Henry and Suzan are two very enthusiastic birds from Arizona, USA. They came to Greece for a week birding trip to Lesvos, the mecca of birdwatchers. Before they return to the States, they had roughly two more days to go birding in Athens.
Finding new species for this couple was not an easy job as Lesvos almost has it all; Greece Bird Tours accepted that challenge, of course, and another birding trip full of birds and amazing experiences just began.
Pick up time was around 14.15 from the airport. Our first stop was the agricultural land around the airport and the wetland of Vravrona. We saw almost 30 species, most notable being the Turtle Doves at the fields, a Little Owl at the same area, a few Zitting Cisticolas, Long-tailed Tits and Water Rails. The last three were all lifers to them!
We left Vravrona and headed to Mt Merenta to look for the Rock Sparrow that was not seen in Lesvos. After some effort, we managed to see one, along with Blue Rock Thrushes and Black-eared Wheatears.
The surrounding area and especially the fields at Ramnountas are ideal for birds of prey. Another lifer, the Lesser Kestrel, was found there; a male bird was foraging and we had very nice views.
The total count for the two days was 72 species, among which many lifers for our lovely couple; they even reached their goal of finding more than 200 species for the whole duration of their European experience!
TRIP CHECKLIST
Finding new species for this couple was not an easy job as Lesvos almost has it all; Greece Bird Tours accepted that challenge, of course, and another birding trip full of birds and amazing experiences just began.
Pick up time was around 14.15 from the airport. Our first stop was the agricultural land around the airport and the wetland of Vravrona. We saw almost 30 species, most notable being the Turtle Doves at the fields, a Little Owl at the same area, a few Zitting Cisticolas, Long-tailed Tits and Water Rails. The last three were all lifers to them!
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| Turtle Dove |
We left Vravrona and headed to Mt Merenta to look for the Rock Sparrow that was not seen in Lesvos. After some effort, we managed to see one, along with Blue Rock Thrushes and Black-eared Wheatears.
We moved south for Cape Sounio for another lifer: the Bonelli's Eagle. The moment we arrived, two adult birds were seen perched! There were also Golden Orioles and more Turtle Doves.
It was dusk and we headed back to the hotel. On our way, we visited the wetland of Vravrona again, this time for nocturnal birds, like the Nightjar. We managed to find one and we also heard a couple of Scops Owls.
The next day, we started at 06.30 and headed to Spata Fields to look for Short-toed Larks and Great Spotted Cuckoos, two more lifers. Both were seen quite quickly!
We drove further north and reached Schinian National Park. Ferruginous Ducks and Penduline Tits were the targets for this area; needless to say, both were seen very well!
It was dusk and we headed back to the hotel. On our way, we visited the wetland of Vravrona again, this time for nocturnal birds, like the Nightjar. We managed to find one and we also heard a couple of Scops Owls.
The next day, we started at 06.30 and headed to Spata Fields to look for Short-toed Larks and Great Spotted Cuckoos, two more lifers. Both were seen quite quickly!
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| Great Spotted Cuckoo |
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| Ferruginous Duck |
The trip was almost done as the flight was departing at 18.30 and our friends had to be at the airport at 16.00 but there was one last site we had to vist: the southern slopes of Mt Penteli that lie very close to the airport. Another two lifers, the Chukar and the Eleonora's Falcon, was the best way to call it a day!
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| Chukar |
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| Henry and Suzanne |
TRIP CHECKLIST
| Ferruginous Duck - Aythya nyroca |
| Chukar - Alectoris chukar |
| Little Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis |
| Little Egret - Egretta garzetta |
| Squacco Heron - Ardeola ralloides |
| Glossy Ibis - Plegadis falcinellus |
| Bonelli's Eagle - Aquila fasciata |
| Eurasian Marsh-Harrier - Circus aeruginosus |
| Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo |
| Water Rail - Rallus aquaticus |
| Eurasian Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus |
| Eurasian Coot - Fulica atra |
| Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus |
| Ruff - Calidris pugnax |
| Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos |
| Spotted Redshank - Tringa erythropus |
| Common Greenshank - Tringa nebularia |
| Wood Sandpiper - Tringa glareola |
| Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis |
| European Turtle-Dove - Streptopelia turtur |
| Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto |
| Great Spotted Cuckoo - Clamator glandarius |
| European Scops-Owl - Otus scops |
| Little Owl - Athene noctua |
| Eurasian Nightjar - Caprimulgus europaeus |
| Alpine Swift - Apus melba |
| Common Swift - Apus apus |
| Eurasian Hoopoe - Upupa epops |
| European Bee-eater - Merops apiaster |
| Lesser Kestrel - Falco naumanni |
| Eurasian Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus |
| Eleonora's Falcon - Falco eleonorae |
| Eurasian Golden Oriole - Oriolus oriolus |
| Eurasian Jay - Garrulus glandarius |
| Eurasian Magpie - Pica pica |
| Hooded Crow - Corvus cornix |
| Greater Short-toed Lark - Calandrella brachydactyla |
| Crested Lark - Galerida cristata |
| Bank Swallow - Riparia riparia |
| Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica |
| Red-rumped Swallow - Cecropis daurica |
| Common House-Martin - Delichon urbicum |
| Great Tit - Parus major |
| Long-tailed Tit - Aegithalos caudatus |
| Cetti's Warbler - Cettia cetti |
| Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - Iduna pallida |
| Sedge Warbler - Acrocephalus schoenobaenus |
| Eurasian Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus scirpaceus |
| Great Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus arundinaceus |
| Zitting Cisticola - Cisticola juncidis |
| Eurasian Blackcap - Sylvia atricapilla |
| Sardinian Warbler - Sylvia melanocephala |
| Spotted Flycatcher - Muscicapa striata |
| Common Nightingale - Luscinia megarhynchos |
| Blue Rock-Thrush - Monticola solitarius |
| Whinchat - Saxicola rubetra |
| European Stonechat - Saxicola rubicola |
| Black-eared Wheatear - Oenanthe hispanica |
| Eurasian Blackbird - Turdus merula |
| Western Yellow Wagtail - Motacilla flava |
| Tree Pipit - Anthus trivialis |
| Cirl Bunting - Emberiza cirlus |
| Cretzschmar's Bunting - Emberiza caesia |
| Black-headed Bunting - Emberiza melanocephala |
| Corn Bunting - Emberiza calandra |
| Common Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs |
| European Greenfinch - Chloris chloris |
| European Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis |
| European Serin - Serinus serinus |
| House Sparrow - Passer domesticus |
| Eurasian Tree Sparrow - Passer montanus |
| Rock Petronia - Petronia petronia |
