Birding tour on Mt Parnassos, July 4th 2021

The second day of birding with Dimitris from USA was dedicated to the Mt Parnassos in Central Greece. On the way, we made a stop to see the beautiful Bee-eaters at the plain of Kopaida and we also enjoyed Hoopoes, Syrian Woodpeckers and Lesser Grey Shrikes. 

Bee-eater

Reaching Mt Parnassos, we first stopped at the rocky slopes above the village of Arachova. There we found Crag Martins, Blue Rock Thrushes and Rock Nuthatches. We then moved uphill and reached the dense Greek Fir forests, where we stopped to find woodpeckers. We were very successful as three species (Black, Green and Middle Spotted Woodpecker) were well seen. 

Black Woodpecker

We also found Mistle Thrushes, Nuthatches and many Coal Tits, Firecrests, Goldcrests and Short-toed Treecreepers, among other species. It was now time to visit the alpine zone of the mountain; it was a long hike to reach an altitude of 2,250 m. but it definitely worth it as we saw Horned Larks, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrushes, Alpine Choughs and Tawny Pipits. 

Horned Lark

We ended the day with 52 species recorded, an excellent count for a hot July day! 

TRIP BIRDLIST

Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto

Eurasian Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus

Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis

Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo

Eurasian Hoopoe - Upupa epops

European Bee-eater - Merops apiaster

Middle Spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocoptes medius

Syrian Woodpecker - Dendrocopos syriacus

Eurasian Green Woodpecker - Picus viridis

Black Woodpecker - Dryocopus martius

Red-backed Shrike - Lanius collurio

Lesser Gray Shrike - Lanius minor

Eurasian Jay - Garrulus glandarius

Eurasian Magpie - Pica pica

Yellow-billed Chough - Pyrrhocorax graculus

Eurasian Jackdaw - Corvus monedula

Hooded Crow - Corvus cornix

Coal Tit - Periparus ater

Great Tit - Parus major

Horned Lark - Eremophila alpestris

Crested Lark - Galerida cristata

Eurasian Crag-Martin - Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica

Red-rumped Swallow - Cecropis daurica

Common Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita

Subalpine Warbler - Sylvia cantillans

Sardinian Warbler - Sylvia melanocephala

Goldcrest - Regulus regulus

Common Firecrest - Regulus ignicapilla

Eurasian Nuthatch - Sitta europaea

Western Rock Nuthatch - Sitta neumayer

Short-toed Treecreeper - Certhia brachydactyla

Eurasian Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes

Mistle Thrush - Turdus viscivorus

Eurasian Blackbird - Turdus merula

European Robin - Erithacus rubecula

Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros

Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush - Monticola saxatilis

Blue Rock-Thrush - Monticola solitarius

European Stonechat - Saxicola rubicola

Northern Wheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe

House Sparrow - Passer domesticus

Eurasian Tree Sparrow - Passer montanus

Tawny Pipit - Anthus campestris

Common Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs

European Greenfinch - Chloris chloris

Eurasian Linnet - Linaria cannabina

European Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis

European Serin - Serinus serinus

Corn Bunting - Emberiza calandra

Cirl Bunting - Emberiza cirlus

Ortolan Bunting - Emberiza hortulana