Birdwatching trip report - Greece, Greece

Evros Delta & Dadia National Park,

Birdwatching Weekend, May 20-21rst, 2007 

For the first time, www.greecebirdtours.gr organized a birdwatching weekend in Greece’s most North-East part, which is Evros Prefecture. This area contains one of the most important wentlands of Europe, EVROS DELTA and also DADIA NATIONAL PARK, home of most European raptors and vultures.

We stayed at hotel TRASSA, www.thrassa.gr which can be a great base for any bird trip around the area. Found in the village of Tyhero, just right to the nice pond, the hotel is a family run traditional hostel, clean and quite, with a garden overlooking the pond, and also 30 min from the Evros Delta & only 15 min from Dadia Forest. We prefer to stay in this hotel, than in busy city of Alexandroupolis.

Roads are in very good condition throughout the entire Prefecture of Evros. Road signs & indications are also helpful enough. Beware of many signs prohibiting picture taking, especially close to military and border area. In order to enter Evros Delta, permission is needed, that you can take from Traianoupolis Information Center.                                                                        

We started from Evros Delta on Saturday morning. The first important sighting was a Black-headed Bunting, perching on a wire outside the Traianoupolis’ Information Center of Evros Delta. We could not believe that during the whole trip, we would get to see this species so often, almost every few minutes. It was by far, the one of the most abundant birds of the trip. Also, others species in front of the center while waiting for our 4X4 Jeep, were an impressive Black Stork, Spanish Sparrow, Greenfinch, House Martin, Barn Swallow, Turtle Dove, Bee-eater. Our trip had just begun!

We stayed for about 4 hours in Evros Delta. Lake Drana was almost empty of birds, with only a few Shelducks, and Sandwitch Tern flying and diving in the water. The majority of birds were in the marshes around the lake. Highlights of the area were Spoonbill, Squacco Heron, Little Egrets, Purple Herons, Shelducks, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Buzzard, Bee-eater, Black-headed Bunting, Crested Lark.

In the afternoon, we took the road from Traianoupolis to Dadia village. The scenery was amazing, with oak & pine forests mixing with colorful agricultural landscape. Again Black-headed Buntings were singing all over the place. Other nice birds were Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shirke, Masked Shrike, Olivaceous Warbler, Hoopoe, Cuckoo, Turtle Doves, Short-toed Eagle, Hobby, Kestrel, Buzzard.

Returning to the hotel at dusk, we decided to go around the nearby pond. A Little Owl was waiting us above an empty White Stork’s nest. Singing Nightingales and Sedge Warblers everywhere, as well as screaming Common Swifts, House Martins, Barn Swallows.

Sunday was the day of the big raptors and vultures. Our excitement was great when we reached Dadia National Park. Again, another time that the rule: “you can never be sure about birds” came true. We actually observed more vultures and eagles when we were waiting for the minivan, that when we were actually watching the area from the observatory (from where we only saw an Egyptian Vulture and a Spotted Eagle)! Right there, in front of the guest’s house we could easily the flight of at least 5 Griffon Vultures, 1 Black Vulture, 2 Egyptian Vultures, 1 Spotted Eagle, 1 Short-toed Eagle. It is always fun to compare these species in size, especially when they fly altogether in the sky: eagles and buzzards seem so small when they are beside a vulture with extended wings.

We continued to the forests around Dadia, were cultivated land meets oak and pine trees. An impressive juvenile Imperial Eagle was enjoyed. There are many side roads, were one can easily access and walk. Good views of Bee-eaters, Rollers, Black-headed Buntings were again enjoyed, together with Booted Eagle and Black Kite. Also, we saw an Olive-tree Warbler twice, a lifer for many birdwatchers coming to Greece.

For more details about locations and species, please contact info@greecebirdtours.gr or visit www.greecebirdtours.gr and my blog www.greekbirding.blogspot.com

The whole trip ended up with a list of 79 species, not bad for two days birding.

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