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Birding Lake Kerkini, Greece: Three Lazy Days

10,000 Birds

Lake Kerkini National Park in the north of Greece is the very best birding area in the Balkan Peninsula and definitely among the top ten hotspots of Europe. Some 320 species have been recorded here, and in springtime it is possible to observe more than 150 bird species in a week. The lake lies at a mere 35 m / 115 ft a.s.l.

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Prespa Lakes National Park, Greece: the largest Dalmatian Pelican colony in the world

10,000 Birds

The other day I was exploring a new area for the first time, birding the national park that I’ve watched only in BBC documentaries, the place famous for the largest Dalmatian Pelican colony in the world – more than 1300 pairs! Checking the birds on the stork’s nest, I found both House and Spanish Sparrows.

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Greece: Pelicans galore at Lake Kerkini

10,000 Birds

Our bird guide, Georgos Spiridakis, is driving slowly along this dirt track, checking the mud all the time. The bird is not showing again, so we use the elimination system: the first and the last are way too different, and dealing with the other two, we ID it as a Lesser Spotted Eagle.

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2017 starts off with Black-throated Sparrows

10,000 Birds

This is a chance to recharge out batteries, spend a little quite time together and try to get in a whole bunch of birding done. This allows me to see frigates, boobies, terns and pelicans on the saltwater side. This was a real bonus spot last year, especially with migratory sparrows.

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Getting a Leg Up

10,000 Birds

During our recent California trip, I enjoyed some excellent birding. Believe me, Staphylococcus aurea is not the kind of species I would choose to write about on 10,000 Birds. Believe me, Staphylococcus aurea is not the kind of species I would choose to write about on 10,000 Birds. onto my eBird report.

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The Magic of Kerkini in May

10,000 Birds

The days are longer and warmer, flowers fill the meadows, and the birds are back. True, most of our migrant breeding birds start to return in April, but in May even the late arrivals – Turtle Doves, Swifts, Spotted Flycatchers and Nightjars – finally appear. I haven’t seen a Nightjar, either, but I have heard several.

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Sixth Annual Queens County Bird Club Big Sit An Amazing Success!

10,000 Birds

It was the sixth year in a row of the Queens County Bird Club Big Sit, my favorite event of the year. As always, I was the first to the platform and in the light northwest wind and under a full moon I sipped my coffee and willed birds to make some noise so I could start checking off species. and Lincoln’s Sparrow.

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