Thanasis Tsafonis

Final recap of our vagrant expedition to Antikythera Island can be found at this link: ebird.org/tripreport/587850 Special thanks to @AntikythiraBird & @ornithologiki for their support and hospitality.

Antikythera Island Update | Day 4 Another exciting day on Antikythera! The latest addition to the trip’s rarities list was a juvenile Oriental Turtle Dove (Streptopelia orientalis meena).

Antikythera Island Update | Days 2–3 The Little Buntings doubled to two birds yesterday, and the Rustic Bunting is still hanging around! Today brought two more exciting finds: an Olive-backed Pipit (4th record for Greece) and a Radde’s Warbler (2nd record for Greece)

Our first day on our annual Siberian vagrants trip to Antikythera Island started well, with a Little Bunting and a Rustic Bunting!

A rainy morning at Schinias National Park, Attica, with little activity overall. Highlights included a Whiskered Tern, a regular late migrant and occasional winter visitor in recent years at this particular spot, alongside a Slender-billed Gull and a Sanderling — two less common sightings at inland wetlands like this one. Both full eBird checklists below: ebird.org/checklist/S4029705… ebird.org/checklist/S4029799…

Morning search for waders at Salaora Bay, in Amvrakikos National Park, Western Greece, did not produce anything unexpected. This Bar-tailed Godwit was the most interesting observation, though it’s fairly common at this particular spot. Full eBird checklist here: ebird.org/checklist/S3982144… #birdwatching #birding #BirdsSeenIn2026

This young Barred Owl is the main attraction in Central Park, NY these past two weeks. #birdcpp #BirdsSeenIn2026

Nice to see a very active autumn migration of Common Nighthawks at Setauket, New York. Thanks to the very informative local birder Dave Masone for informing everyone wandering the area about the nighthawks and this migration route. #birdwatching #birding #BirdsSeenIn2026

Plenty of Yellow-billed Cuckoo activity in the Ramble this morning. Central Park, New York City #birdcpp #centralpark @BirdCentralPark

What a country Iceland is! 🇮🇸 Second time here, but my first as a guide. We managed to see all our mammal & bird targets, including the elusive Gyrfalcon, Thick-billed Murres, Arctic Foxes, Humpback Whale & many more. Full trip report here: ebird.org/tripreport/545352

This Black-winged Pratincole was the Greek rarity finding of this week. Found on May 10 by S. Zogaris at Spata flooded fields near Athens International Airport. This was the 4th record for Attica region & approximately the 33rd for Greece.

Ended April with a White-tailed Lapwing twitch, first found by Iordan Hristov at Evros Delta National Park, presumably the 20th record for Greece. A full day around the national park produced 120 species. Full list here: ebird.org/tripreport/507947

Other difficult and scarce migrants for Greece observed during the Rhodes trip were a Baillon’s Crake and a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. Full trip report here: ebird.org/tripreport/497018

MEGA! 1st record for Greece! Chasing after the recent southeastern winds for potential vagrants really paid off! Cyprus Wheatear, Rhodes island, Greece Reduced white rump (ending at central tertials), short primary projection & recorded song confirm ID compared to Pied.