01/08/2026
BULGARIA - BUTTERFLIES & BIRDS
Monday 13th - Thursday 23rd July 2026
Days 4 - 7
(Wednesday 15th – Sunday 19th July)
MOUNT OROLEK, BANSKO & NORTHERN GREECE BORDER
Moving into higher elevations and warmer microclimates, we covered the Pirin Mountains (Bansko), the subalpine habitats of Mount Orolek (approx. 1900m), a cross-border excursion into Greece and lower-elevation hot spots.
Key Highlights & Target Species:
• BOSNIAN BLUE: A major highlight at the summit of Mount Orolek, where we had exceptional views of the rare BOSNIAN BLUE on the high barren slopes.
• HIGH-ALTITUDE SPECIALITIES: Sightings included OTTOMAN BRASSY RINGLET, EASTERN LARGE HEATH, NORTHERN WALL BROWN, FALSE EROS BLUE, ARRAN BROWN and APOLLO
• BLUES & COPPERS: We FOUND HIGGIN’S ANOMALOUS BLUE, PHALAKRON ANOMALOUS BLUE, LITTLE TIGER BLUE, LANG’S SHORT-TAILED BLUE, EASTERN BATON BLUE, BALKAN COPPER and SCARCE COPPER.
The discovery of Oriental Marbled Skipper marked the 100th butterfly species of the tour.
• OTHER NOTABLE SIGHTINGS: Mass concentrations of CARDINALS on thistles; NIOBE, LESSER SPOTTED and HEATH FRITILLARIES; SOUTHERN WHITE ADMIRAL, COMMON GLIDER, NETTLE-TREE BUTTERFLY, OSIRIS BLUE, ESCHER'S BLUE, MARBLED SKIPPER, OBERTHÜR’S GRIZZLED SKIPPER and ORBED RED UNDERWING SKIPPER.
