Take a fast take a look at the breeding distribution of European birds and you will notice that there are a stunning variety of species which are restricted to the Balkans. (The Balkans, by the best way, is a unfastened time period for Europe’s south-eastern peninsula, masking the nations 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 world 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 severe contender for one the world’s greatest flying birds. Go to the appropriate location and you’ll’t miss it, which is greater than you’ll be able to say for the Olive-tree Warbler. The latter is large (the largest of all of the Hippolais warblers), purchase shy. Because the Collins Chicken Information notes, it “retains properly hidden”. You’ll hear greater than you see, and you’ll’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 sincere, not that thrilling to have a look at while you do ultimately see one, they don’t characteristic right here in my Balkan Prime Ten. As an alternative I’ve chosen my favorite 10 species I look forward to finding after 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 large and spectacular. It’s barely bigger than the White Pelican, in whose firm it could possibly usually be discovered. In comparison with the clean-cut White, it’s not such a sensible chicken, 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 finest, as the large invoice pouch develops an intense shade of orange-red, indicating that the chicken is in peak breeding situation, however this quickly fades again to a uninteresting yellow.
The basic 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, yow will discover White Storks in lots of European nations, 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 larger yearly because the house owners 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 website has its dangers for the smaller occupants. In Could this yr I watched a sitting Stork catch and eat considered one of her tenants. Such an unfriendly act created quite a lot of pleasure among the many sparrows, a lot of which got here out to take a seat 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. In the present day it’s change into a well-recognized wintering chicken, with flocks of hundreds to be seen at favoured localities. I do know it properly from the salt pans at Angelochori, just some miles to the west of Thessaloniki’s airport. Right here flocks may be seen in most months of the yr. (This can be a nice website for different birds, with a wide range of waterbirds and waders invariably to be discovered right here, together with reminiscent of species as Black-necked Grebe, Avocet and Slender-billed Gull).
In recent times Higher Flamingoes have unfold eastwards and now breed commonly 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 properly in Greece right now.
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 may be seen in Greece all yr spherical. The younger birds may be simply recognized by their black-tipped main feathers.
No 5
Because the title suggests, the Levant Sparrowhawk is a Levantine particular. Very related in each look and behavior to the intently associated Shikra, it’s a chicken that favours open lowlands, and is usually to be discovered round villages. It’s a late-returning migrant, not typically showing again on its breeding grounds till early Could.
The shrill name is loud and much carrying, and in contrast to that of another 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 chicken to determine its identification.
No 6
Arguably essentially the most exotic-looking of any European chicken, the Bee-eater is at all times a delight to see and listen to. It’s a widespread breeding chicken all through a lot of the Balkans, arriving again in early Could and staying till late August. This can be a chicken that was as soon as extensively 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 a great day’s birding in northern Greece it’s doable to see all 5 of Europe’s most brightly colored birds: Bee-eater, Curler, Hoopoe, Golden Oriole and Kingfisher. Although it’s doable to see the identical Massive 5 in a variety of different Mediterranean nations, Greece is the one nation the place I’ve managed it commonly.
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 chicken proven right here I photographed near the city of Sidirokastro, just a few miles south of the border with Bulgaria. Information 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 chicken fanatic and collector: he shot a thriller woodpecker in Greece in 1857 that was named Picus lilfordi, however it 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 chicken (that may be present in Georgia), this noisy and lively chicken is widespread in Greece in appropriate habitat, however not at all times simple 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. Hear for his or her distinctive loud whistles.
Earlier this yr 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 finest efforts I didn’t see it. Irritating, however they’re small birds that favour large landscapes.
No 9
4 species of shrikes nest in Greece – Lesser Gray, Purple-backed, Woodchat and Masked – however it’s the latter that’s the Balkan particular. The smallest and most delicate of the European shrikes, the Masked is just not as simple 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 favor an open wooded habitat, so have their very own ecological area of interest, not competing with their bigger cousins. Numbers have been rising lately, so this can be a chicken that it is best to see for those who put the trouble in.
No 10
Wandering Black-headed Buntings have been discovered as far west as Britain, and so they do breed in southern Italy, however that is predominately a Balkan (and Turkish) chicken, migrating to India for the winter. They return in early Could, when the cock’s distinctive and oft-repeated music is a attribute sound of the Greek countryside.
When singing they often perch conspicuously on the prime of a giant bush or small tree the place they’re simple to see. In distinction, the a lot drabber females may be troublesome to search out. The cock is a really good-looking chicken that I by no means tire of seeing, its music one of the attribute sounds of northern Greece in Could.
Autor David T
