Ah, spotted nutcrackers – the stand-up comedians of the bird world. These little jokesters are always cracking up… nuts, that is! They are very shy here in Slovenia, too shy for the camera. So when I was in Bulgaria with my dad and my friend Dancho, we planned to visit one of the ski resorts near Sofia. Prior to this we were photographing Golden eagles in Eastern Bulgaria and Dalmatian pelicans in Northern Greece. On our way home, we stopped at Sofia with these cheeky birds in our mind. Here are the photos and the story.
Photos of Spotted Nutcrackers
The spotted nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes) is a bird species native to Europe and Asia, known for its distinctive dark brown plumage with white spots and its powerful beak, which it uses to crack open nuts and seeds. These shy birds inhabit a variety of environments, including dense forests and mountainous areas. Apart from their nut-cracking ability, spotted nutcrackers are also known for their remarkable skill in hiding and retrieving their food, with their memory and use of landmarks helping them locate their cached supplies.
Photographing Spotted Nutcrackers
In Sofia, we stocked up on peanuts and drove up the mountain. Despite the snow, Dancho’s 4×4 car enabled us to reach the top. I was a bit skeptical that the birds would find us in the heavy snow, yet they proved more resourceful than I had expected. Within minutes, the first nutcrackers appeared, followed by more and more until about 20 of them were perching on nearby trees and vying for the nuts scattered in the snow.
Photographing them was extremely challenging due to their fast and unpredictable movements. They would suddenly jump at each other without any warning, and the falling snow further complicated the autofocus. I attempted to use pre-focusing for a while and reverted to autofocus after the snow stopped. Such conditions necessitated taking numerous shots, most of which I anticipated would be of poor quality. Ultimately, I captured 1500 images, and surprisingly, quite a few were good enough to keep. It turned out to be a very successful photoshoot!
January 2024 Update
On my recent visit to Bulgaria, my focus shifted from wildlife to people photography. Initially, we ventured into the Rhodope Mountains to attend a traditional Pomak wedding (story coming soon). Our next exploration was of traditional villages in Rhodopes, freshly blanketed in snow (photos coming soon). Lastly, we experienced Surva in the village of Kosharevo (video and story also forthcoming). En route to Sofia, we revisited the location known for nutcrackers to attempt photographing them once more. Faced with strong winds and biting cold, photography proved challenging, yet I still managed to secure these three portraits.
Conclusion
Although our encounter with spotted nutcrackers in Bulgaria was brief, lasting about two hours, it remains a memorable experience. Watching these cheeky birds from such close quarters was truly a joy, especially considering how much shyer they are in Slovenia and the Italian and Austrian Alps. In Bulgaria, they’ve become accustomed to humans, likely due to the presence of a popular ski resort. It was indeed a one-of-a-kind experience!
