Batumi Raptor Count
@batumiraptorcount.org
BRC is devoted to study and help protect the migration of over 1 million raptors along the Georgian Black Sea coast | batumiraptorcount.org
It’s a wrap! 🎉
Today marked the final day of #BRC17! What an unforgettable season it’s been: records broken with countless surprises and memories made. All the details will be included in our upcoming autumn report, which will be released soon.
Keep an eye on our social media to stay up-to-date.
Today marked the final day of #BRC17! What an unforgettable season it’s been: records broken with countless surprises and memories made. All the details will be included in our upcoming autumn report, which will be released soon.
Keep an eye on our social media to stay up-to-date.
October 21, 2025 at 1:51 PM
It’s a wrap! 🎉
Today marked the final day of #BRC17! What an unforgettable season it’s been: records broken with countless surprises and memories made. All the details will be included in our upcoming autumn report, which will be released soon.
Keep an eye on our social media to stay up-to-date.
Today marked the final day of #BRC17! What an unforgettable season it’s been: records broken with countless surprises and memories made. All the details will be included in our upcoming autumn report, which will be released soon.
Keep an eye on our social media to stay up-to-date.
1.5 MILLION RAPTORS! 🦅🤯
For the first time in BRC history, we have recorded a staggering 1.5 million raptors in a single autumn season — a true milestone after 17 years of counting!
Read more here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/brc17/2025/10/15-million-raptors
#ornithology #RaptorResearch
For the first time in BRC history, we have recorded a staggering 1.5 million raptors in a single autumn season — a true milestone after 17 years of counting!
Read more here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/brc17/2025/10/15-million-raptors
#ornithology #RaptorResearch
October 20, 2025 at 2:43 PM
1.5 MILLION RAPTORS! 🦅🤯
For the first time in BRC history, we have recorded a staggering 1.5 million raptors in a single autumn season — a true milestone after 17 years of counting!
Read more here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/brc17/2025/10/15-million-raptors
#ornithology #RaptorResearch
For the first time in BRC history, we have recorded a staggering 1.5 million raptors in a single autumn season — a true milestone after 17 years of counting!
Read more here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/brc17/2025/10/15-million-raptors
#ornithology #RaptorResearch
Live from the field!
The 1,422,172nd bird — a juvenile Black Kite flying through the misty clouds — crossed our transect line this afternoon, making 2025 the BIGGEST year in BRC history!!
Stay tuned for more!
The 1,422,172nd bird — a juvenile Black Kite flying through the misty clouds — crossed our transect line this afternoon, making 2025 the BIGGEST year in BRC history!!
Stay tuned for more!
October 5, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Live from the field!
The 1,422,172nd bird — a juvenile Black Kite flying through the misty clouds — crossed our transect line this afternoon, making 2025 the BIGGEST year in BRC history!!
Stay tuned for more!
The 1,422,172nd bird — a juvenile Black Kite flying through the misty clouds — crossed our transect line this afternoon, making 2025 the BIGGEST year in BRC history!!
Stay tuned for more!
170.000 RAPTORS IN ONE DAY!
After yesterday’s heavy rain and a quiet morning, today the sky exploded with Steppe Buzzards and large eagles! Continuing from 10 am until almost the end of the count.
At some point, we counted over 14.000 raptors in less than 20 minutes. THAT'S BATUMI!
#ornithology
After yesterday’s heavy rain and a quiet morning, today the sky exploded with Steppe Buzzards and large eagles! Continuing from 10 am until almost the end of the count.
At some point, we counted over 14.000 raptors in less than 20 minutes. THAT'S BATUMI!
#ornithology
October 1, 2025 at 6:17 PM
170.000 RAPTORS IN ONE DAY!
After yesterday’s heavy rain and a quiet morning, today the sky exploded with Steppe Buzzards and large eagles! Continuing from 10 am until almost the end of the count.
At some point, we counted over 14.000 raptors in less than 20 minutes. THAT'S BATUMI!
#ornithology
After yesterday’s heavy rain and a quiet morning, today the sky exploded with Steppe Buzzards and large eagles! Continuing from 10 am until almost the end of the count.
At some point, we counted over 14.000 raptors in less than 20 minutes. THAT'S BATUMI!
#ornithology
In between the eagles, Griffon Vultures appeared! Watching one glide alongside the eagles just proved how absolutely massive these vultures are! Although its very close pass did make us wonder about our scent after so many days of counting...
For daily updates & news: batumiraptorcount.org/data
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For daily updates & news: batumiraptorcount.org/data
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September 29, 2025 at 3:17 PM
In between the eagles, Griffon Vultures appeared! Watching one glide alongside the eagles just proved how absolutely massive these vultures are! Although its very close pass did make us wonder about our scent after so many days of counting...
For daily updates & news: batumiraptorcount.org/data
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For daily updates & news: batumiraptorcount.org/data
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After the thrill of reaching the million, we went straight to the peak of diversity. The challenge of counting high numbers of birds slowly shifted into identifying the (relatively) fewer but more difficult ones: the large eagle species!
But they also brought a special guest along...👇
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But they also brought a special guest along...👇
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September 29, 2025 at 3:17 PM
After the thrill of reaching the million, we went straight to the peak of diversity. The challenge of counting high numbers of birds slowly shifted into identifying the (relatively) fewer but more difficult ones: the large eagle species!
But they also brought a special guest along...👇
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But they also brought a special guest along...👇
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A true Bluesky — filled with raptors!
After days of rain, we were greeted by a bright, blue, cloudless sky this morning! The result? Thousands of birds and a high species diversity.
With the main message: the eagles are coming!
Stay tuned for more! For daily totals: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
After days of rain, we were greeted by a bright, blue, cloudless sky this morning! The result? Thousands of birds and a high species diversity.
With the main message: the eagles are coming!
Stay tuned for more! For daily totals: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
September 22, 2025 at 6:35 PM
A true Bluesky — filled with raptors!
After days of rain, we were greeted by a bright, blue, cloudless sky this morning! The result? Thousands of birds and a high species diversity.
With the main message: the eagles are coming!
Stay tuned for more! For daily totals: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
After days of rain, we were greeted by a bright, blue, cloudless sky this morning! The result? Thousands of birds and a high species diversity.
With the main message: the eagles are coming!
Stay tuned for more! For daily totals: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
This achievement was only possible thanks to our amazing and hard-working team – counters, trainees, coordinators – and our wonderful host families for their endless hospitality.
Check out our daily counts and news flashes here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
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Check out our daily counts and news flashes here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
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September 17, 2025 at 3:18 PM
This achievement was only possible thanks to our amazing and hard-working team – counters, trainees, coordinators – and our wonderful host families for their endless hospitality.
Check out our daily counts and news flashes here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
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Check out our daily counts and news flashes here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
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ONE MILLION RAPTORS!
The wait is over... Today #BRC17 hit the earliest 1-million mark in BRC history! Usually, this happens around end-September, but this year the raptors clearly had other plans.
And with still over a month to go, we expect plenty more to come!
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#ornithology #RaptorResearch
The wait is over... Today #BRC17 hit the earliest 1-million mark in BRC history! Usually, this happens around end-September, but this year the raptors clearly had other plans.
And with still over a month to go, we expect plenty more to come!
1/2
#ornithology #RaptorResearch
September 17, 2025 at 3:18 PM
ONE MILLION RAPTORS!
The wait is over... Today #BRC17 hit the earliest 1-million mark in BRC history! Usually, this happens around end-September, but this year the raptors clearly had other plans.
And with still over a month to go, we expect plenty more to come!
1/2
#ornithology #RaptorResearch
The wait is over... Today #BRC17 hit the earliest 1-million mark in BRC history! Usually, this happens around end-September, but this year the raptors clearly had other plans.
And with still over a month to go, we expect plenty more to come!
1/2
#ornithology #RaptorResearch
2/2 Most mornings start, as tradition dictates, with harriers. Sometimes tricky to ID when flying against a rising sun, but always a joy to see!
Occasionally, we may get distracted by non-targets, but only when they pose nicely like this Levant Sparrowhawk 😉
📸Nikolina Bukovac & Jonathan Meire
Occasionally, we may get distracted by non-targets, but only when they pose nicely like this Levant Sparrowhawk 😉
📸Nikolina Bukovac & Jonathan Meire
September 10, 2025 at 6:49 PM
2/2 Most mornings start, as tradition dictates, with harriers. Sometimes tricky to ID when flying against a rising sun, but always a joy to see!
Occasionally, we may get distracted by non-targets, but only when they pose nicely like this Levant Sparrowhawk 😉
📸Nikolina Bukovac & Jonathan Meire
Occasionally, we may get distracted by non-targets, but only when they pose nicely like this Levant Sparrowhawk 😉
📸Nikolina Bukovac & Jonathan Meire
The Honey Buzzards keep on coming!
With another 50K+ counted today, we’ve now passed half a million HBs this season! Rising numbers of Black Kites — as their peak is still ahead — pushed our overall total past
700K! And it’s not just the bulk species 👇
#ornithology
📸Eduardo C. Wals
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With another 50K+ counted today, we’ve now passed half a million HBs this season! Rising numbers of Black Kites — as their peak is still ahead — pushed our overall total past
700K! And it’s not just the bulk species 👇
#ornithology
📸Eduardo C. Wals
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September 10, 2025 at 6:49 PM
The Honey Buzzards keep on coming!
With another 50K+ counted today, we’ve now passed half a million HBs this season! Rising numbers of Black Kites — as their peak is still ahead — pushed our overall total past
700K! And it’s not just the bulk species 👇
#ornithology
📸Eduardo C. Wals
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With another 50K+ counted today, we’ve now passed half a million HBs this season! Rising numbers of Black Kites — as their peak is still ahead — pushed our overall total past
700K! And it’s not just the bulk species 👇
#ornithology
📸Eduardo C. Wals
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Foremost, we found it an exciting experience to publish our scientific debate in such a public manner, and thank @moveandconserve.bsky.social and co-authors for the constructive and cordial discussion!
Exciting times ahead — only together can we connect birds, people & places across the flyway!
Exciting times ahead — only together can we connect birds, people & places across the flyway!
September 9, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Foremost, we found it an exciting experience to publish our scientific debate in such a public manner, and thank @moveandconserve.bsky.social and co-authors for the constructive and cordial discussion!
Exciting times ahead — only together can we connect birds, people & places across the flyway!
Exciting times ahead — only together can we connect birds, people & places across the flyway!
Luckily, we have a great team of counters, trainees, and coordinators to count and identify the many thousands of raptors heading their way!
Make sure to check out our daily count updates and season totals here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
Stay tuned for more news from #BRC17!
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Make sure to check out our daily count updates and season totals here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
Stay tuned for more news from #BRC17!
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September 6, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Luckily, we have a great team of counters, trainees, and coordinators to count and identify the many thousands of raptors heading their way!
Make sure to check out our daily count updates and season totals here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
Stay tuned for more news from #BRC17!
3/3
Make sure to check out our daily count updates and season totals here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
Stay tuned for more news from #BRC17!
3/3
We are experiencing a particularly exciting season so far! For example, we've counted exceptionally high numbers of Short-toed Eagles, Marsh Harriers, and Black Kites!
Meanwhile, we're not even halfway through the season yet, with still so much to come.
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Photos by Eduardo C. Wals & Paul Buntfuß
Meanwhile, we're not even halfway through the season yet, with still so much to come.
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Photos by Eduardo C. Wals & Paul Buntfuß
September 6, 2025 at 1:35 PM
We are experiencing a particularly exciting season so far! For example, we've counted exceptionally high numbers of Short-toed Eagles, Marsh Harriers, and Black Kites!
Meanwhile, we're not even halfway through the season yet, with still so much to come.
2/3
Photos by Eduardo C. Wals & Paul Buntfuß
Meanwhile, we're not even halfway through the season yet, with still so much to come.
2/3
Photos by Eduardo C. Wals & Paul Buntfuß
HALF A MILLION RAPTORS! 🦅
After a few slower days (~30K+), #BRC17 hit the absolute jackpot yesterday!
Around 11 am, the floodgates opened — massive streams of Honey Buzzards & Black Kites pushed us past 100K raptors in a single day! Bringing the season total to 540K😍
🧵1/3
Video by Zülfü Farajli
After a few slower days (~30K+), #BRC17 hit the absolute jackpot yesterday!
Around 11 am, the floodgates opened — massive streams of Honey Buzzards & Black Kites pushed us past 100K raptors in a single day! Bringing the season total to 540K😍
🧵1/3
Video by Zülfü Farajli
September 6, 2025 at 1:35 PM
HALF A MILLION RAPTORS! 🦅
After a few slower days (~30K+), #BRC17 hit the absolute jackpot yesterday!
Around 11 am, the floodgates opened — massive streams of Honey Buzzards & Black Kites pushed us past 100K raptors in a single day! Bringing the season total to 540K😍
🧵1/3
Video by Zülfü Farajli
After a few slower days (~30K+), #BRC17 hit the absolute jackpot yesterday!
Around 11 am, the floodgates opened — massive streams of Honey Buzzards & Black Kites pushed us past 100K raptors in a single day! Bringing the season total to 540K😍
🧵1/3
Video by Zülfü Farajli
In the upcoming week or so, we expect to count another 100-200K Honey Buzzards as we're moving towards the half a million raptors milestone. You can follow our daily count updates, all uploaded to the @trektellen.bsky.social platform, via our website: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
September 3, 2025 at 2:53 PM
In the upcoming week or so, we expect to count another 100-200K Honey Buzzards as we're moving towards the half a million raptors milestone. You can follow our daily count updates, all uploaded to the @trektellen.bsky.social platform, via our website: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
BRC at the Avian Odyssey 2025!
Join the British Ornithologists’ Club at the Natural History Museum, London, on 20 Sept. @tohar-tal.bsky.social will share how BRC monitors and conserves the migration of 1M+ raptors in Georgia.
Tickets (incl. online): www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/...
📸Marc Heetkamp
Join the British Ornithologists’ Club at the Natural History Museum, London, on 20 Sept. @tohar-tal.bsky.social will share how BRC monitors and conserves the migration of 1M+ raptors in Georgia.
Tickets (incl. online): www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/...
📸Marc Heetkamp
August 2, 2025 at 2:23 PM
BRC at the Avian Odyssey 2025!
Join the British Ornithologists’ Club at the Natural History Museum, London, on 20 Sept. @tohar-tal.bsky.social will share how BRC monitors and conserves the migration of 1M+ raptors in Georgia.
Tickets (incl. online): www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/...
📸Marc Heetkamp
Join the British Ornithologists’ Club at the Natural History Museum, London, on 20 Sept. @tohar-tal.bsky.social will share how BRC monitors and conserves the migration of 1M+ raptors in Georgia.
Tickets (incl. online): www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/...
📸Marc Heetkamp
Can’t wait to get into the raptor migration mode? Take a look back at last year’s #BRC16 richly illustrated autumn report:
www.batumiraptorcount.org/autumn-repor...
www.batumiraptorcount.org/autumn-repor...
July 30, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Can’t wait to get into the raptor migration mode? Take a look back at last year’s #BRC16 richly illustrated autumn report:
www.batumiraptorcount.org/autumn-repor...
www.batumiraptorcount.org/autumn-repor...
In less than two weeks, we’ll be back at the Batumi bottleneck for the 17th Batumi Raptor Count #BRC17. Preparations are well underway, and excitement is building. Over the next few months, we’ll have plenty of exciting news to share with you — it’s already shaping up to be another memorable season.
July 30, 2025 at 9:42 AM
In less than two weeks, we’ll be back at the Batumi bottleneck for the 17th Batumi Raptor Count #BRC17. Preparations are well underway, and excitement is building. Over the next few months, we’ll have plenty of exciting news to share with you — it’s already shaping up to be another memorable season.
If you're thinking ahead to 2026, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter so you don't miss next year's call for counters.
www.batumiraptorcount.org/newsletter
We also have a LOT of exciting news coming up, so stay tuned!
Photo by Aris Vouros.
www.batumiraptorcount.org/newsletter
We also have a LOT of exciting news coming up, so stay tuned!
Photo by Aris Vouros.
June 19, 2025 at 9:41 AM
If you're thinking ahead to 2026, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter so you don't miss next year's call for counters.
www.batumiraptorcount.org/newsletter
We also have a LOT of exciting news coming up, so stay tuned!
Photo by Aris Vouros.
www.batumiraptorcount.org/newsletter
We also have a LOT of exciting news coming up, so stay tuned!
Photo by Aris Vouros.
In addition, we still welcome applicants for our fully-funded Flyway Monitoring Traineeship for ambitious conservationists from the OSME region!
More info: www.batumiraptorcount.org/volunteer
Apply now — confirmations go out in 2 weeks, and interviews for trainee positions start soon after.
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More info: www.batumiraptorcount.org/volunteer
Apply now — confirmations go out in 2 weeks, and interviews for trainee positions start soon after.
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May 2, 2025 at 9:28 AM
In addition, we still welcome applicants for our fully-funded Flyway Monitoring Traineeship for ambitious conservationists from the OSME region!
More info: www.batumiraptorcount.org/volunteer
Apply now — confirmations go out in 2 weeks, and interviews for trainee positions start soon after.
2/2
More info: www.batumiraptorcount.org/volunteer
Apply now — confirmations go out in 2 weeks, and interviews for trainee positions start soon after.
2/2
Would you like to experience mind-boggling raptor migration by helping us count over 1 million raptors this autumn?
Yes? Perfect! Because volunteer slots for both some long-term and plenty of short-term positions of 2 weeks are still available.
But, there is more...👇
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Yes? Perfect! Because volunteer slots for both some long-term and plenty of short-term positions of 2 weeks are still available.
But, there is more...👇
1/2
May 2, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Would you like to experience mind-boggling raptor migration by helping us count over 1 million raptors this autumn?
Yes? Perfect! Because volunteer slots for both some long-term and plenty of short-term positions of 2 weeks are still available.
But, there is more...👇
1/2
Yes? Perfect! Because volunteer slots for both some long-term and plenty of short-term positions of 2 weeks are still available.
But, there is more...👇
1/2
Call for Counters!
Join BRC in autumn 2025 to witness the magnificent migration of >1 million raptors, improve your ID skills, and contribute to population monitoring! Fees: €10-24/day with discounts available!
Read more & apply here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/volunteer-as-raptor-migration-counter
Join BRC in autumn 2025 to witness the magnificent migration of >1 million raptors, improve your ID skills, and contribute to population monitoring! Fees: €10-24/day with discounts available!
Read more & apply here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/volunteer-as-raptor-migration-counter
March 15, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Call for Counters!
Join BRC in autumn 2025 to witness the magnificent migration of >1 million raptors, improve your ID skills, and contribute to population monitoring! Fees: €10-24/day with discounts available!
Read more & apply here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/volunteer-as-raptor-migration-counter
Join BRC in autumn 2025 to witness the magnificent migration of >1 million raptors, improve your ID skills, and contribute to population monitoring! Fees: €10-24/day with discounts available!
Read more & apply here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/volunteer-as-raptor-migration-counter
Soaring to success: We reached our €30,000 crowdfunding goal for Autumn 2025!
We are delighted and proud to announce that — thanks to your incredible generosity once again! — we have reached €30,000 to fund our work in the upcoming year! Read more here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/news/2025/2/...
We are delighted and proud to announce that — thanks to your incredible generosity once again! — we have reached €30,000 to fund our work in the upcoming year! Read more here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/news/2025/2/...
February 27, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Soaring to success: We reached our €30,000 crowdfunding goal for Autumn 2025!
We are delighted and proud to announce that — thanks to your incredible generosity once again! — we have reached €30,000 to fund our work in the upcoming year! Read more here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/news/2025/2/...
We are delighted and proud to announce that — thanks to your incredible generosity once again! — we have reached €30,000 to fund our work in the upcoming year! Read more here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/news/2025/2/...
Will your donation bring us across the finish line?
Thanks to the incredible support we received in recent days, we are now tantalizingly close to reaching our crowdfunding target of €30.000!
Learn more about our work and how to support us here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/support
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Thanks to the incredible support we received in recent days, we are now tantalizingly close to reaching our crowdfunding target of €30.000!
Learn more about our work and how to support us here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/support
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February 23, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Will your donation bring us across the finish line?
Thanks to the incredible support we received in recent days, we are now tantalizingly close to reaching our crowdfunding target of €30.000!
Learn more about our work and how to support us here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/support
1/2
Thanks to the incredible support we received in recent days, we are now tantalizingly close to reaching our crowdfunding target of €30.000!
Learn more about our work and how to support us here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/support
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