Probably most of you have already seen update on our Facebook profile about first hatched Avocet chicks close to Pomorie Lake visitor centre. During the past week we were happy to see that Sandwich terns that have settled at the small islet for some time in the past month have finally started to nest. Abundance was high and provisional counts have revealed numbers exceed thousand birds but due to high and constant dynamics more precise numbers were hard to estimate. Once pairs have been formed and terns settled on nests, we got opportunity for getting more accurate number of breeding pairs in the current season. This year we decided to make use of modern technology and to get a bird’s eye by drone for better accuracy in estimation of breeding pairs’ number. The view from the sky has proven to be much more accurate than observations by telescope only and after careful analysis of recorded images and video we obtained rather precise numbers for breeding pairs.
On the existing for more than 10 years small islet in the southern part of the lagoon, created by Green Balkans and BTCV (UK) volunteers is nesting the Sandwich terns (Sterna sandvicensis) colony that is the symbol of Pomorie Lake. This year the numbers are significantly higher than usual 1300 pairs – totally on the islet and restored concrete dike 2221 nesting pairs have been counted. In addition on eroded earthen dike in the southwestern part of the lagoon smaller colony was observed with estimated number of at least 200 pairs.
On the large islet at dike 1 approximately 70-80 pairs of Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) were recorded together with unidentified terns due to higher altitude kept to avoid disturbance of birds. In the museum salinas about 20 pairs nest while on the wooden platforms, created within LIFE10NAT/IT/256 MC SALT project 28 Avocet pairs were counted. Colony of 48 Avocet pairs is nesting on remnants of eroded dike making the total breeding pairs of that flagship species for the lagoon reaches almost 180 pairs.
Other nesting birds observed during the monitoring include Little terns (Sterna albifrons), Black-winged stilts (Himantopus himantopus) and Kentish plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus). Interesting observation of Mute swan on dike 1 was also recorded. Common terns (Sterna hirundo) that are other main species are still returning from migration and have not started mass nesting. Good breeding season results are the best present the lagoon can give us to celebrate the European NATURA 2000 Day – 21 May!
News are not only good though – joint monitoring with BFB expert on hydrochemistry has confirmed significant decrease of salinity in the lagoon waters turning it to brackish type and highest recorded salinity was of 18 ‰ in the easternmost part next to the sea.
Contacts:
Dimitar Popov - Green Balkans NGO
mob. number: +359885108712, 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.
Pomorie Lake
Pomorie Lake is a natural hypersaline lagoon, located on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, near the town of Pomorie. Home to over 260 different species of birds, over 30 mammal and over 80 plant species, since 2007 it is officially part of the largest coordinated network of protected areas in the world – the European ecological network Natura 2000.
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 information activities are implemented within:
On the existing for more than 10 years small islet in the southern part of the lagoon, created by Green Balkans and BTCV (UK) volunteers is nesting the Sandwich terns (Sterna sandvicensis) colony that is the symbol of Pomorie Lake. This year the numbers are significantly higher than usual 1300 pairs – totally on the islet and restored concrete dike 2221 nesting pairs have been counted. In addition on eroded earthen dike in the southwestern part of the lagoon smaller colony was observed with estimated number of at least 200 pairs.
On the large islet at dike 1 approximately 70-80 pairs of Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) were recorded together with unidentified terns due to higher altitude kept to avoid disturbance of birds. In the museum salinas about 20 pairs nest while on the wooden platforms, created within LIFE10NAT/IT/256 MC SALT project 28 Avocet pairs were counted. Colony of 48 Avocet pairs is nesting on remnants of eroded dike making the total breeding pairs of that flagship species for the lagoon reaches almost 180 pairs.
Other nesting birds observed during the monitoring include Little terns (Sterna albifrons), Black-winged stilts (Himantopus himantopus) and Kentish plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus). Interesting observation of Mute swan on dike 1 was also recorded. Common terns (Sterna hirundo) that are other main species are still returning from migration and have not started mass nesting. Good breeding season results are the best present the lagoon can give us to celebrate the European NATURA 2000 Day – 21 May!
News are not only good though – joint monitoring with BFB expert on hydrochemistry has confirmed significant decrease of salinity in the lagoon waters turning it to brackish type and highest recorded salinity was of 18 ‰ in the easternmost part next to the sea.
Contacts:
Dimitar Popov - Green Balkans NGO
mob. number: +359885108712, 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.
Pomorie Lake
Pomorie Lake is a natural hypersaline lagoon, located on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, near the town of Pomorie. Home to over 260 different species of birds, over 30 mammal and over 80 plant species, since 2007 it is officially part of the largest coordinated network of protected areas in the world – the European ecological network Natura 2000.
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 information activities are implemented within:
