Sunday 30 April 2017

Sand Martins, Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers - 29th April

Another fine day with light winds saw another small arrival. This time Whiethroat, Sedge, Great Reed and Icteine Warblers, Redstarts and Spotted Flycatchers were the main species of grounded migrants. There was also a strong movement of hirundines late morning and the total of 243 Sand Martins was more than six times the best previous day total of 39 on 3rd May 2009. The total of 66 House Martins was also our 3rd best Spring count.

The first Black-headed Bunting of the year was singing below Beehive Pass early on and another two were seen later at Koureli.

Black-headed Bunting below Beehive Pass

An Eleonara's Falcon that went north at Koureli at lunchtime was also a first for the year.

Grounded Migrants: 20 Woodchat Shrike, 14 Great Reed Warbler, 15 Sedge Warbler, 59 Whitethroat, 15 Garden Warbler, 14 Icterine Warbler, 6 Wood Warbler, 9 Redstart,14 Whinchat, 10 Nightingale, 14 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Collared Flycatcher, 44 Spotted Flycatcher

Visible Passage: 28 Common Swift, 20 Common/Palliid Swift, 2 Pallid Swift, 243 Sand Martin, 66 House Martin, 62 Swallow, 19 Red-rumpled Swallow, 

Raptors: 1 Honey Buzzard, 2 Hobby, 5 Kestrel, 1 Falcon Sp.

Bird Ringing: Sedge Warbler 11,  Whitethroat 12,  Nightingale 2,  Pied Flycatcher 1,  Woodchat Shrike 1, Icterine Warbler 2,  Wood Warbler 1,  Great Reed Warbler 2,  Garden Warbler 4,  Spotted Flycatcher 1 and Great Tit 1.
Overall Total: 38 birds ringed from 78m of nets.

Weather: Initially NE 2-3, later SE or SSE 3 occasionally. The sky was hazy with Saharan dust from early on and grew increasingly so during the afternoon. Visibility was again excellent with Crete again discernible.

Spotted Flycatcher at Porto Kagio

A male Redstart below Beehive Pass

A Turkish Gecko found in the same cistern where Kotschy's Geckos were seen last year

A view of the headland from the raptor watch point that marks the northern boundary for wildlife recording 

Saturday 29 April 2017

White Stork visits the headland

The bird of the day was a White Stork that headed south over Paliros as most of the team were having lunch. It continued south towards the lighthouse before returning north about 30 to 40 minutes later and was last seen heading up the east coast. This is our first spring recorded for the headland; an unfortunate separation of people cameras meant that we only got one poor and rather distant record shot.


There were far fewer birds around today though stil enough to keep us interested and although we lacked numbers there were several noteworthy sightings. This include a strong arrival of hirundines with over 90 on the wires at Kokinoghia late morning.


Other birds of interest were a Nightjar ar Marmari, 1 Little Egret in Porto Sternes, a Shag in Marmari Bay and best of all a flock of 23 Glossy Ibis that were flying northeast out to sea from Porto Sternes.

Of the grounded migrants only Whitethroat and Sedge and Garden Warblers showed an increase. Migrant totals for the day were: 22 Woodchat Shrike, 4 Golden Oriole, 7 Great Reed Warbler, 11 Sedge Warbler, 3 Icterine Warbler, 40 Whitethroat, 5 Wood Warbler, 9 Whinchat, 5 Nightingale, 6 Redstart, 31 Spotted Flycatcher, 11 Pied Flycatcher and  3 Collared Flycatcher.

Visible migration: 38 Bee-eater, 46 Common Swift, 1 Pallid Swift,13 Red-rumped Swallow, 183 Swallow, 15 Sand Martin and 1 House Martin

Raptors: 1 Hobby, 6 Kestrel and 1 unidentified Accipiter 

Ringing totals: Woodchat Shrike 1, Sedge Warbler 9, Garden Warbler 11, Subalpine Warbler 1, Whitethroat 4, Sardinian Warbler 1, Wood Warbler 4, Nightingale 1, Whinchat 1, Spotted Flycatcher 2, Pied Flycatcher 4, Linnet 1 and Corn Bunting 1.
Overall total 41 birds from 78m of nets.

Weather: Calm to cyclonic 1 to start, increasing to west-southwest 4 occasionally 5 in afternoon (though this was probably just an onshore wind). Clear with excellent visibility, the western mountains of Crete visible for much of the day (they are over 150km away !!).

Bee-eater on the wires at Paliros

A view of the west coast from near the lighthouse

A great insect - does anyone know what this is?

Friday 28 April 2017

Woodchat Shrikes and Spotted Flycatchers - 27th April


There was a distinct arrival of several species yesterday (27th April) and although numbers were not huge there was plenty to see although some areas such as the olive groves on the eastern side of both  Paliros and Koureli were almost bird free. There was also another small raptor movement with what seems to be a characteristic split of birds moving through either early on (08.00 to 09.00 ish) or in the early afternoon (13.00 to 14.30).
In addition there was a good visible movement of Turtle Doves with a total of 157 seen heading north.

We also welcomed Maria who has come to help us for the next 4 days so there are now 6 of us.

Counts for the day were: 2 Cuckoo, 48 Woodchat Shrike, 4 Golden Oriole, 12 Great Reed Warbler, 6 Sedge Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, 8 Icterine Warbler, 2 Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, 35 Whitethroat, 14 Garden Warbler, 25 Nightingale, 54 Whinchat, 9 Redstart, 57 Spotted Flycatcher, 13 Pied Flycatcher and 5 Collared Flycatcher.

Raptors: 4 Honey Buzzard, 8 Kestrel and 2 Hobby.

RingingWhitethroat 7,  Nightingale 8,  Great Reed Warbler 1,  Reed Warvbler 1,  Blackcap 2,  Collared Flycatcher 1, Orphean Warbler 1,  Icterine Warbler 2,  Sedge Warbler 1,  Redstart 2,  Pied Flycatcher 2,  Garden Warbler 2,  Spotted Flycatcher 1 and Wood Warbler 2.
Overall total 33 birds from 66m of nets.

Weather: Cyclonic 1-2, later 3 with gusts of 4. Clear.

Golden Oriole at Porto Kagio

One of the resident Red-rumpled Swallows at Marmari 

The uninhabited village of Aghirokambi, a great place to look for migrants, 25 of the Woodchat Shrikes seen today were either here or in the fields close by.

Thursday 27 April 2017

Great Reed Warblers and Whinchats

Yesterday (26th April) saw only another small arrival and it was hard to know whether relatively few birds were migrating in the light winds or whether the fine conditions meant that most of them passed straight overhead without stopping.
A few species appeared to be present in greater numbers including 20 Great Reed Warbler (the highest day total ever recorded) and 51 Spotted Flycatcher. Totals for the other more abundant species were: 7 Hoopoe, 3 Cuckoo, 69 Turtle Dove, 8 Golden Oriole, 9 Sedge Warbler, 19 Whitethroat, 8 Garden Warbler, 10 Wood Warbler, 65 Whinchat, 26 Nightingale, 17 Pied Flcatcher and 5 Woodchat Shrike.

The first Eastern Olivaceous Warbler was seen and heard singing briefly at Porto Kagio in the afternoon. While an Orphean Warbler trapped and ringed was also a first for e year.  

There were 5 Kestrels through early on otherwise all the other raptors, except the Hobby, went through between 12.30 and 14.30.

Raptors:: 4 Honey Buzzard, 4 Motagu's Harrier, 7 Kestrel and 1 Hobby 

Ringing Totals:    Sedge Warbler 4,  Pied Flycatcher 4,  Wood Warbler 2,  Orphean Warbler 1,  Garden Warbler 4,  Wryneck 1, Nightingale 2,  Spotted Flycatcher 3,  Linnet 3,  Great Reed Warbler 2,  Whinchat 1,  Turtle Dove 1.
Overall total: 28 birds ringed:in 66m of mist net.

Weather: NNE to  NE 2/3 in the morning, only force 1/2 in afternoon. Clear all day.


Spotted Flycatcher at Koikinoghia


Woodchat Shrike at Marmari


Great Reed Warbler at Porto Kagio


Southern Comma at Marmari


Red-throated Pipit on pipit plateau, the only one recorded on 26th 


Wednesday 26 April 2017

Small Arrival

The wind was pretty much in the north-east or east north-east all day and generally light, increasing slightly in the afternoon. There had clearly been a clear out overnight with far fewer birds singing below Beehive Pass as the sun rose and fewer birds to be seen in the bushes later on. Still the fine weather and less wind made for much easier and more enjoyable birding.

Totals for the day were 5 Hoopoe, 77 Bee-eater, 2 Wryneck, 57 Turtle Dove, 12 Woodchat Shrike, 18 Golden Oriole, 23 Short-toed Lark,13 Great Reed Warbler, 10 Garden Warbler, 25 Whitethroat, 10 Wood Warbler, 4 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Icterine Warbler, 60 Whinchat, 21 Nightingale, 35 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Collared Flycatcher, 13 Pied Flycatcher, 24 Tree Pipit and 3 Redstart.

The only very minor oddities were a late Greenfinch at Beehive Pass and a Collared Dove at Paliros.

Raptors: 2 Montagu's Harrier, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Red-footed Falcon, 8 Kestrel, 1 Hobby, 1Falcon Sp.

Lighthouse Watch: (30mins) 4 Scopoli's Shearwater, 11 Yelkouan Shearwater, 4 Swallows in from the south. There was also a Hobby that roared northwards as we started heading back.

Ringing TotalsNightingale 5,  Willow Warbler 1,  Garden Warbler 6,  Whitethroat 2,  Sardinian Watrbler 2,  Pied Flycatcher 1,  IIcterine Warbler 1,  Great Reed Warbler 1,  Wood Warbler 1,  Sedge Warbler 1, Golden Oriole 1,  Chiffchaff 1.
Overall Total: 23 birds from 45m of nets.

Ground feeding Wood Warbler at Koureli

Ophrys orchid near Paliros



Tuesday 25 April 2017

Raptors star in a mixed arrival

Yesterday (24th April) proved a real contrast to the previous day with light winds allowing for some great birdwatching. The main valley resounded to bird song early on and Acrocephalus warblers were particularly noticeable; elsewhere there was plenty to see with flycatchers and Whinchars pretty much everywhere. For various reasons coverage of the headland was incomplete today so the following totals are likely to be underestimates: 13 Great Reed Warbler, 17 Sedge Warbler, 30 Whitethroat, 17 Nightingale, 32 Pied Flycatcher, 40 Spotted Flycatcher, 63 Whinchat, 11 Golden Oriole, 3 Hoopoe, 39 Bee-eater, 21 Woodchat Shrike, 9 Garden Warbler and 2 Icterine Warbler.

It was a great day for raptors with an early flurry of harriers around 09.00 and then a marked arrival of Red-footed Falcons at 13.00. Totals for the day were 13 Red-footed Falcons, 4 unidentifiable Falcons (probably Red-foots), 2 Montagu's Harriers, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 late Hen Harrier, 2 Harrier Sp, a Hobby and 3 Kestrel. There were also 5 Short-toed Eagle, including a flock of 4, though there was no evidence that these had actually arrived from the south.

Good coverage of Pipit Plateau yielded 10 Red-throated Pipit and 9 Short-toed Lark.

Oddities were a single Turnstone in Porto Sternes, a juvenile Night Heron in from the south at the lighthouse and a Lesser Whitethroat below Beehive Pass.

Ringing Totals: Blackcap 1,  Sedge Warbler 8,  Whitethroat 8 ,  Pied Flycatcher 4,  Garden Wearbler 7,  Wood Warbler 3, Nightingale 9,  Great Reed Warbler 1,  Tree Pipit 1,  Whinchat 2,  Golden Oriole 2,  Spotted Flycatcher 2.   
Overall total 48 birds ringed from 45m of net.

Some images from the 24th April, Pied Flycatcher, Red-throated Pipit and Short-toed Eagle.






Monday 24 April 2017

A Windy Day - 23rd April

Not yet back in to a routine so yesterday's report is a day late ........ whoops 

It proved to be a really windy day, getting steadily stronger as the day wore on. It seemed almost impossible to find a sheltered corner in the second half of the afternoon. That said conditions alloweda reasonable   look around in the morning.

Counts of the dominant species were: 68 Whinchat, 22 Woodchat Shrike, just 18 Whitethroat, 20 Nightingale,  23 Pied Flycatcher and 23 Spotted Flycathcher. There were also 3 Wryneck, 4 Hoopoe, 2 Collared Flycatcher, 9 Golden Oriole, 3 Redstart, 2 Wood Warbler and 2 Great Reed Warbler.

The other species of interest was Spanish Sparrow with a total of at least 240 ground birds, mostly at Kokinoghia and Beehive Pass.

The only raptors on the mover were a single Kestrel and a fine male Lesser Kestrel. 

The other development this year is that we now have an official permission to undertake bird ringing at Cape Tenaro. The windy afternoon allowed us to spend time cutting mist net rides and special thanks are due to Katherina for helping us liaise with the local people and help in chopping out the net rides. One of the nets was even sheltered enough to open briefly enabling us to get the ringing programme off to a start - and the first bird ringed was a Garden Warbler (that must be your influence Christos !!).

Ringing totals: 1 Whitethroat, 3 Garden Warbler, 1 Great Reed Warbler (Total = 5)

Windy bushes at Pailros

A Golden Oriole hiding from the wind

Sunday 23 April 2017

Arrival at Cape Tenaro

We arrived yesterday afternoon  in torrential rain. Luckily this soon cleared through to reveal a good selection of grounded migrants. Full details to follow later but fow here is a pIcture of one of the 5 Collared Flycatchers we saw.


Evrota Delta and the Conservation Challenge

IWhile much of the delta was converted to agricultural use years ago there are, if you know where to look, still some great areas for wildlife. The picture below shows the largest area of remaining wet grassland and marsh in the eastern part of the delta (with a hunting Marsh Harrier).


It was therefore a shame to see some of these remaining wilder areas of natural habitat within the Natura 2000 site boundaries being lost. Close to where the large flock of 180 Glossy Ibis were feeding and roosting there was an active waste tip burying an area of seasonal marsh.


Further on an area that use to be sand dune grassland was now potato fields.




Saturday 22 April 2017

A morning in the Evrota Delta

On our way to Cape Tenaro today we spent an enjoyable morning birding in the Evrota Delta. There were plenty of common migrants including 2,500 Swallow, 300 flava wagtails, 60 Wood Sand Piper and 28 Ruff. There was also an impressive flock of 180 migrant Glossy Ibis (one of the key features of the Natura 2000 site), a solitary Whiskered Tern , 2 Cattle Egrets and at least 3 pairs of Peduline Tits.



Glossy Ibis in the Evrota Delta, 22 April 2017, part of a flock of 180 birds






Cattle Egret, Evrota Delta, 22 April 2017







Penduline Tit, Evrota Delta22 April 2017








  

Friday 21 April 2017

Spring 2017

The Cape Tenaro Birders will be back on the headland tomorrow (22nd April) and the first post with bird news from the headland should appear in the evening.

For now here's a picture of one of the local Corn Buntings taken last year