Raptor Passage in 2016

Here's a summary of raptor passage in 2016. A rather disappointing total compared to the 162 seen in a similar period in 2015.

Raptor Migration at Cape Tenaro 
24 March to 5 April 2016

Species	Number
Marsh Harrier	9
Hen Harrier	2
Pallid Harrier	2
Harrier Sp.	5
Sparrowhawk	2
Kestrel	17
Kestrel Sp.	1
Total	38

Note: The table has sought to exclude birds that had apparently stayed off passage for one or more days, so any individual is only counted once

A few Collared Flycatchers in a small arrival

Yesterday (5th April) was our last day at Cape Tenaro this year, we were able to achieve only partial coverage (the route to the lighthouse, upper Kokinoghia, Beehive Pass, Paliros and Porto Kagio) before we left. This was enough to establish there had been a small arrival despite the good weather, it seems reasonable to assume that with clear skies and very light winds the majority of birds passed overhead to better habitat further up the Mani or inland. Nightingale was again the dominant species, with smaller numbers of Redstarts, Whinchats, Black-eared Wheatears and a few Pied and Collared Flycatchers. Overall a really enjoyable morning's birding in great weather. 

Totals for the (half) day were: 4 Quail, 3+ Bee-eater, 4 Hoopoe, 2 Wryneck, 1 Wood Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, 13 Subalpine Warbler, 8 Whitethroat, 1 Ruppell's Warbler, 8 Redstart, 18 Nightingale, 5 Whinchat, 15 Black-eared Wheatear, 1 Northern Wheatear, 1 Isabelline Wheatear, 3 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Collared Flycatcher, 3 Red-throated Pipit, 10 Tree Pipit, 6 Ortolan Bunting and 1 Cretzschmar's Bunting.

Lighthouse - 1 Black-eared Wheatear and 3 Swallows seen to come in off the sea. On the path approaching the lighthouse there were also 1 Wryneck, 1 Hoopoe, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Nightingale, 1 Whinchat, and 1 Pied Flycatcher all presumably recent arrivals. There were also at least 6 dolphins riding the bow wave of a passing container ship (not just the 3 mentioned in a tweet).

Raptors - 1 Kestrel at Paliros

Weather - calm or variable 1-2, clear and sunny, some haze restricting visibility

A male Collared Flycatcher at Porto Kagio - 5th April 2016

There was a small arrival of Black-eared Wheatears, this one looks very white in bright sunlight at Paliros

A view of Porto Kagio bay from Paliros

Some summary posts to follow over the next week.

Lighthouse Birding

Well it was wonderful weather pretty much all day today unfortunately that didn't create the best birdwatching opportunities. There were comparatively few grounded migrants, though some appeared to arrive later in the day and it was once again left to the lighthouse to provide the best birding action.

As we arrived at the lighthouse a party of 12 Night Herons appeared and after a couple of attempts that all landed on the ripocks at the point and were still there when we left over an hour later. A Hoopoe also appeared on the outermost rocks and stayed put for half an hour before moving inland; there was also a a steady trickle of arriving migrants: 27 Swallow, 1 Sand Martin, 2 Short-toed Lark, 1 Tree Pipit and 2 Linnet. There was also a Northern Wheatear on the outer rocks.

Selected migrant totals for the day were: 6 Quail, 13 Hoopoe, 1 Wryneck,  8 Woodchat Shrike, 6 Willow Warbler, 5 Wood Warbler, 12 Subalpine Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Orphean Warbler, 30 Nightingale, 5 Redstart, 2 Whinchat, 7 Northern Wheatear, 1 Collared Flycatcher, 43 Tree Pipit, 10 Tawny Pipit and 1 Ortolan Bunting.

One of the most surprising things today was an apparent arrival of Tree Pipits at about 13.30, we were at Paliros when 29 appeared to drop from high up. A further 10 Tree Pipits were seen during the course of the afternoon. There also appeared to be an increase in Hoopoe, Woodchat Shrike and Wood Warbler during the afternoon, though it is hard to be certain if their was a genuine arrival.

Oddities - the first Orphean Warbler of the year was by the church north of Beehive Pass, a Lesser Whitethroat at Aghirokambi was also a first for the year and there was a Rock Dove was at the lighthouse.

Raptors - 2 Harrier Sp (Montagu's / Pallid) and 2 Kestrel

Weather - NE 3-4 early on, later NW 3-4 by about midday, dropping later in afternoon and almost calm by dark. Largely clear, with hazy sun  and moderate visibility.

The group of 12 Night Herons circling prior to landing on the rocks at the lighthouse

Night Heron at the lighthouse

A Hoopoe on the outermost rocks at Cape Tenaro

A newly arrived Northern Wheater at the lighthouse

 Kotschy's gecko - we found 6 of these today in the mouth of an old cistern

Looking south-east from the road to Mianes towards Kokinoghia

A Heron Arrival

The wind was stuck in the north-east all day and a fairly brisk breeze at that. As a consequence there were hardly any birds on the land and the main interest proved to be at the lighthouse where in the space of an hour we had 3 parties of herons arrive. First in was a Purple Heron that tried to land on the rocks by the lighthouse but got blown back out to sea and then fought its way back to land further up the headland. Next were 2 Grey Herons that after an unsuccessful attempt made it in to land briefly on the rocks at the tip of the cape than took flight again and headed up the east side. Finally there was a gang of 4 Night Herons, picked up a long way out that after a long struggle managed to hold course offshore and continued up the sat side though they were finding it hard going.

Also at the lighthouse this morning was a single adult Audouin's Gull that gave great views as it flew by close inshore.

On the land it was a pretty dismal showing of the main migrants of the moment there were just 14 Nightingales, 7 Subalpine Warblers, 3 Willow Warblers and 3 Blackcaps. No less than 17 species were recorded as a solitary single today !

Raptors - 2 Kestrel, 2 Harrier sp.

Weather - Wind NE 5-6 pretty much all day, cloudy Neil about 1.00pm then sunny. Visibility poor to start improving to moderate later.

 

Purple Heron struggling in the wind

A Grey Heron passes east in front of the top of the Cape

Night Herons passing up the east side

The Isabelline Wheatear on pipit plateau

A view of 'Beehive Pass' fro Koureli, a great location for gauging the number of migrants present in the early morning

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.

Nightingales, Bee-eaters and Hoopoes

Today was a pretty good day's birdwatching, with the exception of a couple of species there were were no large numbers however there was a good variety on show (the best day yet this year) and we also had several firsts for the year. 

Birds were concentrated in the valley leading up to beehive pass and in the bushes above Kokinoghia, some locations such as Windy Gap, Mianes, and Marmari were almost bird free. Birds seem to pretty much vanish as the afternoon went on.

Totals for the most prominent migrants were: 9 Quail, 19 Hoopoe (including one in off the sea at the lighthouse), 5 Wryneck, 11 Willow Warbler, 14 Subalpine Warbler, 10 Great Reed Warbler, 4 Robin, 7 Whinchat, 8 Redstart, 12 Northern Wheatear, 1 female Pied Flycatcher, 2 Collared Flycatcher and 10 Tree Pipit. 

Firsts for the year - 26+ Bee-eater, 4 Cuckoo (Kokinoghia, Windy Gap x2, Koureli), 3 Ortolan Bunting. 

Raptors - 2 Kestrel, 1 Kestrel Sp. There were also 4 Short-toed Eagles making a lot of noise over Paliros, presumably as they vie for territories.

Oddities - The highlight of the day was A Mediterranean Monk Seal that was seen well, but briefly as it surfaced off the tip of the cape, it then dived and frustratingly could not be relocated. A Greenshank at the lighthouse was the only other (minor) event of the day.

A Whinchat at Beehive Pass

A Spanish Sparrow at Porto Kagio

The first Cuckoo of the year at Kokinoghia

A Horned Viper asleep on the road above Marmari

A view of the gardens and Olive groves at Koureli from Mianes