Evros 2009 (photos E.Stets)
Evros in autumn
The Evros Delta is often talked about as a location to visit in spring. There'e no doubt that it can be great in April and May, but autumn also turns up loads of great birds. Although the delta can seem quiet and devoid of birds, thousands are quietly feeding up for the big push over the Mediterranean and Sahara. This is shown by the number and quality of birds caught during recent ringing efforts in august and September. In 2009 a total of 7536 birds was ringed, demonstrating the importance of the delta as a migration stopover.
Highlights included:
- 1 Baillon's Crake
- 3 Levant's Sparrowhawks
- 37 Wrynecks
- 56 Thrush Nightingales
- 684 Marsh Warblers
- 746 Savi's Warblers
- 7 River Warblers
In 2010 highlights included Bluethroat, River and Barred Warblers.
Paddyfield Warbler
News from the Evros Delta
July/August 2010 - a maximum of 53 Spur-wing Plovers including this year's birds, 83 Dalmatian Pelicans, 4 Lesser Spotted Eagles, 800 Little Egrets, 254 Spoonbills and 47 Ruddy Shelduck were on the delta in July. Autumn migration is already underway with 290 Garganey, 20 Black Stork, a magnificent 1468 Glossy Ibis, 735 White Pelicans, 386 Black-tailed Godwits and 255 Spotted Redshanks already seen.
May 2010 - The beginning of the month saw 400 Ruff, a Slender-billed Gull, 300 Whiskered, 75 White-winged Black and 25 Black Terns. Also a White -tailed Eagle, a Lanner, Red-footed Falcons, 2 Ruddy Shelduck, 2 booming Bitterns, 3 Temminck's Stints and, on 1/5, a northward passage of 1000+ marsh terns, mostly White-winged and Black
March 2010 The western part of the delta is now open but the eastern part remains underwater. Wildfowl numbers are falling, with White-fronted Geese down from a high of 9000 to 515 on the 3rd. The first pioneers of spring have already arrived, with 21 Garganey, 37 Ferruginous Duck, 750 Little Gull and a Lesser-spotted Eagle on the 3rd. 960 Greater Flamingo were present on the 5th.
February 2010 The delta is closed!!!! For the first time since the Evros River was channeled and embankments built in the 1950s it has broken its banks and flooded 40 000 acres of land. As a result of prolonged heavy rain and snow-melt in the Bulgarian mountains to the north the police have currently closed all access to the delta. As of the 25th water levels are receding in the western part of the delta allowing limited access. Bewick's numbers have continued to build, with 2250 counted on the 20th, 166 Ruddy Shelduck were present on the 15th, a Saker on the 21st and a Steppe Eagle on the 23rd.
January 2010 -Wildfowl numbers are building, with 188 Bewick's and 219 Whooper swans , 1555 Pintail, 6875 Wigeon, 10 000 Teal and 80 Ruddy Shelduck. The first group of White-fronts arrived on the 5th November, reaching 4000 on 18th January, sharing the lakes with 435 Flamingoes, 47 Great White Egrets, 60 Pygmy Cormorants and 164 Dalmatian Pelicans. 22 Spotted Eagles joined a visiting Golden, three Imperials and five White-tails. 440 Red-breasted Geese and 22 Lesser White-fronts arrived in January. A Long-legged and a Rough-legged Buzzard were also present amongst the 54 Common Buzzards.
November 2009 Wildfowl numbers have begun to build, with 161 Bewick's and 83 Whooper swans arriving, 200 Pintail, 2090 Wigeon and 80 Ruddy Shelduck. The first group of White-fronts arrived on the 5th, sharing the lakes with 120 Flamingoes, 47 Great White Egrets and 164 Dalmatian Pelicans. A few early Spotted Eagles joined a visiting Golden, two Imperials and several White-tails.
September 2009 The summer max of 588 Glossy Ibis now down to a handful. Over 100 Marsh Sands with 120 Little Stint, 20 Temminck's, 2 Red-necked Phalaropes, 2 White-tailed Eagles, 5 Levant's, 3 Ospreys, Monty's Harrier
August 2009 Two Red-necked Phalaropes were in the military area on August 28th, along with over 100 Marsh Sandpipers, 20 Temminck's Stints and 2 juvenile White-tailed Eagles
July 2009 Glossy Ibis numbers peaked at 588 on July 16th, as did Spoonbill with 466. Numbers of many other species are still building, with 334 Little Egrets, 37 Spur-winged Plovers, 66 Black-winged Stilts, 260 White Pelicans, and 14 Ruddy Shelducks by the end of the month.
May 2009 1 White-tailed Plover, 1 adult male Citrine Wagtail, 300 Glossy Ibis, 500 Spotted Redshanks, 35 Collared Pratincoles, 29 Spur-winged Plovers, Temminck's Stint, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Black-headed Bunting and Masked Shrike.
Bearded Tit
The Evros Delta
On the border with Turkey, the Evros Delta forms a huge area of 188km2 and was declared a Ramsar-protected wetland in 1974. Although the site faces major issues of freshwater management, overgrazing, overfishing, hunting and drainage, the management staff is working hard to improve the area for birds.
The delta still offers good birdwatching opportunities and, being close to one of the great migration flyways, offers the chance of real rarities, such as Greater Sand, White-tailed, Sociable and even Caspian Plovers.
Black Stork
Birding the delta
The north-western section has public access over much of the area but local restrictions apply for vehicles and it is important to visit the Visitors' Centre for details. The south-eastern part is permit only for non-Greeks (see below).
The delta has a rich diversity of habitats including freshwater lakes, brackish and seawater lagoons, rivers, reedy ditches, tamarisk forest, sandy islets, swamps, reedbeds and a small area of riverine forest. More than 300 species have been recorded and it has probably been the prime European site for Slender-billed Curlew, with a flock of 120 (no, it’s not a typo!) on 20 October 1978. Those were the days!
Night Heron
When to visit
Spring - probably the best time of the year is from mid-April to mid-May when migration can be fantastic, with large numbers of passage waders and terns. White Pelican numbers are high at this time, with 556 in April ’07.
Autumn - tends to be a little more hit-and-miss, with water levels the crucial element and the bulk of passage waders have moved through by late September. Dalmatian Pelican numbers peak in autumn, with more than 500 in September ’04 and 735 Whites in August '10. Broad-billed Sandpipers are frequent visitors, with a flock of 20 in September ’06, and Terek Sands are regular, though only in singles. Garganey numbers peak in late August – early September, with 2650 in 2005. Other early autumn highlights include 1468 Glossy Ibis and 43 Ruddy Shelduck in July '10.
