Poros, Greece Easter 2007 (1 Viewer)

[Lee Rogers]

Hi, does anyone have any advice/tips/tricks for birding on Poros, any experiences or any idea what birds might be viewable, 5th - 17th April?

I notice from the Helm guides that there are Pallid Swifts at Athens airport and Alpine Swifts at the Acropolis. I'm also assuming that I may see some birds on the ferry crossing from Pireaus to Poros. But there's not much on Poros itself except a mention of Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Nuthatch, and passing migrants: Stork, Herons, Flamingo, and raptors etc...can anyone give me specifics, please?

Thanks in advance

Lee

 

[Spyros]

Hoopoe, Pallid and Alpine Swifts, Little Owl, Scops Owl, Red-rumped Swallow, Sardinian Warbler, can be seen anywhere, even in Acropolis, so you can see them in Poros too! You'll get shearwaters and lots of gulls during the boat trip from Pireus (takes about 1.5 hours).
Poros is a small nice little island, but does not have wetlands that get Storks, Flamingos, Herons. You'll probably get Crested Larks, Sardinian Warbler, Red-rumped Swallow, Flycatchers, Bee-eater, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, but do not expect rare species.

If you definately want to get Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Nuthatch, Ruppells Warbler, Cretzshmar's Bunting, Sobre Tit, Short-toed Eagle, all herons and egrets, Glossy Ibis, Red-footed falcon, Chukar, Olive tree Wabler, you can to spend a half day in places around Athens, before or after going to Poros. A 5 hour trip will give you more than 40 species, because you picked a very good time period, during spring migrations

Check my blog http://www.greekbirding.blogspot.com/ (maybe go to April 2006, May 2006 archives), and you will see your target species

 

[Lee Rogers]

Spyros,

Many thanks for the information I'll definately use it whilst I'm on Poros, sadly as it's a family holiday I won't be able to make an excursion around Athens birding. We're visiting my wife's aunt who lives on Poros so we should have a good time anyway, we haven't been for 20 years and I'm really looking forward to it now. I'll let you know how I get on, excellent website by the way.

Lee

 

[Lee Rogers]

As I've just returned from a 12 day family holiday in Greece I just thought I'd share what I saw. The holiday consisted of 10 days on Poros, one of the Saronic isles and two days in Athens. The first decent bird sightings were on the ferry from Pireaus, and consisted of as many Yellow Legged Gulls as we have Herring Gulls. Getting closer to the Saronic isle of Aegina and the mainland port of Methana, we saw around 20-30 Mediterranean Shearwaters, and at least one Cory's Shearwater but the light was fading as we approached Poros and views became difficult. Throughout the next 10 days on Poros I visited the Plateau three mornings running in the hope of seeing Crested Larks, however whether because of weather, season, or agricultural change there were none to be seen. But during these early morning trips I did see; Sardinian Warbler, Olivaceous Warbler, Cirl Bunting, Lesser Whitethroat, and Hooded Crow. Back at the house we were renting in Poros town regular garden visitors included; House Sparrow, Blackcap, House Martin, Barn Swallow, and a pair of Rock Sparrows (juv + ad). Also seen in Poros town were; Olivaceous Warbler, Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, and a Swift. At my wife's cousins house in the mountains we regularly saw from the terrace; Hooded Crow, Buzzard, Sardinian Warbler, Great Tit, a Raven, and on one occasion a Goshawk being mobbed by Crows. During our short stay in Athens we saw literally 100s of Alpine Swifts, a possibly a Pallid Swift but once again poor light prevented a decent view. On visiting the ancient Agora had excellent views of a Woodchat shrike, and later that same day on ascending the Acropolis we saw a Hoopoe on two occasions close to the Irodo (Herod Atticus Theatre). Amazingly whilst on the Areopagus we saw the first Blackbird of the trip, the final bird of the trip was a lovely Serin singing his heart out in a tree overhanging a busy market in lower Adrianou next to the Metro line. All in all it was a fabulous trip and considering it wasn't a "birding" holiday I did really well using a pair of Olympus 8x21 pocket binoculars, 11 of the species were lifers for me!