A small arrival

The wind has finally dropped so the birding was a lot easier today and it was sunny as well until mid-afternoon. The wind went round to east-north-east for a while in the morning but was back in the west by the end of the afternoon.

While there was only a small arrival there was a good variety and several species were recorded for the first time this year. Totals for the day included 5 Quail, 1 Short-toed Eagle, 7 Hoopoe, 4 Wryneck, 4 Woodchat Shrike, 11 Willow Warbler, 9 Subalpine Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, 22 Blackcap, 7 Redstart, 4 Black Redstart, 1 Robin, 2 Whinchat and 3 Isabelline Wheatear.

Other birds of interest were a flock of 3 restless Black-winged Stilts in Porto Sternes during the morning and a Hen Harrier feeding over the hillside above Koureli late on.

This very obliging Isabelline Wheatear was watched eating a huge caterpillar, having rubbed and banged it against the road for five minutes, presumably to remove any hairs, it then managed to swallow it whole ! 

Black-winged Stiltsin Porto Sternes

The first two Whinchats were seen today this one was at Porto Kagio

Hoopoes are always a treat !