Flycatcher Fall Day !! - 24th April

A really enjoyable day's birding dominated by the arrival of good numbers of black and white flycatchers, final totals for the day were 144 Pied and 65 Collared Flycatchers. Birds were visibly moving north during the first half of the day, presumably as they looked for suitable feeding habitat.

There was also a continuing passage of Harriers with 11 Marsh, 7 Pallid and 2 Montagu's.

A Lanner Falcon that went north ar 07.30 was an addition to the headland bird list.

Grounded Migrants: 8 Hoopoe, 3 Wryneck, 44 Woodchat Shrike, 13 Golden Oriole, 38 Wood Warbler, 8 Icterine Warbler, 15 Garden Warbler, 21 Whitethroat, 6 Great Reed Warbler, 10 Sedge Warbler, 144 Pied Flycatcher, 65 Collared Flycatcher, 42 Spotted Flycatcher and 67 Whinchat. 

Visible Passage: very limited apart from raptors the only obvious north bound migrants were small parties of Bee-eaters that totalled at least 49 birds.

Raptors: Words to follow

Bird Ringing:  24 Pied Flycatcher, 12 Collared Flycatcher! 1 Woodchat Shrike, 5 Garden Warbler, 5 Wood Warbler, 2 Sedge Walker and 1 Whinchat.

Overall Total: 50 birds ringed from 93m of nets.

Weather: Calm or V1 to start wind then freshening W or WNW4-5 by early afternoon and F5-6 later. Virtually cloud free with good visibility.

Harriers, a Crake and Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - 23rd April

Another enjoyable day although there were fewer grounded migrants (or at least they were harder to see due to the wind). 
Highlights included the discovery of the remains of a Little Crake close to the fishing boats in Porto  Sternes, the first record for the headland. There was also a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater that was heard but not seen coming in from the south just north of the lighthouse just before midday; what was presumably the same bird was heard again briefly at Achilo, on the north side of Porto Kagio bay, 3 hours later.
A Green Sandpiper that dropped in briefly at Porto Sternes was only the second record for the headland.

Green Sandpiper at Porto Sternes

Remains of a Little Crake found by the boats at Porto Sternes

Grounded Migrants: Words to follow

Visible Passage: Words to follow

Raptors: A distinct arrival of raptors with several harriers seen to come in off the sea  (a Marsh Harrier seen at the lighthouse had come in from the southwest. Totals for the day were 3 Marsh Harrier, 4 Pallid Harrier, 2 Montagu's Harrier, 3 Harrier Sp, 3 Kestrel, 3 Lesser Kestrel, 5 Kestrel Sp and 2 Hobby. 

Bird Ringing: 11 Whitethroat, others to follow

Overall Total: 21 birds ringed from 93m of nets.

Weather: Wind NW5 occasionally F6 pretty much all day. Clear skies with some occasional patches of thin cloud. Good visibility.

Whitethroat Arrival - 22nd April

Sunday 22nd April saw another moderate fall, Whitethroat (86) was the most obvious species, with smaller numbers of Whinchat (54), Pied Fly (38), Spotted Flycatcher (20) and Wood Warbler (26).

There was another Stone-curlew on Pipit Plateau (yesterday’s bird had flown north), where there was also a late Quail.

Grounded Migrants: Words to follow

Visible Passage: Words to follow

Raptors: Words to follow

Bird Ringing: Words to follow

Overall Total: 25 birds ringed from 93m of nets.

Weather: light N1-2 winds to start, then gradually freshening NW or WNW 4-5 by mid-afternoon. Clear skies and excellent visibility.

Windy Weather and Birds from further East - 21st April

A great day's birding despite the sting NE winds. Most of yesterday’s grounded birds had departed although there was still a good selection of species present and there were clearly some new arrivals.

The birds of the day were two Short-eared Owls flushed From 'Swallow Hollow' on the path to the lighthouse; one of these gave excellent views before flying over to the sheltered side of the ridge where it could not be relocated.

Nearby there was an early Red-backed Shrike near Turtle Dove step and the same or another Stone-curlew on Pipit Plateau.

Another early migrant was a Black-headed Bunting at Paliros.

Grounded Migrants: Words to follow

Visible Passage: Words to follow

Raptors: Words to follow

Bird Ringing: None, too windy.

Weather: NE7-8 bear gale early on, reducing F6-7, and F5-7 later in morning. Clear and sunny with excellent visibility for the first time since we arrived.

Due to the death of my iPad adding pictures while we are here may prove difficult, these will be added later, sorry 

A late Skylark ! - 20th April

Another moderate arrival featuring Woodchat Shrike, Whitethroat, Pied Flycatcher and Whinchat.

A late Skylark at Swallow Hollow was an addition to our Cape Tenaro list though presumably occurs occasionally during the autumn and winter.

Collared Flycatcher at Porto Kagio

Grounded Migrants: Words to follow

Visible Passage: Words to follow

Raptors: There were 3 Leeser Kestrel and two Red-footed Falcons on the powerlines above Kokinoghia. Full list later. 

Bird Ringing: List to follow

Overall Total: 35 birds ringed from 93m of nets.

Weather: Calm, then Variable F1-3 occasionally 4; seeming to settle W4 later. Clear skies all day. Visibility improving with Kithira Island just about visible. 

Flycatcher Fall !! -19th April

Early on it appeared that we were in for another day with few birds however although initially there were only small numbers on the northern part of the headland (around Beehive Pass) there were plenty in the olive groves above Kokinoghia. As the morning wore on these seemed to work their way northwards in to the ringing site. The main species involved were Pied (51) and Collared (21) Flcatchers and Wood Warbler (26).

During the late morning there was a marked arrival of Swallows, at its peak there were 178 sat on wires in Kokinoghia. Bee-eaters were on the move all day, though they also seemed to peak mid-morning. There was also a small flurry of Turtle Dove passage during the early afternoon.

The star bird of the day was a Stone-curlew that gave excellent views on Pipit Plateau mid-morning. Overall the best day's birding so far this year.

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Grounded Migrants: 1 Wryneck, 10 Woodchat Shrike, 26 Wood Warbler, 3 Willow Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 3 Great Reed Warbler, 22 Whitethroat, 13 Spotted Flycatcher, 51 Pied Flycatcher, 21 Collared Flycatcher, 7 Nightingale, 24 Whinchat, 5 Redstart, 3 Ortolan Bunting.

Visible Passage: 135 Bee-eater (and probably considerably more as many parties were only heard), 65 Turtle Dove, 250 Swallow, 14 Red-rumbled Swallow (includes some local breeders), follow

Raptors: The 13 Kestrels between Beehive Pass and Koikinoghia were all thought to be off passage birds from 2 days ago. The same applies to one if the two Pallid Harriers seen today. The only definite new birds were single Marsh and Montagu's Harriers and a Harrier Sp.

Bird Ringing:  7 Pied Fly, 6 Collared Fly, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Wood Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, 1 Redstart, 1 Whinchat.

Overall Total: 21 birds ringed from 93m of nets.

Weather: Another day of largely calm conditions, with occasional bursts of variable wind, F1-3, with a slight tendency to the W or NW. Broken cloud, largely clearing later and a marked improvement in visibility, Kithira was just about visible for the first time in almost a week!

Lovely weather but few birds ........... 18th April

A slow day with very light or no wind. The most obvious newly arrived migrants were Pied Flycatcher and Wood Warbler.

Grounded Migrants: Words to follow

Visible Passage: Bee-eaters with 56 were the only obvious sign of passage migrants.

Raptors: No obvious passage, with exception of 2 Montagu's Harrier and a single Harrier Sp seen later in day. The 13 Kestrel and single Pallid Harrier well may have been lingering birds from yesterday.

Bird Ringing: 1 Wryneck, 7 Whitethroat, 2 Wood Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Redstart, 4 Pied Flycatcher and 1 Spottted Flycatcher.

Overall Total: 20 birds ringed from 93m of nets.

Weather: Calm or Variable 1-2 (occasionally F3) all day. Clear or some scattered cloud, more cloud late afternoon. Visibility still poor due to lingering murk

Greater Short-toed Lark on Pipit Plateau

Kestrels, Harriers and a small arrival - 17th April

With the light winds the birding was much more enjoyable today, though again there was no significant fall.
Birds of note included a Sparrowhawk at Marmari and an Eleonora's Falcon perched on wires on the Narrows. 

Grounded Migrants: Words to follow

Visible Passage: Words to follow

Raptors: 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Pallid Harrier, 2 Montagu's Harrier, 2 Harrier Sp, 1 Sparrowhawk, 13 Kestrel, 1 Lesser Kestrel, 3 Kestrel Sp, 1 Eleonara's Falcon and 1 Falcon Sp

Bird Ringing: 1 Wryneck, 1 Woodchat Shrike, 8 Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, 4 Nightingale, 2 Whinchat, 1 Redstart and 1 Tree Pipit.

Overall Total: 21 birds ringed from 93m of nets.

Weather: Words to follow

Wind eases - Swallows & flavas move through - 16 April 2017

After two days of seemingly relentless ENE winds it was a relief when they finally dropped off mid-morning allowing us to assess what grounded migrants were present. As we expected there were not at many, although there was a a notable increase in Woodchat Shrike (with 17 present) and 12 Redstart. . The lack of birds in the bushes was made up for by some visible passage during the late morning and afternoon with Swallows, flavas and a few raptors moving through.
Other birds of note were the first Spotted Flycatcher of the year at Paliros and a female Ruppell's Warbler trapped and ringed. There were 3 late Greenfinch at Paliros.

Grounded Migrants: 1 Wryneck, 4 Hoopoe, 17 Woodchat Shrike, 1 Wood Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, 14 Whitethroat, 6 Great Reed Warbler, 8 Nightingale, 12 Redstart, 10 Whinchat, 12 Red-throated Pipit.

Visible Passage: 30 Bee-eater, 112 Swallows (including a tight flock of 60 north at Porto Kagio, 146 flavas.

Raptors: 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Montagu's Harrier, 5 Harrier Sp, 2 Kestrel, 3 Kestrel Sp., 7 Falcon Sp.

Bird Ringing: 3 Whitethroat, 1 Ruppell's Warbler, 1 Great Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Nightingale and 1 Redstart.

Overall Total: 8 birds ringed from 93m of nets.

Weather: NE6 then wind dropped to calm between 10.30 and 11.00am, freshening WSW 4-5 late in afternoon. General overcast and murky.

PHOTOS - the IT glitch continues, I'll get the blog up to date and then sort out the pictures

East Wind and a few Raptors - 15th April

A day dominated by the strong ENE wind that ended up as a gale in the afternoon. As a consequence looking for grounded migrants was very challenging !! The only sheltered area of bushes was by the church at Paliros.

Grounded Migrants: Very few ! Representative counts were 4 Turtle Dove, 3 Pied Flycatcher, 4 Whitethroat, 1 Great Reed Warbler, 6 Nightingale, 1 Redstart and 6 Wheatear. On a very windswept Pipit Plateau there were 3 Red-throated Pipit, 2 Tawny Pipit and 2 Short-toed Lark.

Visible Passage: A few Swallows (10) slipped through during through during the afternoon, and there were some small parties of grounded flavas that totalled 67 by the end of the day.

Raptors: Despite the wind a few raptors made it through, mostly during a short period in the early afternoon: 4 Montagu's Harriers, 1 Harrier Sp, 5 Kestrels and 7 Falcon Sp (probably Kestrels).

Bird Ringing: Too windy to ring safely.

Overall Total: 0 birds ringed. 

Weather: Wind ENE all day, starting F6-7 increasing F8 later; overcast with poor visibility and Saharan murk.

Ongoing IT glitch means no pictures again - Sorry

Pipits, Wheatears and Bee-eaters - 14th April

Despite the fresh ENE wind there were a good mix of migrants around today, although only small numbers. There had clearly been a small arrival of Black-eared Wheatears with at least 8 scattered along the shore of Porto Sternes, along with 2 Northern Wheatears. On Pipit Plateau there was a good mix of pipits with Tree, Red-throated and Tawny, also 10 Short-toed Larks.

Small numbers of Bee-eaters passed through during the day and during the afternoon there was a small northward movement of Swallows.

Grounded Migrants: 21 Black-eared Wheatear, 2 Northern Wheatear, 3 Redstart, 2 Wryneck, 14 Woodchat Shrike, 13 Whinchat, 4 Great Reed Warbler, 1 Wood Warbler, 14 Whitethroat and 13 Nightingale.

Visible Passage:  a total of 31 Bee-eaters flew north. Also 41 Swallow and 67 flavas.

Raptors: A solitary Kestrel flew out south at the lighthouse. 1 Montagu's and 1 Harrier Sp north. 

Bird Ringing:  7 Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, 3 Nightingale, 1 Woodchat, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Collared Flycatcher and 1 Semi-collared Flycathcher.

Overall Total: 17 birds ringed from XXM of nets.

Weather: ENE 4-5 increasing 6, clear skies all day but murky with Saharan dust.
  PICS TO FOLLOW - a major IT hiccup making uploads challenging !!!

Cape Tenaro - first full day 2018

Post to follow

Evrota Delta - Herons, Wagtails and People

Post to follow, need to catch up !!

This recently cut ditch appears to have been dug to lower water levels in the main lagoon and wetland area of the Natura 2000 site, hard to belief it helps conserve the wildlife interest
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Spring 2018

Spring is here !! Posts this year will hopefully start on Friday 13th April

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater 4 April 2013