® field guides BIRDING TOURS WORLDWIDE [email protected] • 800•728•4953 ITINERARY CLASSICAL GREECE April 26 – May 10, 2021 A trio of Black Storks forages in a wetland near Dadia. These lovely birds are not especially rare, but they are uncommon throughout their wide range. Photo by guide Megan Edwards Crewe. We include here information for those interested in the 2021 Field Guides Classical Greece tour: ¾ a general introduction to the tour ¾ a description of the birding areas to be visited on the tour ¾ an abbreviated daily itinerary with some indication of the nature of each day’s birding outings These additional materials will be made available to those who register for the tour: ¾ an annotated list of the birds recorded on a previous year’s Field Guides trip to the area, with comments by guide(s) on notable species or sightings (may be downloaded from our web site) ¾ a detailed information bulletin with important logistical information and answers to questions regarding accommodations, air arrangements, clothing, currency, customs and immigration, documents, health precautions, and personal items ¾ a reference list ¾ a Field Guides checklist for preparing for and keeping track of the birds we see on the tour ¾ after the conclusion of the tour, a list of birds seen on the tour Look at any map of Europe and you’ll see that the continent’s southeastern corner dissolves into a riot of islands, mountains, and rugged coastlines. This is Greece, a land of remarkable contrasts with a fascinating history that spans thousands of years of human civilization. For birders, Greece offers what is probably the most diverse and alluring suite of birds anywhere in Europe. Three bio-geographical zones intersect here, and the resulting mix of birds, representative of the Mediterranean, Balkan, and Asia Minor regions, offers many exciting possibilities. On this tour, we’ll visit a range of mainland sites from the Turkish border west through Thrace to Thessaloniki and south to Mount Olympus, Mount Parnassus, Delphi, and Athens. Among our destinations will be a string of wetlands, where we’ll search for such gems as Great White and Dalmatian pelicans, Great Crested and Little grebes, Ferruginous Duck, Little Bittern, Pygmy Cormorant, Collared Pratincole, White-tailed Eagle, and Eurasian Penduline-Tit. Rugged hillsides clothed in Mediterranean scrub (the famous maquis) and oak woodland shelter the likes of Sardinian, Eastern Olivaceous, and Rueppell’s warblers, Black-eared Wheatear, Black-headed and Ortolan buntings, Sombre Tit, and a Field Guides Incorporated • 9433 Bee Cave Road • #2-105 • Austin • TX • 78733 • 512•263•7295 • fax 512•263•0117 • www.fieldguides.com 2 delightful set of shrikes: Red-backed, Lesser Gray, Woodchat, and Masked. Higher, amid pine-clad slopes, we should see a magnificent array of raptors, with four species of eagle and three species of vulture all possible, as well as such rare specialties as Long-legged Buzzard and the elusive Levant Sparrowhawk. This is old Europe, where Red-rumped Swallows still swoop through the streets and White Storks still nest on roof tops—along with their attendant “apartment block” neighbors, the Spanish Sparrows. As a dramatic contrast to the sunny Mediterranean coastlands, we’ll also spend a morning on the lower slopes of spectacular Mount Olympus, famous as the home of Zeus and seat of the gods of the ancient Greeks; the mountaintop is a very rigorous climb of many hours (and miles!), so we won’t be visiting the peak itself. We’ll be able to climb higher on Mount Parnassus, where roads (most paved, some graveled) to several ski resorts allow us to more easily venture above the tree line. The timing of our tour coincides with spring migration, which should add to our list a host of species heading for more northerly or westerly climes—though, of course, migration can be affected by weather. Collared and European Pied flycatchers may pause in hotel gardens (where Common Nightingales are often incredibly showy) while in open country, Tawny Pipits mix with local Calandra Larks. We have a good chance of seeing Red-footed Falcons hunting dragonflies from roadside wires, where they may be joined by colorful European Bee-eaters and European Rollers. In addition to the excitement of birding, this tour offers the chance to sample some of the country’s fascinating wealth of historical sites. We’ll have a morning in Athens, where the remarkable Acropolis and Parthenon (and a visit to the fabulous new Parthenon museum) will be among the highlights. Later in the tour we’ll visit Vergina, where royal tombs (including those belonging to Alexander the Great’s father, Philip II, and his son, Alexander IV) and the remains of an ancient city were discovered in the late 1970s. There is now an impressive in situ museum housing the spectacular treasures recovered from the tombs. Later still, we’ll wander among the sprawling ruins of Delphi, once (when it was home to the world-renowned oracle) considered to be the center of the world. And on our journey back to Athens, we’ll detour to see the Byzantine chapel of Osios Loukas, famous for its fabulous gilded mosaics. The shrub-studded grassy habitat on the lower slopes of Mount Parnassus is perfect for birds such as Woodchat Shrike, European Stonechat, and Eurasian Green Woodpecker. Photo by guide Megan Edwards Crewe. Photograph by guide Megan Edwards Crewe. We want to be sure you are on the right tour! Below is a description of the physical requirements of the tour. If you are concerned about the difficulty, please contact us about this and be sure to fully explain your concerns. We want to make sure you have a wonderful time with us, so if you are uncomfortable with the requirements, just let us know and we can help you find a better fitting tour! Field Guides will not charge you a change or cancellation fee if you opt out within 10 days of depositing. Field Guides Incorporated • 800•728•4953 • [email protected] 3 Physical requirements of this tour • TRAILS & WALKING: Moderate amounts of walking (up to 3 miles per day), generally along roads or wide tracks, sometimes on stony or uneven ground. Some (optional) sections may be quite steep. For instance, one birding area at Mount Olympus is reached by climbing down a long set of eroded earth and wood “stairs”. Some pathways and steps at cultural sites are paved in marble, which may be slick if wet. Our guided tours at cultural sites involve some elevational change and require the ability to climb stairs. • POTENTIAL CHALLENGES: We may spend a bit of time standing in one place to watch birds on this tour, and participants will need to be able to spend a good part of some days on their feet. A small folding stool can provide relief as needed. • PACE: On most days, there will be optional pre-breakfast outings from our lodgings (walks in the 6:30-7:30 a.m. range), with breakfasts served in the 7:30-8:00 a.m. range. A few days will feature afternoon breaks at our lodgings, with optional outings in the later afternoon, but on most days, we’ll be away from the hotel all day, returning between 5:30 and 6:00 p.m. • ELEVATION: At no time during the tour will we reach an altitude higher than 6500 feet. We may spend a few hours at that altitude while visiting a ski area on Mount Parnassus. • WEATHER: In May, the weather in Greece is typically delightful, with daytime temperatures ranging from the mid 50s F to the high 70s. We may encounter the occasional rain shower. • VEHICLE SEATING: So that each participant has equal opportunity during our travel, we employ a seat rotation system on all tours. Participants will need to be flexible enough to maneuver to the back of the vehicle on occasion. Those who experience motion sickness will need to bring adequate medication for the duration of the tour, as we are not able to reserve forward seats for medical conditions. • BATHROOM BREAKS: Whenever possible, we’ll use modern, indoor restrooms. However, these are not available in many of the locations where we’ll be birding, so participants should be prepared for the need to take the occasional “bush stop.” • OPTING OUT: Where we are staying multiple days in the same lodging, participants can easily opt to sit out a day or sometimes a half-day. This will not be possible on days when we are changing locations. If you are uncertain about whether this tour is a good match for your abilities, please don’t hesitate to contact our office; if they cannot directly answer your queries, they will put you in touch with the guide. About the Birding Areas Evros Delta—The Evros Delta, one of Europe’s largest river deltas, forms part of the border between Greece and Turkey. Despite a long history of habitat degradation, this site still attracts a wealth of birds, particularly during migration. Though much of the area has been converted to farmland, there are still some extensive areas of wetland, and new areas have been re-flooded in recent years. And even the farmland can yield good sightings: here Black Kite, Western Marsh-Harrier, and—with luck—Levant Sparrowhawk can be found, while Lesser Gray Shrikes hunt from roadside bushes and wires, and flocks of Red-footed Falcons work recently harvested hayfields. Good dirt roads on raised dykes give easy access and good views of the birds as we work from freshwater habitats favored by Whiskered, Black, and White-winged terns, Little Bittern, Purple and Squacco herons, Glossy Ibis, Wood Sandpipers, and Great Reed Warblers through tamarisk scrub to saline lagoons.