Bulgaria in Summer Naturetrek Tour Report 31 July - 7 August 2012 Gentianella bulgarica Argiope lobata - spider White Stork Carcharodes orientalis - Oriental Marbled Skipper Report and images by Alan Outen Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E:
[email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Bulgaria in Summer Tour participants: Alan Outen (leader) & Mario Langourov (local guide) with 11 Naturetrek clients Driver Sacho Summary During the course of just a week we had enjoyed superb scenery, a wonderful range of wildlife and splendid hospitality. We had seen an overall total of 763 identified species (the second highest ever for this tour) including 346 higher plants and 265 invertebrate species, of which 89 were butterflies and 31 moths, as well as 23 dragonflies, 23 bugs, 28 beetles etc. It is always difficult to find birds on this tour, being rather late in the season. The extremely high temperatures throughout the week also did not help as birds sort cover, but we nonetheless managed a creditable total of 95 species, including some not often seen on this tour; the tour average over eight years exactly 100 species. Day 1 Tuesday 31st July Fly Heathrow to Sofia then drive to Melnik via stop at Verdena River Sunny on arrival in Sofia, hot, with maximum temp. 28°C As so often on this route, our flight was a few minutes late at take off from Heathrow but we made up time, landing twenty-three minutes ahead of schedule. Having cleared immigration and collected all our baggage, we found Mario, our Bulgarian guide, together with Peter and Susan who had travelled out separately.