On Friday afternoon we made our way to the Eastern Rhodopes to establish a bird photography hide. We arrived late in the afternoon and met some friends who suggested there is carrion in front of one of the vulture feeding sites and place for photographing them. Excitement took over and we quickly made the arrangement to go into the hide. Recent news suggested there was opportunity to photograph wild wolves so I didn’t want to miss this chance. After a few drinks with our friends we decided to go into the hide during the night and spend it there. This is expected to increase our chances for photographing wolves and vultures.
We arrived shortly after 1.00 am and a pack of not wolves but dogs met us at the site. We entered in full excitement and quickly went to bed. The cozy bunks and our sleeping bags made the night quite warm and pleasant. We woke up at about 6,30. It was still pretty dark but a fox was feeding on the carcass. What a place. It would be great if it stays until its bright sun. Unfortunately it disappeared with the coming sunlight. A raven turned up presenting nice opportunities for some art photography shots. Here it is:
Raven photography in Bulgaria |
After a few hours in the hide we ended up with nothing but this raven. We observed about 25 species but no photos. Amongst the birds observed are a young Goshawk chasing the birds around, a young and an adult Golden Eagle which we wanted to land but no luck, also Cirl Bunting, Wood Lark, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, etc.
The sun broke through the mist and wonderful landscapes tempted us to leave and spend our time for landscape photography. Here are some of the results:
We had wonderful time in photographing the autumn landscapes of Eastern Rhodopes. Totally recommended to everyone who wishes to do it.