10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2023

I first visited Kerkini and this bird-rich region of northern Greece 15 years ago, and have been returning regularly ever since. A feature of the autumn is the abundance of Great White Egrets – up to 200 on the lake – but as far as I know they have yet to breed here.

Greece 198

Greece Pelicans Geese Buffalo 198

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 23, 2024

Storks, Ibises and Spoonbills goes on to give greater detail of the former nesting sites in Europe: it could once be found “in southern Germany and Austria, in the valleys of the upper Rhine and Danube Rivers, and in the Alps of Switzerland, Italy and Germany, and perhaps in Hungary and Greece”.

Morocco 213

Morocco Austria Algeria Germany 213

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2015

This map shows the distribution of the World’s bird species, based on overlying the breeding and wintering ranges of all known species. And it raises a question: if all the birds are having a party over there, am I in the wrong spot? Greece (346 / 411 – just to give you a clue, the Greek-published checklist I have has 449 species).

Sri Lanka 256

Sri Lanka Botswana Africa Serbia 256

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2016

Migrants will be around but their hormone driven urges to get back to the breeding grounds for procreation make them less than reliable on count day. Raising $67,000 plus for conservation! : The real reason for the Champions of the Flyway Bird Race is to raise money for desperately needed conservation efforts in the Mediterranean.

Costa Rica 165

Costa Rica Eagles Birds 165

10,000 Birds

JUNE 30, 2022

And the answer to the question I am raising here is, yes, I would travel to Sri Lanka in the next period. Those large international agencies use reputable local ground agents, and in my experience this creates a safety cocoon around the travellers. And now is the time to go back to the Bradt travel guide to Sri Lanka by Philip Briggs.

Sri Lanka 147

Sri Lanka Ghana Uganda Eagles 147