Thracian Plane birdwatching

Expect an emotional birding day with an impressive variety of birds in the different habitats of the Upper Thracian Plain. After an early morning pick-up from your hotel in either Sofia or Plovdiv, you will be transferred (about an hour) to the Bessapara Ridge. This is a protected area of rolling limestone hills, strikingly different from the rest of the Rhodopi Mountains. It is covered by steppe grasslands, scattered bushes, and trees that hold an unsuspectingly high diversity of birds. The afternoon will be dedicated to teaming with wildlife nearby rice fields, fish ponds, and the riverine forests of the Maritsa River.

Expected highlights in summer (end of May-July): Little Bittern, Ferruginous Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Little Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis, Black Stork, Long-legged Buzzard, Montague’s Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Kestrel, Black-headed Bunting, Stone Curlew, Lapwing, Black-winged Stilt, Collared Pratincole, Ortolan Bunting, Rosy Starling, Great Reed Warbler, Masked Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Short-toed Lark, Calandra Lark, Black-eared Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Sand Martin, Hoopoe, Common Bee-eater, European Roller, Souslik, etc.

Expected highlights during migration (April-end of May; August-September): Bittern, Little Bittern, Black Stork, Purple Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret, Squacco Heron, Pygmy Cormorant, Red-footed Falcon, Montague’s Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Short-toed Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Crake species, Ruff, Marsh Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Lapwing, Ferruginous Duck, Garganey, Red-crested Pochard, Great Reed Warbler and many more.