Beautiful lake kerkini lies in the north of greece, only one hours drive from the city of thessaloniki. Thayer birding software produces the toprated birding programs for north american birds. Some of these have graciously been made available for others to download as well. Seres kerkini lake eleftheriadis constantine web site. We offer you the chance to contribute to the effort to save this wonderland, an amazing birding experience and free accomodation for the duration of your stay.
Your guide will also make sure that you and your boat captain or driver are. One of the the top bird sites for birdwatching in all of greece, lake kerkini is an. Vasilis, with fishery as his main occupation, born and raised in the lake, is waiting to take you on a boat trip in the lake from the small harbor of kerkini. I guided a group of 15 students on bird identification trip to lake kerkini in the weekend december 1011, 2016. Birders diary is a software program that allows birders and naturalists to maintain detailed records of their sightings. An intensive oneday birding excursion to lake kerkini in northern greece. A boat trip in the lake to see and take photos of the hundreds of birds. We drove to the east ank of the lake and went along a dirt road, birding as we went. Bird photographer of the year winners announced birdwatching.
Greece is a fine place for birding and is largely unexplored. Birdwatching at lake kerkini birdwing video youtube. Scythebill lets users define their own, custom taxonomies, and share them with other users. You can capture unlimited userdefined data about each sighting and then report on this data in a myriad of ways. The winners of the 2019 bird photographer of the year competition were announced today at birdfair in the uk. In this fascinating location birdwatchers can observe birds of prey, such as the lesser spotted and the bonellis eagle. Northern greece lake kerkini and bulgaria 27 may surfbirds. That is, in fact, the best way to familiarize and interact with the environment of the lake. This took the whole morning and we had lunch somewhere towards the end of the road. It really helps in developing your skill to quickly look at. With more than 370 species recorded along the lakes northern shore, birders travel from all over the world to see spectacular birds including swallowtailed kites, herons, egrets, sparrows, and warblers, among a number of rarities. Kerkini is one of the oldest migratory stations for birds in the area. Lake kerkini wildlife day trip from thessaloniki 1.
Lake kerkini is the most important place in europe for the globally threatened dalmatian pelican and thankfully, can be observed here in great numbers during the winter months. Woman claims husband wants to name baby girl after his exlover sparking. Theres plenty of great birdlist software and birding software available today, but. Lake kerkini along with the area of porto lagos is the most important wintering area for the dalmatian pelican pelecanus crispus in europe. Then see the opportunities available and contact us for details.
Activities in kerkini the area around lake kerkini is appropriate for different alternative activities. Dalmatian pelicans and birds of lake kerkini autograph safaris. Its incredibly beautiful and best of all off the beaten track. I had seen this species on previous trips to the mediterranean, morocco and in bulgaria but the views were often distant or the bird was partly hidden by vegetation. Mirror like reflections backed by high snowy peaks, lake kerkini is stunning place to be and a real paradise for bird watchers. Now i specialize in avian bioacoustics and i still reference your software often. Kerkini lake 2020 all you need to know before you go with. Every season the scenery changes as well as the birds you can watch. During growing season, water from the lake is used to irrigate crops, and then it shrinks a little. Lake of the woods county is recognized statewide as a bird watchers paradise. Its simple lake kerkini offers some of the most accessible, and best, opportunities for both birding and bird photography in europe. There are few places in eastern europe where birds overwinter in such large numbers. Also the room was clean, and actually was cleaned every single day. Lake apopka is floridas fourth largest lake, and one of the countys premier birding destinations.
Construction of platforms for pelicans breeding in lake kerkini construction of cages for injured birds and mammals and maintenance works of management. Lake kerkini is known as greeces premier spot for bird watching. Thayer birding software makes the toprated birding software for windows and mac computers. Birds of lake kerkini in spring greenwings wildlife holidays. Oriole birding northern greece lake kerkini in spring.
The national park of kerkini lake, situated just 40 km from the town of serres and about 100 km from thessaloniki, an area of enormous ecological value and one out of ten wetlands of international importance for greece. Congratulations to overall winner caron steele from the uk for her striking image of a dalmatian pelican taken at lake kerkini in greece, which has earned her this years title. The only place on earth where you will find homes made for birders bed and birding is a growing globalnetwork of bird friendly accommodation providers that have been carefully chosen in accordance with our birding service quality criteria. Join geo pictorial in 201920 for your next photographic odyssey. Birds, birding trips and birdwatching tours in hellenic republic. The area around lake kerkini is appropriate for different alternative activities. Lake kerkini in northern greece, one of the most important wetlands in europe, is considered to be one of the top european bird watching destinations. Greece is the sanctuary of dalmatian pelicans hulking birds with a wingspan of up to. As a result foreign birders mainly visit the few wellpromoted birding sites or classic masstourism resorts like rhodes and corfu. Lake kerkini national park, greece 5th 9th november 2015 published by christopher hall newhorizons6266 at comments a cloudless blue sky and warm sunshine seems like a fair exchange for the cold grey damp sky back home, and by 9am we are gazing out over the wide expanse of lake kerkini, covered with birds as far as the horizon. The biking birdwatching adventure near lake kerkini. Lake kerkini, is an artificial reservoir that was created in 1932, and then redeveloped in 1980, on the site of what was.
Lake kerkini is a pear shaped fresh water lake, fed by the strymon river and is about fifteen kilometres long and nine kilometres across, when full and an embankment allows. As the year unfolds january and february can be cold, and, wildfowl numbers reach their peak with over 20 000 pochard often with a handful of redcresteds. Lake kerkini is a pear shaped fresh water lake, fed by the strymon river and is about fifteen kilometres long and nine kilometres across, when full and an embankment allows for raised viewing at several key strategic areas. West european birders prefer places like the lakes of mikri prespa and kerkini, the dadia forest, the coastal lagoons of northeast greece and islands like lesvos.
I suggest summer, because the water level are high. Hotels near lake kerkini, northern greece birdwing members have recommended the following hotels to us. In spring it is a magical place and an early morning by the shore, watching pelicans, egrets and herons whilst being serenaded by nightingale, golden oriole and turtle dove as the sun rises above snowcapped mountains reflected in a. Situated little more than an hours drive from thessalonika international airport and boasting an area of anything between 5073 sq kms depending on water levels, lake kerkini and its environs are home to a wealth of breeding and migratory birds and upto 10,000 wintering wildfowl. Sadly, estimates put the remaining numbers of this almost prehistoric looking bird at less than 20,000 and as few as only 10,000, giving. Northern greece lake kerkini and bulgaria 27 may 9 june 2014 published by kathie claydon kandm.
I first started using thayer birding software in 2012 while i was still working on my undergraduate degree. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Jun 02, 20 lake kerkini, in northern greece, is one of the most fantastic places to get close to birds and nature. Kerkini lake 2020 all you need to know before you go. Lake kerkini holds one of the largest colonies around 200300 birds. People travel from all over the country and abroad to go birding there. Birds of lake kerkini in winter greenwings wildlife holidays.
In lake kerkini, 12 different bird species nest in just one colony and it is the first area where, after 150 years, the breeding range of the dalmatian pelican has expanded because of the artificial platforms created by the management body. Kiirsti o as a young professional in the field of ornithology, i have often used your software to help learn to identify birds across canada. There are more than 300 bird species in the lake kerkini national park. Birding in greece for a fortnight, we found this gem of a. The lake is situated in the northeast of the district of serres, at just 40km from the town of serres and 100km from thessaloniki, and it is surrounded by mounts belles and mavrovouni. While many people like to try and cover the whole of the north east of greece in one week i would highly recommend one or two weeks here. In lake kerkini, 12 different bird species nest in just one colony and it is the first area where, after 150 years, the breeding range of the dalmatian pelican has expanded because of the artificial. Lake kerkini buffalo meat it sounds almost too good to be true. Lake kerkini birdwatching biking tour the magic of traveling. When snow covers most of the continent and severe frosts arrive lake kerkini becomes one of the chief wintering waters of the east where birds can still find plenty of food at kerkini.
Kerkini is the most important wintering site on the planet for this enigmatic bird. The following pages contain comments from our members and further information on the hotels. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Birding and photography at lake kerkini birdwatching and. Oneday tour birdwatching from sofia to lake kerkini northern. Northern greece lake kerkini autumn in europes secret wetland. One species that i was hoping to get the opportunity to photograph was the blackcrowned night heron nycticorax nycticorax. Lake kerkini, situated close to the border with bulgaria. In the lake kerkini national park you can see more than 300 bird species. Birds, birding trips and birdwatching tours in hellenic. Light and shade, dalmatian pelicans on lake kerkini. The tour program said we hit the road from sofia, bikes loaded on a platform, friday. Back in january i spent two days in northern greece, close to the bulgarian border, photographing the dalmatian pelican. With more than 370 species recorded along the lake s northern shore, birders travel from all over the world to see spectacular birds including swallowtailed kites, herons, egrets, sparrows, and warblers, among a number of rarities.
One of the highlights of our week in northern greece was a morning excursion across lake kerkini to the drowned forest to view the various birds that regularly visit and nest on this important wetland habitat. It really helps in developing your skill to quickly look at the right parts of a bird to be able to identify it. Aug 19, 2012 lake kerkini buffalo meat it sounds almost too good to be true. A recent partial survey has shown the presence of more than 4,000 species, including more than 120 species of butterflies, 75 species of grasshoppers and crickets and 40 species of.
Entrepreneurial vision, community action, and enlightened policy measures at the national and european level all come together to promote the sustainable utilization of a rare habitat and an endangered species. Over 140 species of birds make their home in the area, including several endangered species. Aug 17, 2019 the winners of the 2019 bird photographer of the year competition were announced today at birdfair in the uk. This manmade lake has developed into one of europes most important wetlands and a popular destination for birdwatchers and nature lovers. Around our village, grow several forms of alternative tourism, which organize several actions and activities. Enjoying panoramic views of kerkini lake in lithotopos village and just 328 feet from its shore, erodios hotel is surrounded by a greencovered area of 22,000 m2. Scythebill is a desktop application for birders to keep track of their life lists and birding records. Lake kerkini, in northern greece, is one of the most fantastic places to get close to birds and nature. The lake is surrounded by two beautiful mountains, mount kerkini and mavrovouni. This is a day trip to lake kerkini, one of the 10 most valuable wetland habitats in. Some birds have a reputation of regular winter visitors to the area. You can see the greek buffalos and plenty kind of birds. Lake kerkini is now one of, if not the, premier birding site in greece, and, as it is situated along the migratory flyway for migratory birds en route to the aegean sea, the balkan region, the black sea, the hungarian steppes and beyond it experiences an interesting migration.
Bright sunny weather is surprisingly flexible when photographing wildlife, as the dalmatian pelicans of greeces lake kerkini helped me demonstrate back in january, when i found myself on a return trip to photograph the hugely photogenic bird for the second year running. If youve built an extended taxonomy, and would like to share it with other users, please let me know. This video captures some of the essence of the magic of the place and we hope you will be. Kathie claydon, mick claydon comments this was our 5th trip to bulgaria with neophron tours. Lake kerkini is now one of the pemier birding sites in greece and, as it is situated along the migratory flyway for migratory birds en route to the aegean sea, the balkan region, the black sea, the hungarian steppes and beyond it experiences an interesting migration.
The biodiversity of this wonderful place is impressive. Birdwatching has become a national obsession and is one of the countrys fastest growing hobbies. Insects 6 legs, 3 body parts etc are the most diverse part of the macrofauna of any habitat, and wetland kerkini, like much of greece, supports an unknown number of insects. Birdwing has also received financial support from the hotels marked the money donated by the hotels has gone towards helping birds in northern greece.
Depending on season you will see flamingos, pelicans, greater spotted eagle. It is my opinion that lake kerkini, and its surrounding area offers the best all round birding in greece. Among them 7 of these species nest, 4 overwinter and 163 use the wetland and the surrounding area as an intermediate resting and foraging stop in their migration routes. Lake kerkini, the premier birding site in greece, is looking for volunteers to help monitor the spring migration. A highlight of our visit will be a trip on the lake in one of the local fishing boats, where we will get up close and personal to the very accommodating dalmatian pelicans, allowing intimate views of these handsome birds in their stunning breeding plumage. Lake kerkini with the amazing and valuable biodiversity is the most wonderful and easily accessible area for avifauna watching in europe. Lake kerkini is a fresh water lake, fed by the strymon river.
Great guy and great birder and most importantly a very safe driver. Beautiful lake kerkini lies in the north of greece, near the bulgarian border. Thus they miss many important underdeveloped places like the lake himaditis, the mountains of the northern borders and beautiful islands like lemnos. In spring it is a magical place and an early morning by the shore, watching pelicans, egrets and herons whilst being serenaded by nightingale, golden oriole and turtle dove as the sun rises above snowcapped mountains reflected in a still lake is simply stunning. Jan 28, 2015 lake kerkini is the most important place in europe for the globally threatened dalmatian pelican and thankfully, can be observed here in great numbers during the winter months. Mirror like reflections backed by high snowy peaks, lake kerkini is stunning place to be and a. Northern greece lake kerkini and bulgaria 27 may 9.
The lake is pearshaped and is about nine miles long and five miles across, when full. But when the sun slowly creeps over the horizon lighting up the sky. Lake kerkini geopictorial wildlife photography tours. We wake before dawn, pull on our thermal underwear and stand motionless for ages in the frigid breeze coming down the slopes of mount belles on a boat in the middle of lake kerkini.
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