away at everyone of them, I mean come on, I got a job to do. Right, so getting back to the dark thing, well remember I said I thought they were nice etc: well it turns out they have this dark secret...............
Everywhere they go on holiday....they leave a trail of horror, it always bloody RAINS!!!!!!
For heavens sake, the day they arrived, the weather changed from hot & sunny to Crap.
I took no notice, after all it happens, not nice but there you go. Trigrad hot & sunny no prob, only they dont like it hot....*!?$ After that it all went down hill, weather wise. Talk about weather gremlins, Christ! But joking aside they had a good two weeks birding, it was all they wanted and more, they gave me such positive remarks it made me feel like I was doing things right.  I would also like to thank both M & M for getting me interested in Butterflies. I will never be in their league, but I am now buying myself a book to be able to spot better, thanks guys! I loved everyday, your company was brill, we had a good few laughs, mainly at Monts expense lol. 
The full list of birds they saw on holiday follows, but the one crowning day for me was when we went up to Hyduski Polyani on the penultimate day, this is where I first spotted my Lesser Kestrel, only to be told that they are too rare here, no s***, well not only did I see it then, but all three of us saw it on this visit, and to cap it off good old Mont, well he got a photo of it, you clever old git you! Well it made my day and my trip, Once again guys thanks for you company and our new friendship. My dearest wishes to you both!!!!
 Observed the following, without the above:-
Bullfinch..White-Backed Woodpecker..Goldcrest..Merlin..Raven..Long-Tailed Tit..
Whitethroat..Nutcracker..Jackdaw..Wood Lark..Golden Oriole..Corn Bunting..
Turtle Dove..Starling..Cuckoo..Masked Shrike..Hoopoe..Tree Sparrow..Roller..Hawfinch..Cetti's Warbler..Marsh Warbler..Ortolan Bunting..Olive Tree Warbler..Kingfisher..Goldfinch..Nightingale..Booted Eagle..Reed Warbler..Savi's Warbler..Swift..Greenfinch..Little-Ringed Plover..Grey Heron..Green Woodpecker..Black & White Stork..Goshawk..Subalpine Warbler..Imperial Eagle..Blue Tit..Blackcap..Little Owl..Syrian Woodpecker..Rock Bunting & Lesser Kestrel.



 

New Birds & Good Friends

There comes a time when things get too much, that you need a break!
Yes that time had finally come. We have been meaning to visit our friends Tracy & David for some time, but what with lack of funds & one thing or another, it got put back......till now.
The thought of not waking up to a screaming cat, or freezing as you go to the loo, was too tempting to put off any longer. 
So arrangements made, fuel in the tank, food in bags, well I do have a few dietary problems, Yak pee packed & of course me bins, and off we jolly well went.
They live in Pazartsi, near the Turkish border, that's about two & half hours drive away. But warm, sorry, hot weather guaranteed & some good birding to be had, makes it worth the trip.
Waving good bye to the cats, we left our 2 teenage boys in charge of the guest house, ( It's alright they are very responsible) yer right, plus there was no new guest's arriving, I felt a slight pang of guilt, which lasted around 10 seconds, great freedom.
The drive down was uneventful, long, but uneventful, until we got to within spitting distance of their house......Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike & Golden Oriole......it took me longer to drive the last kilometer than the first 170km.
Oh come on, you cant expect me not to stop and look! and look and, ok yes I was in birding heaven. Alison (Ali) my beautiful but suffering wife, said nothing, she was happy watching them also, she is brill, one in a hundred million.
Finally parking at Tracy & David's, they were there to greet us, hang on a mo, Whats that....only a Crested Lark on the drive! bloody hell we are never leaving!!!!!!
So.. we eventually unpack, Tracy made us a nice welcome cup of a different yak pee! I mean how many are there?
As we sat on the deck, in 31degs of blazing sunshine, Tracy asked me look at a photo she took earlier of a bird on the wires in her garden, ok I say, not at all expecting anything other than what we just saw, BUT NO.....a beautiful male Roller! wow.
Trying hard to suck back my drool as it dripped from my mouth. When, er where did you see this?....not that I was excited in anyway.
After much explaining, I told them this was a lovely bird to have on your door step. Well said Tracy I think he's trying to get to a Sparrows nest up there, that's not nice! Where they first saw the Roller, is an old concrete lamp post with a broken top, this is the Sparrows nest site.
So I set myself up in a garden chair, bins round neck, another yak pee on the table, ready for anything. I didn't have to wait long....the male came back, in all his summer glory, Wow! I had about 10 mins of perfect observation, plus he did not get the Sparrow's young out.
After catching up with all the news, Ali & I went for a short walk around the outside of their land. There were three male Nightingales in full volume, really going for it. A glorious sound of musical magic. Nightingales are more often heard than seen, not here they're not. Right out on perches from low tree's, in full view, not long mind you, but long enough to get great sightings. Then with a flash of a red tail into deep cover they went.
On our return Ali spotted a Hoopoe in the garden. Ok is this ever gonna stop. No, as soon as we sat down to talk some more David pointed up and said EAGLES!! 
Bins up, not Eagles I pointed out but a pair of Long-Legged Buzzards, excellent!
The day had been brilliant, hot, but brilliant. 
We stayed outside, ate dinner, talked till dark, then had Nightjar's jizzing, just outside the fence & a Little Owl that kept us all amused till very late.
And so to bed, slept like a log. We were only staying overnight, dont trust the boys that much!!! So I got up, dressed and was out at 6am. I wanted to get the most out of our trip, plus I didn't want to wake anyone, apart from Ali that is. 
I only intended to walk back up the lane and along the road out of the village. I had some really early bird surprises, with Woodchat Shrike, Corn Bunting, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk chasing a Marsh Warbler, Nightjar skipping over a fence, Whitethroat, 2 Rollers, Nightingale, Cuckoo, Green Woodpecker, Starling, Kestrel, Black Stork in flight, Red-Backed Shrike, Greenfinch, Lesser-Grey Shrike,Skylark, Sombre Tit, Blackcap, Olivaceous Warbler, Cetti's Warbler and finally the bird I have wanted to see for the past 3 yrs a Male Black-Headed Bunting.
I really cant believe what a mornings birding I've had. Back to the house, breekie & yak pee inside me then we had a walk with Tracy down to the Ravine.

This is like a place you would find a lost tribe or a bloody dinosaur! 
It's a lime stone valley, really lovely, but devoid of bird life, except for a pair of nesting Black Stork. The huge construction was wedged into a double fork of a massive old oak tree, about 15mts high off the ground with a parent bird sitting. Another first, my first wild Black Storks nest & another wow!
We finished our trip with a journey to Studen Kladenets, where we had Griffon Vulture, Golden Eagle, Greylag Goose, a 2nd year juv Herring Gull, Buzzard, Bee-Eater, Rock Bunting, Black Stork, Raven & White Wagtail.
To say we, I, had a great time is so way under estimated. 
We had to say goodbye around 1300hrs, with such memories in my head that will keep me fulfilled for a long time to come, I say a very huge thanks to Tracy & David, for their hospitality, patience, humour and very dear friendship.
Arrived home to the usual grunts from the boys that pass for hello, and the scream that only our cat Balkan can do to say he wants feeding. I cant wait to go back!!!!!!!! 
 

A Bit about me and the norm

There comes a time in life when you just have to say what you feel!
I think that a lot of birders have lost their feeling for birds in general. At the moment we are really strapped for cash, I kid you not!. Money is so low that we have put our house up for sale, and I had to sell my expensive bins & scope to get some money.
Last year was not as good as previous years. Guests were 50% down, guided trips were also fewer. 
This year we have very little bookings, so we are now very worried that we may go under.
Also last year I had a serious op in Plovdiv, and all our savings paid for the treatment. However life goes on.....I still feel 30, and I keep myself fit, but since the op & with all the stress I am begining to feel all of my 57 years.
Anyway we have just had a small group of people stay with us and go out on trips, and thats when it hit home. 
They arrived early evening, no time to unload their hire minibus, they just thrust into my hand ( I was actually offering to shake hands in a warm welcome) a note with a list of birds they wanted to see.
Nothing else mattered, and that was the whole theme throughout their stay. They showed no interest in any common birds I pointed out, they were not even interested in a  nesting pair of Peregrines. They did show some interest in a lone male Nutcracker, but only briefly.
Apart from the LIST, they only other interest they showed was in my bino's
 " So you dont have good binoculars then for a guide".....WHAT!.... a name on a pair of bins!!!!
This was a comment I did not expect!
Well let me tell you, my Bushnell H2O 8x42's are brilliant, and affordable.
Not wanting to debase my self by explaining our current money crisis, I let my knowledge & bins speak for themselves.
We were in fact at Trigrad scanning for Wallcreeper, there they were all scoped up to the nines, with their expensive kit for over an hour, it's no good, they said, with strained neck muscles, nothing doing......thats funny I replied, I'v been watching a displying male for the past 15mins!!!!!!
WHAT! well you thought the world had stopped. At the end of the day, I said confidently,  the birds dont care what label is on your bins, it's all about knowledge & observation.
Is birding getting designer labeled?
This story is getting to long so I will sum up. We all started birding because we loved the birds we saw, YES. Well for me it has never been about a tick in a book. Dont get me wrong It is nice to see new birds, but dont forget the ones that not only got you there, but are there everyday.
Me I am a tit man, Ok lets get the jokes out of the way, I'v heard them all before!. I love small birds, thats why I do most of my birding in woods or forests. 
Even my patch is a small mountain track, tall spruce & old pines, alpine meadows, thick wooded areas with a couple of small waterfalls.
For me I love to see all the regulars everyday, I did BTO BBS field reports for 5yrs, never got bored. 
The regular birds help you maintain a balance, they keep you grounded, they sharpen your observation skills and they help turn up the little gems that make an appearance when you least expect them.
I am fascinated with the perfect shape and size of the acrobatic tits, my favorites are the crested & long-tail tit's. I find searching for birds in thick cover, challenging & rewarding. And to top it all off, they dont care what bins I use. 
Yes I miss my scope when I am trying to observe a bird a distance, but family needs come first. Even today when I was scanning for Pallid Swift's I needed my scope, but its not the end of the world.
So please remember to stay focused, enjoy what you do everyday, with the everyday birds, and it will make your other sightings even more rewarding..............Well that's my opinion anyway!

Trigrad birds

Our long awaited guests arrived, whoopee, paying guests! And not a moment too soon, money was getting short to say the least.

Three very nice ladies, all friends long standing, one from Brazil, one from Canada & the other from UK.

They decided they wanted me to guide them to Trigrad Gorge. It is a 300mt high gorge in south Rhodope's and it is the strong hold for the elusive Wallcreeper, amongst others. 
So yesterday we set off nice and early, after a hearty breekie. It's about 11/2hrs to Trigrad, but I always stop at various place's along the way, our first stop was just as you enter "Nastan" there is a rock face there and it's full of Alpine Swift, around 100 pairs.

Further long the way we stopped to look at the "Trigradski River" as it tumbles and forms a fantastic cascade over the rocks. This is where you can find Dipper and Grey Wagtail, if you are lucky also Orphean Warbler.

Upon reaching the gorge we parked at the "devil's throat cave's" a must see!

 We then spent a far amount of time scanning the sheer rock face for the Wallcreeper. This really is a neck breaker, you cannot spend more than an hour doing this, or in the morning you wont be able to move your neck!

But this time none were present, the locals told me that because of the cold weather they have had, the birds have not been seen for a few days. So not to be disappointed we then took the Roman road up to the alpine plateau that is above the village.

Here are the most amazing panoramic views you will ever see. along with rock thrush, crested tit, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, masked, red-backed & lesser grey shrike plus many more.

 The weather was hot & sunny, not a cloud in the sky! Everyone was happy, birds were being spotted by all. We decided to have a 10min rest, took off our packs and sat down for a quick sarnie, when things got really interesting. 

We had a really good sighting of a male Lesser Kestrel, a really elegant bird. 

We had about 15mins of great observation, when it then swooped down and across the meadow, brilliant!!!

The whole walk took around 4hrs, and yielded the following sightings:-

Alpine swift....Crag Martin....Raven....Coal Tit....Great Tit....Blackbird....Yellow Wagtail..

White Wagtail....Serin....Grey Wagtail....House Martin....Black Redstart....Yellowhammer.

Lesser Kestrel....Northern Wheatear....Crested Tit....Blackcap....Mistle Thrush....Cirl Bunting....Greenfinch....Cuckoo....Hooded Crow....Lesser-Grey Shrike....Jay....Robin.

and Goshawk.

A good day was had by all, we returned home with happy birders, and the days adventure was talked about untill the small hours.

I even enjoyed my Yak pee (herbal tea)........

Chiffchaff's and Rain

Oh come on! How much bloody rain can you get! Well the weather is as unpleasant as it gets. But still I want to go birding, after all my bins are waterproof, so is my kit, so what's stopping me?
Right at this moment it's the deluge that would get Noah running for his blinking ark! Ok so I need to waste a few mins while the rain tries to ease a little, wot to do? Well I could do some work around the hotel, or I could help my wife with some chores around the place. Bugger it, I'm out of here before the blooming cats want something as well.
Great outside at last, peeing with rain, but so what, I am a seasoned birder after all! I dont know about you but I find being out in the rain a rather pleasant experience! If you are well kitted out, have a nice packed lunch in your pack & you enjoy what you are about to do, magic.
The birding got off to a good start with my seasons first flock of Swifts travelling overhead, around 10-12 birds. I start going up my local track ( this is a very steep mountain track used by goats & sheep) I have not gone far when I get my first Spotted Flycatcher of the season, it's a male bird doing some fantastic Ariel manoeuvers to catch insects in the air, brill! 
After about 500mts I come to my first patch of conifer woods, it's small but this is my place to sit and watch Firecrests, also it's a good place for Woodpeckers, today is no exception. 
Within a couple of minutes I get a male Black Woodpecker, he's on the ground digging around the base of a tree, not the usual place to see this bird, I think it's not just me that's surprised as a couple of Robins come to have a butchers at what he's up to. 
All around me are bird songs, but one I love is the Chiffchaff, as I have mentioned before I love the common species, because they are always there and give you as sense of normality.
Anyway, there are no less than 3 males having a right old ding dong, for territory & for mates.......oh crap, now it's peeing down again, only this time it's take no prisoners time, really heavy guy's. But still the little Chiffchaffs are singing their hearts out!
Still the rain pelts down....opps! Do I feel a little trickle down my leg? Now I've either dribbled, as one gets older one does you know, or rain is getting in somewhere, I'd better check..........It's Ok! I have a small tear in my trouser leg. Phew that was scary, you never bloody know, it could have been a dribble!
You got to hand it to those Chiffchaffs, STILL, they carry on with their song. It must have been an hour since it rained like hell, but no, it's only been 15 mins. As soon as I decide to head back, yep! you guessed it, it stops raining. But the singing is still going strong. My love for this little bird is even more now. 
If they had been human and we were singing for our love, as soon as it started raining, we would have packed it all in cock. 
So I finish my birding after all, get back home to a nice cup of hot Yak pee, posing as herbal Tea, yer we've been down that road, sit at the window looking at the feeders in the garden and what do I get...another first of the season, a male Turtle Dove. This is a good sign, it's the bringer of good luck so they say! Whatever. It's been a good day's birding......but it's still bloody raining!!!


To-days list:
                 Black Woodpecker
                 Chiffchaff
                 Robin
                 Coal Tit
                 Marsh Tit
                 White Wagtail
                 Jay
                 Blackbird
                 Spotted Flycatcher
                 Black Redstart
                 Wren
                 Great Tit
                 Chaffinch
                 Swift
                 Cukcoo
                 Grey Wagtail
                 Magpie
                 Turtle Dove
                 Sombre Tit.
         

                   


 

A Bird in the Hand......

You know what, this weather is beginning to get right up my nose. One day it's sunshine, so you are drawn into a false sense of security, then BANG it's bloody raining again. 
Right so I've had me little moan, now it's back to working down the wood yard in Madan. This time its dog kennels they want, well its all work plus it beats being in the "Dog House" I thought that was pretty good!
Anyway, they want 8 kennels to go to Turkey. They have'nt got a bloody clue  what they want really. "how big do you want them??". "dont know". "so what type of roof you want then??". "dont Know". " OK so do you want me to just get on with it then??". "yes ok"
Thank god for the gift of speech! That sorted I start working things out. I've not been going for more then 30 mins, when two of the lads come running over to tell me there's a bird trapped in the workshop. 
They all know I'm into birding, so came straight for me. "OK" I say, put down my drill and walk into the workshop. All and I mean All, the guys had stopped work, some were so terrified that they had covered their bloody heads with cardboard! Wot the HELL!! There up on a window ledge, some 5mts up was a warbler trying to break it's own neck to escape.
So I start to climb up the wall to reach it, good job I'm still agile,  right got it. Down I come, better take a look to see if its OK, then I can release it!
Wait a minute, whats this, well I'll be blowed. What I thought was a Chiffchaff, turns out to be a rather nice little Marsh Warbler, actually my first in BG.
I didn't want to stress it any more than it was, but I really wanted to get a good look, I mean how often do you get a chance to hold a new bird in your hand, and get a first rate inspection. Well I mean I had to check it was ok, didn't I!!
Around 14cm in length, pinkish legs, whiteish bib, almost like a Reed Warbler but with a shorter bill. Pale supercilium, grey-brown upper parts with a very slight yellowish below. 
Well better release it before I give it heart failure. Taken outside the bird soon looks perkier, so I find a nice safe spot, place it on the ground, step back and.......a bloody cat gets it,   NO I'm only joking, it took no time, it just flew off into a nearby bush. I thought it might have said THANKS cock, oh yes thats it, it was a male by the way. 
Well pleased with my new found bird and its rescue, I got back to the business of kennel making.

Birthday Birds

Ok, I know we all have one (unless you are the Queen) but I really like my birthday. Especially when I get to do some birding for no other reason other than I can.
I dont know about you but there is something comforting about seeing all your common favorites, they are like known friends & not just birds. For example when you look at certain birds they remind you of something different, for example the Wagtail, I dont just see a bird that I like anyway, but they remind me of busy waiters running from table to table, very smart and neat and saying thank you every time they dip their tail. 
Magpies always give me the impression of the old Victorian sneak thief and so on with others, but the Robin always portrays the good in life, that delicate neat appearance that lets me feel safe.
Anyway after my usual rude awakening, cats dont care about birthdays only their tummies, I was treated to tea (yak pee) in bed, with all my birthday cards & pressies. My beautiful wife Ali really makes b'days special. This year I asked if she could get me "Lars Jonsson's Birds of Europe". It's an old book, but one I never got round to buying, and I have a good few bird books. It first came out in 1992, but I was looking for a newer edition. 
Ali found a second hand 2003 copy on Amazon for 5 quid, the new price is 16.99. When I opened it up I was amazed at its perfect condition, it looked like it had never been touched and I was very pleased, so well done Ali and well done Amazon.
Ceremony over, breakfast done (for cats and me) Ali asked what I wanted to do. The weather is not so good today, drizzle & cloud and feels chilly. Not sure I reply, would like to get a spot of birding in, nothing fancy, maybe a walk round the village, something simple. No probs she says, now I keep myself fit I do mountain walking, I still run & can still climb and today I am 57. However Al's Idea is a quick 15mins up a level track with several stops for, sightseeing, this is cos she is knackered!
Anyway I love being in her company, I truly love my wife and never tire of being with her everyday, so whatever birding I get in is ok with me as its not an arranged trip or anything.
You should never need an excuse to go birding as it is one of life's simple pleasures. Birds calm you, they are such amazing creatures, they capture your imagination and relieve tension, plus they tune your senses and observation skills. You should never just look at birds you should observe them, study their movements, colours & song. 
In closing this I had a great b'day, I got to share it with my family, I got messages from family back in UK & Spain, I got the book I wanted and I got some birding in at the same time!
Birthday Birds seen:
                            Lesser- Whitethroat
                            Sombre Tit
                            Yellow Wagtail
                            Alpine Swift
                            Crag Martin
                            Red-Rumped Swallow
                            Chiffchaff
                            Blackbird
                            Hooded Crow
                            Chaffinch
                            Blue Tit
                            Marsh Tit
                            Great Tit
                            Jay
                            Magpie
                            Black Redstart
                            Olivaceous Warbler
and my reassuring   Robin.










 

Good friends and a mindless Idiot

As the weather is still so good, we decided to visit our friends Mo & Ian up in Gela village, So an early start for us, as its about an hour and a half drive across the mountains. I woke first as usual to the dawn chorus of both birds & cats. Made coffee for Ali, ( my wife's name is Alison) Yak pee for me, well it ain't bloody herbal! Fed the cats to shut them up, showered & dressed.

The idea was to combine a day with mates and also to check out the birding around their place, as I am always looking to take our guests to different venues. Just before leaving, we gave our two sons instructions if we had anyone wanting a room. That done I turned to see if Ali was ready, Wow she always looks so stunning, she has these amazing blue eyes, just like the blue on a Jays wing. See you just cant get away from birding!

Grabbed the bins and off we go. All the time we are driving Ali looks out the window, "You're not saying much" I comment," I am looking for birds so you dont have to, you just drive" What does she mean!!

Journey's end and we arrive at Gela. Ian & Mo are converting this old property into an activity location for holidays, I'll keep you posted, as work is STILL in progress.

Like me Ian is a chippy, so its nice to look round and see what he's been doing. Mo just talks! She is so full of things to say that its never quiet, which is good, as we always have a really good time in their company. The day progresses, Ian and I struggle with a bloody great Iron log burner, that we have to lugg from his van up to the house, Christ I came here for some birding, not working.

Seriously its nice when you can help, as I know from experience, there is never anyone around when you need them. Anyway Mo informs us that lunch, remember I said lunch, will be ready in 30mins, great! so Ian and I decide to go for a walk to see whats about. Ian is not a birder, YET, but loves wildlife, plus I also took along my beasty Chinese bins, one look through these and Ian wanted a pair, see I told you so! We took a track directly from the house that ran NE and leads to a chapel on the peak. We had a few nice birds, including a close soaring Buzzard, Raven, Coal Tit & Goldcrest to name a few. Then as we broke from the forest, I noticed a rocky out crop, so I had a quick scan around, and their on the rocks under a small tree where the three deer that Mo & Ian always look out for, this is Bulgaria and hunting is a big deal here! Which brings me to the crap part of my day, Sitting not 100mts away I noticed a man sitting on a low bank, he had in his hands a high powered rifle with a huge telescopic sight. As its not hunting season (Oct-Dec only) I thought that he was just plinking away at some random target, BUT NO, not 10 feet away was a bush and he was shooting small birds, WHAT!!!! my temper was bursting, as I watched he shot a Great tit male, did nothing with it, just shot it because he could, and it was there. 

He didn't just kill the male but probably a whole nest of young to, as with no male the hen will abandon the nest. I wanted to go down there and wrap the f.....g rifle round his head. But this is not my village, its Ians and he has to live here, so its better to say nothing, but make it known by body language that you ain't happy, with this Mindless Bloody Idiot.

We got back, embittered and sad at what I saw, vented my anger to Ali then finally ate LUNCH at 4.30pm. Good o'l Mo, she was so busy chatting that she forgot the time, still we had a lovely luncnner, (that lunch- dinner)  plus she made birds custard for dessert, well you cant say owt after that. Thanks Mo & Ian we had a great day, with great mates.

A really good day

Sunshine! Yep another really bright sunny morning. You know, there is nothing like waking up to the dawn chorus, birds in full song, Robins proclaiming their territories, and being answered by........our 2 cats screaming for their bloody liver.
Well one in particular, Balkan, he's deaf, so he cant hear how bloody load he meows. I mean it, off the scale for volume. But do I moan? yes of course I do every day, does he take any notice....NO because he's DEAF!!
Right cats fed, wife hydrated with fresh coffee and me with my Yak pee, it's supposed to be herbal....yer right. 
So today is a going to work day, as I am a carpenter I get work at a wood yard as their specialist, making garden furniture and other items that they sell. Any work is good as it helps keep afloat here.
So I load my tools into our Ford Galaxy, Ali, my wife, prepares a tasty lunch box of goodies, tender kisses and a hug, and off I go. I always manage to take my bins with me, well you never know, anyway all work and no play, you know it makes sense!  
It takes 40 mins to get to Madan, where I work, unloading takes a while as I am always greeted like a long lost son. Today they want me to make some English wooden wheelbarrows, right lets get started then..... Hang on, whats that up in the conifers 40 mts away, tools down bins out....wow a male Black woodpecker, what a great start. Ok so with that under my belt lets get some work done. Well I mean this is me, its what I do & love, birding that is, so the work progresses at a somewhat leisurely pace, but the birding was on man.
I had a couple of Warblers, Olivaceous & Icterine, White & Grey Wagtails, a Coal Tit, House Martin & Barn Swallow. I continue working, after all that's what I am supposed to be here for, get my head down and knock out 4 barrows.    Lunch time, at last,  open my lunch box grab a sarnie, prepare to feed my taste buds and........Bloody cat!! Balkan has nibbled my damn crusts and left teeth marks as if to say I got here first, so hands off!
Really I did chuckle to myself, after all it is funny when you think about it, right! Food inside me I decide to walk along the stream that runs along side the yard. Madan is only 20mins from the Greek border, and this stream flows in from there. After having a number of Tits, Chaffinch, Blackcap, Redstart, Robin, Jay & Chiffchaff & walking for 30mins or so, I thought I'd best get back and finish the job in hand.
Just before I got back I happened to look up, as I am always checking for Red-Rumped Swallow, When I saw a bird soaring on thermals, I stopped, sat down and got 10mins of great views of a Long-Legged Buzzard, I was well pleased, I mean well pleased. The day cant get any better than this, but it did! I finished the work and got paid as well, normally it takes a few weeks, so as I said.....A Really Good Day!!!

What a difference a day makes

Well what can I say! all the snow has gone, the sky is a vivid blue. It's hot and sunny and the whole mountain side is alive with bird song and lots of activity.
I was so surprised when I woke this morning, that I was prepared to go on about the bad weather, as I do, but NO!
So I shook the wife awake, she does need her 10 hours, threw back the curtains, blinded the poor girl, showed her the sunshine and what did she say......."Put some clothes on hun the cats have'nt been fed yet!"
Well I ask you, what's a man supposed to do, there's just no accounting for taste.

All jokes aside, I decided to work on the terrace today. I thought as is was such a nice day I would sand and re-stain the picnic tables, ready for guests. With so much bird activity going on, of course I just happened to bring a pair of bins with me, as you do, yes! These were my comfy big Chinese 10x50's not my usual 10x40 Bushnell's that are my everyday pair. If you ever get the chance to try a pair of Chinese bins do so.
I found these GINGINGIN's (as they are spelt on the left side of the bin's) but in fact are spelt xingxingxing, are in fact excellent quality binocular's with excellent reviews, as I was saying, I found these in a market in Velingrad.
We were on a day trip, as this town is a mineral spa town. I was not looking to buy anything, just looking. Anyway I saw these bin's and thought go on Tel have a squint, wow, not only were they as good as any expensive pair I have ever had, but they were by far the most comfortable pair, for my eyes that is, that I have ever tried.
The beauty of these baby's is that they have a diopter on each side, so you can set them to suit whatever your eyes are, brilliant, why cant all manufactures do this? On the down side they are a little on the bulky side and close focus is 16ft, they are not nitro filled, but that is it. They are comfy in the hand, rubber armoured, Bak 4 prisms, bright viewing with quality to the edge, they also have the best fitting lens caps I know, a good solid neck strap, and all for just.....wait for it!.....50leva that's about 23 quid in real money.
So I bought them, and a year later they still out perform my Bushnell's & my old Opticrons. Yes close up yer dead, but for birds in flight, long distance or on water or even just general birding  (and for 23 quid) you've got to buy them. I have since meet a few UK & Dutch birders who own these bins, and some even use them all the time. Sooo if you see a pair, go on try them, I bet you buy em!
Ok back to the terrace and work, yep got them all done, had lunch outside, on the remarkably good looking picnic tables, used my bulky babes and got some nice sightings.

Today: Chaffinch, Robin, GT Tit, Magpie, Green woodpecker, Olivaceous Warbler, Redstart, Sombre Tit, Blue Tit, Black Redstart, Marsh Tit, Willow Warbler, Crag Martin & Ring Ouzel.
Nice to see the Warbler's back in the garden, but even better to see the four Martin's over the village.

Ring Ouzel Invasion.

Well It's still snowing. The middle of April and no sign of letting up just yet, well it better had because we have our first spring Birding group due in three weeks. My wife and I run a B+B guest house here in the Rodopi's that is primarily for Birders & Hikers, in the winter Skiing.
So I was looking at our bird tables today and decided that they were in need of replacement, well they were put up in a hurry when we first opened. Anyway being a carpenter I thought I best take some time to do a proper job. Off I go to the workshop, knock out a couple of replacement tables, get into the garden to change them over when all of a sudden the whole area was engulfed in a large flock of Ring Ouzel.
Well what to do? do I drop the table's, go grab my bins, or do I carry on doing the job I set out to do........Yep I dropped the table's.
I had really nice views for around 10 mins or so, they seemed to start feeding in various groups, then they just started to drift off in numbers.
It looked liked they flew towards Hyduski Polyani plains just behind the village. I was really pleased as this was the largest flock of RO's I have seen, oh the bloody table's, OK no harm done, better finish, opps, start the job.
Also had:
             8 Bullfinch to-day 4+4 M+F,
           15 Chaffinch....mixed group M+F
             3 Sombre Tit....2 male, 1 female
             1 Mistle Thrush
             1 Blackbird....male
             6 Gt Tit....M+F
             2 Blue Tit....2 males
             1 Jay....female
             1 Black Redstart....male
             2 Hooded Crow....Ukn in flight
             2 Robin....Ukn
             1 Dunnock....male
             5 Magpie....mixed
             1 Chaffinch....male
So all in all not a bad day, I finished the bird table's, got rave reviews from my wife & boys, had some nice sightings without trying! What more can you ask....oh yes STOP SNOWING.
            

Welcome to my new birding in Bulgaria blog

Hi this my first post on my blog about Birdwatching in Bulgaria. I hope this will be of interest to some people. Daily sightings, news, locations that I visit, as well as I hope, some funny things that happen along the way.
I also hope that this creates interest enough to meet new friends and to share other people's birding experiences! 

To-Day: 18/04/2011. Place: My garden in Momchilovtsi.
Weather: Snow all day, dull white skies, wind moderate NE.
Temp: 0 degs.

Because of the bad weather spell the bird table is still being stocked up, we had good numbers feeding, with a couple of unexpected visitors.

Bullfinch....6           3 Males & 3 Females all together in the alder's.
Chaffinch...12+       Male & Females.
Nutcracker..1          Male, a surprise visitor.
Dunnock.....1          Female.
Great Tit....6          2 Males & 4 females.
Sombre Tit..2         1 + 1.
Robin.........2         Both Male.
Marsh Tit....4         Unknown, but a real joy to watch!
Magpie.......1         Female tried the strong arm tactics. 
Black Redstart 1     Male so nice to see them back.
Blackbird....1         Male.
Blue Tit......4         Male & Female.


My blog is just a personal record of my birding activities. I have been birding for about 40 years now, so I thought it might be nice to take time to put my sightings down. For me it's a bit of fun. and at the same time a record of info for all.
Thanks if you have taken the time to read this. It will get better, I promise, as i learn more of what to do.