Thursday 23rd May: Transfer via Patova riverine forest

 This was the last morning at our hotel in Kavarna, and we savoured our last walk to the beach, enjoying again the aerial displays of the Alpine Swifts, and finding another Pied Wheatear. From our balcony, our Golden Oriole sat on his branch and fluted a farewell song while the House Martins and Red-rumped Swallows dashed and dived around us. 

Pied Wheatear

We drove today towards the Central Balkan Mountains, passing roads lined with Poppies and Larkspur. We stopped en route at an estuarine woodland, where we found Spotted Flycatcher, Short-toed Treecreeper, Chaffinch and Greenfinch. Blackcap and Middle -spotted Woodpecker were also heard. At a small wetland nearby we enjoyed the antics of Marsh Frogs, cheeks bulging as they made  their loud,  distinctive calls. 

Marsh Frog

We stopped at a service station for lunch, where our first Lesser Whitethroat of the trip called from the roadside vegetation, then flew over into nearby scrub. Not the greatest of views, but a new holiday tick! 

Continuing on to the beech forests of the mountains, it was disappointing to find the weather was not exactly inclement, with the mountains shrouded in low clouds, and tendrils of mist weaving amongst the trees. Optimistically we drove to the high ridge, but visibility was very poor, although we did make out a Ring Ouzel in the murk, so we were forced to abandon our birding plans and continued on to our hotel. Tim and I took a short walk to explore the grounds, noting a Treecreeper from the hotel window and finding a colony of Pallid Swifts flying low in the damp conditions, and nesting beneath the eaves at the back of the hotel. Then we returned for an unusual period of downtime before dinner!