Monday 7 May 2018

Bulgaria 2018- Day 1

Day one on a trip to Bulgaria to do some herping with Dylan and Anton (with NEOPHRON) and then back to the Balkan Ecology Project for the rest of the week. More on the Balkan Ecology Project HERE.

As usual for Bulgaria- an epic day. We've got three days in the Eastern Rhodopes, an upland area in the south east of the country with Mediterranean influences, one of the best areas in the country for snakes and reptiles. 

Today on the herping front we had the awesome and alien like Worm Snake (3 individuals),  Kotschy's Gecko, Spur-thighed Tortoise (one laying eggs), Balkan Green and Green Lizard, roadkill Caspian Whip Snake and Glass Lizard and in the evening we had Green Toad, Marsh Frog, Agile Frog and Smooth Newt.  

So many other birds and wildlife too in this nature wonderland- really is a rich area of biodiversity and abundance. Got a lot of photos to id.  Here's a few first day pics. 


 Worm Snake 
 Kotschy's Gecko 
 A young Balkan Green Lizard
 Caspian Whip Snake- an unfortunate road casualty 
 Spur-thighed Tortoise laying eggs 
 Black Woodpecker 
 Common Rock Thrush 

 'Ruby-tailed Wasp' 
 Southern White Admiral 

'Star fungus'

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