Here's is a trip report from our recent guided birding tour around Athens for Chiara Talia, an Italian freelance bird and wildlife photographer, bird-related contect creator and birdwatching enthousiast, living in Belgium.
Close us portrait of Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) - Αετομάχος
Photo by Chiara Talia
Proudly followed by 18k dedicated birders in instagram, Chiara is very active in all social media, giving online wildlife photography lectures, creating useful bird photography youtube videos and instagram reels. We organized a half day trip around Athens, focusing on her target species list, which contained several, hard-to-find lifers.
We headed to the north-east part of Attica, Erythres plains, and started birding early in the morning, after enjoying a mocchiato espresso at a local bakery. The first birds we saw were hundreds of hirundines that were getting ready for the long migration trip. Sitting on roadside electricity wires, we could photography Barn Swallows, Sand Martins, and a single Red-rumped Swallow, the first today's lifer for Chiara!
Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica) - Μιλτοχελίδονο on wire
A few meters away, was the first surprise for the day: an impressive Short-toed Snake Eagle sitting on a huge rock at the edge of a cliff. What a sighting! The bird offered us a few seconds for photography, and then it dissappeared flying over the hill.
We drove a few hundred meters away, to one of our usual stops. Among the dozens of Spotted Flycatchers, Redstarts, Blackcaps, Cirl Buntings, Great Tit, we saw the second highlight for the day, and lifer for Chiara: Red-breasted Flycatcher!
Red-breasted Flycatcher (Ficedula parva) - Νανομυγοχάφτης
Photo by Chiara Talia
We stayed in that particular spot for more than one hour, waiting for Sombre Tits, but unfortunately we could not see or hear any. Meanwhile, a flock of Honey Buzzards flew over us, also 3 Lesser Kestrels, a Peregrine Falcon and a couple of Common Buzzards. It seemed that fall migration was still under way.
Our next stop was the small querry at the east part of Erythres plains. Western Rock Nuthatches breed there is good numbers, so we took some nice photos of the birds singing.
Western Rock Nuthatch (Sitta neumayer) - Βραχοτσομπανάκος
Photo by Chiara Talia
We also saw a single Eastern Black-Eared Wheatear, a few Linnets, some tame Red-backed Shrikes. Suddenly, two raptors were soaring over our heads, that looked larger than Common Buzzards: they were a couple of Long-legged Buzzards, probably a pair displaying around the rocky terrain. We took great photos of the flying birds of prey, and we had the chance to admire them for quite a few minutes.
Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) - Αετογερακίνα
Photo by Chiara Talia
The surprises were not over for today: far away in the clouded sky, shadows of two huge birds were noticed. We used the spotting scope for better views: Griffon Vultures! The species is not breeding in Central Greece, but there are a few sightings every year, mostly during autumn, of individual wondering birds.
Walking around Asopos River, among the tall willow trees, we had a glimpse of Syrian Woodpecker, another lifer for Chiara. We also heard Wryneck calling a few times from different locations, Bee-eaters, Ravens, and a few Yellow Wagtails.
Chiara and Spyros during the Athens birding trip
Overall we saw 46 species of birds and had an unforgettable day outdoors, enjoying birding and bird photography
BIRD LIST for September 30th 2023
Griffon Vulture
Short-toed Snake Eagle
Common Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Common Kestrel
Lesser Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
European Honey Buzzard
Bee-eater
Common Swift
Barn Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
Sand Martin
Rock Pigeon
Collared Dove
Wryneck
Red-backed Shrike
Eurasian Jay
Magpie
Hooded Crow
Syrian Woodpecker
Common Raven
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Crested Lark
Willow Warbler
Chiffachaff
Blackcap
Sardinian Warbler
Western Rock Nuthatch
Eurasian Blackbird
Spotted Flycatcher
Common Redstart
European Stonechat
Northern Wheater
Eastern Black-eared Wheatear
House Sparrow
Grey Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
Linnet
Goldfinch
Corn Bunting
Cirl Bunting
