THE YEAR BEGAN WITH INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS IN SPA "DURANKULAK LAKE"
15.01.2013
The first days of fieldwork for the BSPB team working on the project "Safe Ground for Redbreasts", financed by the EU LIFE + Programme, began with interesting observations of rare species. On January 6, northwest of Durankulak among an innumerable flock of Greater White-fronted Geese and Red-breasted Geese the rare for the Bulgarian avifauna Pink-footed Goose (
Anser brachyrhynchus) was observed. This is only the second observation, the first being also in the region of Coastal Dubrudzha. This species has been increasing over the past decade, but it occurs mainly in Western Europe and is wintering in the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark. In recent years, observations of some "exotic" species for us became more frequent, like the Barnacle Goose for example, which is now almost a regular winter visitor to Bulgaria.
Just a day later another rare species but regular visitor to the country was registered - Lesser White-fronted Goose (
Anser erythropus). During the survey compact flocks of over 60-70 000 White-fronted geese moved in the area and the fact that the birds were frightened because of the hunting three days a week made the counting very difficult. Anyway, we managed to register one bird of this species. (The Lesser White-fronted Goose is one of the rarest species of geese on Earth and is found mainly in this type of habitat. Its distinguishing is rather difficult even in normal field conditions.)
The first days of fieldwork for the BSPB team working on the project "Safe Ground for Redbreasts", financed by the EU LIFE + Programme, began with interesting observations of rare species. On January 6, northwest of Durankulak among an innumerable flock of Greater White-fronted Geese and Red-breasted Geese the rare for the Bulgarian avifauna Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) was observed. This is only the second observation, the first being also in the region of Coastal Dubrudzha. This species has been increasing over the past decade, but it occurs mainly in Western Europe and is wintering in the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark. In recent years, observations of some "exotic" species for us became more frequent, like the Barnacle Goose for example, which is now almost a regular winter visitor to Bulgaria.
