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. Early September morning. Google Map.

Greece 181

Greece Pelicans Serbia Eagles 181

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 15, 2015

“The estuary and the delta of the River Kalamas form the most important wetland of northwest Greece”, so the “ Birding in Greece ” guidebook claims for the area where I am heading, a bit late since I overslept this morning. I am checking the grass for any flash of white and soon my suspicion is confirmed: Cattle Egrets (cover photo)!

Greece 226

Greece Dogs Pelicans Fish 226

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

all the time pointing with my right hand while holding the steering wheel with my left, and the hardest thing, keeping my eyes on the road. 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.

Owls 104

Owls Greece Serbia Woodpeckers 104

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2018

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. Simply, they are among the most beautiful ducks around. Common Mergansers, another commoner) awaited me in the rising mist of a winter afternoon. Their claim to fame?

Moldova 117

Moldova Birds Serbia Greece 117

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2019

I was driving along the legendary eastern levee of the Kerkini Lake in northern Greece ( Google Map ) and, listening to the first Golden Oriole flute, was slowly getting closer to a wooded Mt. Out of some 4000 buffaloes still being kept in Greece, about 3000 are at this lake. I’m in Greece, after all. mi) above the lake.

Greece 188

Greece Pelicans Buffalo Fish 188

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? Actually, when I started to bird, my second ever duck, after the Mallard, was a Ruddy Shelduck!

Wildlife 171

Wildlife Tigers Asia Europe 171

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

Egyptian tomb painting depicting duck hunting in the marshes, from the eBook version of Birds and Us, © 2022, Tim Birkhead and Princeton University Press. The drawing on the left is from 1714, the one on the right is the result of Birkhead’s own dissection. There’s the Neolithic era; Ancient Egypt (bird mummies!);

Dissection 208

Dissection Birds Research Europe 208