Raptors please, followed by raptors with a side order of raptors!

7th - 14th September :- Just returned from another fantastic birdwatching holiday in the Southern Spain for the raptor migration (and other things) across the Straits of Gibraltar. It was in conjunction with Calandra Holidays and the group consisted of myself, Richard & Jane Palmer, Michael & Wendy Ball, Aileen Bishop, John Thorogood and John Tookey. A strong Levante (east wind) played havoc early in the week causing many 100's of migrant eagles, vultures and kites stacking up waiting to cross, making a true spectacle. In addition to the copious amounts of Short toed & Booted Eagles, Black Kites, Griffon & Egyptian Vultures, Montagu's & Marsh Harriers, Sparrowhawks, Lesser Kestrels and Honey Buzzards, we found 2 Ruppell's Vultures (both images by J. Tookey), Long legged Buzzard, Black shouldered Kite, 2 Bonelli's Eagles, 2 Ospreys, Hen Harrier, Peregrine and 2 Hobbys. In addition to seeing these fantastic 'birds of prey' we also saw 23 Bald Ibis's (my first), 100's of Bee-eaters, Alpine Swifts (one flock of 600+!), White Storks, Glossy Ibis, Audouin's & Mediterranean Gulls. Other special species seen included several Black Storks, Black necked Grebes, Black Terns, Calandra & Short toed Larks, Tawny Pipits, Black eared Wheatear, Iberian Chiffchaff, Melodious & Spectacled Warblers. One other highlight was watching several Monarch Butterflies from the room balcony around the trees and shrubs below.

Back at last

Back in Spain now after a month of travelling, guiding, the British Birdfair, visiting friends and family, culminating in a fabulous trip to Bulgaria's Black Sea coast.

Aug 24th - Sep 3rd :- If you like visible migration then Bulgaria at this time of year is the place to be as it's fabulous. Six of us plus a brilliant Bulgarian guide Petar Iankov spent 10 days travelling along the Black Sea coast from the Romanian border to the migration bottleneck of Burgos. It was brilliant with some terrific experiences none more so than the sight of 1000's of White Storks moving overhead, 30 species of wader including 3 Terek, 6 Marsh & 40+ Broad billed Sandpipers, Pallid Harrier, Lesser Spotted, Short toed & Booted Eagles, Eleanora's & Red footed Falcons, Honey Buzzards, 1000+ Little Gulls, Syrian, Lesser Spotted, Middle Spotted & Grey headed Woodpeckers, Pied & Isabelline Wheatears, Red breasted Flycatcher and Sombre Tit just to name a few.