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Birding in Crete - anyone have any experience
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OldCarlos
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@BillN_33
I think the Western side is reckoned to be slightly better, certainly around Chania, but no real serious experience.
We hired a little rowing boat when we were in Georgioupolis a couple of years ago & went up the small river. We did see a couple of kingfishers (& lots of turtles/terrapins?)
There were also quite a lot of large sea birds in the area.
We also visited lake Kournas, were there are assorted ducks, grebes & plenty of `ickle song birds. Trouble was it was sooooo hot the birds kept out of the sun & mostly hidden!
We've just been to Agios Nikolaos on the Eastern side & didn't pay much attention tbh, just a relaxing break
I guess the Autumn migration will be on while you are there, so you might get lucky.
Also, I think if you were up in the mountains you COULD be very lucky & spot one of the few remaining Lammergeier's.
btw, I think @Nod is a regular visitor, so he may be able to help, or at least point you in the right direction?
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The W
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Have you seen http://www.crete-birding.co.uk ? It has some specific site information.
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As Carl said, we're regulars on Crete but we stick to the Western end rather than the East. Up towards the Lassithi Plateau, you might see assorted vultures if you're lucky (there might even be feeding stations for them). I think we've seen more kingfishers on the coast there than over fresh water, although we do usually see one way West at Agia Lake. They seem to be less shy there than here, possibly because there's less cover generally. Loads of Buzzards about and if there's a suitable site for them to roost/nest, you might spot a flock of Eleanora's Falcons in the evenings.
Good luck with the boids and watch out for the Raki! (Delicious if you like the taste - pretty much identical to French Marc (or Italian Grappa) but with less of a hangover).
Oh, and avoid Malia (apart from the quite interesting Minoan palace to the East of the sewer that is the modern town) and the similar Porto Hersonnissos unless you enjoy watching Brits on the poness...
Vai (the Bounty advert beach) is quite pretty but tends to get busy quite early (in season) despite it being quite a long drive from any resorts.
Take plenty of cash. Crete's remarkably safe but take obvious precautions like not flashing big wedges in public and keeping kit locked away from prying eyes. If self catering, look for outdoor markets - excellent produce at miniscule prices [/grannyeggsuckingadvice!]
Good luck with the boids and watch out for the Raki! (Delicious if you like the taste - pretty much identical to French Marc (or Italian Grappa) but with less of a hangover).
Oh, and avoid Malia (apart from the quite interesting Minoan palace to the East of the sewer that is the modern town) and the similar Porto Hersonnissos unless you enjoy watching Brits on the poness...
Vai (the Bounty advert beach) is quite pretty but tends to get busy quite early (in season) despite it being quite a long drive from any resorts.
Take plenty of cash. Crete's remarkably safe but take obvious precautions like not flashing big wedges in public and keeping kit locked away from prying eyes. If self catering, look for outdoor markets - excellent produce at miniscule prices [/grannyeggsuckingadvice!]