site.btaOrnithological Camp by Durankulak Lake Rings Total of 13,703 Birds of 92 Species

The team of the Durankulak Bird Ringing Camp 2022 ringed a total of 13,703 birds of 92 species, the organizers reported. This year's ornithological camp, conducted by Durankulak Lake (Northeastern Bulgaria) from August 13 to October 31, showed significant increases and decreases in the number of birds ringed from some species compared to the previous three editions of the camp.

The 2021 camp ended with 16,884 ringed birds of 86 species. The 2020 edition reported 13,786 ringed birds of 93 species and the 2019 edition, 9,344 birds of 84 species.

Among the species with a very good season are the:  Great reed warbler (632 caught);  Cetti's warbler (308);  moustached warbler (316);  red-backed shrike (212);  bearded reedling (96). On the other end of the spectrum, probably due to the very dry and warm summer and autumn and the poor nesting season of some species, are the: red-breasted flycatcher (68 caught), song thrush (54); common redstart (43).

Among the birds that the ornithologists were surprised to find in their nets, were four Pallas's leaf warbles, as the species has never been caught by Durankulak Lake or anywhere else in Bulgaria. Caught for the first time during the Durankulak Bird Ringing Camp were the common rosefinch (2 individuals) and the red-throated pipit (3 individuals).

Night catches produced good results: 44 Eurasian nightjars; 27 Eurasian scops owls, 43 water rails, 25 spotted and 4 little crakes, 7 common moorhens, 4 long-eared owls, and one barn owl.

Some 90 to 100 volunteers took part in Durankulak Bird Ringing Camp 2022.

Durankulak Lake is a wetland of international importance located within a Natura 2000 protected area. The bird ringing camp there has been held annually in August and October since 2019. It is organized jointly by the National Museum of Natural History and the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystems at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the latter’s Bulgarian Ornithological Centre, the LE Balkan Foundation, Branta Birding Lodge & Conservation Centre and Patrick Bergkamp, a lifelong ringer from the Netherlands.