Windy Weather Returns ……….

 Highlights - Thursday 14th April

A fresh wind got fresher as the day progressed, forcing the few migrants that were here in to the most sheltered areas. There had been a wholesale clear out of yesterday’s fall and there was scant evidence of new birds so the final ringing session of the year was a bit of a flop with just 6 birds ringed.

The overall tally of grounded migrants was dreadful - pretty much as bad as it gets at 5his time of year unless heavy rain or gale force winds make observations all but impossible.

Grounded Migrants: a few representative counts: 2 Hoopoe, no Wryneck, 12 Woodchat Shrike, just 4 Nightingale, 9 Whinchat, 13 Redstart, 7 Whitethroat, 3 Sedge Warbler, 1 Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, 3 Collared Flycatcher, 7 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Ortolan Bunting. 

Visible Passage: Despite the unfavourable conditions 4 parties of Bee-eaters made it through the largest of these consisted of 17 birds. Other vis Mig migrants: 5 flava wagtail, 30 Spanish Sparrow.

Raptors: 1 Kestrel Sp and another falcon that was either a Hobby or Eleonora's

Bird Ringing: Just 6 birds of 4 species: 3 Subalpine Warblers, 1 Nightingale, 1 Wood Warbler, 1 Redstart. This was the final ringing session of the year as the last of the ringing team head home tomorrow. 

Weather: ENE5 increasing F6 later (gusting F7 occasionally) clear, and sunny some haze later. Visibility good.

Other Wildlife: A Golden Jackal was seen at first light, crossing the Porto Kagio road where it switches from the east to the west side of the headland.our first sighting this year.

Ortolan Bunting at Kokinoghia

Tree Pipit at Koureli 

The view south from the eastern edge of 'Swallow Hollow' to the Lighthouse 

The view north from the northern edge of 'Swallow Hollow’

A Fall of Nightingales

Highlights - Wednesday 13th April

More info to follow but today saw the first sizeable arrival of small migrants for 2 weeks. Nightingales were the dominant species with 97 being logged (of which 11 were ringed).

Other species present included 14 Collared Flycatchers, 18 Pied Flycatchers, 22 Woodchat Shrikes, 7 Whinchat and 31 Subalpine Warblers.

A photo posted on Twitter (@capetenaronews) of one of four ‘Spotted' Flycatchers recorded today, see below, have raised the possibility that the bird in question is actually a Mediterranean Flycatcher (Musciapa tyrrhenica) Postscript - after looking at more Spotted Flycatchers we do not feel this is likely and plumage tones and apparent lack of breast streaking are a product of the light and wind.

A Siskin, that was heard calling as it flew north over the ringing area, is an addition to our Cape Tenaro bird list.

Grounded Migrants: Words to follow

Visible Passage: Words to follow

Raptors: 1 Hen Harrier, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Kestrel Sp.

Bird Ringing: 43 birds of 10 species

Weather: Wind E or ENE 4 all day, clear but a bit hazy later. Visibility good.

Turtle Dove at Koinoghia

Spotted Flycatcher at Koureli

Whinchat at Mianes 

Little wind, few birds, great view

 Highlights - Tuesday 12th April

A gorgeous day with lights winds, blue skies and stunning visibility - from up the mountain it was possible to see all the way to Crete an amazing 135km away.

There were however very few birds present, although the variety of species present was the best yet this spring. Tree Pipit (74) were again comparatively abundant and there was also an increase in Woodchat Shrike (20) and Whitethroat (21). Other species were mostly in low single figures.

Grounded Migrants: not many ………. The best we could do was 4 Hoopoe, 4 Wryneck, 11 Whinchat, 12 Redstart, 17 Nightingale, 1 Collared Flycatcher, 6 Pied Flycatcher, 4 Willow Warbler, 1 Great Reed Warbler. 4 Ortolan Bunting. The totals for the other common migrants are comparable.

Visible Passage: 72 Tree Pipit, 48 flava wagtails, 6 Common Swift, 3 Pallid Swift (the.first of the year)

Raptors: 2 Kestrel sp and 1 Lesser Kestrel

Bird Ringing: just 7 birds of 6 species: 2 Rüppell's Warbler, 1 Savi's Warbler, 1 Robin,1 Tree Pipit, 1 Nightingale, 1 Subalpine Warbler. 

Weather: wind E 3-4 all day, clear skies and excellent visibility. Crete visible from the mountain.

The first Savi's Warbler of the spring

Woodchat Shrike at Kokinoghia

A view of the headland from the north side of Porto Kagio bay

More Tree Pipits and some Pied Flycatchers

Highlights - Monday 11th April

Despite the continuing strong winds small numbers of birds had arrived overnight. There were 12 Pied Flycatchers and a Golden Oriole was seen to fly in from the sea at Kokinoghia. Tree Pipits (81) were again the  dominant migrant (see below).

Grounded Migrants: Numbers continue to be poor. Only a few species, such as Whinchat (8) showed a marginal increase, the first female Whinchats of the year were seen today.

The first, very belated, Quail of the year was recorded today when the freshly consumed remains of one were found at 'swallow hollow'.

Visible Passage: modest numbers of Tree Pipit (81) were seen, both heading north and grounded across the headland, given how tight many birds were sitting and how widespread they were the actual numbers were probably significantly higher.

A total of 4 Sand Martins were seen and presumably had also fought their way in from the south. 

Raptors: just one Kestrel recorded

Bird Ringing: 24 birds of 13 species: 5 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Willow Warbler, 3 Subalpine Warbler, 3 Tree Pipit, 2 Blackcap, 1 Great Reed Warbler, 1 Ruppell's Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, 1 Wood Warbler, 1 Robin,1 Woodchat Shrike, 1 Wryneck

Weather: Wind NW7 overnight and similar early on, easing NW6 during morning, wind finally easing off late afternoon. Blue skies and for the first time in 2 weeks the visibility was good; Antikythira (90km away) was actually visible all day.

Woodchat Shrike near Kokinoghia

Pied Flycatcher near Kokinoghia

Flava wagtail near the mosaics

Flava wagtail near the mosaics

Tree Pipits make it through

Highlights - Sunday 10th April 

Our third day of strong winds both limited migrant arrivals and made seeing the few birds that were here challenging - a disappointing day.

Grounded Migrants: poor numbers ……

Visible Passage: Limited with the exception of Tree Pipit of which 62 passed through.

Raptors: 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Kestrel

Bird Ringing: 32 birds of 12 species: 8 Subalpine Warbler, 8 Tree Pipit, 3 Willow Warbler, 3 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Collared Flycatcher, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Nightingale, 1 Ruppell's Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 1 Redstart, 1 Wryneck

Weather: Wing WSW 6 early on, heavily overcast and threatening rain, clearing later and wind increasing W to WNW 7 in afternoon.

Tree Pipit at Kokinoghia

Wood Warbler at Porto Kagio

More Windy Weather

Highlights - Saturday 9th April 

Another day with limited numbers of grounded migrants, though at least with lighter winds in the morning observation was a bit easier, not that was much to see!

The day was redeemed by the finding of 2 Stone-curlew on the ridge crest between pipit plateau and swallow hollow; they flew off east when accidentally flushed. The Rufous Bushchat was still present in the same location.

In the early afternoon there was another small arrival of Spanish Sparrows - with eight chirping ‘balls’ of migrants whizzing  through ‘Windy Gap' in less than 15 minutes, a total of 143 were counted. Also on the move in the afternoon were Turtle Doves with 33 birds appearing in small flocks. We presume both these species leave North Africa at first light given the timing of their arrival.

Grounded Migrants: a sparse showing - 2 Wryneck, 5 Hoopoe, 5 Woodchat Shrike, 17 Short-toed Lark, 3 Nightingale, 8 Whinchat,11 Redstart, 10 Northern Wheatear, 13 Black-eared Wheatear, 3 Pied Flycatcher and 1 Ortolan Bunting.

Winter visitors are still passing through with 1 Black Redstart, 2 Song Thrush and a Robin.

Warbler numbers were also poor with just 5 Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 8 Subalpine Warbler, 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Eastern Bonelli's, 3 Chiffchaff and 3 Sedge Warbler recorded.

Visible Passage: Spanish Sparrow and Turtle Dove were the two species most obviously moving, there were also 17 Swallow, 2 Red-throated Pipit, 18 Tree Pipit and 10 Tawny Pipit.

Raptors: Just 2 Kestrel and 1 small falcon sp.

Bird Ringing: 14 new birds of 8 species: 5 Eastern Subalpine Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Eastern Bonellis Warbler

Weather: Wind W 5-6 increasing F 6-7 in afternoon. Generally bright with some patches of cloud.  Visibility moderate to fair.

Rufous Bushchat - present for its sixth day

Northern Wheatear at Mianes

Windy Weather

Highlights - Friday 8th April

A mostly disappointing day with poor numbers of grounded migrants and only limited visible passage. Of note was an unidentified sterna tern flying east at the lighthouse and the refinding of the Rufous Bushchat at the same location where it was first seen on Monday.

Grounded Migrants: very poor with most species failing to reach double figures.

Visible Passage: 30 Tawny Pipit was the best count this year, as was a minimum of 27 Bee-eaters. There were also 25 Tree Pipit and 5 Red-throated Pipit.

Raptors: 1 Montagu’s Harrier, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Harrier Sp, 2 Kestrel, 1 Lesser Kestrel

Bird Ringing: 20 new birds of 11 species: 6 Eastern Subalpine Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, 2 Tree Pipit, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Hoopoe, 1 Common Whitethroat,1 Nightingale, 1 Robin

Weather: Wind WNW 6 all day, some sun but hazy. Visibility mostly fair

Whinchat at Mianes

Spanish Sparrows at Porto Kagio

Red-rumpled Swallow at Port Kagio

A Day for Scarcities

Highlights - Thursday 7th April

The varying winds (mostly SE to the south of us) delivered four local rarities, first up was a juvenile Night Heron that did a fly past at Porto Kagio, less than an hour later there were 2 Common Starlings at Kokinoghia. These were followed by a Short-eared Owl (at swallow hollow) and a Hawfinch (that was caught and ringed). 

We also recorded our first Turtle Doves of the year (4) - a species that is at real risk of extinction because of human induced pressures such as illegal hunting and no longer occurs in the numbers we saw on our first visits 20+ years ago.

Grounded Migrants: numbers were limited, the ringing teams haul of 79  new birds gives a false impression as the windy conditions presumably forced birds in to the sheltered areas where they operate. There were no obvious substantive arrivals though it is likely that there was some churn in the birds present (namely some departing and others arriving).

Visible Passage: Limited but with a late surprise. A scattering of pipits, larks, wagtails and hirundines was the best we could manage until late afternoon when 42 Spanish Sparrows appeared at the northern edge of the recording area. They were clearly part of a more widespread, late afternoon arrival as 120 were seen further north at Lower Vathia and another 15 at Gerolimenas.

Raptors: a single Kestrel Sp and a Marsh Harrier were all we could manage 

Bird Ringing: A total of 79 new birds ringed: 23 Eastern Subalps, 9 Sedge Warbler, 9 Common Whitethroat, 7 Redstart, 5 Nightingale, 5 Blackcap, 5 Willow Warbler, 3 Tree Pipit, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Robin! 2 Hoopoe! 1 Great Reed Warbler, 1 Ortolan Bunting, 1 Eastern Bonellis Warbler, 1 Rüppell's Warbler, 1 Hawfinch and 1 Pied Flycatcher

Weather: a day of changes - NE 5 early on, then briefly calm then SSW 6-7 later WNW 6-7, hazy with 5he odd patch of blue sky, a few drop of rain occasionally 

Turtle Dove near Paliros

Hawfinch at Cape Tenaro

Short-eared Owl near the path to the lighthouse

Common Starlings at Kokinoghia