Take a fast have a look at the breeding distribution of European birds and you will note that there are a shocking variety of species which are restricted to the Balkans. (The Balkans, by the best way, is a free time period for Europe’s south-eastern peninsula, protecting the international locations of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Greece.) It’s these Balkan specials which are the goal species for many birdwatchers visiting the realm from western Europe.
The Balkan specials are a remarkably various lot. The most important of them is the Dalmatian Pelican, which with a wing span of round 10ft and a weight of as much as 26lb is a critical contender for one the world’s greatest flying birds. Go to the fitting location and you may’t miss it, which is greater than you may say for the Olive-tree Warbler. The latter is massive (the largest of all of the Hippolais warblers), purchase shy. Because the Collins Chicken Information notes, it “retains effectively hidden”. You’ll hear greater than you see, and you may’t typically assure to listen to one, both.
As a result of Olive-tree Warblers are such a problem to search out, and, to be trustworthy, not that thrilling to have a look at whenever you do ultimately see one, they don’t function right here in my Balkan High Ten. As a substitute I’ve chosen my favorite 10 species I look forward to finding once I go to Greece, solely a few of that are restricted to the Balkans. These are all birds I count on (or hope) to see on a go to right here.
No 1
The Dalmatian Pelican has to take the No 1 spot, because it’s so massive and spectacular. It’s barely bigger than the White Pelican, in whose firm it will probably usually be discovered. In comparison with the clean-cut White, it’s not such a sensible fowl, its plumage tinged with gray, whereas the curly feathers on its head look as if it wants a go to to the hairdresser. It’s in late winter and early spring when these pelicans look their greatest, as the large invoice pouch develops an intense shade of orange-red, indicating that the fowl is in peak breeding situation, however this quickly fades again to a boring yellow.
The traditional websites for seeing these pelicans are Lakes Prespa (with the world’s largest colony), Amvrakikos and Kerkini, however they do wander, and infrequently flip up at different wetlands, and even in harbours near Thessaloniki.
No 2
OK, you’ll find White Storks in lots of European international locations, however they’re one of the attribute birds of Lake Kerkini: the village of Kerkini (from which the lake takes its title) has over 40 nesting pairs. Most arrive in March, however by mid September they’ve migrated again south to their wintering grounds in Africa.
White Storks construct large nests which get greater yearly because the homeowners add extra sticks and materials. In Greece these spectacular nests usually host colonies of Spanish Sparrows that nest in holes within the construction. Such a nest web site has its dangers for the smaller occupants. In Might this 12 months I watched a sitting Stork catch and eat one among her tenants. Such an unfriendly act created numerous pleasure among the many sparrows, lots of which got here out to sit down on the close by wires to debate the occasion. After some time peace was restored, and the sparrows returned to their nesting chambers,
No 3
Forty years in the past the Higher Flamingoes was a rarity in Greece, with fewer than 30 information. Immediately it’s turn out to be a well-known wintering fowl, with flocks of hundreds to be seen at favoured localities. I do know it effectively from the salt pans at Angelochori, only a few miles to the west of Thessaloniki’s airport. Right here flocks might be seen in most months of the 12 months. (This can be a high quality web site for different birds, with quite a lot of waterbirds and waders invariably to be discovered right here, together with akin to species as Black-necked Grebe, Avocet and Slender-billed Gull).
In recent times Higher Flamingoes have unfold eastwards and now breed recurrently in Italy and Turkey, whereas in 2020 the primary profitable breeding was recorded in Greece, on the wetland of Agios Mamas in Chalkidiki. Higher Flamingoes are strikingly good-looking birds and it’s encouraging to search out them doing so effectively in Greece immediately.
No 4
Spoonbills aren’t a Balkan particular, as they even nest now in my dwelling county of Suffolk, however there’s nowhere higher to see them at shut vary than on their breeding grounds at Lake Kerkini. Right here the latest lack of the flooded forest means that almost all of birds now nest away from the lake, commuting to it to feed.
Numbers decline within the winter, however birds might be seen in Greece all 12 months spherical. The younger birds might be simply recognized by their black-tipped main feathers.
No 5
Because the title suggests, the Levant Sparrowhawk is a Levantine particular. Very comparable in each look and behavior to the intently associated Shikra, it’s a fowl that favours open lowlands, and is commonly to be discovered round villages. It’s a late-returning migrant, not typically showing again on its breeding grounds till early Might.
The shrill name is loud and much carrying, and in contrast to that of some other European raptor. After I heard my first one, on a go to to Kerkini in 2008, I wasn’t positive what it was, and needed to discover the fowl to determine its identification.
No 6
Arguably probably the most exotic-looking of any European fowl, the Bee-eater is at all times a delight to see and listen to. It’s a widespread breeding fowl all through a lot of the Balkans, arriving again in early Might and staying till late August. This can be a fowl that was as soon as broadly persecuted, as its liking for bees made it the enemy of the bee keeper, giving an excuse for it to be shot.
By the way, on day’s birding in northern Greece it’s potential to see all 5 of Europe’s most brightly colored birds: Bee-eater, Curler, Hoopoe, Golden Oriole and Kingfisher. Although it’s potential to see the identical Large 5 in a lot of different Mediterranean international locations, Greece is the one nation the place I’ve managed it recurrently.
No 7
There are 10 species of woodpeckers within the Balkans. The one one I haven’t seen right here is the Three-toed, which is restricted to the Rhodope Mountains on the Greek/Bulgarian border. The White-backed can be an actual problem to search out – the fowl proven right here I photographed near the city of Sidirokastro, just a few miles south of the border with Bulgaria. Data of White-backed Woodpeckers in Greece are few, so the standing of this woodpecker is one thing of a thriller.
The race of the White-backed Woodpecker right here is lilfordi: it was as soon as referred to as Lilford’s Woodpecker. Lord Lilford was a Nineteenth-century English fowl fanatic and collector: he shot a thriller woodpecker in Greece in 1857 that was named Picus lilfordi, but it surely was later reclassified as a race of the way more widespread White-backed Woodpecker.
No 8
Rock Nuthatch. Formally referred to as Western Rock Nuthatch to distinguish it from the Jap fowl (that may be present in Georgia), this noisy and energetic fowl is widespread in Greece in appropriate habitat, however not at all times straightforward to search out. I noticed my first people at Delphi a few years in the past. They’re widespread in quarries and on appropriate rocky hillsides in northern Greece. Pay attention for his or her distinctive loud whistles.
Earlier this 12 months I heard one calling in a big disused quarry in northern Greece the place I had seen these birds earlier than, however regardless of my greatest efforts I did not see it. Irritating, however they’re small birds that favour massive landscapes.
No 9
4 species of shrikes nest in Greece – Lesser Gray, Pink-backed, Woodchat and Masked – but it surely’s the latter that’s the Balkan particular. The smallest and most delicate of the European shrikes, the Masked will not be as straightforward to search out as the opposite species, as you not often see one perched on roadside wires or sitting conspicuously on the tops of bushes.
Masked shrikes desire an open wooded habitat, so have their very own ecological area of interest, not competing with their bigger cousins. Numbers have been rising in recent times, so this can be a fowl that you need to see should you put the hassle in.
No 10
Wandering Black-headed Buntings have been discovered as far west as Britain, they usually do breed in southern Italy, however that is predominately a Balkan (and Turkish) fowl, migrating to India for the winter. They return in early Might, when the cock’s distinctive and oft-repeated tune is a attribute sound of the Greek countryside.
When singing they often perch conspicuously on the prime of a big bush or small tree the place they’re straightforward to see. In distinction, the a lot drabber females might be troublesome to search out. The cock is a really good-looking fowl that I by no means tire of seeing, its tune one of the attribute sounds of northern Greece in Might.
