Members' Holiday May 2003

Isabelline Wheatears in display flight around European Souslik burrows

We watched Isabelline Wheatears in display flight around the European Souslik burrows where they nest

Golden Eagle being mobbed by a Long-legged Buzzard

In May 2003 the Bulgarian committee ran their first A Rocha Members' Holiday, warmly welcoming birdwatchers from the Netherlands and the UK. Some of the Bulgarian committee - Joro Petcov, Olya Lazarova and Sasha Alexandrova - travelled with the group all week, while others joined in during the first weekend. Stoyan Bogdanov, the Chair of the Committee, spent Sunday showing us spectacular cliffs, meadows and waterfalls and brought us up to date with their plans. All the group live in Sofia, and so the next stage is to work locally, improving some of the parks for wildlife and, in time, opening an office in the city where visitors can enjoy displays about A Rocha, the country's rich diversity of wildlife and the conservation challenges. Fund-raising, perhaps partly through eco-tourism, and through building up a network of supportive individuals and churches are high on the agenda.

For all who took part, it was a wonderful week. Whether hiking in the mountains listening to Water Pipits singing overhead; sitting outside our hotel enjoying Spotted Nutcrackers in the spruce tops; sketching a Golden Eagle being mobbed by a Long-legged Buzzard; lying back in the shade watching Black, Griffon and Egyptian Vultures at a feeding site; waiting quietly at Western Rock Nuthatch or Middle Spotted Woodpecker nests while the adults fed their chicks; stalking European Sousliks; or chasing Scarce Swallowtails and Woodland Ringlets, there was always so much to look at and enjoy, and always in superb surroundings.

Middle Spotted Woodpecker at its nest in the Central Balkan National Park

Where's it gone? Bulgarian, Dutch and British birdwatchers trying to re-locate a Western Rock Nuthatch on the cliff above them.

There was the fun, too, of learning about each other's strange habits - Dobry, our guide for most of the week, was shocked to discover that the Dutch and British contingent were used to eating their evening meal as early as 6 or 7 pm, while we were surprised to pass a rubbish tip without a single scavenger on it. "Why don't the crows feed here?" we asked, to be told that no one threw out food - it was all saved for their own animals, or those of a friend or relative. And the Dutch and Bulgarians all agreed that the British say "thank you" far too often, but I'd still like to thank A Rocha Bulgaria again for such a special Members' Week.

- Barbara Mearns