Steve Happ Photography Travel and Wildlife

Divjaka-Karavasta National Park Birds

The Divjaka-Karavasta National Park lies along the Adriatic Coast of Albania, between the Shkumbin river in the north and the Seman River in the south. It is an important wetland of the Mediterranean Basin.

Common Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla)

“The common firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla), also known as the firecrest, is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family. It breeds in most of temperate Europe and northwestern Africa, and is partially migratory. This kinglet is greenish above and has whitish underparts. It has two white wingbars, a black eye stripe and a white supercilium. The head crest, orange in the male and yellow in the female, is displayed during breeding.” (wiki)

European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)

Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) – female

Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)

Divjaka-Karavasta National Park bird list

Common Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla)
European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Grey Heron
Greater Flamingo
Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Great Tit
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)

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Albanian Lagoons

It is December already. Time flies when you are having fun! I went to the Kune-Vain Nature Reserve to have a look. Not much around. Plenty of restaurants. And fishermen. No birds. After that, I headed to Divjaka for the lagoons and beach. Not so many birds there either, but I managed to get a few shots.

Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus)

His name is Johnny and he has a damaged wing, so he hangs around the information centre like a pet.

Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus)

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)

European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)

Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

Albania bird list

Common Moorhen
Eurasian Coot
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Little Egret
Common Sandpiper
Eurasian Magpie
House Crow
European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
European Goldfinch
Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus)
Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

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Lake Shkoder – Albania

I came down off the mountains to Shkoder for a bit of a rest. This morning I walked to the edge of the lake, or what seemed to be flooded fields. There were lots of small brown birds but they were very difficult to photograph them. I think the name of the place I went to was Liqeni Shkoder_Livade.

Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)

Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti)

I am not real sure about this one.

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Sardinian Warbler, maybe

I am having a very rough guess at this being an immature Sardinian Warbler, doh!

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

Shkoder bird list

Eurasian Coot
Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
bunting spp
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Water Rail
Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti)
European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Sardinian Warbler

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Albania Birding

After the Narta Lagoon, I headed north to the Patok Lagoon. More rainy and windy weather. It was pretty disappointing but you cannot do anything about the weather except moan and complain, which I did lots of. But at least I got one tick, the Common Reed Bunting.

Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)

“The common reed bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae. It breeds across Europe and much of the Palearctic. Most birds migrate south in winter, but those in the milder south and west of the range are resident. It is common in reedbeds and also breeds in drier open areas such as moorland and cultivation.”(wiki)

Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)

Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)

Great Cormorant

There was a huge mob of Great Cormorants surging around. I have no idea what they were doing. It was crazy!

Patok Lagoon, Albania bird list

Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
Great Cormorant
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

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Narta Lagoon, Albania

I found the causeway that separates the lagoon from the saltflats. This morning I did a big walk along half of it. Last night it poured rain and the wind was howling. Today it is nice and sunny. The Lagoon is near Vlore in Central coastal Albania.

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)

Slender-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus genei)

The causeway at Narta Lagoon

Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus)

European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)

Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)

Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)

Albania bird list, Narta Lagoon

Coastal Albania

First stop was in the mountains. I cannot remember the exact spot, the road just kept winding and going up and down. I think it was near Greece.

European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)

Meadow Pipit

Then down to the coast and a few days at the beach. It was nice enough for a swim on one day, so I made the most of it. First dip in the Ionian Sea. It was not cold at all. Quite nice. Further north to the Orikum Lagoon. I was hoping for some reed warblers but they were so difficult to photograph, I was pulling my hair out.

Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmaeus)

Yellow-legged Gull

Spanish Sparrow

European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)

Mystery bird , maybe a warbler

European stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)

And then north of Vlore to the Narta Lagoon. Thousands of Greater Flamingos.

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)

Albania bird list

European Robin
Meadow Pipit
Great Cormorant
pygmy cormorant
Grey Heron
Eurasian Magpie
Great Egret
Little Egret
Hooded Crow
European stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
Common Kingfisher
Common Sandpiper
Mallard
European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
Yellow-legged Gull
Spanish Sparrow
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)

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Albanian Birding in the Mountains

I came in to Albania from Ohrid, then went to Pogradec to get my phone sim, found a electricity pylon to sleep at, then carried on to Korce to do some shopping. Next night I found a small valley and discovered a few birds next to the river and the war memorial. Location was from Erseke to Leskovic . Near Barmash I think.

Long-Tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)

Long-Tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)

Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus)

It is a tick. muahahahah…

Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)

I have seen them before somewhere, forget exactly where.

Snow on the higher peaks

I was very close to Greece at this stage. I think it was just across the river.

Albanian Birds list

Long-Tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus)
Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)

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