Batak

After a lovely lunch of salads followed by sausages and skinny chips with an aubergine and tomato dip,we headed for a quick stop at Batak. Walking down to the reservoir there were a number of Violet Carpenter Bees, plenty of Orchids, Bee Eaters, a Barred Warbler and other species. 

General views...

Violet Carpenter Bee.

Heart-flowered Marsh-orchid...and below.

Green-winged Orchid.

Back to the minibus under a threatening sky...

Belmeken Crocuses

The Crocuses were spectacular and abundant! Emerging from the snow they stood proud, welcoming the spring sun. 

Above the reservoir.

A haze of Crocuses.

And into the Crocus fields.

Belmeken Reservoir

 Driving up into the Rila Mountains we arrived at Belmeken Reservoir. Splendid views all round ...and then a quick glimpse of some movement. Looking more carefully we realised that Sousliks or European Ground Squirrels were scuttling around us. Cute and very Marmot like. Walking up the hill a dash of purple lit up a far off hillside - crocuses in abundance (next blog)! As we got into the crocus zone we were treated to good views of a Red-backed Shrike, Black Stork, Whin Chat and a distant Northern Wheatear. Thamnolia, White Worm Lichen was abundant and the Juniper was in berry. 

A pair of Souslik - well camouflaged.

Purple Crocuses in the distance.

Red-backed Shrike.

Black-eared Wheatear.

Pygmy owl ...

On our way to the Belmeken Reservoir, we stopped off in some high level conifer woods to walk along and try and find/call a Pygmy Owl. Wow - with a Pygmy Owl sat close to a Nutcracker and a Crested Tit - what a trio! 

Driving up into the conifer woodland and snow.

Glimpses of higher up.

Spectacular lichens, cones and Wood Ant nests.

Nutcracker.

Nutcracker.

Pygmy Owl, being annoyed by a Goldcrest. The Goldcrest makes you realise how small the owl is! 

Pygmy Owl and below.

The Yundola Pass - a pre breakfast visit

Unable to arrange an early breakfast, it was an early start for a pre-breakfast trip to the Yundola Pass. A heavy dew and whisps of mist made for an atmospheric start to the day, before it burnt off. Our first stop was in pasture: Black Redstarts, Mistle Thrushes, Yellowhammers, Wood Lark and Ring Ouzels.  Arriving higher up, we heard Black Woodpecker drumming and glimpsed a Red Squirrel. A distant Goshawk, wheeled above. Grape Hyacinths, Spurges and Cowslips dotted the ground.

From the hotel we heard and saw Crossbills and a Hobby. 

Clearing mist ...pastures where we saw several Ring Ouzels. 

Ring Ouzel with worms.

Upper Pastures.

Grape Hyacinths.

Cowslips, Grape Hyacinth, Corydalis solida and Viola tricolor or Wild Pansy.

Millipede.

One of many Black Redstarts.

Back to the hotel for breakfast where there was a market being set up. 

In the boxes - dried Ceps.

Fabulous honey.

Guardian of the market...

He was keen to see the cows off as they passed by! 

Here we go! Bulgaria and Northern Greece

Flying over Central London and the River Thames, we headed across the Alps towards Sofia. Arriving mid day allowed us to head to the Bespari Hills, in the foothills of the Western Rhodope Mountains, for a quick exploration of some continental steppe habitat, enroute to our first nights lodgings in Yundola. Leaving Sofia we passed some quite run down Eastern Block style tenements juxtaposed with modern buildings, before heading into countryside and swathes of some species of Marsh Orchid. Stopping in an old quarry we were met with the sound of Corn Buntings and splashes of colour from ruderals. A Tawny Pipit obligingly stood on the track, while Calandra Larks sang. Some nice butterflies and a Balkan Wall Lizard too...We then headed to Yundola - through a Picos de Europa-like gorge. Many of the buildings reminded us of the Picos too, from our earlier visits, before it became more developed. Plenty of cows with bells and random dogs. 

A clear sky for much of the journey, with splashes of yellow from Oilseed Rape fields. 

Clouds over the Alps.

And a tantalising glimpse....

Poppies - a constant throughout our trip.

Corn Bunting.

A Black-headed Bunting....

..and closer to.

Balkan Wall Lizard. 

Balkan Zephyr Blue - with black edges to its wings.

Queen of Spain Fritillary.

A freshly emerged Eastern Festoon...

Yellow-banded Skipper.

A colourful Shield Bug.

Rock Thyme.

A colourful Spurge sp.

And as we left, a good view of an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler.