Bulgaria, June 2017 Part 4 The modest approach

Another day ahead, same procedure as yesterday.
Breakfast
Conditioning with Justin at 10.00am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru0K8uYEZWw

(If you haven't heard it give it a go!)

Then, leaving Claire on her sun bed I head off in the opposite direction heading up Main Street Sinemoretz. 
It's exactly as expected, a few restaurants, bars and shops but delightfully quiet and uncommercial as it's largely a residential area.



not exactly a nightclubber's dream location then! 
Beyond the village there is another glorious sandy beach which is currently undeveloped but it looks like things are about to change with a couple of wooden buildings being erected.

I hope they limit it to just a couple of beach bars as it's a lovely spot at the mouth of the Veleka river .

Just behind the beach a pond and reed bed look potentially interesting. There are even two bird hides one which you can just see in the photograph.
On the pond I find a sunbathing European Pond Turtle

In the dried out bed behind the reeds a Little Ringed Plover

and in the reed bed over by the river, a Great Reed Warbler.

A pair of Red-backed Shrike were hunting this area too.

Things were looking up on the avian front.

It was Sunday but still not particularly busy on the beach, still I headed away following a track alongside the river passing a few anglers along the way. There was much bird song but the dense foiliage  was once again giving me problems seeing things. Eventually though I arrived at a more open area on the edge of some farmland.
Brilliant, all on one tree a Nuthatch

and only my second ever confirmed sighting of Middle Spotted Woodpecker.

A feeding flock of small brown warblers was moving through the bushes and I'm guessing they were all Willow Warblers.

Returning towards the beach I heard a weird unrecognisable call and further investigation revealed this bird high up in deep shade but open branches.
I have since asked the question as to what species and some people have been good enough to reply that it's a Nightingale and the call is actually it's alarm call.

I had hoped it might be a Savi's or a Marsh Warbler, neither of which i have seen as yet but hey, Nightingales are something I have seen little of in the past.
The day was certainly giving more than I'd had previously and there was more to come.
On the steps of the bird hide a Lizard.

A European Green Lizard I think.

Arriving back at the beach car park a man was stood stark naked whilst his wife rubbed suncream on his back. Some people have no shame! Mind you his modesty was saved by a huge pot belly. Not a pretty sight and one I was hardly likely to want to photograph so he had no need to worry and neither did I despite having the big lens.
There was still more to come on the track over the headland.

A displaying male House Sparrow failing in trying to distract a hungry female.


and this I think is an Edible Frog.

I hadn't totally forgotten about the butterflies though but they had retreated in to reserve targets!



All in all an excellent day. I returned for afternoon tea and this time restricted myself to two small slices of pizza and a piece of melon.
The forecast for the next two days wasn't very good so I had a hire car booked from the hotel which at 24 euros a day represented pretty good value I thought.
Another evening stroll with Claire then beers, dinner and G&T's.
A pattern definitely had set in!
T.B.C.