The day dawned cloudy and it stayed like that for the rest of the day bar a half hour period where it was baking. Read on further down to find out what the conditions were on top of a mountain pass!!
I concentrated the morning around the NE corner of the lake as trip reports have consistently said how many more birds there are. This was very true and I enjoyed the morning finding a host of good birds, and stacks of them to. European Bee-eaters, Nightingales and Golden Orioles were just everywhere and such a joy to see. A large congregation of Pelicans were gathered along the river, and out of a Poplar tree sang a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. My first of many Cuckoos of the day turned out to be one of those rufous individuals, an absolutely cracking bird.
Moving further down the lake I kept on hearing Penduline Tits but photographing them was extremely difficult. Out on the lake were some Whiskered Terns, and along the shoreline were lots of Sqaucco Herons and Wood Sandpipers. What was encouraging was coming across two migrating flocks of Turtle Doves, one group containing 12 birds.
Once I had completed that side of the lake, I walked the hillsides at the southern end to try for Olive Tree Warblers, but despite trying I couldn't hear any, maybe its a tad too early, although the last and only one I saw back in 2010 in Lesvos, was in April. There were plenty of birds (a trio of Masked Shrikes were the best on the ground), and raptors at last were well represented here with a few Lesser Spotted Eagles, displaying Levant Sparrowhawks, a Booted Eagle and a presumed pair of Honey Buzzards, whilst two Black Storks circled the area several times. When the sun did come out, Dragonflies were found and of most interest to me was a Common Clubtail.
It then started to rain and so I headed back north on the west side and came across a good looking bank that had a minimum of four species of Orchids, but with my book at home they will be un-identified until I get back.
Now this is where it all went a tad crazy, with the afternoon getting on and having seen most of my hoped to see birds. I love walking up mountains, and I love knowing what's on the other side them. So I ascended with the car to the highest point I could, but then I had a gruelling hike, firstly up a woodland stream as no other paths were around. Once I had cleared the treeline (after finding some awesome Fire Salamanders) I then had to slip up the scree rocks to where it then turned into prickly vegetation, but after a long hike (with no food and three gulps of water!!) I had made it to the Bulgarian border, and got the confirmation text from Vodaphone. It was however very cold at the top and with only a Whinchat of note along the border, I retreated downhill quickly, and somehow only a few scratches was all I had after. I don't think I was allowed where I ended up, as the highest peaks either side had guard towers present, but thankfully unoccupied. A terrific experience, but very random and completely pointless as I went to Bulgaria last year, but Eade tours are never without a crazy moment. The most disappointing aspect to this hike was receiving a phonecall from my hotel when I was above the tree line stating my room had been changed. At the time I was really looking forward to another jacuzzi bath, and although my new room was bigger, it lacked the bubbles and soothing massages, but with this major downfall, it had been another excellent day here in northern Greece.
Highlights for today:
Dalmatian Pelican - 30
Red-backed Shrike - 5
Scaucco Heron - 20
European Bee-eater - 200
Levant Sparrowhawk - 3
Eastern Orphean Warbler - 5
Penduline Tit - 5
Tawny Pipit - 3
Spoonbill - 2
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Whiskered Tern - 6
Wood Sandpiper - 20
Turtle Dove - 18
Woodchat Shrike - 1
Masked Shrike - 3
Honey Buzzard - 2
Booted Eagle - 1
Black Kite - 1
Lesser Spotted Eagle - 2
Black Stork - 2
Tree Pipit - 1
Rock Bunting - 6 (hike)
Common Rock Thrush - 1 (hike)
Whinchat - 1
I concentrated the morning around the NE corner of the lake as trip reports have consistently said how many more birds there are. This was very true and I enjoyed the morning finding a host of good birds, and stacks of them to. European Bee-eaters, Nightingales and Golden Orioles were just everywhere and such a joy to see. A large congregation of Pelicans were gathered along the river, and out of a Poplar tree sang a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. My first of many Cuckoos of the day turned out to be one of those rufous individuals, an absolutely cracking bird.
Moving further down the lake I kept on hearing Penduline Tits but photographing them was extremely difficult. Out on the lake were some Whiskered Terns, and along the shoreline were lots of Sqaucco Herons and Wood Sandpipers. What was encouraging was coming across two migrating flocks of Turtle Doves, one group containing 12 birds.
Once I had completed that side of the lake, I walked the hillsides at the southern end to try for Olive Tree Warblers, but despite trying I couldn't hear any, maybe its a tad too early, although the last and only one I saw back in 2010 in Lesvos, was in April. There were plenty of birds (a trio of Masked Shrikes were the best on the ground), and raptors at last were well represented here with a few Lesser Spotted Eagles, displaying Levant Sparrowhawks, a Booted Eagle and a presumed pair of Honey Buzzards, whilst two Black Storks circled the area several times. When the sun did come out, Dragonflies were found and of most interest to me was a Common Clubtail.
It then started to rain and so I headed back north on the west side and came across a good looking bank that had a minimum of four species of Orchids, but with my book at home they will be un-identified until I get back.
Now this is where it all went a tad crazy, with the afternoon getting on and having seen most of my hoped to see birds. I love walking up mountains, and I love knowing what's on the other side them. So I ascended with the car to the highest point I could, but then I had a gruelling hike, firstly up a woodland stream as no other paths were around. Once I had cleared the treeline (after finding some awesome Fire Salamanders) I then had to slip up the scree rocks to where it then turned into prickly vegetation, but after a long hike (with no food and three gulps of water!!) I had made it to the Bulgarian border, and got the confirmation text from Vodaphone. It was however very cold at the top and with only a Whinchat of note along the border, I retreated downhill quickly, and somehow only a few scratches was all I had after. I don't think I was allowed where I ended up, as the highest peaks either side had guard towers present, but thankfully unoccupied. A terrific experience, but very random and completely pointless as I went to Bulgaria last year, but Eade tours are never without a crazy moment. The most disappointing aspect to this hike was receiving a phonecall from my hotel when I was above the tree line stating my room had been changed. At the time I was really looking forward to another jacuzzi bath, and although my new room was bigger, it lacked the bubbles and soothing massages, but with this major downfall, it had been another excellent day here in northern Greece.
Highlights for today:
Dalmatian Pelican - 30
Red-backed Shrike - 5
Scaucco Heron - 20
European Bee-eater - 200
Levant Sparrowhawk - 3
Eastern Orphean Warbler - 5
Penduline Tit - 5
Tawny Pipit - 3
Spoonbill - 2
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Whiskered Tern - 6
Wood Sandpiper - 20
Turtle Dove - 18
Woodchat Shrike - 1
Masked Shrike - 3
Honey Buzzard - 2
Booted Eagle - 1
Black Kite - 1
Lesser Spotted Eagle - 2
Black Stork - 2
Tree Pipit - 1
Rock Bunting - 6 (hike)
Common Rock Thrush - 1 (hike)
Whinchat - 1
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European Bee-eaters performing
nicely today.
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| Black-headed Bunting |
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| Great White Pelicans |
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| A cloudy sunrise at Lake Kerkini |
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| Sqaucco Heron |
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| Eastern Olivaceous Warbler |
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| A very young Eastern Orphean Warbler |
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| Vagrant Emperor |
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| Common Clubtail |
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| Good numbers of Turtle Doves today |
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| Fire Salamander |
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| Common Rock Thrush |
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Starting position - the top ridge
just out of view from the ridge in front.
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| Nearly at the top |
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| Looking into Bulgaria from the border |
