Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Northern Greece - Day 3 - Nestos Forest & Mt Paggaio

Roller, Nestos Forest

Travel day today, but you wouldn't have guessed the amount of birding and quality birds we saw!

We drove from Tichero to Nestos Forest where we were wowed by the riverine forest. After a drive by Roller we drove right in to a Black Woodpecker by the roadside! What views. It was too quick for the camera though. We had more flight views of the same bird as we birded the forest as well as masses of Red-backed Shrikes, Golden Orioles, Hawfinch and some fly-over woodpeckers - either Great Spotted or Syrian (we heard Great Spotted for certain).

Rock Partridge, Mt Paggaio

We then headed up Mt Paggaio where we scored Rock Partridge - a tick! Third time lucky in this area for me.


Water Pipit, Mt Paggaio

Further on up the mountain we found this gorgeous bathing Water Pipit.

Horned Larks at the top (boy was the track rough!) were seen distantly and heard singing, but no Alpine Chough or Common Rock-thrush. We did manage Alpine Accentor, Black Redstart, a Hiney-buzzard and a single Rock Bunting.

We ended up at the Dolcetto cafe in Efleutheroupoli - just the pickup we needed after the slog up and down the mountain!



View from our room at the Villa Belles hotel above Lake Kerkini

We arrived at Lake Kerkini and the simply hotel views around 7.15 pm. We birded from the balcony until 8.30 enjoying the fabulous view and the hundreds of birds on the lake including pelicans, cormorants, egrets, herons, spoonbills, etc. Can't wait for the morning now!

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