10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

The sun rises over the village of Chrysochorafa, by Kerkini Lake in the north of Greece, not far from the triple border with Bulgaria and FYRO Macedonia. Before this trip, I asked Steve Mills, the author of ‘ Birdwatching in Northern Greece ’, which sites would he recommend at this time of the year. Trips Europe Greece pelicans'

Greece 197

Greece Pelicans Serbia Eagles 197

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2015

The Prespa Lakes National Park in Greece is well hidden among the mountains at the triple border with Albania in the west and the FYRO Macedonia in the north. One of them has a satellite transmitter around its neck and quite a few have white collars marked with the letter “G” (for Greece?) and dual digits. 02, G04,06,07,40 and G74.

Greece 252

Greece Pelicans Geese Breeding 252

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 17, 2017

Located in Thessaly province in central Greece, what is now left of the lake where the god Apollo was married and where the Argonauts built their kingdom is officially called the reservoirs of the former Lake Karla. There was a Short-toed Eagle ahead, taking flight to be replaced by another ST Eagle. Lesser Kestrel.

Greece 208

Greece Killing Pelicans Eagles 208

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2024

It is one of the most range-restricted of European birds, breeding only in Greece, Turkey and adjacent areas. Eastern Imperial Eagles once bred in the Troodos, but the last birds disappeared over 30 years ago. In 2007, a Bateleur Eagle was seen on Cyprus, the first record for Europe.

Cyprus 241

Cyprus Africa Europe Asia 241

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2014

It is an early April morning and we are in the hills surrounding Lake Kerkini in the north of Greece. A large raptor just across the hilltop… Georgos says that at this time of year, we can expect Common Buzzard , Booted , Lesser Spotted and White-tailed Eagles. Trips Europe Greece pelicans' My Lake Kerkini eBird list.

Greece 167

Greece Pelicans Breeding Buffalo 167

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2020

Like many of you, I had plans for this year’s spring migration: to bird the very best tour of the Balkans, heading for northeastern Greece. First, 800 km of driving from Belgrade through Bulgaria to very NE corner of Greece and the Dadia Forest National Park with its 36 species of diurnal raptors, out of Europe’s 38.

Greece 266

Greece Bulgaria Birds Serbia 266

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 13, 2016

This September I found myself on a bear tracking tour organised by Natural Greece in the prime bear habitat of the Pindos range – the southernmost bear country in Europe, heading for the 2,520 m / 8,270 ft high Gramos Mountain along the border with Albania. inhabitants per km², mainly livestock farmers. and Apennine peninsulas (30 + 50 ind.).

Bears 271

Bears Greece Europe Slovenia 271

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 29, 2016

Have you read my blogs on birding Greece ? Presuming that you live somewhere in Europe and plan a car trip to Greece, let me suggest a couple of routes that will increase your tour list. For the Ionian Sea, take the motorway exit for the town of Prilep, continue through Bitola and head for the Medzitlija – Niki crossing to Greece.

Greece 181

Greece Albania Macedonia Europe 181

10,000 Birds

APRIL 30, 2015

This time I was lucky enough to join a fam trip organised by Natural Greece, an ecotourism company from Athens, and spend a few days at my favourite Kerkini Lake, which you already birded through my bins ( April and September ). Picture 2: Lesser Spotted Eagle – Clanga pomarina. Yes, those were four eagles in 20 minutes.

Greece 256

Greece Woodpeckers Eagles Birds 256

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

More productive areas of the Balkans have January eBird lists from 105 to 115 species (but I combined several areas in two countries, Greece and Serbia), so I have every reason to be satisfied. Greater Spotted Eagle – Clanga clanga. White-tailed Eagle – Haliaeetus albicilla. How does it compare within the region?

Owls 111

Owls Greece Serbia Woodpeckers 111

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2020

A White-tailed Eagle is calling somewhere from the forest. Judging by Google Earth, some 250 m / 800 ft away, there’s a Greater Spotted Eagle , dark adult that appears like a black hole, like an object pulling and eating all the light, itself appearing as dark as can be. Nearby are four very dark brown ducks… Tufted Duck females!

Serbia 293

Serbia Birds Ducks Cyprus 293

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

And here I am now, avoiding the two barking dogs trying to bite my tires while I am driving through pre-dawn darkness towards the delta of the river Styx, or Acheron, as it is known today at the Ionian Sea coast of Greece. Short-toed Snake-eagle. Trips Greece wetlands' On a wire by the road, one European Bee-eater awaits me.

Greece 214

Greece Serbia Hunters Cows 214

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

While tracking brown bears in Greece some time ago, B. Only a good two kilometres further, almost at the monastery (two Short-toed Eagles there), I saw B. The story goes, after the coffee at the first homestead, he visited the neighbour’s, where he had a tsipouro (or two – in itself, a reason enough to travel to Greece).

Bears 161

Bears San Jose Greece Costa Rica 161

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2018

Still, this way or another, the year is ending with some glorious species, e.g. a rare Greater Spotted Eagle. I observed my first GS eagles in India some 8 years ago, then the first for Europe in Greece only last December , and finally I have them in my home country list.

Moldova 125

Moldova Birds Serbia Greece 125

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 10, 2016

Late last month, while searching for bears , woodpeckers and spirits of Greece, I deliberately avoided checking any news, especially from my home country. Every now and then, I need to cut the world off and clear my mind. Steven had no binoculars, but impressively sharp eyes and great knowledge of birds.

Elephants 208

Elephants Botswana Zimbabwe Africa 208

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 27, 2016

While crossing Gramos Mountain in northern Greece, a Dendrocopos woodpecker flew over the road and landed in a pine tree. By the cliffs we find several Eurasian Crag-Martins and a consolation species – a family of Golden Eagles in the air! The Greater Spotted Eagle is a threatened species. Enough of the mountains.

Greece 258

Greece Woodpeckers Boars Eagles 258

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 17, 2015

One simply has to love Greece. There is another raptor over the ridge, light body and wings, dark head and chest – the Short-toed snake Eagle. I told you – one simply has to love Greece. In a split second, the buzzard shows rufous tail and disappears behind some trees.

Greece 246

Greece Falcons Madagascar Birds 246

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2016

Here go those moments of curiosity, in no particular order: Europe: And so, I was driving from Greece to Serbia… in central FYRO Macedonia, two birds were circling not far from the motorway… black and white… perhaps White Storks on migration? The bull weighing almost two tones stopped at the edge of the clearing to sniff the air.

Wildlife 189

Wildlife Tigers Asia Europe 189

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2013

And so, I was driving from Greece to Serbia… in central Macedonia, two birds were circling not far from the motorway… black and white (above)… perhaps White Storks on migration? The work is expected to take two months, after which the killer line will be removed.

Sudan 246

Sudan Macedonia Botswana Serbia 246

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 29, 2023

I also travelled to Kerkini in Northern Greece in June and Kefalonia in south-east Greece in October, so my overall year list was a more satisfactory 272 species. Inland in the Alentejo I found Great Spotted Cuckoos and the first returning Short-toed Eagles. My overseas trips did boost the overall year list considerably.

Estonia 244

Estonia Portugal Greece Barn Owls 244

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2017

A few years back, I birded northern Greece with a couple from Namibia. Up the Jojkica riverbranch where one Common Kingfisher overtook us in low flight and one White-tailed Eagle was checking if the Spongebob may be a suitable-sized prey… and those heavy-bomber wingbeats.

Birds 142

Birds Namibia Greece Feral 142

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2024

The next couple of months will of course see a boost to my British list, as summer migrants flood into England, while forthcoming trips to Cyprus, Greece and northern Spain will also turbocharge the European list. Seeing eagles is always exciting, and I much enjoyed these two encounters.

Spain 130

Spain Eagles North America Ducks 130

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2024

In Europe, Lesser Kestrels are birds of the Mediterranean zone, nesting mainly in Spain and Portugal, southern France, Sardinia, the Balkans and parts of Greece. However, the appearance of a Peregrine or Booted Eagle “causes widespread panic at the colony, birds circling up high into the sky to avoid them”.

Falcons 228

Falcons Spain Europe 2012 228

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 22, 2016

I dipped it once before and only this autumn found them in Greece. They do breed in the Balkans, in Montenegro and Greece where I observed them, as well as in Bulgaria and Romania. Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga. Yet, while I observed them previously in Gujarat, I found my first Western Palearctic one this year in Greece.

Serbia 203

Serbia Montenegro Greece Bulgaria 203

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 2, 2019

Black Hawk-Eagle – Spizaetus tyrannus. Ankeny NWR–Eagle Marsh. Ornate Hawk-Eagle – Spizaetus ornatus. Martial Eagle – Polemaetus bellicosus. African Hawk-Eagle – Aquila spilogaster. Brown Snake-Eagle – Circaetus cinereus. Tawny Eagle – Aquila rapax.

2019 130

2019 China Battery Jamaica 130

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2019

Our two newest contributors have shared from Mexico and China, bringing the countries birded this month (also including; Costa Rica, Greece, Serbia, USA, UK, India, UAE and New Zealand) to 10. Bonelli’s Eagle – Aquila fasciata. Bald Eagle – Haliaeetus leucocephalus. Black Hawk-Eagle – Spizaetus tyrannus.

2019 126

2019 Jamaica Eggs Woodpeckers 126

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2016

The birding at Eilat is so dynamic in so many ways, you can’t just use that easy “gen” to zip over and see a Bar-tailed Lark , that Greater Spotted Eagle that flew overhead, or even the Wryneck hanging out in Eilat’s very own Central Park. Lesser Spotted Eagle was also seen several times along with Steppe Eagle.

Costa Rica 188

Costa Rica Eagles Birds 188

10,000 Birds

JUNE 1, 2019

These are the numbers acheived by 10 (we have a new contributor, Paul, from Mexico) beats during May; We visited 8 countries (Costa Rica, USA, UK, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Kuwait and Mexico) and noted 776 birds from 160 checklists. Golden Eagle – Aquila chrysaetos. Short-toed Snake-Eagle – Circaetus gallicus.

2019 113

2019 Australia Ghana Woodpeckers 113

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 2, 2017

9 beats, birded 9 countries this month; Belize , Guatamala , Costa Rica, UK, Iran, USA, Greece, Australia and Mexico. Crested Serpent-Eagle – Spilornis cheela. Short-toed Snake-Eagle – Circaetus gallicus. Ornate Hawk-Eagle – Spizaetus ornatus. Lesser Spotted Eagle – Clanga pomarina.

2017 100

2017 Australia Sanctuary Woodpeckers 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 30, 2022

Many lesser guidebooks would attempt to offer something like the above text, but without first-hand knowledge or true understanding and based upon local brochures, often written by some tourist board bureaucrat and deeply flawed.

Sri Lanka 147

Sri Lanka Ghana Uganda Eagles 147