In the past month between 5 and 9 Sandwich terns (Sterna sandvicensis) are regularly perching on the wooden stick in front of Pomorie Lake Visitor Centre. At the same time their relatives are still far away to the South.
The last addition to the sites in the Mediterranean Sea where Sandwich terns from Pomorie Lake have been observed is the small island of Malta situated between Europe and Africa to the south of largest island in the Mediterranean – Sicily. On 09.02.2019, a tern marked with a green ring CLZ has been observed at Salina Nature Reserve on Northern coast of Malta. The bird was resting in a group with other 14 Sandwich terns and more than 100 gulls from 3 species – Black-headed, Mediterranean and Slender-billed. The bird was observed by Aron Tanti and was reported to Bulgarian Ornithological Centre by Raymond Galea and James Crymble.
Quick check in our database has revealed that the bird was ringed as a pulli on 6 July 2011 in the colony nesting on the small islet in the Southern part of the lagoon. After almost 2 years on 29 June 2013 it was observed to rest on the wooden sticks in front of Pomorie Lake Visitor Centre. So after more than 5 years of uncertainty our Maltese colleagues have brought the good news it is alive and healthy.
The last addition to the sites in the Mediterranean Sea where Sandwich terns from Pomorie Lake have been observed is the small island of Malta situated between Europe and Africa to the south of largest island in the Mediterranean – Sicily. On 09.02.2019, a tern marked with a green ring CLZ has been observed at Salina Nature Reserve on Northern coast of Malta. The bird was resting in a group with other 14 Sandwich terns and more than 100 gulls from 3 species – Black-headed, Mediterranean and Slender-billed. The bird was observed by Aron Tanti and was reported to Bulgarian Ornithological Centre by Raymond Galea and James Crymble.
Quick check in our database has revealed that the bird was ringed as a pulli on 6 July 2011 in the colony nesting on the small islet in the Southern part of the lagoon. After almost 2 years on 29 June 2013 it was observed to rest on the wooden sticks in front of Pomorie Lake Visitor Centre. So after more than 5 years of uncertainty our Maltese colleagues have brought the good news it is alive and healthy.
We wish to thank to Aron Tanti, Raymond Galea and James Crymble for the provided information and photos!
Contacts: Dimitar Popov - Green Balkans
mob.phone 0885108712, e-mail: dpopov@greenbalkans.org
Additional information:
Natura 2000
Natura 2000 is the largest coordinated network for nature conservation. More than 30% of the territory of Bulgaria falls within the scope of the network - 120 areas for the protection of wild birds and 234 areas for the protection of natural habitats.
Sandwich Tern
In Bulgaria, the Sandwich Tern nests only on Pomorie and Atanasovsko lakes. Thanks to years of hard work, today the population of the species in Pomorie Lake is the largest on the Balkan Peninsula. Listed as an endangered species and included in the Birds Directive, the Sandwich Tern and its habitats are protected by the Natura 2000 ecological network.
The sandwich tern information activities are imaplemented within:
