Сдружение за опазване на дивата природа

THE NUMBER OF WINTERING GEESE IN COASTAL DOBRUDZHA IS STEADILY GROWING

On December 6, 2014, a team of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Neophron Tours conducted monitoring of the wintering waterfowl in the coastal lakes of Shabla and Durankulak. According to our expectations, the cold spell that occurred during the first days of December brought about an increase of the number of Red-breasted geese in the area of Coastal Dobrudzha – we observed 720 Red-breasted Geese (Branta ruficollis), 1330 White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) and 19 Greylag geese (Anser anser).

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BEST PHOTOS, SELECTED FROM PHOTO WORKSHOP “VARNA KITE FESTIVAL -2014”

A workshop for reportage photography was a part of this year’s events during International Kite Festival – Varna 2014. The workshop and the selection process were carried out with the professional assistance of our partners from Photoplace – Varna.

This year’s Festival of Kites supported the cause of the Wildlife Conservation Society “Let’s get to know and love the soaring birds on the Black Sea migration route Via Pontica”.

Many thanks to all photographers – amateurs and professionals, who sent us their photos. Here is a selection of 22 representative images, which were extremely difficult to select among all the beautiful photos we received

THE FIRST RED-BREASTED GEESE ARE HERE!

November 2, 2014: Late October was unusually cold along the northern and western coast of the Black sea, with rains and snow. So we were looking forward to the weather to improve and to check what has arrived in Coastal Dobrudzha, the northernmost Bulgarian Black sea coast.

On the 1st Nov we did one of the regular bird monitoring in this area, together with colleagues from Neophron Tours, we were lucky to have found the first 24 Red-breasted Geese (Branta ruficollis) for the season – in a flock of about 900 Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons), feeding in a corn stubble field.

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SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER IN THE GORITSA AREA 2014

Summing-up of the third field-season of the project (by Johan Träff)

This year (2014) the field research season lasted from March 25 to June 15. During this period 220 nest-boxes divided in five plots were used in the Goritsa Forest area in the region of Varna. Preliminary figures show that the boxes were used by about 120 breeding pairs of Semi-collared Flycatcher compared to 85 during 2013. This year the area was exposed to a really high rate of predation (~45%), by Forest Dormice, Martens, domestic and wild cats and Aesculapian Snakes.

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HUNDREDS OF COLOURFUL KITES FLEW OVER VARNA

Hundreds of brightly coloured kites filled the sky above Asparuhovo beach in Varna, where for the second consecutive year Kite Festival Varna was held.

Favorable winds allowed the participants to demonstrate their skills in the manipulation of original and attractive kite models. This year the festival included participants from neighboring Turkey. Enthusiasts from Seagull Kite Club even rose in the sky the biggest kite ever seen in town – a blue silk bear. Some models were patterned by the smiling children on the beach.

To the kids’ delight, candies rained from the sky, while the colorful kites floated amid thousands of White Storks migrating over Varna.

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KITE FESTIVAL – VARNA 2014

For the second consecutive year on 16 August 2014 the city of Varna will host its festival of kites: https://www.facebook.com/events/524700640969164/
The Festival is organized by Kite Club “Asto – Sky Wonders” and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), in partnership with the Black Sea Kite Festival – Romania, Seagull Kite Club – Turkey, International Youth Sanatorium Kamchia, Municipal Children’s Complex – Varna, Photoplace, Impact Press Group, Radio Varna and many other friends and partners from Varna and the region. The festival supports the candidacy of the city of Varna for European Capital of Culture in 2019 and European Youth Capital in 2017.

This year the Varna Kite Festival becomes international – participants from Bulgaria, Italy, Turkey, Romania and others will demonstrate their original handmade models. The program includes a parade of kites, a competition for the most attractive model demonstrations of model aircraft, gliders and other flying objects and kite-making workshop on the spot. The accompanying program of the festival is also rich – performances of children’s dance and theater groups from Varna and the region, mini-concert of famous Bulgarian pop singers, workshops for making jewelry, badges and origami, a photography workshop and photo exhibitions “Kite Festival – Varna 2014 “, guided watching the ongoing migration of storks, pelicans and other soaring birds with specialized optics, nice music and many other activities.

Striving to achieve the freedom and beauty of the flight of birds, about two millennia ago man invented the kite. Therefore, the relationship between such a popular entertainment like kite-flying and the cause of wild birds conservation is more than obvious. This year’s festival supports the initiative of the Wildlife Conservation Society “Let’s get to know and love the soaring birds along the Black Sea migration flyway, the Via Pontica”.

The third field season of the project “Study on the Semi-collared Flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata) in Bulgaria is over

The study is carried out and financed by Swedish ornithologist and researcher Johan Traff and is based on a regular survey of 200 specially designed nest boxes that are placed within the plots of Staro Oriahovo Forestry Service, Regional Forestry Directorate – Varna. During this four-year project the nest boxes, which are used each year by 75 – 105 pairs, are being observed and studied from the arrival of the birds until the young leave the nest boxes.

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