91
Acrocephalus 27 (128-129): 83−93, 2006
A recent evidence of the spring 
migration of Mediterranean 
Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan along 
the Bulgarian Black Sea coast 
Novi dokazi o pomladni selitvi 
sredozemskega viharnika Puffinus
yelkouan vzdol` obale ^rnega morja v 
Bolgariji
Stoyan Ch. Nikolov1, Dimiter Georgiev2, 
Bojidar Ivanov3 & Petar Iankov4 
1  Central Laboratory of General Ecology (Bulgarian 
Academy of Sciences), 2 Gagarin Str., BG−1113 
Sofia, Bulgaria, e−mail: nikolov100yan@abv.bg
2  Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds/
BirdLife Bulgaria, P.o. Box 492, BG−9000 Varna, 
Bulgaria, e−mail: dimiter.georgiev@neophron.com
3  Institute of Zoiology, 1 bul. Tzar Osvoboditel,  
BG−1000 Sofia, Bulgaria, e−mail: bai_bobo@yahoo.com
4  Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds/
BirdLife Bulgaria,  BG−1111 Sofia, P.O. Box 50,
Bulgaria, e−mail: petar.iankov@gmail.com
After the 1970s, the Mediterranean Shearwater 
has been observed passing along the western Black 
Sea coast in flocks of up to 13,500 or even 20,000
individuals in some years (Simeonov et al. 1990). It 
is known that the species is more numerous near the 
Bulgarian Black Sea coast between July and October 
(Simeonov et al. 1990). The data presented below 
for the past four years shows that the species passes in 
significant numbers near the Bulgarian Black Sea coast
also in April and May. 
In 2003: on 28 Apr, a flock of 30 Mediterranean
Shearwaters was observed offshore in the region of 
Durankulak Lake (UTM PJ23); on 29 Apr, two 
groups of birds (consisting of 170 and 70 birds) were 
seen flying to the north offshore near Cape Kaliakra
(UTM PJ01); on 5 May, a group of 272 Mediterranean 
Shearwaters flying to the north at about 1 km far from
the coast was seen in the region of the village of Kamen 
Brjag (UTM PJ12) (Nikolov, B., Nikolov, S. & 
Ducov, A. pers. comm.); on 10 May, a flock of 2,000
individuals was seen off the coast of Lake Atanasovsko 
(UTM NH03) (Michev et al. 2004); between 14 and 
17 May, several groups consisting of 1,200 to 10,000 
birds were observed feeding at the entrance of Varna 
Gulf (UTM NH87) (Mitev, D. pers. comm.); on 19 
and 20 May, few groups consisting of 5,400 to 12,000 
birds were observed feeding at a distance of 400 to 
2,000 m from the coast and spending the night in 
smaller groups (up to 500 – 1,000 individuals) in the 
region of Cape Kaliakra; on 28 May, a flock of 50
birds was seen flying to the north at a distance about 1
km from the coast in the region of Lake Alepu (UTM 
NG95). In 2004: on 9 May, two flocks consisting of
100 and 200 individuals were observed in the gulf of 
the Sveti Vlas village (UTM NH25) (Papps, S. pers. 
comm.); on 10 and 11 May, groups of respectively 6 
and 21 birds were observed at the foregoing site; on 
11 May, a flock of 10 birds was seen offshore flying
to the south near Irakli Bay (UTM NH73); on 13 
May, 8 individuals were observed flying to the north
on Cape Kaliakra; on 30 May, 2 birds were seen 
near the Sveti Vlas village. In 2005: on 10 May, one 
Mediterranean Shearwater was seen in the sea flying
to the east in the region of the Sarafovo village (UTM 
NH41) and 9 birds (6 flying to the south-east, and 3
to the north) were observed offshore on Cape Emine 
(UTM NH72); on 12 May, a flock consisting of
450 individuals was observed offshore in the region 
of Durankulak Lake. In 2006: on 23 May, 50 birds 
were seen flying to the south at 1 km offshore in the
region of Durankulak Lake at 9.30 h and a group of 
about 1,300 individuals was observed feeding together 
with 10 dolphins at a distance of 500 – 800 m from 
the coast at 16.30 h in the region of the Kamen Brjag 
village; on 25 May, a group of 3 birds was seen flying
to the north at about 1.5 km distance from the coast 
in the region of Nesebar town (UTM NH25) at 
10.00 h and 53 birds were seen feeding at a distance 
of about 2 km offshore in the region of Cape Kaliakra 
at 16.30 h; on 26 May, a group of 4 birds flying to
the north at about 1 km distance from the coast was 
seen in the area of Lake Durankulak at 10.05 h and 
two groups consisting of 1,300 and 1,000 individuals 
were observed simultaneously flying to the north at
distances 1.5 and 2 km respectively from the coast in 
the region of the Kamen Brjag village between 16.20 
and 16.50 h.
Povzetek 
Avtorji podajajo nove dokaze o spomladanski selitvi 
sredozemskega viharnika Puffinus yelkouan vzdol` 
obale ^rnega morja v Bolgariji; navajajo podatke 
za zadnja {tiri leta (2003 – 2006), ki ka`ejo, da se 
sredozemski viharnik pojavlja redno in v precej{njem 
{tevilu, najve~je zabele`eno {tevilo pa je bilo 12.000 
osebkov.
92
References
Simeonov, S., Michev, T. & Nankinov, D. (1990): Fauna 
of Bulgaria. Vol. 20, Aves, Part I. – BAS, Sofia.
Michev, T., Profirov, L., Dimitrov, M. & Nyagolov, 
K. (2004): The Birds of Lake Atanasovsko. – Bourgas 
Wetlands Publication Series No 5, Bourgas.
Arrived / Prispelo: 23.6.2006
Accepted / Sprejeto: 5.10.2006
Kratki prispevki / Short Communications
Evidence for the regular spring 
and autumn migration of Terek 
Sandpiper Xenus cinereus along the 
western Black Sea coast 
Dokazi o redni spomladanski in jesenski 
selitvi sabljastega martinca Xenus cinereus 
vzdol` zahodne obale ^rnega morja
Stoyan Ch. Nikolov1, Dimiter Georgiev2, 
Bojidar Ivanov3 & Petar Iankov4 
1  Central Laboratory of General Ecology (Bulgarian 
Academy of Sciences), 2 Gagarin Str., BG−1113 
Sofia, Bulgaria, e−mail: nikolov100yan@abv.bg
2  Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds/
BirdLife Bulgaria, P.O. Box 492, BG−9000 Varna, 
Bulgaria, e−mail: dimiter.georgiev@neophron.com
3  Institute of Zoiology, 1 bul. Tzar Osvoboditel,  
BG−1000 Sofia, Bulgaria, e−mail: bai_bobo@yahoo.com
4  Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds/
BirdLife Bulgaria,  BG−1111 Sofia, P.O. Box 50,
Bulgaria, e−mail: petar.iankov@gmail.com
The Terek Sandpiper is a regular migrant to the region 
of the eastern Black Sea with important route between 
the Ural and Volga rivers and birds also passing through 
Transcaucasus and Ukraine (Dementiev & Gladkov 
1951). The species is considered to be a rare visitor or 
vagrant farther west, including the Balkans (Cramp 
1983) and there are few published observations in 
Bulgaria (Nankinov et al. 1997, Michev et al. 2004).
On 16 Sep 2002, a juvenile Terek Sandpiper was 
seen on the beach of nature protected site Poda (UTM 
NH03). The species was observed at the same site in 
the ensuing year (on 16 Sep). A Terek Sandpiper was 
seen on 22 and 31 Sep 2004 at Shablenska Tuzla salty 
lake (UTM PJ22). The observed individuals stayed 
separately from the other Waders presented at the 
foregoing sites. On 14 Aug 2005, two adult Terek 
Sandpipers in summer plumage were seen together at 
14.00 h in the northern part of Pomorie Lake saltpans 
(UTM NH51). The birds were staying close (3 − 5 
meters) to a number of Curlew Sandpipers Calidris 
ferruginea, Little Stints C. minuta, Dunlins C. alpina, 
Kentish Plovers Charadrius alexandrinus, Avocets 
Recurvirostra avocetta and one Broad-billed Sandpiper 
Limicola falcinellus all feeding around. The two Terek 
Sandpipers flew away together at 14.15 h. The species
was observed during the next year at the same site: