Birdwatching in Greece: Evros Delta day trip

Evros Delta is one of the top Greek birding destinations in winter. Thousands of waterfowl, lots of raptors and several rarities render this site the place to be in January and February. Here's is a short trip report from January 14th, 2015

Lots of Great Spotted Eagles are foraging the flat expanses of the Delta


Even a single day is enough to get most of its specialties (Lesser White-fronted and Red-breasted Goose, Lesser Spotted Eagle, etc)!

Smews are regular but rare

The Dalmatian Pelican has become very common and regular in winter

Red-breasted Goose is among the least common winter visitors


The complete checklist (74 species)

Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser erythropus)
Red-breasted Goose (Branta ruficollis)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)
Smew (Mergellus albellus)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmaeus)
Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus)
Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga)
Eurasian Marsh-Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus)
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Slender-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus genei)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Mew Gull (Larus canus)
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Syrian Woodpecker (Dendrocopos syriacus)
Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Common Raven (Corvus corax)
Calandra Lark (Melanocorypha calandra)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Sky Lark (Alauda arvensis)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Cetti's Warbler (Cettia cetti)
Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)
Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)
Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Eurasian Linnet (Carduelis cannabina)
European Serin (Serinus serinus)
Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)