Painted Ladies and a Great Tit

Well today wasn't the greatest for bird migration, with the possible exception of Nightingales (and these could have been left overs from yesterday) there was no substantive arrival. The only species that seemed to show evidence of an overnight arrival was Northern Wheatear with 3 at the lighthouse, however as we could find only one other on the rest of the headland it was clearly not a big arrival. Later in the day we did have 3 flocks of Spanish Sparrows shoot through Turtle Dove Alley at 1.00pm so they had presumably left Africa at dawn.

The oddest bird nightlight of the day was a lone Great Tit at on the top of the lighthouse when we arrived there (about 9.45am), calling loudly. This is about 2km from the nearest substantive bushes or trees and 3km from the nearest place we have seen a Great Tit in the past week.

The wildlife event of the day was a huge arrival of Painted Lady butterflies, this was first noticed as we walked out to the lighthouse but continued all day and must of numbered several thousand. They were clearly heading north and could be seen doing so at locations such as Windy Gap, there were also smaller numbers of other migrant Lepidoptera - Bath White and what I assume were Small Whites (assuming they occur in Greece).

Bird totals for the day were: 6 Quail, 5 Hoopoe, 3 Wryneck, 4 Woodcaht Shrike, 4 Willow Warbler, 1 Wood Warbler, 10 Subalpine Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 27 Nightingale, 4 Northern Wheatear,1 Isabelline Wheatear, 2 Whinchat, 1 Black Redstart, 2 Collar d Flycatcher, 5 Tree Pipit and 15 Tawny Pipit.

Raptors - 1 Hen Harrier, 1 Harrier Sp., 1 Sparrowhawk  

Weather - early on NNE 3-4 with 7/8 cloud, hazy. Wind later ESE 1-2, broken cloud, visibility improving and Antikythira just visible.

A Painted Lady at Windy Gap this morning

The Great Tit on the lighthouse lantern

The Hen Harrier that flew north early morning

A view up the headland's main valley with the hills of the 'mainland' forming the far horizon. Koureli is to the right, above and left of here is Turtle Dove Alley. Left of the hill, just to the right of centre of the photo, is Windy Gap. While the road through the headland goes up and left to Beehive Pass.