A half-day tour, starting from the port of Piraeus has some restrictions on time, that's why the itinerary shall be carefully planned to yield as many species as possible.
Debbie Einarson, along with her mother and aunt, were picked up from the port and we headed straight to the flooded Spata fields. Hundreds of swifts and swallows flew above the water, while Little Bitterns and Purple Herons looked for frogs and other small prey. Waterfowl was also very interesting, as Ferruginous Ducks were easily found, along with Pochards and Mallards.
Furthermore, Great Spotted Cuckoos and Turtle Doves were among the most interesting sightings in the surrounding farmland. We were also lucky to see a Nose-horned Viper crossing the road!
Very close to Spata fields lies the small but very rich in birds Artemis Lagoon. Breeding Black-winged Stilts were incubating while a small group of several different waders rested in one of the 'islets' formed in the wetland.
After a delicious lunch at Artemis we started our way back to Piraeus but first we stopped at the Aesthetic Forest of Kaisariani on Mt Hymettus. We managed to see Short-toed Treecreepers, Jays, Long-tailed and Great Tits, Blackbirds and Chaffinches.
We ended up at 49 species, all within a few hours; mission accomplished!
Debbie Einarson, along with her mother and aunt, were picked up from the port and we headed straight to the flooded Spata fields. Hundreds of swifts and swallows flew above the water, while Little Bitterns and Purple Herons looked for frogs and other small prey. Waterfowl was also very interesting, as Ferruginous Ducks were easily found, along with Pochards and Mallards.
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| Purple Heron |
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| Pallid Swift |
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| Black-winged Stilt |
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| Nose-horned Viper |
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| Ringed Plovers, Ruffs, a Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stints |
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| Three happy birders! |
We ended up at 49 species, all within a few hours; mission accomplished!
TRIP CHECKLIST
| Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos |
| Common Pochard - Aythya ferina |
| Ferruginous Duck - Aythya nyroca |
| Little Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis |
| Rock Dove - Columba livia |
| European Turtle Dove - Streptopelia turtur |
| Collared Dove - Streptopelia decaocto |
| Great Spotted Cuckoo - Clamator glandarius |
| Alpine Swift - Apus melba |
| Common Swift - Apus apus |
| Pallid Swift - Apus pallidus |
| Common Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus |
| Eurasian Coot - Fulica atra |
| Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus |
| Common Ringed Plover - Charadrius hiaticula |
| Ruff - Calidris pugnax |
| Curlew Sandpiper - Calidris ferruginea |
| Little Stint - Calidris minuta |
| Wood Sandpiper - Tringa glareola |
| Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis |
| Little Bittern - Ixobrychus minutus |
| Purple Heron - Ardea purpurea |
| Little Egret - Egretta garzetta |
| Glossy Ibis - Plegadis falcinellus |
| Western Marsh Harrier - Circus aeruginosus |
| European Bee-eater - Merops apiaster |
| Common Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus |
| Woodchat Shrike - Lanius senator |
| Eurasian Jay - Garrulus glandarius |
| Common Magpie - Pica pica |
| Crested Lark - Galerida cristata |
| Sand Martin - Riparia riparia |
| Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica |
| Common House Martin - Delichon urbicum |
| Coal Tit - Periparus ater |
| Great Tit - Parus major |
| Long-tailed Tit - Aegithalos caudatus |
| Short-toed Treecreeper - Certhia brachydactyla |
| Sedge Warbler - Acrocephalus schoenobaenus |
| Great Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus arundinaceus |
| Zitting Cisticola - Cisticola juncidis |
| Sardinian Warbler - Sylvia melanocephala |
| Whinchat - Saxicola rubetra |
| European Stonechat - Saxicola rubicola |
| Eurasian Blackbird - Turdus merula |
| Western Yellow Wagtail - Motacilla flava |
| Red-throated Pipit - Anthus cervinus |
| Common Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs |
| House Sparrow - Passer domesticus |
