Our day birding trip on the 9th Dec 2018 to the northern coastal lakes of Bulgaria – Durankulak and Shabla, the most famous wintering ground of geese in our country, produced a lot of great encounters. We had 2800 Red-breasted Geese, one adult Lesser White-fronted Goose, more than 4000 Greater White-fronted and 120 Greylag geese. The wetlands harbored a good variety of other waterfowl as well, including more than 3000 Mallards, 350 Teals, 1200 Common Pochards, 320 Tufted Ducks, 46 Red-breasted Mergansers, 22 Common Goldeneyes, hundreds of Pygmy Cormorants, Great-crested and Black-necked Grebes. Among the highlights were the records of a male White-headed Duck, a male Ferruginous Duck, a couple of Greater Scaups and 14 Smew. We also observed a mixed flock of Tundra Swans and Whooper Swans foraging in the agriculture fields next to the lake of Durankulak. The raptor family were presented by the White-tailed Eagle (1), Long-legged Buzzard (2), Hen Harrier (12), March Harrier (20), etc.
Still, we were especially happy to welcome the first wintering Red-breasted Geese this season.
You are welcome to join our winter birding trips:
http://neophron.com/tour/winter-birding/
http://neophron.com/tour/red-breasted-goose-short-break/
http://neophron.com/tour/winter-birding-in-northern-greece/
