Birding Trip Report: Athens 23rd April 2023

Late April is an excellent time for a birdwatching trip around Athens. We organized a tailor made guided tour for Ian and Barry, two British birders residing in south London. Their target species were all very special ones, so we tried to see as many as possible in a limited time.

The emblematic Tawny Owl
is nesting at Mt Parnitha

We started our trip from Mt Parnitha, were we had dozens of Subalpine Warblers singing from every single bush. Close to Bafi refuge, we encountered an impressive Tawny Owl that gave us a few photographic opportunities, before it disappeared in the dense fir forest.
Our first target species was the Sombre Tit. We had clear views on this elusive resident bird, sadly without being able to get a discent photo. In the same area, we saw Collared Flycatchers, Firecrest, Common Nightingale and Chaffinches.

A singing male Subalpine Warbler

Colorful Cirl Buntings
all over Mt Parnitha, Athens

Moving more uphill, to the more rocky and deserted part of the mountain. This is the area where Eastern Black-eared Wheatears make their nest and breed succesfully ever year. We enjoyed at least 2 pairs displaying and singing, along with Northern Wheatears, Subalpine Warblers, Cirl Buntings.

After birding and hiking for a few hours, it was time to head to the north part of Mt Parnitha in order enjoy some more colorful species. We are talking of course about the striking Blue Rock Thrush, which is usually found together with Western Rock Nuthatch. Ravens were soaring over our heads too. Another target species was heard and instantly spotted: Eastern Orphean Warbler, a very melodic Curruca warbler, breeding in the area.

We had a traditional gyros souvlaki lunch by the sea of Skala Oropos, next to the small harbor. Oropos wetlands the best locations to watch shorebirds around Athens, were only 5 min away and this was our destination for the rest of the day. It is always fun to watch breeding Kentish Plovers chasing eachother on the sandy beach. In the lagoons, Black-winged Stilts and Little Terns were establishing their colonies. Lots of different species of waders, like Dunlin, Little Stint, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank. Zitting Cisticolas and Red-throated Pipits were very noisy

Kentish Plover

Black-winged Stilts

Wood Sandpiper

The full bird list for April 23rd, 2023 is the following:

Greater Flamingo
Chukar
Collared Dove
Common Swift
Black-winged Stilt
Kentish Plover
Common Ringed Plover
Ruff
Dunlin
Little Stint
Spotted Redshank
Greenshank
Wood Sandpiper
Common Redshank
Yellow-legged Gull
Little Tern
Common Tern
European Shag
Little Egret
Tawny Owl
Hoopoe
Short-toed Eagle
Common Kestrel
Eurasian Jay
Magpie
Hooded Crow
Raven
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Sombre Tit
Ctested Lark
Woodlark
Zittingn Cisticola
Common Reed Warbler
Barn Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
House Martin
Hoopoe
Cetti's Warbler
Sardinian Warbler
Subalpine Warbler
Eastern Orphean Warbler
Common Whitethroat
Blackbird
Nightingale
Collared Flycatcher
Northern Wheatear
Eastern Black-eared Wheatear
Whinchat
Stonechat
House Sparrow
Western Yellow Wagtail
Balkan (Black headed) Wagtail
Tree Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Serin
Cretzscmar's Bunting
Cirl Bunting