Bulgaria (May 2024) - Burgas part deux

May 8

It was back to Burgas to settle some scores before I would head north up the coast. First up this morning was yet another search for Eurasian Penduline-Tit. I was back at the Mandrensko Lake Dam Wall. After trying and failing again in the spot I had checked before, I walked the dirt track a bit to the northeast and soon heard a PENDULINE-TIT calling to my left. I walked into the tall grass towards the bird and eventually saw the thing (42.43377, 27.44765). Really crisp-looking bird that I enjoyed for a couple minutes before it moved on. Back by the road a MARSH WARBLER was singing, as was a THRUSH NIGHTINGALE.

eBird Checklist - 8 May 2024 - Mandrensko Lake--Dam Wall Area - 35 species

Following that fantastic hour and a half of raptor migration I enjoyed here a few days prior, I was hoping for a repeat performance. The weather was fine for flying birds so I set up shop from a field near the lake. There was a bit moving, especially early, but that fizzled. Still, a large flock of WHITE STORKS was a highlight. HONEY-BUZZARDS were moving in small groups, as were a few LESSER SPOTTED EAGLES. Best migrant was a LEVANT SPARROWHAWK, and best local bird was a hunting dark morph BOOTED EAGLE. Two HAWFINCH flew by calling.

eBird Checklist - 8 May 2024 - Tvyrditsa, Tvyrditsa BG-Burgas (42.4208,27.4508) - 30 species

more migration watching

Again a bit desperate to recreate some migration magic, I decided to take watch from the roof at the Poda Preserve, but not much was happening other than some 40+ more HONEY-BUZZARDS.

I decided it was time for some new territory. As far as the “Burgas Lakes” go, the one I hadn’t yet tried was Pomorie. First stop at the Salt Museum was productive enough. Not much in the way of shorebirds other than several dozen each STILTS and AVOCETS. I had my only SLENDER-BILLED GULL of the trip roosting on the pilings with SANDWICH TERNS. About 8 LITTLE TERNS were present as well, in the salt works themselves where the stilts and avocets were hanging out.

eBird Checklist - 8 May 2024 - Pomorie Lake--Salt Museum Area - 14 species

Slender-billed Gull with Sandwich Terns


Curlew Sandpipers

I was eager to visit the Pumping Station area, as I had heard good things about it, but water levels were again too high for shorebirds, at least as far as I could tell. (However towards the very end of the trip I would find out that I overlooked an area that actually had good wader habitat. More on that later.)

eBird Checklist - 8 May 2024 - Pomorie Lake--Pumping Station Area - 9 species

I wasted some time checking other vantages around Pomorie as noted by Gosney and others, but came up empty. I was ready to leave the Burgas area for points north. First stop, in spitting rain (shocker), was Poroy Reservoir, the northern end of which has a fantastic freshwater marsh that is teeming with life. I had a blast exploring that spot and honestly would have loved to return later in the trip, but I just didn’t have the time. I have a feeling that combining the marsh/reservoir with a walk of the woodland and a viz-mig watch would add up a lengthy list. This body of water clearly attracts overland migrants as evidenced by flocks of LITTLE EGRETS and WOOD SANDPIPERS that touched down while I was there. This reservoir is known to be reliable for RUDDY SHELDUCK, and I had a half dozen of them straight away. A couple of EURASIAN SPOONBILL were feeding along the wet edge, and a single GLOSSY IBIS was my first in Bulgaria. Several WHISKERED TERNS were feeding low over the lake and I spent a few minutes photographing them. While walking the edge of the marsh, I flushed my only COMMON SNIPE of the trip. This spot can be quite good for raptors, but the weather today was not very conducive to flying. Still enjoyed a SHORT-TOED SNAKE-EAGLE. Warblers formed a deafening chorus from the marsh itself, and several feldegg WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAILS were scattered about. Super birdy spot.

eBird Checklist - 8 May 2024 - Poroy Reservoir - 42 species (+2 other taxa)




Whiskered Terns

Corn Bunting

feldegg Western Yellow Wagtail


European Bee-eaters

The only other spot I had marked for my journey north was a site for EASTERN BONELLI’S WARBLER, which I was able to find pretty easily. A territorial male came in to playback and was seen really well.

eBird Checklist - 8 May 2024 - Auto selected 42.79450, 27.59577 - 5 species (+1 other taxa)

Night in Kavarna.


- NB

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