9 May - slowing down under the sun

We've got high pressure with light winds and increasing temperatures. Birds are shipping out rather than shipping in, and many birders are flagging in the heat. The number of birders is also down and news is beginning to slow.

Late news from recent days first -

7-8 May - Great Spotted Cuckoo along the Petra Reservoir Road with two singing River Warblers there on the 7th.

Todays news -

Madaros (north of Kalloni) - RUFOUS BUSH ROBIN 1, Honey-buzzard 2, Black Stork 3, Chukar, Orphean Warbler.

Tsiknias River (Upper) - Ortolan Bunting 1 (only record this spring?).

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint 1100-1215h - Short-toed Eagle 5+, Goshawk 4, Long-legged Buzzard 1, Hobby 1, Black Stork 1.

Faneromeni fords - Little Bittern 7, Bee-eater 40+.

Kalloni Saltpans - Glossy Ibis 2, Ruddy Shelduck 2, Squacco Heron 9 on floods opposite sltworks entrance. Ruff 110+, Little Stont 70+ on pans and moat. RUFOUS BUSH ROBIN 1 still in tamerisks west of beach cafe.

Ipsilou/Sigri area - migrant numbers greatly reduced. Expected breeding birds present.

Tsiknias River - Little Bittern 1, Sandwich Tern 9.

Scops Owl - not seen at the Kalloni Mini Soccer Pitch since being flushed by a photographer who got his wife to use a stick to move branches out of his field of view!