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Europe - Greece

Collared Flycatcher © Peter J Dunn The landscape of mainland Greece is characterised by a mountainous interior (average altitude 500 m), with mountain ranges extending into the sea forming a heavily indented coastline and island chains. The interior is intersected by valleys, and interspersed with plateaux and major lake systems. Greece has a coastline of 13,676 km, some notable coastal lowlands, and around 2,000 marine islands and rocky islets. Key habitats: Arable agriculture occupies 22% of the total land area (permanent cropland 8.5%). Forest, scrubland/maquis and eroded/dry areas are around 45%, of which grazing land comprises 20% of the national total, 9% is urban and 4% uninhabited rocky islets. About half of the arable and grazing lands are in the coastal wetland plains. Lakes and temporary wetlands cover approximately 1,140 km2. Total number of species recorded: 423 Number of globally threatened species: 8 Number of Near Threatened species: 6 Number of Important Bird Areas: 196 Threats: Agricultural intensification, land redistribution schemes (amalgamation of fields and the consequent loss of scrubland and isolated trees), overgrazing, illegal hunting, illegal use of poisoned baits, recreation and tourism, wetland degradation, fires and intensified forest management. Number of National Parks (including marine parks): 11 (Although there is no coherent state programme for their effective management) The BirdLife Partner: Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS). Date founded: 1982. Number of members: 500 Major programmes/areas of work: HOS's Important Bird Area (IBA) programme has helped shape the country's conservation policies. Since 1998, the organisation's expertise has enabled the government to identify and gazette 151 Special Protection Areas out of the 196 IBAs recognised by HOS and BirdLife. A major conservation project on the Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae in the Mediterranean will be implemented from 2003 to 2007, in collaboration with the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) and other BirdLife partners, while an advocacy initiative on illegal hunting is also envisaged. (text supplied by Birdlife International)

Trip Reports Lesvos sept 2005, author Robert Hoare (link created September 30, 2005) (Rock Thrush, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Great Spotted Eagle, Honey Buzzard) Lesvos, 4th - 11th May 2000, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004) Lesvos, 3rd - 17th May 2001, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004) Lesvos, 2nd - 9th May 2002 (photo packed), author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004) Lesvos, 26th April - 2nd May 2002, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004) Lesvos, 30th May - 6th June 2002, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004) Crete 20th April - 11th May 1998, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004) Greece & Crete May 3rd - 19th 1999, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004) Rhodes, 7th - 27th April 2003, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004) Zakynthos, Greece, 20th - 27th June 2004, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004) Greece Lesvos May 2008, author Ste Rush (link created September 14, 2008) (Lesvos, Digiscope, Lesbos, Greece, Black Kite, Skala Kalloni, Ipsalou) Lesvos - May 2008, author Ste Rush (link created September 14, 2008) (many images from Skala Kalloni and Ipsalou) Gialova Lagoon, near Pylos, Greece, author Surfbirds Admin (added October 15, 2005) (250+ species at this little known site - accommodation available at nearby Thanos Village) Samos - September 2008, author Alan Miller (added October 1, 2008) (Anne and I made a September visit to Samos to experience autumn on a Greek island. We were not disappointed with good weather, delicious food, friendly people and an interesting range of birds and butterflies.) Lesvos 4th-18th May 2006, author Robert Hoare (link created May 30, 2006) (Stepp-Grey Shrike, White-Throated Robin, Spur-Winged Plover) North Corfu - 8th to 15th May 2006, author Justin Zantboer (added May 22, 2006) (91 species was certainly more than I expected - I was very impressed with the birding and the location) Greece Tilos, author Konstantinos Mentzelopoulos (added March 17, 2005) (Tilos, Bonelli's Eagle, Golden Eagle, Spotted Eagle, Eleonora's Falcon) Greece Tilos Park, author Konstantinos Mentzelopoulos (link created March 16, 2005) (Tilos, island, Greece, Dodecanese, Natural, Park, Reserve, Aegean, Bird) Greece, Lesvos: April 2007, author Ed O'Hara (added June 24, 2007) (Lesvos, Skala Kalloni, Rock Nuthatch, Krupers Nuthatch, Red-footed Falcon) Greece - Lesvos - May 1 - 15 2008, author Mick Sveikutis (added June 11, 2008) (Lesvos, Skala Kalloni, Sigri, Ipsilou, herons, buntings, raptors, wheatears) Birding Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania with AVESTOURS, author AVESTOURS (added July 24, 2005) (Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania) greece lesvos safari tours, author kirlis ioannis (link created January 21, 2006) (lesvos) Lesvos, April 2004, author Steve Bird (added January 15, 2007) (with images of Collared Flycatcher, Cinerous Bunting, Black-headed Bunting and Kruper's Nuthatch) Greece - Lesvos, author Paul Wetton (link created February 5, 2005) (Lesvos, Skala Kalloni, Black Stork, Olive Tree Warbler, Rock Nuthatch, Long Legged Buzzard) Greece - Lesvos, author Paul Wetton (link created February 5, 2005) (Lesvos, Vatera, Olive Tree Warbler, Olivaceous Warbler, Cory's Shearwater, Masked Shrike) Greece - Lesvos 15th April to 29th April 2002, author Richard Wesley (added February 13, 2006) (Highlights - Potamia Valley - Masked Shrike, Lanner Falcon, Collared Flycatcher) Northern Greece, birding tour to Lake Kerkini, Lake Doiran and Axios Delta, author Ivailo Nikolov (link created December 19, 2006) (Kerkini, Greece, Doiran, Flamingo, Greater Spotted Eagle, Bulgaria) Kefalonia - July 17th - 31st 2007, author Phil Lindley (added August 3, 2007) lesvos may 2005, author Robert Hoare (link created August 29, 2005) (Krupers nuthatch , booted eagle ,) Eastern Mediterranean Birding - Lesvos - 12-18th May 2005, author Steve Richards (added August 16, 2005) Greece April 2008, author Joe Ray (link created April 28, 2008) (Pellopennese, Athens, Gialova, Schinias, Rock Nuthatch, Red-rumped Swallow, Lanner, Night Heron, Purple Heron, Squacco Heron, Marsh Sandpiper, Rock Bunting, Wryneck, Hoopoe, Zitting Cisticola) Showing the 31 Most Recent Trip Reports Posted BACK TO TRIP REPORTS HOME PAGE POST A TRIP REPORT EDIT YOUR TRIP REPORTS

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