Karel and Joost
came from Holland and had a full day to spend birding with
Greece Bird Tours. Especially
for that day, a friend of mine and a very experienced birder joined us.
Early
morning found us venturing in the Aesthetic forest of Kaisariani where apart
from the interesting birdlife lies an old monastery that was built in the 11th
century AD. Some of the species seen were: Short-toed Treecreeper, Firecrest,
Eurasian Jay, Coal Tit, Hawfinch, Siskin and some other more common birds. We
then went higher on the mountain, hoping to see any early migrants and there it
was: a Ruppell’s Warbler was singing on top of a bush showing us its beauty! This
might be the earliest arrival for this species. We continued our search and we
also managed to see Subalpine Warblers, Chukars, a
migrant female Hen Harrier etc, but unfortunately missed the Rock Nuthatch
which was singing from a rock in a distance but our efforts to spot him were
unsuccessful.
 |
| Subalpine Warbler |
Next
stop was Vravrona wetland; a very beautiful place “decorated” with the stunning
temple of Artemis. Our target species here was the Cirl Bunting and we had
great views of two birds. Other species seen were Great and Little Egret,
Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch etc.
We
left behind Vravrona for the next stop: Artemis lagoon. Some more new migrant
arrivals were found: Black-winged Stilt, Little-ringed Plover, Barn and
Red-rumped Swallow but also there were winter visitors like Black-headed and
Little Gull, Redshank, Coot, etc.
Last
stop was Schinias NP. Schinias has a variety of habitats so we can see
different species of birds. Apart from the abundant Chaffinches, Goldfinches,
Serins, Corn Buntings, Meadow and Water Pipits we had the star of the area –
the Ferruginous Duck – and Yellow Wagtails, Penduline Tits, Snipes, and other more
common species like the Hooded Crow, the Crested Lark, the Stonechat, the Black
Redstart etc.
 |
| Yellow Wagtail |
It
was another great day of birding with nice weather and 67 species in total!! (5
heard)
BIRD TRIP
CHECKLIST
Mallard
|
|
(Northern)
Shoveler
|
|
(Eurasian)
Teal
|
|
Ferruginous
Duck
|
|
Chukar
|
|
Little
Grebe
|
|
Great
Cormorant
|
|
Little
Egret
|
|
Great
Egret
|
|
Grey
Heron
|
|
Short-toed
Eagle
|
|
(Western)
Marsh Harrier
|
|
Hen
Harrier
|
|
Common
Buzzard
|
|
Sparrowhawk
|
|
(Common)
Kestrel
|
|
Water
Rail (heard only)
|
|
Moorhen
(heard only)
|
|
Coot
|
|
Black-winged
Stilt
|
|
Little
Ringed Plover
|
|
Green
Sandpiper
|
|
(Common)
Redshank
|
|
(Common)
Snipe
|
|
Black-headed
Gull
|
|
Yellow-legged
Gull
|
|
Little
Gull
|
|
Collared
Dove
|
|
Crested
Lark
|
|
Barn
Swallow
|
|
Red-rumped
Swallow
|
|
Meadow
Pipit
|
|
Water
Pipit
|
|
White
Wagtail
|
|
Yellow
(Black-headed) Wagtail
|
|
(European)
Robin
|
|
Black
Redstart
|
|
(Common)
Stonechat
|
|
(Common)
Blackbird
|
|
Blackcap
(heard only)
|
|
Sardinian
Warbler (heard only)
|
|
Ruppel's
Warbler
|
|
(Eastern)
Subalpine Warbler
|
|
Zitting
Cisticola
|
|
Cetti's
Warbler
|
|
(Common)
Chiffchaf
|
|
Firecrest
|
|
Great Tit
|
|
Coal Tit
|
|
Long-tailed
Tit
|
|
Penduline
Tit
|
|
(Western)
Rock Nuthatch (heard only)
|
|
Short-toed
Treecreeper
|
|
Magpie
|
|
(Eurasian)
Jay
|
|
Hooded
Crow
|
|
(Common)
Starling
|
|
House
Sparrow
|
|
(Eurasian)
Tree Sparrow
|
|
Chaffinch
|
|
(European)
Goldfinch
|
|
(European)
Greenfinch
|
|
(Eurasian)
Siskin
|
|
(European)
Serin
|
|
Hawfinch
|
|
Cirl
Bunting
|
|
Corn
Bunting
|
