Margaret Vernon is a teacher from the United States, a happy birdwatcher but, most of all, an adorable person. She came to Greece for a few days break and wanted to include some birding to her Greek experience. She wanted a full day trip, to see as many birds and habitats as possible.
We started at 07.00, heading to Schinias National Park. Migration was pretty evident as we managed to see Hoopoes, Marsh Sandpipers, Glossy Ibises, Ruffs, Garganeys and lots of Yellow Wagtails. We also enjoyed great views of several different residents, including Ferruginous Ducks, Penduline Tits and Cetti's Warblers.
Other interesting birds seen were the Short-toed Treecreeper, the Zitting Cisticola, the Little Ringed Plover and the Northern Wheatear.
Next stop was the Aesthetic Forest of Kaisarian; we looked for the Firecrest and saw it very quickly. We also saw (among others) Jays, Hawfinches ans Siskins.
Last stop was Kareas, a scrubby area in the process of regeneration after the wildfire of 2015. The Rock Nuthatch was the last target species to be found, bringing the bird count to 64!
We started at 07.00, heading to Schinias National Park. Migration was pretty evident as we managed to see Hoopoes, Marsh Sandpipers, Glossy Ibises, Ruffs, Garganeys and lots of Yellow Wagtails. We also enjoyed great views of several different residents, including Ferruginous Ducks, Penduline Tits and Cetti's Warblers.
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| Hoopoe |
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| Ferruginous Duck (male) |
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| Penduline Tit |
Schinias is a big place and you can spend all day there but we had to leave and visit Mt Hymettus.
We made our first stop at the ridge, looking for Ruppell's and Subalpine Warblers; we found both! We also saw a beautiful male Blue Rock Thrush.
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| Subalpine Warbler |
Next stop was the Aesthetic Forest of Kaisarian; we looked for the Firecrest and saw it very quickly. We also saw (among others) Jays, Hawfinches ans Siskins.
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| Firecrest |
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| Margaret minutes after seeing a Rock Nuthatch |
TRIP CHECKLIST
| Mute Swan - Cygnus olor |
| Garganey - Spatula querquedula |
| Northern Shoveler - Spatula clypeata |
| Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos |
| Green-winged Teal - Anas crecca |
| Ferruginous Duck - Aythya nyroca |
| Little Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis |
| Gray Heron - Ardea cinerea |
| Little Egret - Egretta garzetta |
| Glossy Ibis - Plegadis falcinellus |
| Eurasian Marsh-Harrier - Circus aeruginosus |
| Eurasian Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus |
| Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo |
| Water Rail - Rallus aquaticus |
| Eurasian Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus |
| Eurasian Coot - Fulica atra |
| Little Ringed Plover - Charadrius dubius |
| Ruff - Calidris pugnax |
| Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus |
| Marsh Sandpiper - Tringa stagnatilis |
| Black-headed Gull - Chroicocephalus ridibundus |
| Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis |
| Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto |
| Eurasian Hoopoe - Upupa epops |
| Eurasian Jay - Garrulus glandarius |
| Eurasian Magpie - Pica pica |
| Hooded Crow - Corvus cornix |
| Common Raven - Corvus corax |
| Crested Lark - Galerida cristata |
| Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica |
| Coal Tit - Periparus ater |
| Great Tit - Parus major |
| Eurasian Penduline-Tit - Remiz pendulinus |
| Western Rock Nuthatch - Sitta neumayer |
| Short-toed Treecreeper - Certhia brachydactyla |
| Eurasian Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes |
| Firecrest - Regulus ignicapilla |
| Cetti's Warbler - Cettia cetti |
| Common Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita |
| Zitting Cisticola - Cisticola juncidis |
| Eurasian Blackcap - Sylvia atricapilla |
| RĪppell's Warbler - Sylvia ruppeli |
| Subalpine Warbler - Sylvia cantillans |
| Sardinian Warbler - Sylvia melanocephala |
| European Robin - Erithacus rubecula |
| Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros |
| Blue Rock-Thrush - Monticola solitarius |
| European Stonechat - Saxicola rubicola |
| Northern Wheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe |
| Eurasian Blackbird - Turdus merula |
| Dunnock - Prunella modularis |
| Western Yellow Wagtail - Motacilla flava |
| White Wagtail - Motacilla alba |
| Meadow Pipit - Anthus pratensis |
| Corn Bunting - Emberiza calandra |
| Common Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs |
| Hawfinch - Coccothraustes coccothraustes |
| European Greenfinch - Chloris chloris |
| Eurasian Linnet - Linaria cannabina |
| European Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis |
| European Serin - Serinus serinus |
| Eurasian Siskin - Spinus spinus |
| House Sparrow - Passer domesticus |
| Eurasian Tree Sparrow - Passer montanus |
