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

Migration gathers pace

Highlights - 6th April

Although there were only modest numbers of migrants about it felt that there was more happening today - with birds in some of the bushes, pipits and wagtails in the open areas, a marked arrival of wheatears and a small movement of raptors (kestrel just reached double figures).

We also logged  several firsts for the year: Bee-eater, Great Reed Warbler and an early Garden Warbler.

Grounded Migrants: the lighter winds allowed a few birds in and made those that were still here easier to see. 'Chats' in particular had a good day with 17 Whinchat, 24 Redstart, 3 Isabelline Wheatear, 16 Northern Wheatear and 27 Black-eared Wheatear. There was an increase in flycatchers with 9 Pied and 5 Collared. Subalpine Warblers are still the dominant warbler species, 60 were counted. Other birds in improved  numbers: 17 Hoopoe and 10 Wryneck.

There were several firsts for the year including the first party of Bee-eaters heard heading north over Porto Kagio, the first Garden Warbler (caught and ringed) and the first 8 Great Reed Warblers, five of which were in the gardens at Porto Kagio.

Visible Passage: Swallows stole the show with 190 logged, there were a few flavas, including a party of 7 late afternoon, and another respectable showing of 23 Tawny Pipi and a good count of 46 Tree Pipit.

Raptors: the best day yet with 10 Kestrel, 1 Montagu's Harrier and a harrier sp

Bird Ringing: another good session saw 80 new birds ringed: 13 Blackcap, 13 Subalpine, 9 Whitethroat, 8 Willow Warbler, 5 Sedge Warbler, 4 Tree Pipit, 3 Nightingale, 3 Collared Flycatcher, 3 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Wryneck, 2 Eastern Orphean Warbler, 2 Redstart, 2 Robin, 2 Wood Warbler and single Ortolans Bunting, Linnet, Song Thrush, Linnet, Hoopoe, Ruppell's Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Chiffchaff and an early Garden Warbler.

Weather: The first calm (well almost calm) day in over a week. Winds light N or NE, hazy with moderate to fair visibility

Other Wildlife: the most unexpected today was of a Whinchat trying to devour a Worm Snake, it eventually gave up and the snake provided a photo opportunity before slithering into cover

Eastern Orphean Warbler - one of two ringed today

Wryneck at ‘swallow hollow’

Swallow at Porto Sternes - part of a major arrival today

Toothed Orchid on the path to the Lighthouse

Worm Snake near Paliros 

Ortolans are here !!

Highlights - Tuesday 4th April

A seemingly poor day was rescued by the efforts of the ringing team who caught 109 new birds including the first Ortolan Bunting and Reed Warbler of the spring.

Grounded Migrants: A slightly odd day with most of the headland all but devoid of migrants, the only exception being the central valley and adjacent hillsides where a steady stream of migrants kept the ringing team busy and birds were visibly passing north at Beehive Pass and Windy Gap. Numbers to follow.

Visible Passage: Limited - just 6 flava flew north, a few parties of Linnets appeared to be migrants and 8 Ortolan Bunting (in addition to the one ringed) dropped in briefly at Paliros early afternoon.

Raptors: an Osprey stole the show as it headed north soon after 08.00; there was also a single Kestrel and a Buzzard that behaved more like a migrant than one of the local birds.

Bird Ringing: 109 new birds - breakdown to follow - Subalpine (44) and Nightingale (15) dominated.

Weather: NE7-8 overnight, dropping by first light and moving to E5-6 in afternoon.

Bright but hazy, visibility fair. 

The first Ortolan Bunting of the year

Black-eared Wheatear at Marmari

The local Red-rumpled Swallows have returned to Marmari

Ortolan Bunting at Paliros

Bushchat Delight !!

Highlights - 4th April

The change in the weather delivered a modest but interesting arrival. The star attraction was a Rufous Bushchat (= Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin) found at ‘swallow hollow’ just north of the lighthouse late morning, this is our first record for the headland.

Also of interest were 11 Serin (a surprisingly irregular migrant at Tenaro), a Scops Owl trapped by the ringing team - who also caught 2 Eastern Bonelli’s Warblers - and a very early Spotted Flycatcher (seen at Porto Kagio).

Grounded Migrants: an increase in some species with Redstart (12) and Wood-chat Shrike (16) both breaking in to double figures for the first time this year. Other notable totals: 10 Hoopoe, 2 Golden Oriole, 19 Blackcap, 9 Whitethroat, 2 Wood Warbler, 14 WillowWarbler, 8 Sedge Warbler, 15 Nightingale, 2 Black Redstart, 3 Whinchat, 2 Isabelline Wheatear, 3 Collared Flycatcher and 1 Pied Flycatcher.

Visible Passage: Flavas, Pipits and Swallows - totals were 53 flava, 17 Tawny Pipit, 33 Tree Pipit and 17 Swallows

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

Bird Ringing: 58 new birds comprising: 18 Eastern Subalpine Warbler, 7 Blackcap, 5 Tree Pipit, 5 Nightingale, 3 Woodchat Shrike, 3 Sedge Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, 2 Rüppells Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Redstart, 1 Scops Owl, 1 Robin, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Hoopoe, 1 Chiffchaff

Weather: NE 5-6 increasing F7 in afternoon, bright and sunny but hazy after mid morning. Visibility good early on, we could see Antikythira for the first time since we arrived, but fair later.

Other Wildlife: a Mirror Ophrys near Paliros (found yesterday by some Swiss friends) is only the second record for the headland - the last one seen was in 2003!

 

Scops Owl

Rufous Bushchat - Cape Tenaro - 4th April 2022

Rufous Bushchat - Cape Tenaro - 4th April 2022

Ophrys speculum - only our second record for the headland

Windy Weather

Highlights - Sunday 3rd April

Windy then windier still. A frustrating day as the few migrants that were present were hard to see, both numbers and variety were down on the last couple of days.

A northward trickle of wagtails and pipits again was the best evidence of northward migration. On the land just a scattering of common migrants, with some areas of the headland seemingly devoid of bird life.

Grounded Migrants: included 5 Hoopoe, 2 Wryneck, 18 Blackcap,14 Subalpine Warbler, 6 Willow Warbler, 10 Nightingale, 3 Redstart, 2 Black Redstart, 8 Black-eared Wheatear, 3 Isabelline Wheatear,

Visible Passage: 20 Tawny Pipit, 9 Tree Pipit & 13 flava wagtails

Raptors: just a single Marsh Harrier through

Bird Ringing: Total = 19: 1 Wryneck, 5 Tree Pipit, 4 Subalpine, 7 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Sardinian, 

Weather: WNW 5-6, freshening F6-7 in afternoon, clear with slightly hazy blue skies. Visibility fair (for the first time in a week) 

Other Wildlife: With the warmer sunshine Lizards are out basking on the rocks more - photo below

Collared Flycatcher at Marmari

Wryneck near Kokinoghia

Hoopoe on the path to the lighthouse

Peloponnese Wall Lizard

Wagtails and Flycatchers

 Summary - Saturday 2nd April

Pipits, wagtails and hirundines were clearly on the move however most other migrants remained in poor numbers.

Grounded Migrants: no real substantive change in numbers however there were a couple of firsts for the year in the form of a Pied Flycather at Kokinoghia  (and two more later at Paliros) and a Wood Warbler in the ringing site.

There are still at least 5 Isabelline Wheatears preset, all on Pipit plateau. In the same location a highly mobile Sardinian Warbler was perhaps itself a migrant and is the first one we recall seeing anywhere south of Kokinoghia.

Visible Passage: small numbers of flava wagtails (48) heading north, also some Swallows (43) and a Sand Martin. There was also the highest count of the year of Tawny Pipit (12).

Raptors: 1 March Harrier, 1 Montagu’s Harrier and a Kestrel

Bird Ringing: just 16 ringed: 9 Subalpine, 1 Ruppell’s, 1Wood Warbler, 1 Sardinian, 1 Willow Warb, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap and a Chaffinch.

Weather: W7 to start though dropping W5 later. Mostly sunny though some haze and visibility remains moderate.

A ‘flava' Wagtail on Pipit Plateau

The first Pied Flycatcher of the year (at Kokinoghia)

The first Wood Warbler of the year 

Little Bunting Surprise - where did he come from?

Summary - Friday 1st April

The first full day of ringing, which started slowly, generated a huge surprise in the form of an adult male Little Bunting caught mid morning; a great way for the ringing team to kick off! 

Little Bunting is a real rarity in Greece, with only a handful of records as far we can tell, so a spring record is even more extraordinary, a real treat.

Numbers of migrants were otherwise poor with Subalpine Warbler (31) being the most abundant. A count of 6 Wryneck is probably a genuine increase as none were seen the day before, as was a count of 14 Hoopoe (8 on 31st) and 10 Black-eared Wheatear. Numbers of other migrants remained low so hard to gauge the extent of new arrivals and departures.

A bonus late morning was a singing Golden Oriole in the olive grove above the ringing site, this is our earliest date by 6 days (though the dataset is still limited).

Grounded Migrants: a Cuckoo, 5 Tawny Pipit, 21 Short-toed Lark, 12 Nightingale, 8 Northern Wheatear, 4 Redstart.12 Whitethroat.

The first Whinchat of the year was seen near Paliros.

Visible Passage: very limited ……

Raptors: a single Sparrowhawk, a Marsh Harrier and 2 Kestrel

Bird Ringing: 54 new birds: 22 Subalpine Warbler, 14 Blackcap, 3 Wryneck, 3 Ruppell's Warbler, 2 Robin, 2 Nightingale, 1 Little Bunting, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Redstart, 1 Willow Warbler

Weather: A SE gale overnight, F8-9, dropping by first light then S and SW5-6 by mid morning. Hazy with extended periods of sunshine. Visibility moderate.

Little Bunting - Cape Tenaro 1st April 2022

Little Bunting - Cape Tenaro 1st April 2022

Little Bunting - Cape Tenaro 1st April 2022 

Wryneck at Mianes - Cape Tenaro 1st April 2022