wildlifestravelling: Bulgaria: Veleka, 1st May 2011

May 1st, Snakes Day (according to a book of Bulgarian folklore we picked up in Varna...) when we're supposed to stamp around the village boundaries scaring off the snakes. Well, hopefully we'll not scare them too much, as the plan is to be joined by a local herpetologist in a couple of days time!

Meanwhile, we spent the day down towards the Turkish border, around the Veleka River.

Our first roadside stop revealed a fresh-in Roller perched in a small bush, with Woodchat Shrike and Cirl Bunting nearby also new for the trip.

Down at the river we were serenaded by the now-familiar songs of the Marsh Frogs and Nightingales. Some very nice woodland ground flora included the lovely Fritillaria pontica, a piece of plastic rubbish hid a small Grass Snake and a pair of Ortolan Buntings were in the scrub nearby.

Out at the river mouth, a small marsh provided a quick pit stop for a mixed group of waders, made up of 10 Wood Sandpipers, 3 Ruff, 2 each of Greenshank and Little Ringed Plover and a single Temminck's Stint. Meanwhile, at the back of the marsh, a European Pond Terrapin decided to take a walk across the meadow...

Heading homewards, we stopped at a rocky beach (which, by the smell, coincided with a small sewage outfall...) which had attracted a good group of marsh terns to wash and feed, as well as a single Little Stint, yet another wader for the trip list.

Finally, we paused at Arkutino Lake where massive numbers of hirundines fed low over the water, occasionally panicked by the local Hobby, and a single calling Penduline Tit gradually came closer and turned into a wonderful group of at least 6, showing brilliantly in the nearby willow scrub. A lovely end to another good day.