Bulgaria in Summer Naturetrek Tour Report 17 - 24 July 2017 White Stork Banded Darter Sympetrum pedemontanum female Eastern Bath White Pontia edusa Rose Plume, Cnaemidophorus rhododactyla 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), Stoyan Beshkov & Yordan Kutsarov (Dancho) (local guides) and Eristo (driver), together with 16 Naturetrek clients Summary In the course of the week we enjoyed superb scenery and a wonderful range of wildlife. We saw an overall total of 874 identified species in addition to a few inevitably remaining unidentified. This represents the second highest total ever for this tour. This total included 400 higher plants (the highest total ever for the tour) and 314 invertebrate species, of which 87 were butterflies and 60 moths, as well as many other attractive and impressive bugs, beetles etc. We had record numbers of beetle and Arachnid species for the tour with many other groups above average. Being so late in the season it is always difficult to find birds on this tour. As such we only managed a total of 88 species. This was nonetheless still higher than for some tours where birds are a primary focus, and we had so much more besides. Day 1 Monday 17th July Our flight was a few minutes late taking off from the UK but, as so often with this route, we nonetheless arrived a few minutes early at 1.14pm (BST +2). At Sofia the weather was cool and cloudy following recent rain. After clearing immigration and reclaiming luggage, we quickly found Dancho and Stoyan in the arrivals hall. The remaining three members of the group were also there having travelled separately. The bus was loaded up and by 2pm we were on our way. After travelling for 70 minutes we stopped at some meadows near Samokov, which provided a productive introduction to some of the Bulgarian flora and fauna. Plants included Field Eryngo, Crown Vetch, Skeleton Weed, Childling Pink, Viper's Bugloss, Cypress Spurge, Centaurea rutifolia, C. solstitialis, Marrubium peregrinum, Vicia hybrida and Silene roemeri. There were even two toadstool species in evidence, these being Agrocybe praecox and Suillus granulatus. In the relatively cool and damp conditions Scarce Copper, Chestnut Heath and Lesser Spotted Fritillary (as adult and a much photographed larva) were the pick of the butterflies. Some day-flying moths were also of interest including Thistle Ermine, Bright Wave and best a clearwing moth species Chamaesphecia empiformis. Among other insects noted were Banded Demoiselle and White-legged Damselflies, Southern Hawker Dragonfly, Blue-winged Grasshopper, the attractive Mirid Bug Adelphocoris vandalicus and two brightly-coloured leaf beetles from the genus Clytra. A Red-backed Shrike and Great Spotted Woodpecker provided some ornithological interest. Amazingly we found we had been here over an hour and a quarter and it was time to move on. Attempts to carry out the briefing on the bus were thwarted by the fact that the microphone was not working. The anticipated comfort stop failed to materialise, not least as many were clearly intent on catching up on some sleep after the early start! Those who remained alert were aware of several heavy showers as well as birds that included White Stork, Common Buzzard, Raven and Bee-eater. Roadside plants were Danewort, Walnut and False Acacia, the latter an important nectar source for honey bees in the region. We eventually arrived at our hotel in Melnik at 6.45pm, significantly earlier than usual due to the omitted comfort stop. With rooms allocated, a very welcome evening meal was followed by a rapid briefing. After a very long though interesting day, all were more than ready to retire. © Naturetrek April 18 1 Bulgaria in Summer Tour Report Day 2 Tuesday 18th July Today the weather was sunny, hot and dry with a maximum temperature of 30°C. A pre-breakfast walk from the hotel was fairly well attended. Those assembling for this noted an attractive little moth on the wall of the hotel, reminiscent of our UK Marbled Beauty and its relatives. This Stoyan identified as Cryphia amasina. Birds were disappointing for a walk that had been productive in previous years, with Red-rumped Swallow, Golden Oriole, Grey-headed Woodpecker and Red-backed Shrike the most interesting. The plants seen included Soapwort, Pink Everlasting (Xeranthemum annuum), Artemisia absinthium, Erigeron annuus, Campanula scutellata, Geranium macrorrhizum, and the yellow flowered Achillea coarctata. After a satisfying breakfast, we assembled at 9am ready for our departure for the day. Based on our itinerary and the briefing the night before, we had anticipated that our first stop was to be at Rupite. However our Bulgarian guides made a change and we first made a brief stop near the Struma River. This was productive with Oriental Marbled Skipper, Lesser Fiery Copper, Clouded Yellow and Eastern Bath White butterflies, and Southern Skimmer dragonfly. A Beautiful Marbled moth (Eublemma purpurina) was an excellent find, though seen by few. Other insects of note here were a Praying Mantis, the groundhopper Tetrix depressa, the impressive longhorn beetle Purpuricenus budensis (which we were to see a lot during the week) and several unusual bug species, among them Brassica Bug (Eurydema oleracea), Carpocoris mediterraneus, Psacasta exanthematica and Ancyrosoma leucogrammes. Bee-eaters and European Pond Tortoise were the best of the vertebrates. At 10.15am we drove on and then stopped again after ten minutes, this time at another wet site near Kojuh, where we spent nearly two hours. Among the butterflies noted here were Mallow Skipper and Scarce Swallowtail, along with the day-flying burnet moth species Zygaena laeta. Heteropteran Bugs were again good and included the large spiny shieldbug Mustha spinosula (yet again missed by the UK leader who has been wanting to see it for years!) and the smart red and black striped shieldbug Graphosoma lineatum (widely known as the AC Milan Bug). The red and black Tachinid fly Cylindromyia sp. was another interesting find, though perhaps not so appealing to some. It also proved an excellent site for Orthoptera with bush crickets such as Rhacocleis germanica and Eupholidoptera smyrnensis, and grasshoppers including Aiolopus thalassinus and the Slant-headed Grasshopper (Acrida mediterranea). Botanically the most interesting finds were perhaps Marsh Mallow (Althaea officinalis), Italian Viper's Bugloss or Lady Campbell Weed (Echium italicum), Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas) and Christ's-Thorn (Paliurus spina-cristi). After a further ten minute drive we finally reached the remarkable famous hot springs at Rupite, where the water temperature can reach 74°C. Apart from it's local appeal as a spa, the site is also famous for it's rich biodiversity. In the course of our time here, the botanists were able to see Maltese Cross (Tribulus terrestris), Spanish Oyster Thistle (Scolymus hispanicus), Stranglewort (Cynanchum acutum), Cuscuta campestris, Typha domingensis, Heliotropium europeum, and Lavatera thuringiaca among many interesting species. Insects were again good, among them Freyer's Grayling, Southern White Admiral and Swallowtail butterflies, Scarlet and Banded Darters and White-tailed Skimmer dragonflies, the very attractive longhorn beetle species Chlorophorus varius, another nice bush-cricket Tylopsis lilifolia, and an Assassin Bug Rhynocoris punctiventris. Another excellent moth species, though again only seen by a couple, was The Four Spotted (Tyto luctuosa). Some of the insect species were impressively large representatives of their groups, including the ant species Cremogaster scutellaris, the Mammoth Wasp (Megascolia flavifrons) and the very large ant-lion Palpares libelluloides. The related but very rare Bubopsis andromache was an excellent find here. Galls of the aphid Tetraneura nigriabdominalis on Elm were another very good find of a species 2 © Naturetrek April 18 Bulgaria in Summer Tour Report that is extremely rare in the UK. Marsh Frogs (Pelohylax ridibundus) were very vocal along the stream and much photographed. The Caspian Terrapins were more challenging, diving into the water as anyone approached them. Also in the water were shoals of the introduced Western Mosquito-fish (Gambusia affinis), whilst a Levant Sparrowhawk overhead was a new bird for many, whilst other birds seen here included Buzzard, White Stork, European Roller, Eastern Olivaceous and Eastern Orphean Wablers, Alpine Swift and Common Sandpiper. These various finds were either side of our picnic lunch, which was supplemented by drinks from the café. We left here at 3.50pm and drove to our final site for the day at Marena fishponds, which we reached at 4.15pm. Several Crested Larks were seen on the journeys between sites. Here the plan was for the bus to drop us and we would then walk through to pick it up at the other end. Unfortunately whilst some made the most of what natural history the site had to offer, others were keen to get back to the bus. As such, although most saw Crested Lark, Turtle Dove, Black-headed Bunting, Greek Tortoise, Humming-bird Hawk-moth and both Blue and Pale Globe Thistles (Echinops banaticus and E.sphaerocephalus). Those who had made straight for the bus sadly missed some good finds. Among these was an impressive number of Scarlet Darters, as well as Spotted Darter and a splendid male Emperor Dragonfly, Wasp Spiders, a very large and striking Yellow Sac Spider (Cheiracanthium sp.) and two equally imposing beetles, the Buprestid Capnodis tenebricosa and the Carabid Ditomus (=Dixus) obscurus. The Bulgarian leaders took a lot of persuading to return to the bus as they were keen to find further dragonfly species, in particular Black Pennant, in which they were unsuccessful. Despite this, we were still back at the hotel on schedule at 6.30pm with dinner, also as planned, at 7.30pm.