Bird Watching

Bird watching in the Peloponnese! What a nice idea!

Up to now you thought of Greece only as a place for basking in the sun and roaming over ancient ruins? At Daphne’s Club our aim is to help you discover all the other wonders this country has to offer. And nature is not the least of them!

In cooperation with the organization GreeceBirdTours we have created itinerary ideas for you bird watching aficionados, which allow you to visit a new bird-watching site each day, while returning to your cosy holiday apartment in the evening.

Of course, there is no reason why you should not combine bird-watching in Greece with more traditional activities: excursions to archeological sights and sunbathing for example.

Below are some of the areas we can take you to observe the coming and going of interesting birds. Suggestions of other interesting sights in each area are also included. Keep in mind that this list is only indicative and ask us for more information according to your specific interests.

Information on bird fauna comes from the Hellenic Ornithological Society, whose excellent website can be viewed here.

1. Stymfalia lake

Distance from Daphne’s Club: approx. 50 km
Places of interest in the vicinity: Ancient Stymfalos, Ancient Nemea and Nemea wine route
Bird fauna: Little Bittern, Purple Heron, Honey Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Rock Partridge, migrant herons, Glossy Ibis, Gull-billed Tern, Black Tern, Night Heron, Hen Harrier

2. Mt Barbas, Klokos, Selinoundas Gorge

Distance from Daphne’s Club: approx. 60 km
Places of interest in the vicinity: the Diakofto-Kalavryta train, the Kalavryta town and ski resort, the monasteries of Mega Spilaio and Agia Lavra, the Cave of the Lakes
Bird fauna: Griffon Vulture, Honey Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Golden Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Eagle Owl, White-backed Woodpecker

3. Alyki Aigiou Lagoon

Distance from Daphne’s Club: approx. 60 km
Places of interest in the vicinity: the town and port of Patras, the Rio-Antirrio Bridge , the legendary Achaia Claus wine producer
Bird fauna: Griffon Vulture, Honey Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Golden Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Eagle Owl, White-backed Woodpecker

4. Vouraikos Ravine and Kalavryta

Distance from Daphne’s Club: approx. 70 km
Places of interest in the vicinity: the Diakofto-Kalavryta train, the Kalavryta town and ski resort, the monasteries of Mega Spilaio and Agia Lavra, the Cave of the Lakes
Bird fauna: Honey Buzzard, Griffon Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, White-backed Woodpecker

5. Messolonghi and Aitolikon Lagoons, Acheloos and Evinos Delta

Distance from Daphne’s Club: approx. 130 km
Places of interest in the vicinity: the town and port of Patras, the Rio-Antirrio Bridge , the legendary Achaia Claus wine producer, the pretty seaside town of Nafpaktos
Bird fauna: Little Bittern, White Stork, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet, Stone Curlew, Collared Pratincole, Gull-billed Tern, Little Tern Sterna, Griffon Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Eagle Owl, Kingfisher, Calandra Lark, Olive-tree Warbler, Lesser Grey Shrike, herons, Glossy Ibis, waders and terns, Slender-billed Curlew, Black-necked Grebe, Cormorant, Dalmatian Pelican, Great White Egret, Wigeon, Pochard, Coot, Slender-billed Gul, Black Vulture, Hen Harrier, Spotted Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Peregrine

6. Kalogria Lagoon, Strofylia Forest and Lamia Marshes

Distance from Daphne’s Club: approx. 150 km
Places of interest in the vicinity: the beach of Kalogria, Ancient Olympia , the town and port of Patras, the Rio-Antirrio Bridge , the legendary Achaia Claus wine producer
Bird fauna: Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus, Black-winged Stilt, Common Tern, Eagle Owl, Kingfisher, herons, Glossy Ibis, waders, terns, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier

7. Kotychi Lagoon

Distance from Daphne’s Club: approx. 180 km
Places of interest in the vicinity: the beach of Kalogria, Ancient Olympia, the town and port of Patras, the Rio-Antirrio Bridge , the legendary Achaia Claus wine producer
Bird fauna: Black-winged Stilt, Stone Curlew, Collared Pratincole, Little Tern, Calandra Lark Melanocorypha, herons, waders, terns, Shoveler, Dalmatian Pelican, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier

8. Central Taygetos

Distance from Daphne’s Club: approx. 200 km
Places of interest in the vicinity: the towns of Sparti and Kalamata, the castle of Mystras
Bird fauna: Honey Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Golden Eagle

9. Mt Foloi

Distance from Daphne’s Club: approx. 220 km
Places of interest in the vicinity: Ancient Olympia
Bird fauna: Short-toed Eagle, Golden Eagle, Peregrine, Eagle Owl, Kingfisher, White-backed Woodpecker, Rόppell’s Warbler

10. Evrotas Delta

Distance from Daphne’s Club: approx. 240 km
Places of interest in the vicinity: the town of Sparti, the castle of Mystras, the town of Githeio
Bird fauna: Squacco Heron, Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, Honey Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Peregrine Falco, Little Tern

11. Southern Mani, Mt Sayias and Cape Tainaro

Distance from Daphne’s Club: approx. 240 km
Places of interest in the vicinity: the “Mani” area with its medieval castles, the town of Sparti and the castle of Mystras
Bird fauna: Bonelli’s Eagle, Peregrine, Eagle Owl, Imperial Eagle

Equipment requirements

Binoculars, hiking boots, sun protection cream, hat.

Your guide

Spyros Skareas is an enthusiastic bird tour guide, leading groups for nature orientating trips around Greece since 1996. Beginning these trips with Adrenaline S.A. in 1999, he recently founded GreeceBirdTours organizing birdwatching tours around Greece. He is volunteer Caretaker of Schinias National Park since 2004. He published several articles of entomological, ornithological and environmental issues, in international and national periodicals and newspapers. He is an active member of the Hellenic Ornithological Society. He is creator and web administrator for www.greekbirding.blogspot.com

Languages

Spyros is native Greek and speaks fluently English and French, and fairly well Spanish.

Services

• Bird identification
• Orientation and guidance to all sites
• Greek species checklist
• First aid kit
• Illustrated field guide
• English, French, Spanish speaking