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Acheron Delta, Greece: Hell is Closed for Renovation

10,000 Birds

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. I can hear the mooing of cows, interrupted by gunshots, while two scared flocks of ducks fly above the delta.

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Kerkini in Winter

10,000 Birds

I first visited Kerkini and this bird-rich region of northern Greece 15 years ago, and have been returning regularly ever since. Last year, in November, I notched up a dozen species of butterflies, an impressive total anywhere in Europe so late in the year. Both Bewick’s and Whooper Swans occur in good numbers.

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Pelican Lake (Greece): Magic Revisited

10,000 Birds

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.

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Only for Dogs and Birders – Kalamas Delta, Greece

10,000 Birds

“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)!

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What is killing birds at Karla Lake (Greece)?

10,000 Birds

In early August this year, I saw 77 species here (69 on the lake, plus 8 more in the surrounding areas) but barely more than a thousand individuals. In my homeland, some 800 km / 500 mi further north, these ducks are common on migration but very rare in the breeding season and I realized that these are my first young birds – ever.

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Birding without a phone

10,000 Birds

A strange duck, let’s see… an eclipse male Red-crested Pochard ! This was the last of the local ducks that I managed to find (it took me years of birding), and ever since I have seen it only once in every 2-3 years. Nearby are four very dark brown ducks… Tufted Duck females!

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I screamed: Ural Owl!

10,000 Birds

I had just a split-second glimpse of this species – my only second ever – yet immediately knew what is it, but I was driving through a snowbound countryside and had another car behind me, therefore I stopped a good 50 metres later to eBird it. Ferruginous Duck – Aythya nyroca. Tufted Duck – Aythya fuligula.

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