After mid June most of the birds feed their youngs. Some of them are still in the nest but many other follow the adults call for food and learn how to survive. The sky get more and more busy. 

Thinking about birds, during second part of June and first days of July you should not expect great difference comparing what is available in May. The main difference  is the behaviour of the birds  which from displaying changing to feeding. At same time  the colours of meadows slowly move from green to yellow, the rainy days get more and more rare. The most typical birds during this workshop are:
Little Owl, Spanish- and Tree sparrows, Lesser Kestrel, Bee-eaters,  Lesser Grey, Woodchat,  Red-backed and Masked shrikes, Black-headed-, Ortolan- and Corn bunting, Little Bittern, other herons, Little Grebe,  Black Stork,  Hawfinch, Nightingale, larks, finches ,etc.


  

            

If you are interested in flowers and some mammals, reptiles and amphibians, butterflies, dragonflies etc., make sure to keep some free disk space for them as well. Have in mind that since the days get warmer approaching and photographing the reptiles get a bit more difficult. Usually the early and late part of the day work bets. At same time the mummer of different insects grow and this give more and more opportunities for those ho love macro photography.


The Sites
During the workshop you will work in several different habitats. One of them is a dry area with rounded hills near Rodopi Mountains which is covered with steppe vegetation. We will also enter the Rodopi with it’s forests, rocky slopes  and grasslands. Wetlands situated in the plain are another very different place. These radically different habitats, sheltering specific types of plants and animals, offer a variety of photographic subjects.

During the whole trip you will stay in a nice family owned hotel near the town of Pestera        (less two hours driving from Sofia Airport). Most of the hides and attractive places are 05 to 30 min. driving from the hotel. Going to the wetlands where we do photography from our floating hide will require up to  one hour driving

Daily Program
We will start early morning before sunrise. After having a short breakfast we will leave for the hides which offer space for one or more photographers. Normally the days in June and July are sunny and lunch break  is important. Usually we go back to the hotel where the restaurant is open for us. Having picnic is also a option especially when the days are cloudy and photography can be enjoyable all day long.
For dinner we will return around 19:30- 20:00 pm to our hotel, where the discussions, comments, planning next day will go. .

For those who want to use the floating hides we provide waders in different size. Of course if you prefer you can bring your own waders or neoprene.

 For every two or three participants we provide a separate car, this allowing greater flexibility of the organization, transfers and choice of sites for photography.



Level of fitness. All hides are accessible by car. For macro and landscape photography you may need to do some moderate walking.

Equipment recommended For bird photography the minimum focal length we recommend is 300mm for crop cameras and 400mm for full frame cameras. It’s important to bring a tripod. We can provide beanbags. A macro lens might be a good choice for insects, plants and other small things. Do not hesitate to contact us in case of specific questions you might have!


 
Group size:  2 – 6 photographers

Cost:            1520 EUR    
Single supplement:      80 EUR
Deposit:                      200 EUR

Price includes: Airport transfers , local transportation, accommodation, all meals, use of hides, guides.
Price excludes: International flights, travel insurance, alcohol and all items of purely personal nature.


Note:
During our standard workshop the European Roller can be a option, but for really good opportunities you need to move to  different areas. For these reason if the Rollers are your priority  it is  recommended to extend your trip ( 3 to 4 days are enough). Another option is to request private trip with accent to photograph rollers and other birds and wildlife from your favourite list.  
There is also option to extend this trip with several days and photograph – Lesser Kestrel, Vultures ( Egyptian, Griffon and Black) terns, waders  and other shore birds.
Short trip focused in macro photography also is possible. Not fare from our main spot is located excellent spot for  Apollo butterfly and many other insects. For more info please ask.