| This
is the time when over the territory of the lake (being
also a typical bottle-neck site of international significance)
use to pass the most numerous flocks of storks and birds
of prey. Thousands of White and Black Storks, White
Pelicans, Honey Buzzards, Common Buzzards and Lesser
Spotted Eagles could be observed per one day only! And
among their huge flocks squeeze themselves other species
like Levant Sparrowhawks, Marsh and Montagu’e
Harriers, Booted Eagles, Short-toed Eagles, Red-footed
Falcons, Hobbies, Black Kites and even vultures. Rare
passerines as Aquatic, Moustached and Paddifield Warblers
also occur in migration along with Slender-billed Gulls,
Mediterranean Gulls, Gull-billed Terns, Marsh Sandpipers,
stints etc. During winter months the territory of the
lake is used primarily for feeding and resting of Dalmatian
Pelicans, Pygmy Cormorants, Great Egrets, great variety
of dabbling and diving ducks and small quantities of
geese (Red-breasted, White-fronted and Lesser White-fronted
Geese), White-tailed Eagles etc. And last, but not least,
Atanasovsko Lake holds the record of the place with
most numerous sightings of Slender-billed Curlew in
Bulgaria – one of the most endangered species
in the world, thought to be almost decreased to extinction
during the last years! |