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Home , Arctic warbler, Cirl bunting, Common firecrest, Common nightingale, Crossbill, Eastern Orphean warbler

Bellbird Tours Pty Ltd -wide: Berri, SA – Stockton, NSW – Mildura, Vic Ph. 1800-BIRDING Ph. +61402 738855 www.bellbirdtours.com @bellbirdtours.com

Unique and unforgettable nature experiences!

Best of

21 day birding tour

29 Apr – 21 May 2022

Pre-tour options: Gallipoli & Athens

Bellbird's brand-new ‘Best of Europe’ birding tour in spring mountain streams will sure delight us with many . We’ll 2022 will visit the Mediterranean, and Scandi- then proceed into Hungary for the steppe (plains) species plus wet- navia. Featuring mouth-watering localities and unique birds, lands at the world-famous Ramsar site of the Hortobaghy lakes. this tour is sure to be the highlight of anyone’s birding career. From here we take a flight to Finland, where we’ll experience the amazing Arctic Spring. This country promises a wealth of northern During the tour you will travel from the very south () to European birdlife within the forests, marshes and lakes of Fin- the very north (Varanger Fjord) of Europe. Commencing in land as well as the tundra, fjords and Arctic uplands of Norway. Athens we’ll spend a few days birding in Greece followed by a With the approaching Arctic summer, breeding birds will be busy couple of days on the island of Lesvos, which combines the proclaiming and defending territories. With a species list which in- excitement of with most key Mediterranean cludes waders, raptors, , wildfowl and owls, this final species. Then, we’re off to , containing unspoilt decid- stretch of the trip showcases the very best of Scandinavian birdlife. uous forests and hence a mecca for bird species that once in- The tour finishes at the northernmost point of Europe. habited most of Europe but have recently contracted East. The Carpathian mountains, the Kerkini wetlands and Spaces are limited so don’t wait to book this exciting tour!

Tour starts: Athens, Greece Tour finishes: Ivalo, Finland Leader: Peter Waanders / Helga Kieskamp and local guide

Scheduled departure & return dates: Trip reports and photos of previous tours: • 29 Apr – 21 May 2022 http://www.bellbirdtours.com/reports

Questions? Contact BELLBIRD BIRDING TOURS : READ ON FOR: • Further tour details • Freecall 1800-BIRDING • Daily itinerary • email [email protected] • Booking information

Best of Europe birding tour

Tour details

Tour starts: Athens, Greece Tour finishes: Ivalo, Finland (We can assist with arranging flights if you like)

Scheduled departure and return dates: Tour commences with dinner on 29 April 2022 and finishes the morning of 21 May 2022. A 2-day all-inclusive trip to attend the ANZAC dawn service at Gallipoli, and a 2-day cultural trip of Athens are available as pre-tour options. Daily itinerary has further details.

Leader: Peter Waanders and/or Helga Kieskamp plus local guide and driver.

Difficulty: Low/Medium/High/Excellent level of fitness required. The tour has a relaxed pace and walks are on mostly flat, often paved, surfaces, but may include some very short climbs. We generally walk slowly, with lots of stops. You can opt out of any challenging walks.

What to bring: Please travel light. Binoculars, camera, mobile phone, chargers, power adaptors (Eu- ropean style), repellent, sunscreen, personal medications, travel umbrella, hat, water bottle, hand sanitizer. Sturdy footwear recommended. Scopes, super-telephoto lenses with tripods, and very heavy hard-cased suitcases are discouraged.

Accommodation: Private en-suite rooms in hotels or lodges. Standards of lodgings are good to very comfortable. Most, but not all, will have wi-fi access.

Clothing: It will be mild to warm in the south so lightweight long pants, t-shirt and long-sleeved shirt over the top of which you can wear layers that can be taken off as necessary, including a rain- proof jacket. In the north it will be cool in the day and cold in the evenings so warm clothes required. We can expect rain showers at any time. Neat casual attire for dinners. Sturdy, comfortable footwear for birding. Shorts and sandals or thongs (flip-flops) are acceptable for non-birding time.

Group size: Minimum 4, maximum 7 participants.

Cost: US$9,999 per person including accommodation and all meals, based on double or twin-share occupancy. Single occupancy surcharge of US$699. Not included: drinks, tips, personal expenses. Early-bird discount of USD$99 for bookings received up to 6 months before departure date. Return- client discount may apply.

Bookings: Online at https://www.bellbirdtours.com/bookings or please complete the booking form in the back of this brochure.

Best of Europe birding tour ITINERARY On 25-26 April, we’re offering a unique pre-tour (non-birding) trip to visit the ANZAC dawn service at Gallipoli: an all-inclusive guided trip from Athens or Istanbul. Also, an Athens cultural & historical pre-tour 2-day trip is available 27-28 April. We’ll all congregate in Athens on 29 April for dinner, to commence the actual birding tour. Interested? Please con- tact us for details.

Day 0: (29 Apr) Arrive Athens, Greece. After arriving into Athens airport, transfer to the hotel and check in. Time depending, we may visit the famous Acropolis where we may see our first European birds including Alpine and Common Swift, Eurasian Kestrel, , Sardinian Warbler and we have good chances for migrating as the place is like a small oasis in the middle of the bustling city. Overnight hotel in Athens (en-suite hotel room; meals included: D).

Day 1-2: (30 Apr-01 May) Athens, Greece. We spend 2 full days birding at various sites and around Athens. We explore Spata Fields not far from Athens where a maze of orchards, olive groves and seasonal marshes provides for a good number of breeding and migrating birds. We’ll look for Lesser Kestrel, Collared Pratincole, Great Spotted Cuckoo, but we will good chances to see many other birds like Squacco , Little , Glossy Ibis, Montague’s and Western Marsh Harrier, -footed Falcon, Lit- tle Owl, European Turtle Dove, Eurasian , Short-toed , , the black- headed race of Western Yellow Wagtail, Red-throated Pipit, Woodchat Shrike, Eurasian Golden Oriole and Black-headed . Nearby, Vavrona Estuary is a small wetland on the seashore surrounded by olive groves and orchards. Here we expect to see Long-leg- ged Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Great Spotted Cuckoo, European -eater, Red-rumped Swallow, Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Rufous Bush-, Black-headed and . From here it’s not far to Schinias National Park which is home to a nice array of species including Ferruginous Duck, Chukar Partridge, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Long-legged Buzzard, Western Marsh and Pallid Harrier, Short-toed Eagle, Eleonora's Falcon, Black-winged Stilt, Marsh Sandpiper, Little Crake, Whiskered Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Little Owl, Black-eared Wheatear, Western Rock , Blue Rock , Zitting Cisticola, Eastern Orphean and Subapline Warbler, Penduline , Woodchat Shrike, Cretzschmar's, Black-headed and Cirl Bunting. Slender-billed and Mediterranean Gull are regular. Yelkouan and Scopoli's Shearwater are possible to find scanning the sea. Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Whiskered and Gull-billed Tern, Black-headed Wagtail, Red-throated Pipit, Zitting Cisticola, Penduline Tit are all around in the marshes. We’ll also visit Parnitha Mountain which has coniferous and mixed woodlands with Med- iterranean scrub. It is home to many exciting species among them the rare Rock Partridge, Sombre Tit, and Ruppell’s Warbler. We’ll also look for the more common Short-toed Eagle, European Honey Buzzard, Eleonora’s Falcon, Eurasian Hoo- poe, Alpine and Pallid Swift, Turtle Dove, Eurasian Crag Martin, , Blue Rock Thrush, , Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, , Eastern XXX (c) Peter Waanders - Bellbird Eurasian Bullfinch, Common Par- Orphean Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Short- Tours toed Treecreeper, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Cirl and Cretzschmar’s Bunting. tridge, Eurasian Scops Owl, Kruper’s Overnight hotel in Athens (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D). Nuthatch, Western Yellow Wagtail (c) Peter Waanders – Bellbird Tours

Best of Europe birding tour Day 3: (02 May) Lesvos, Greece. We take an early flight to the island of Lesvos (included in tour price) not far from mainland . Lesvos is a small Mediterranean island with very diverse habitats and a very rich wildlife including two iconic birds Kruper’s Nuthatch and Cinereous Bunting that are only found in mainland Turkey and on a few islands in the Aegean Sea. It is also a migration hotspot and we are sure to see many , waders and raptors on their migration journey back to Europe. After checking into our hotel we’ll go out birding and look for some of the resident birds and newly arrived migrants from on their way to their more northerly breeding sites. Overnight Lesvos (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Day 4: (03 May) Lesvos and Thessaloniki, Greece. We continue birding this fabulous island with its forests, orchards, coastal lagoons and mountain habitats to find Ruddy Shelduck, Chukar, Greater , Western Rock Nuthatch, Sombre Tit, Rueppell’s, Olive-tree and Easzetn Bonelli’s Warbler, Rufous Bush-Robin, Masked Shrike, -col- oured Starling, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, plus many migrating waders, terns, songbirds and migratory species. We’ll have lunch in an authentic Greek establishment overlooking the blue waters of the Mediterranean before birding our way to the airport where we’ll take the last flight of the day (included in tour price) to Thessaloniki arriving there in the evening. We take a short drive to our next hotel situated close to Lake Kerkini. Overnight Kerkini (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Day 5: (04 May) Lake Kerkini, Greece. We spend the whole day birding at Lake Kerkini at various habitats. We take a boat trip to see the nesting Dalmatian and Great White Pelicans, Great and Pygmy . There will be many Squacco, Black-crowned Night and Purple , Little , Eurasian , Black and White on the lakeside and we will probably be able to see White-winged, Whiskered and Black Tern in breeding . Raptors are a common sight here with White-tailed and Lesser Spotted Eagle, Short-toed and Booted Eagle, Black Kite, Western Marsh Harrier, while migrating waders are also found around the lake. We’ll always keep an eye open for migrating European Bee-eaters, European Rollers, passerines including , , Collared and Pied Flycatcher, Wood, Icterine and Barred Warbler. Overnight Kerkini (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Day 6: (05 May) Western Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria. After breakfast we leave Greece to enter the mythical Western Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria. The 4 hour drive will be very interesting as we are travelling across mountains and river valleys in little- visited rural areas. We will stop for roadside birding to see raptors, and for lunch. In the afternoon we arrive in the Trigrad Gorge area. It is the most accessible site for the sought-after Wallcreeper and while we look for this amazing bird we may see other good species such as Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, White-throated Dipper, Mistle Thrush, Crested, Coal and Willow Tit, Spotted , Firecrest, , Common and Eurasian Bullfinch. Overnight Western Rhodope (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Day 7: (06 May) Eastern Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria. After a morning birding Cretzschmar's Bunting, Northern around Trigrad Gorge we start driving east towards the Eastern Rhodope Mountains (c) Peter Waanders – Bell- with birding stops on the way. We arrive to our next hotel in the afternoon and after bird Tours, Eurasian Avocet, Com- checking in we explore the nearby mountains towards Madzharovo. Overnight Madzha- mon Tern, Black-necked Grebe (c) rovo area (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D). EcoTours Wildlife

Best of Europe birding tour

Day 8: (07 May) Eastern Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria. We spend the day in the scenic volcanic landscape of the Eastern Rhodope Mountains. This remote corner of Bulgaria is renowned for its impressive list of raptors. Almost all of the Bulgarian birds of prey can be seen here with good chances of Golden Eagle, Eurasian Griffon, Egyptian and Cinereous Vulture, Short-toed, Lesser Spotted and Booted Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard, Levant Spar- rowhawk, Peregrine and Eleonora’s Falcon. Black Storks nest on the cliffs and the rocky landscape is home to Chukar, Eastern Olivaceous, Orphean, Olive-tree, Eastern Bonelli’s and Subalpine Warbler, Sombre Tit, Western Rock Nuthatch, Ortolan, Rock and Black- headed Bunting. Alpine and Pallid Swifts, Crag Martin and Red-rumped Swallow nest in the gorges as does Blue Rock Thrush and Eastern Black-eared Wheatear. Overnight Madzha- rovo area (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Day 9: (08 May) Lake Durankulak, Bulgaria. Today will be mostly a driving day with sev- eral interesting birding stops. We head east through rolling hills. We make several stops in the Sakar Mountains looking for Levant Sparrowhawk, Olive-tree Warbler and Masked Shrike among others. Short-toed, Lesser-spotted and Booted Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard and Montagu’s Harrier are all possible as we are driving towards the coastal town of Bur- gas. We then continue north along the coast and stop to explore the woodland near Goritza searching for Middle-spotted , Semi- and Short- toed Treecreeper. We drive through the town of Varna and within an hour arrive to the remnant parts of the once endless steppes along the coast. Time depending, we walk and look for Stone Curlew, Calandra and Short-toed Lark, Lesser Grey Shrike and Isabelline Wheatear here. In the evening we reach our hotel situated at Lake Durankulak. Overnight Lake Durankulak (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Day 10: (09 May) Lake Durankulak, Bulgaria. Lake Durankulak is one of the westernmost breeding sites of Paddyfield Warbler and while looking for these birds we might find many other species such as Great Reed and Savi’s Warbler, Ferruginous Duck, Pygmy , Glossy Ibis, Whiskered and Black Tern. Western Marsh Harriers are plentiful and there might be divers, grebes or skuas out in the Black Sea. Further south is Lake Shabla where we will scan the shallow waters for waterfowl and waders. It is a short drive from Durankulak to the steppe country above the spectacular cliffs of Cape Kaliakra. Here and at nearby Yailata, are the most western populations of Pied Wheat- ears as well as good numbers of Black-headed Buntings and Lesser Grey Shrikes. We’ll hope to see Rose-coloured Starling that are usually found here. Calandra will be singing everywhere, while Short-toed Lark is scarce. Scanning the sea from the cliffs might produce Yelkouan Shearwater, Mediterranean Shag, Harbour Porpoise or Bottlenose Dol- phin. Overnight Lake Durankulak (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Day 11: (10 May) Budapest, Hungary. We depart Bulgaria for a short flight to Budapest, Hungary (included in tour price). After arriving at Budapest Airport we head towards our hotel located on the edge of Kiskunság National Park. Time permitting on the way to our hotel we’ll stop to look for the magnificent Great Bustard which has its largest population Spring, Red-footed Falcon, Western in Hungary here. The area also holds Saker and Red-footed Falcon and Montagu’s Harrier, Yellow Wagtail, , while European Roller, European Bee-eater, , Eurasian Golden Oriole and Garganey © EcoTours Wildlife / Bell- Lesser Grey Shrike are fairly common. Overnight Forster Hotel, Bugyi (en-suite hotel room; bird Tours meals included: B, L, D).

Best of Europe birding tour Day 12: (11 May) Kiskunság National Park, Hungary. Kiskunság National Park pre- serves good steppe areas, hosting one of the largest populations of Great Bustards in Europe among other highlights. Alkaline lakes and temporary flooded areas of grassland attract herons, egrets, ducks and waders in large numbers. We’ll explore the Northern part of Kiskunsag National Park with its rich birdlife. The fishponds hold a population of several heron species including Eurasian and Little Bittern, Purple Heron, European , Garganey and Ferruginous Duck. The reedbeds support a good population of Bearded and Penduline Tits, Savi’s Warbler and . We will search for Mous- tached Warbler that is a rare inhabitant of reedbeds. Black breeds nearby and is often seen feeding in the wetlands. In the nearby fields we will look for Collared Pratin- coles. In the gravel pits Stone Curlew, Mediterranean Gull and Little Ringed Plover are found. In the grasslands we can spot the magnificent Great Bustards at their traditional displaying grounds. Eastern Imperial Eagle, Montagu’s Harrier, Red-footed Falcon and Saker Falcon are also possible. Overnight Forster Hotel, Bugyi (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Day 13: (12 May) Bükk Hills, Hungary. After a final morning birding we leave our hotel and bird our way towards our next base in the Bükk Hills. Early afternoon we reach our hotel situated on the edge of the national park in a picturesque village. It is a pension with great food and tasty regional wine. Walks around the hotel often produce up to 6 species of , as Syrian, Middle Spotted, Great Spotted, Green, Black Woodpecker and Wryneck, sometimes even Grey-headed are breeding nearby. In the evening there is the option to participate in mist-netting bats with a local expert not far from our hotel to have hands-on views of these fantastic creatures. Up to 15 species of bats are possible at this place alone. The bat expert will explain the key features of the species we catch, and talk about their ecology and conservation issues. Overnight Nomád Pension, Bükk Hills (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Day 14: (13 May) Bükk National Park, Hungary. Most of the Bükk Hills area is charac- terized by vast woodlands and open limestone meadows with karst formations. It is a perfect area for birding, where raptors soar above the valleys and dense forests provide home for woodland species such as owls, woodpeckers and songbirds. We explore the attractive Hór Valley in the Bükk Hills, home to Rock Bunting and many butterflies. Driving further into the valley along a creek we look for woodpeckers, Haw- , Wood Warbler, Collared Flycatcher and other woodland birds. White-backed Woodpecker is the rarest resident of these woodlands and we will listen to the soft calls and tapping to find this iconic bird. Black, Grey-headed and Middle Spotted Woodpecker are also found in the valley. We also visit a beautiful pasture woodland with century old oak trees, where Hungarian Grey Cattle graze and European Bee-eaters hunt above the trees. Honey Buzzard and Short-toed Eagle are often seen soaring here. Barred Warbler lurks in dense shrubs and Golden Oriole calls from the treetops. Short-toed Treecreeper, Wood Lark and Red- backed Shrike are breeding, and butterflies abound. During the evening there is the option to take part in a wine tasting programme. The historical wine region of Eger is famous for its red wine, the so-called Bull’s Blood. We European Bee-eater, Bluethroat, Dal- visit an old wine cellar carved into the volcanic rocks and taste delicious red and white matian Pelican, Eurasian Roller, Spot- wines while we are served scrumptious food baked in the clay oven. Overnight Nomád ted Redshank © EcoTours Wildlife / Pension, Bükk Hills (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D). Bellbird Tours

Best of Europe birding tour

Day 15: (14 May) From Hungary to Finland! After a final morning birding we say good- bye to our local guide and leave the Bükk Hills and travel to Budapest Airport for our flight (included in tour price) to Oulu, on the in Finland, where our new local guide welcomes the group at the airport. We will spend the evening birding in Oulu area, making the most out of the short stay in Oulu. Dinner and accommodation at Airport Hotel Oulu in Kempele (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Day 16: (15 May) Oulu, Finland. We spend a full day birding the forests and coastal areas around Oulu. The region is best known for its northern Owls. Breeding numbers fluctuate depending on vole numbers, and species include Great Grey, Ural, Boreal, Pygmy and Short-eared Owl and most years also the nomadic Hawk and Long-eared Owl. In the forests surrounding Oulu, we also look for Three-toed Woodpecker and Black Woodpecker, and Capercaillie, Black Grouse or even Grouse. Crested Tit, Bullfinch, Wood Warbler and Red-backed Shrike all breed in the area. Just south of Oulu, we’ll visit Liminganlahti - a large internationally important wetland home to a multitude of shorebirds and ducks. Hundreds of young Whooper Swans and Common Cranes spend the summer here, and breeding species include Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Caspian Tern, Shoveler and Garganey. Among the numerous migrants here we should see Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Spotted Red- shank and Ruff in stunning breeding , and Broad-billed Sandpipers also often stop here. The coastal meadows around Oulu are good for raptors, and White-tailed Eagles and Marsh Harriers patrol the shores and meadows endlessly. Rarer are the Pallid and Montagu’s Harrier, both seen regularly here while the rarest is the Terek Sandpiper, with only a few breeding pairs left in Finland. Oulu is their last breeding area and we will look for them while we’re here. Overnight: Airport Hotel Oulu in Kempele (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Day 17: (16 May) Oulu, Finland – Ivalo, Norway. Today we cross the Arctic Circle on our way north to Ivalo. We will make regular birding stops along the way to break up the journey and look for our first Lapland birds on the bogs and forests on the way. However, this day is mainly a traveling day. Overnight Ivalo (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Day 18: (17 May) Ivalo – Båtsfjord, Norway. After breakfast we continue our trip to- wards the northernmost part of mainland Europe. Our sightings in the morning might include Siberian Tit, Siberian , Grosbeak and Brambling in summer plumage as well as Whimbrel and Ruff as we explore the Lappish forests and bogs as we go. After lunch at the Finnish-Norwegian border we soon cross the Norwegian border and start to climb to the highlands. The highlands in Varanger Peninsula offer some absolutely wonderful birding and the species list is truly appreciable: Bluethroat, Arctic and Willow Grouse occupy the river valleys while Lapland Bunting, Shore Lark and Long- tailed Skua are found on the hillsides. Most adapted are the Rock Ptarmigan, Snow Bunt- ing and Dotterel which choose to stay on the barren hilltops. Roadside lakes provide excellent birding with Red-throated and Black-throated Diver, Greater Scaup and Long- tailed Duck. The highlands are home to many arctic waders: Ringed Plover, Golden XXXCommon © Peter Tern, Waan Greatders Grey – Bellbird Owl, Plover, Dunlin and Ruff all breed here. Temminck’s Stints show off their beautiful but- ToursBearded Reedling, White Stork, Wood terfly display flight along the roads. The extreme arctic is truly amazing! After birding Pigeon © Peter Waanders – Bellbird the highlands we descend to a lovely fishing village of Båtsfjord. Overnight Polar Hotel Tours in Båtsfjord (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Best of Europe birding tour Day 19: (18 May) Båtsfjord – Vardö, Norway. We spend the morning in the highlands of Varanger Peninsula and enjoy the vast lanscapes and birds once more. We continue to Varanger Fjord itself. The Fjord holds some impressive birds, and en route, as well as during the next two days, we look for shorebirds such a s Bar-tailed Godwit, Red-necked Phalarope, Red Knot, Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone and Whimbrel. In the waters we search for Yellow-billed, Black-throated and Red-throated Divers, Velvet and Common Scoters, and with luck, even King and Steller’s Eider. Numerous White-tailed Eagles patrol the coastline for easy prey and scanning the skies might produce Rough-legged Buzzard. Overnight Hotel Vardö (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Day 20: (19 May) Vardö, Norway. Weather permitting, we will make a half-day excursion by boat to the large colonies on Hornøya island. The Hornøya nature reserve is home to thousands and thousands of Common and Brünnich’s Guillemots, Razorbills and Atlantic Puffins as well as Shag and some 25 000 pairs of Kittiwakes. At times, Gyrfalcon patrols over the island in hopes for an easy snack and causes panic among the breeding seabirds. The air is filled with the cacophony of thousands of birds and there are excellent opportunities here for photographing seabirds at close range. A nice walk all the way up to the top of the island to a lighthouse gives wonderful views over the Barents Sea. We will also make an excursion to Hamningberg which is often referred to as the very end of Europe. The road follows the unique rocky coastline and there are excellent vantage points for seawatching from the road. Here we look for White-billed and Great Northern Diver, Gannet, Fulmar, and King and Steller’s Eider. Seawatching from Hamningberg might give us Pomarine and Great Skua and even Whales! Overnight Hotel in Vardö (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Day 21: (20 May) Vardö, Norway – Ivalo, Finland. The tour draws to a close and we depart towards south to Finland after breakfast. We drive along the Varanger Fjord mak- ing regular birding stops in small harbours along the way to break up the journey. We enjoy further sightings of the many birds we shall already have seen. Overnight Hotel in Ivalo (en-suite hotel room; meals included: B, L, D).

Departure Day: (21 May) Departure from Ivalo, Finland. Today it is time to say goodbye and catch your homeward flight. If you have a bit of spare time before your flight we can do a short excursion to a bog area with chances to add a few more species to our list. (If you wish to stay on in this hotel tonight, we can book you a room here at your own cost).

XXX © Peter Waanders – Bellbird Common Kingfisher, Eurasian Stone- Tours chat, Three-toed Woodpecker, Yel- lowhammer, Birding the Carpathians, Common Cranes © Peter Waanders – Bellbird Tours

Best of Europe birding tour

Best of Europe birding tour

Important information for your tour: • Recommended reading: Birds of Europe, Lars Svensson • Travel insurance is compulsory for this tour and you will be required to provide evidence of such. • Arranging flights to Athens, Greece and from Ivalo, Finland are your own responsibility. • Most Western nationalities do not require Visas for entry into Greece, Bulgaria, Hungary, Finland or Nor- way. Please ensure you have a valid passport with at least 6 months validity. • Please make your own enquiries regarding visas, inoculations and travel health issues. • Please let us know your flight details and arrival and departure times.

Currency: Please remember that the tour price is set in US$.

Pre- and post tour options: If you wish to arrive earlier, please make your own way to your accommodation for Day 1, in time for dinner and introductions. We can book you into our hotel for any number of nights leading up to, or after, the tour, please enquire. We can also arrange your international and domestic flights, hotel bookings, travel insurance and other travel arrangements for you through our partnership with HelloWorld. Please tick the relevant boxes on the booking form and we’ll contact you to discuss.

Pre-tour extension options. • From 25-26 Apr 2022 we are offering a 2-day pre-tour (non-birding) trip to visit the ANZAC dawn service at Gallipoli. • 27-28 Apr 2022 an Athens cultural / historical pre-tour 2-day trip is also available, please enquire!

Price inclusions and exclusions

Included: All meals commencing with Dinner on Day 0 and finishing with Dinner on Day 21, some snacks, some fruit, some drinks, unlimited drinking water refills. Accommodation in private en-suite rooms as indicated in the itinerary, transport using comfortable and reliable vehicle, expert Australian guiding accompanied by a local guide, domestic flights as indicated in itinerary, any entry fees during the tour, taxes.

Excluded: Travel to the meeting point; onward travel arrangements, pre- & post trip accommodation, meals before the first dinner, and after the last dinner, drinks except where provided, personal expenses, tips, insurance, visa / passport fees, anything else not specifically included.

Bookings: Please book at: https://www.bellbirdtours.com/bookings or complete the booking form on the last few pages of this brochure.

Best of Europe birding tour

Possible species list

Red-throated Diver Mallard Ruff Glossy Ibis Black-throated Diver Northern Pintail Common Snipe Eurasian Spoonbill White-billed Diver Eurasian Teal Jack Snipe Eurasian Bittern Great Northern Diver Red-crested Pochard Woodcock Little Bittern Little Grebe Common Pochard Common Redshank Black-crowned Night Heron Great Crested Grebe Ferruginous Duck Marsh Sandpiper Squacco Heron Black-necked Grebe Tufted Duck Wood Sandpiper Western Cattle Egret Horned (Slavonian) Grebe Common Goldeneye Spotted Redshank Great Bustard Common Greenshank Purple Heron Great Spotted Cuckoo Red-necked Phalarope Great Egret Pygmy Cormorant Common Cuckoo Collared Pratincole Rock Dove Fulmar Great White Pelican Rock Partridge Stock Dove Arctic Skua Dalmatian Pelican Chukar Partridge Common Wood Pigeon Long-tailed Skua Western Osprey Grey Partridge European Turtle Dove Pomarine Skua Egyptian Vulture Common Quail Eurasian Collared Dove Great Skua European Honey Buzzard Common Pheasant Slender-billed Gull Griffon Vulture Hazel Grouse Little Crake Black-headed Gull Cinereous Vulture Black Grouse Spotted Crake Little Gull Short-toed Eagle Capercaillie Corncrake Mediterranean Gull Lesser Spotted Eagle Willow Grouse Common Moorhen Mew Gull Booted Eagle Rock Ptarmigan Eurasian Coot Glaucous Gull Eastern Imperial Eagle Common Iceland Gull Golden Eagle Whooper Swan Greater Flamingo Herring Gull Levant Sparrowhawk White-fronted Goose Eurasian Stone-curlew Caspian Gull Lesser White-fronted Goose Eurasian Oystercatcher Yellow-legged Gull Greylag Goose Black-winged Stilt Lesser Black-backed Gull Hen Harrier Bean Goose Pied Avocet Greater Black-backed Gull Western Marsh Harrier Pink-footed Goose Northern Lapwing Kittiwake Pallid Harrier Wigeon Grey Plover Gull-billed Tern Montagu's Harrier Scaup Common Ringed Plover Caspian Tern Black Kite Common Eider Little Ringed Plover Sandwich Tern White-tailed Eagle King Eider Kentish Plover Arctic Tern Golden Eagle Steller's Eider Eurasian Whimbrel Little Tern Western Osprey Long-tailed Duck Eurasian Curlew Common Tern Long-legged Buzzard Common Scoter Black-tailed Godwit Whiskered Tern Common Buzzard Velvet Scoter Ruddy Turnstone White-winged Tern Rough-legged Buzzard Goldeneye Sanderling Black Tern Eurasian Scops Owl Smew Dunlin Common Guillemot Goosander Temminck's Stint Brünnich's Guillemot Little Owl Red-breasted Merganser Little Stint Razorbill Pygmy Owl Common Shelduck Red Knot Black Guillemot Great Grey Owl Ruddy Shelduck Common Sandpiper Atlantic Puffin Ural Owl Garganey Green Sandpiper Scopoli's Shearwater Boreal Owl Northern Shoveler Purple Sandpiper Yelkouan Shearwater Short-eared Owl Gadwall Curlew Sandpiper Black Stork Hawk Owl Eurasian Wigeon Broad-billed Sandpiper White Stork

Best of Europe birding tour

Long-eared Owl Northern Raven Barred Warbler Pied Wheatear European Nightjar Coal Tit Garden Warbler White-throated Dipper Alpine Swift European Crested Tit Lesser Whitethroat Common Swift Sombre Tit Spanish Sparrow Pallid Swift Marsh Tit Common Whitethroat Eurasian Tree Sparrow Eurasian Hoopoe Willow Tit Subalpine Warbler Western Yellow Wagtail European Roller Sardinian Warbler Grey Wagtail Common Kingfisher Siberian Tit Rüppell's Warbler White Wagtail European Bee-eater Great Tit Tawny Pipit Eurasian Wryneck Eurasian Penduline Tit Meadow Pipit Middle Spotted Woodpecker Bearded Reedling Eurasian Rock Pipit Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Woodlark Tree Pipit Three-toed Woodpecker Eurasian Skylark Red-throated Pipit Syrian Woodpecker Crested Lark Krüper's Nuthatch Eurasian Waxwing Greater Short-toed Lark Western Rock Nuthatch White-backed Woodpecker Wallcreeper Brambling Black Woodpecker Shore Lark European Green Woodpecker Sand Martin Short-toed Treecreeper Eurasian Bullfinch Grey-headed Woodpecker Barn Swallow Rosy Starling Lesser Kestrel Eurasian Crag Martin European Common Kestrel Common House Martin Ring Ouzel Common Linnet Red-footed Falcon Red-rumped Swallow Common Blackbird Mealy Redpoll Eleonora's Falcon Cetti's Warbler Fieldfare Arctic Redpoll Eurasian Long-tailed Tit Redwing Saker Falcon Wood Warbler Song Thrush Peregrine Falcon Eastern Bonelli's Warbler Mistle Thrush Two-barred Crossbill Merlin Willow Warbler Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin Gyr Falcon Spotted Flycatcher European Serin Rose-ringed Parakeet Red-backed Shrike Great Reed Warbler Bluethroat Corn Bunting Lesser Grey Shrike Common Nightingale Northern Grey Shrike Sedge Warbler Rock Bunting Woodchat Shrike Eurasian Reed Warbler Collared Flycatcher Cinereous Bunting Masked Shrike Marsh Warbler Semicollared Flycatcher Ortolan Bunting Eurasian Golden Oriole Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Red-breasted Flycatcher Rustic Bunting Olive-tree Warbler Cretzschmar's Bunting Siberian Jay Icterine Warbler Common Redstart Cirl Bunting Eurasian Common War- Blue Rock Thrush Black-headed Bunting Spotted Nutcracker bler Whinchat Common Reed Bunting Alpine River Warbler Lapland Bunting Savi's Warbler Snow Bunting Rook Zitting Cisticola Isabelline Wheatear Hooded Crow Eastern Black-eared Wheatear

Bellbird Tours Pty Ltd Nine GrasswrenAustralia -birdingwide: Berri, SAtour – Stockton, NSW – Mildura, Vic Ph. 1800-BIRDING Ph. +61402 738855 www.bellbirdtours.com [email protected] ABN 40 159 352 002

Tour Booking Form

This form contains 3 pages. Please print out and complete each page, and sign where indicated. Scan and email, or send by postal mail, with payment (see last page) to the address above. You can also complete an on-line version of this form at https://www.bellbirdtours.com/booking

Tour details:

Name of tour Best of Europe birding tour

Starting and Ending dates 29 Apr – 21 May 2022

Your details:

Name and address of the registrant(s) (only 1 form is needed for people residing at the same address)

Name(s)______

Date of birth______

Address______

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Identification document and number (passport for international visitors)______

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Telephone (Home)______

(Work)______(Mobile)______

Email______

tick if you do not want to receive future updates, news and special offers from Bellbird Tours by email

Emergency Contact Name, relationship and telephone number (required field)

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Accommodation requirements (please tick):

Single Room (surcharge applies)

Double Room (2 people, 1 bed, usually queen-size, but this cannot always be guaranteed)

Twin Share (2 people, 2 beds) (If you are a solo traveller and want to share a room: we will try to team you up with another solo traveller, however this cannot be guaranteed. Single surcharge applies for single occupancy)

Medical conditions and dietary requirements:

Do you have any medical conditions (eg. disabilities, illnesses or allergies) that might restrict your full involvement in any aspect of the tour?

No / Yes If Yes, please provide details: ______

______

If you have other special requirements (eg dietary requirements), please advise. While we can- not guarantee to accommodate them, we will make every attempt to do so.

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Optional extras:

Please indicate if you would like us to arrange any of the following (we’ll contact you to dis- cuss):

- Domestic flights - International flights - Pre and/or post tour hotel bookings

Travel insurance:

I understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise that could force me to cancel my book- ing. I understand Bellbird’s cancellation policy and have made the following arrangements:

- I will arrange, or have arranged, my own travel insurance - I do not intend to take out travel insurance and accept the associated financial risk - I would like you to arrange travel insurance for me - Other, please specify:______

(continued on next page)

Terms and Conditions: Please read the terms and conditions and the release of liability waiver (both can be found on http://www.bellbirdtours.com/terms-and-conditions), then sign below.

I/we agree to book this tour. I/we have read and understood, and accept the terms and condi- tions. I/we accept the release and waiver from liability.

Signature 1: ______Signature 2: ______

Print Name 1: ______Name 2: ______

Date:______Date: ______

To secure a seat, a deposit of 20% of the tour price is required at the time of booking. Full payment is due 75 days prior to the departure date. Until full payment has been received, Bellbird Tours reserves the right to change the tour price (eg due to changing fuel prices).

Please tick which of the following payment options you will be using to pay the deposit:

PayPal & credit cards through PayPal: They charge us a fee of between 2.6-3.9% to receive your money, which unfortunately we have to pass on to you. Do not send money without notice - please contact us if you want to use this option, and we’ll email you a secure PayPal invoice.

electronic funds transfer: please send funds in US Dollars (+ bank charges at your end) to the following bank account: • Account Name: TransferWise FBO Peter Ivar Waanders • Account number: 8310209261 • Wire Routing Number: 026073008 • ACH Routing Number: 026073150 • If possible, please use your surname as the reference. • Address: TransferWise, 19 W 24th Street, New York 10010 United States. • Please note that you, the sender, will need to cover any fees your bank may charge you (which we aren't aware of or can't control). • If asked for Bellbird’s physical address, this is 101 Chilton Road, Berri SA 5343 Australia. • Many of our clients use an online service like TransferWise or CurrencyFair to send funds: it’s cheaper and faster than traditional banks.