10 May - Rosy Starlings are comin!


My last day and I'd like to thank all those who have shared their bird news with and contributed to these daily updates. 

Thanks too the Pasiphae Hotel staff for their usual warm hospitality and providing me with a home from home again for my stay. I'd also like to thank all the tavernas who have catered for my groups over the last three weeks - Dionysos (Skala Kallonis), Australia (Sigri), Soulatsou (Skala Eresou) and Achille's Well (Petri), and to Tsalis rentals for looking after me so well.

See you all again next spring!

BIRD NEWS
An overcast day with some light rain in places and the first Rose-coloured Starlings were seen today out west. No sign of the robins or the Griffon Vulture today

Petrified Forest
WHITE-THROATED ROBIN
No news today.

We now have confirmation that we have two males and a female robin in the park. The males are holding territory close to one another and a female has been seen with the male near the concrete building. We are now treating this as a breeding attempt. Please therefore view only from the road and not from within the park to avoid disturbing them.

I've been told that the police are aware of misbehaviour here, including the use of recordings (illegal here) and are now going to be making patrols of the area, especially when the park is closed, to ensure that no one is using recordings or harassing the birds now they are presumed to be breeding. Please be sure to pass this message around.

It also means they are expected to hang around! Which is good news to those arriving today and next week.

Skala Eresou
Rose-coloured Starling 3 (they're coming!)

Kallon Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands
Caspian Tern 1
Slender-billed Gull 1
Little Gull 1
Gull-billed Tern 4
White-winged Tern 55
Whiskered Tern 11
Eurasian Curlew 2
Grey Plover 3
Zitting Cisticola 3

Potamia
Olive-tree Warbler 6
Levant Sparrowhawk 3
Eleanora's Falcon 1

Kalami Marsh
Squacco Heron 6
Spotted Redshank 1
Water Rail 1
Purple Heron 1

Petrified Forest
Red-footed Falcon fem

Meladia Valley
Red-footed Falcon 1
Lesser Grey Shrike 1
Bee-eater 2

Metochi Lake
Little Crake fem (at north end)
Little Bittern 3
Night-heron 26

Tsiknias River
Little Bittern 3
Squacco Heron 6
Whiskered Tern 1
Temminck's Stint 2
Bee-eater 20

Alikoudi Pool
White-tinged Tern 2
Whiskered Tern 1
Temminck's Stint 2

Limnos Monastery
Middle Spotted Woodpecker - pair nesting near the taverna. Park by the taverna and look back up the access road and on the right there is a double telegraph post. The nest is low down in the left hand post (the one with all the wires) facing the taverna. Adults feedings young. Please view/photo from the park car area and don't stand in the middle of the road expecting the parents to ignore you!

Achalderi
Kruper's Nuthatch - birds now feeding recently hatched young

Kavaki
Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana
Scops Owl 
Long-eared Owl - the young have left the nest, no sign of them or adults

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'
Scops Owl. Please do not harass the birds!

9 May - Great Snipe, Caspian Tern and rain!

We woke to overcast skies and by lunchtime the threat of rain out west and by late afternoon it arrived and continued to increase during the evening. But is it too late?

A Great Snipe (Kalami) and Caspian Tern (Kalloni pans) were new in and the Griffon Vulture still out west, and another Lesser Spotted Eagle today. Apart from a few sites out west, virtually no passage migrant passerines reported. No news of the robins.

Petrified Forest
WHITE-THROATED ROBIN
No news today.

We now have confirmation that we have two males and a female robin in the park. The males are holding territory close to one another and a female has been seen with the male near the concrete building. We are now treating this as a breeding attempt. Please therefore view only from the road and not from within the park to avoid disturbing them.

I've been told that the police are aware of misbehaviour here, including the use of recordings (illegal here) and are now going to be making patrols of the area, especially when the park is closed, to ensure that no one is using recordings or harassing the birds now they are presumed to be breeding. Please be sure to pass this message around.

It also means they are expected to hang around! Which is good news to those arriving today and next week.

Kalami Marsh
GREAT SNIPE 1
Spotted Redshank 1

Petrified Forest
GRIFFON VULTURE 1

Platania
Lesser Spotted Eagle 1
Levant Sparrowhawk 2 males
Eleanora's Falcon 1
Olive-tree Warbler 1
Bee-eater 2

Sigri & Faneromeni
Purple Heron 1
Golden Oriole 4
Red-backed Shrike 50
Lesser Grey Shrike 3

Sigri Old Sanatorium
Golden Oriole 3
Red-backed Shrike 50
Lesser Grey Shrike 3
Woodchat Shrike 10

Meladia Valley
Roller 1
Red-footed Falcon 1
Lesser Grey Shrike 1
Bee-eater 2

Red-backed Shrike 100
Lesser Grey Shrike 1
Woodchat Shrike 6
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1 (chapel)
Skala Eresou
Barred Warbler 1

Vigla (near Ipsilou)
Barred Warbler 1

Kallon Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands
Caspian Tern 1
Slender-billed Gull 1
Little Gull 1
Black Tern 1
Gull-billed Tern 1
Collared Pratincole 3

Voulgaris River
Marsh Warbler 1

Moni Mirsiniotissus
Ortolan Bunting 1

Lardia Valley
Olive-tree Warbler 1

Tsiknias River
Little Bittern 1
Squacco Heron 5
Whiskered Tern 4

Podaras
Little Bittern 2

Makara
Little Bittern 1
Alpine Swift 80

Limnos Monastery
Middle Spotted Woodpecker 1 - nesting near the taverna. Park by the taverna and look back up the access road and on the right there is a double telegraph post. The nest is low down in the left hand post (the one with all the wires) facing the taverna. Adults feedings young 7/5.

Achalderi
Kruper's Nuthatch - female incubating and male visiting infrequently, expect to wait!

Kavaki
Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana
Scops Owl 
Long-eared Owl - the young have left the nest, no sign of them or adults

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'
Scops Owl. Please do not harass the birds!

8 May - another Common Rock-thrush


Cirl Bunting, Platania, 8 May 2013 
(Emberiza cirlusΣιρλοτσίχλονο 
© Steve Dudley


LOST - MINOX 8x32 BINOCULARS
Last seen in Sigri at the harbourside taverna on 8 May. If you find them please contact David Boyd at the Kalloni Bay Hotel.


BIRD NEWS
The White-throated Robins were looked for in the morning but not seen. Another Lesser Spotted Eagle today and a few Red-breasted Flycatchers out west. 

A change in the weather today, with overcast skies turning to thick, low cloud by the end of the day and lower temperatures - 20C by 6pm in Kalloni. Lower temps forecast for tomorrow, but doubtful we will see rain. Rain forecasted for next week which will be good for Rosy Starlings but relatively little else.

Petrified Forest
WHITE-THROATED ROBIN
No in the morning (don't know if they were looked for at other times). Please view only from the road - entering the park will not increase your chance of seeing them, just disturbing them.

We now have confirmation that we have two males and a female robin in the park. The males are holding territory close to one another and a female has been seen with the male near the concrete building. We are now treating this as a breeding attempt. Please therefore view only from the road and not from within the park to avoid disturbing them.

I've been told that the police are aware of misbehaviour here, including the use of recordings (illegal here) and are now going to be making patrols of the area, especially when the park is closed, to ensure that no one is using recordings or harassing the birds now they are presumed to be breeding. Please be sure to pass this message around.

It also means they are expected to hang around! Which is good news to those arriving today and next week.

Meladia Valley
COMMON ROCK-THRUSH male (nr ford)
Roller 1
Red-breasted Flycatcher 1
Rufous Bush-robin 3
Bee-eater 30
Whinchat 20
Little Bittern 1

Sigri & Faneromeni
GREAT SNIPE 1 (flushed by cat and not relocated)
Olive-tree Warbler 1
Marsh Warbler 2
Red-breasted Fltcatcher 1
Levant Sparrowhawk 1
Eleanora's Falcon 1
Red-footed Falcon 2
Lesser Kestrel 2
Golden Oriole 5
Rufous Bush-robin 2
Squacco Heron 1

Agriosikos
Lesser Spotted Eagle 1
Eleanora's Falcon  1
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1

Sigri Old Sanatorium
Honey-buzzard 2
Red-breasted Flycatcher 2 fems
Wood Warbler 1
Collared Flycatcher 1

Skala Eresou
Red-breasted Flycatcher 1

Kallon Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands
Slender-billed Gull 1
Little Gull 1
White-winged Tern 80
Whiskered Tern 20
Gull-billed Tern 2
Glossy Ibis 1
Turnstone 10
Grey Plover 4
Temminck's Stint 1
Peregrine 1
Marsh Harrier 1

Platania
Eleanora's Falcon 1
didn't get to main Olive-tree Warbler area, but none along track where they're expected.

Petrified Forest
Honey-buzzard 1
Rock Sparrow
Lesser Kestrel 4
Common Redstart 1

Napi Valley
Osprey 1

Kalami Marsh
Collared Pratincole 2
Glossy Ibis 1

Tsiknias River
Mediterranean Gull 2
Little Bittern 1
Purple Heron 1
Bee-eater 4
Mallard 1

Metochi Lake
Little Bittern 10

Ipsilou
Levant Sparrowhawk fem
Honey-buzzard male
Eleanora's Falcon 1

Perama Reservoir
Gull-billed Tern 3
Ruddy Shelduck 1
Limnos Monastery
Middle Spotted Woodpecker 1 - nesting near the taverna. Park by the taverna and look back up the access road and on the right there is a double telegraph post. The nest is low down in the left hand post (the one with all the wires) facing the taverna. Adults feedings young 7/5.

Achalderi
Kruper's Nuthatch - female incubating and male visiting infrequently, expect to wait!

Kavaki
Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana
Scops Owl 
Long-eared Owl - the young have left the nest, no sign of them or adults

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'
Scops Owl 5l. Please do not harass the birds!

7 May - shrikes, shrikes and more shrikes



Roller, Sigri Old Sanatorium, 7 May 2013 
(Coracias garrulus) (Ευρωπαϊκή) Χαλκοκουρούνα 
© Steve Dudley


Meladia Valley was ripping with Red-backed Shrikes today, but seemingly on its own. A Lesser Spotted Eagle and the Griffon Vulture seen again, plus reports of Rock Bunting and Red Knot.  Still no news of the robins in recent days.


Petrified Forest
WHITE-THROATED ROBIN
No news today. 

We now have confirmation that we have two males and a female robin in the park. The males are holding territory close to one another and a female has been seen with the male near the concrete building. We are now treating this as a breeding attempt. Please therefore view only from the road and not from within the park to avoid disturbing them.

I've been told that the police are aware of misbehaviour here, including the use of recordings (illegal here) and are now going to be making patrols of the area, especially when the park is closed, to ensure that no one is using recordings or harassing the birds now they are presumed to be breeding. Please be sure to pass this message around.

It also means they are expected to hang around! Which is good news to those arriving today and next week.

Ipsilou
Rock Bunting - 1 reported
Lesser Spotted Eagle 1
Eleanora's Falcon 1

Kallon Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands
Red Knot - 1 adult reported
White-winged Tern 100
Whiskered Tern 20
Gull-billed Tern 7
Little Gull 1
Glossy Ibis 1
Black Stork 20
White Stork 6
Red-footed Falcon 1
Turnstone 2
Grey Plover 1
Common Ringed Plover 1
Ruddy Shelduck 17
Peregrine 1
Great Crested Grebe 1 offshore

Sigri & Faneromeni
GRIFFON VULTURE 1
Little Bittern 2
Bee-eater 30
Squacco Heron 1

Tsiknias River
Collared Pratincole 4
Glossy Ibis 1
Little Bittern 1
Purple Heron 1
Bee-eater 4

Meladia Valley
Eleanora's Falcon 1
Red-backed Shrike 340+
Lesser Grey Shrike 4
Rufous Bush-robin 6+
Whinchat 80+
Spotted Flycatcher 60+
Common Whitethroat 1
Lesser Whitethroat 1

Nr Petra
Roller 1

Sigri Old Sanatorium
Roller 1
Lesser Grey Shrike 1
Red-backed Shrike 20+

Makara
Eleanora's Falcon 1
Alpine Swift 60

Metochi Lake
Night-heron 21
Little Bittern 3
Common Sandpiper 1

Nr Anemotia
Tree Pipit 1 (only second record this spring!)

Achalderi
Kruper's Nuthatch - female incubating and male visiting infrequently, expect to wait!

Kavaki
Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana
Scops Owl 
Long-eared Owl - the young have left the nest, no sign of them or adults

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'
Scops Owl 5l. Please do not harass the birds!

6 May - marsh terns bonanza


Did anyone go out west today? No news from any western sites at all. Impressive numbers of marsh terns at Kalloni Saltpans. 

Petrified Forest
WHITE-THROATED ROBIN
No news today. 

We now have confirmation that we have two males and a female robin in the park. The males are holding territory close to one another and a female has been seen with the male near the concrete building. We are now treating this as a breeding attempt. Please therefore view only from the road and not from within the park to avoid disturbing them.

I've been told that the police are aware of misbehaviour here, including the use of recordings (illegal here) and are now going to be making patrols of the area, especially when the park is closed, to ensure that no one is using recordings or harassing the birds now they are presumed to be breeding. Please be sure to pass this message around.

It also means they are expected to hang around! Which is good news to those arriving today and next week.

Kallon Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands
White-winged Tern 250
Whiskered Tern 18
Gull-billed Tern 3
Black Tern 2
Little Gull 1
Collared Pratincole 4
White Stork 28
Black Stork 8
Black-tailed Godwit 1
Dunlin 1
Ruff 470
Little Stint 45
Rufous Bush-robin 1 on beach
Short-toed Lark 2
Red-throated Pipit 2

Vourkos River mouth
Citrine Wagtail fem

Skala Kallonis
River Warbler 1 (behind Imerti Hotel)
Pallid Swift 1
Night-heron 2
Little Bittern 1

Napi Valley
Honey-buzzard 1

Potamia Valley
Olive-tree Warbler 1

Tsiknias River
Little Bittern 1
Squacco Heron 8
Bee-eater 6

Achalderi
Levant Sparrowhawk
Kruper's Nuthatch - female incubating and male visiting infrequently, expect to wait!

Alikoudi Pool
Glossy Ibis 2
White-winged Tern 10
Temminck's Stint 1
Common Ringed Plover 8
Ruff 39

Nr Skamnioudi
Olive-tree Warbler 4+

Polichnitos Saltpans
Curlew Sandpiper 4
Ruff 45
Little Stint 6
Olive-tree Warbler 1 in copse to north
Red-backed Shrike 2

Kavaki
Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana
Scops Owl 
Long-eared Owl - the young have left the nest, no sign of them or adults

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'
Scops Owl 5. Please do not harass the birds!

5 May - two Lesser Spotted Eagles


Female Red-footed Falcon, Faneromeni, 5 May 2013 
(Falco vespertinus) (Ευρωπαϊκό) Μαυροκιρκίνεζο 
© Steve Dudley

Two Lesser spotted Eagles, Griffon Vulture still out west and a few smaller birds of prey, but an absolute dearth of passerine migrants. The Nightjar is still roosting on the same tree in Sigri fields.

Petrified Forest
WHITE-THROATED ROBIN
No news today. The road to the forest was closed and will probably not be open now until Tuesday.

We now have confirmation that we have two males and a female robin in the park. The males are holding territory close to one another and a female has been seen with the male near the concrete building. We are now treating this as a breeding attempt. Please therefore view only from the road and not from within the park to avoid disturbing them.

I've been told that the police are aware of misbehaviour here, including the use of recordings (illegal here) and are now going to be making patrols of the area, especially when the park is closed, to ensure that no one is using recordings or harassing the birds now they are presumed to be breeding. Please be sure to pass this message around.

It also means they are expected to hang around! Which is good news to those arriving today and next week.

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint
LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE 1
Honey-buzzard 1
Goshawk 1

Meladia Valley
LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE 1
GRIFFON VULTURE 1

Sigri & Faneromeni area
Nightjar 1 
Bee-eater 26
Temminck's Stint (beach)
Red-breasted Flycatcher 1 (beach)
Little Bittern 1 (upper ford)
Night-heron 1 (upper ford)
Red-footed Falcon 1
Lesser Kestrel 1
Rufous Bush-robin 1
Alpine Swift 3
Ruddy Shelduck 4

Lothario
Marsh Warbler 1
Bee-eater 4

Mt Ordimnos
Levant Sparrowhawk fem
Eleonora's Falcon 1

Napi
Levant Sparrowhawk 1
Montagu's Harrier 1
Red-footed Falcon 1
Marsh Warbler 1

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands
White-winged Tern 80
Whiskered Tern 30
Black Stork 24
White Stork 11
Purple Heron 5
Red-footed Falcon 1

Agriosikos
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 3

Tsiknias River
Citrine Wagtail 2
Bee-eater 2

Metochi Lake
Little Bittern 3
Night-heron 16
Pallid Swift 3

Achalderi
Kruper's Nuthatch - female incubating and male visiting infrequently, expect to wait!

Kavaki
Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana
Scops Owl 
Long-eared Owl adult by nest with 3 young (same site as 2012)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'
Scops Owl 5. Please do not harass the birds!

4 May - Spur-winged Plover and Red-breasted Flys


Cretzschmar's Bunting, Mesotopos, 4 May 2013 
(Emberiza caesia) Φρυγανοτσίχλονο 
© Steve Dudley
Lots of pairs around the west today, most of them actively collecting nest material like this bird

Change over day for the Brits, so far fewer people in the field today. A new Spur-winged Plover was found at Perasma Reservoir, but sign of either of yesterday's Great Snipe. Four Red-breasted Flycatchers out west.

Petrified Forest
WHITE-THROATED ROBIN
No news today.

We now have confirmation that we have two males and a female robin in the park. The males are holding territory close to one another and a female has been seen with the male near the concrete building. We are now treating this as a breeding attempt. Please therefore view only from the road and not from within the park to avoid disturbing them.

I've been told that the police are aware of misbehaviour here, including the use of recordings (illegal here) and are now going to be making patrols of the area, especially when the park is closed, to ensure that no one is using recordings or harassing the birds now they are presumed to be breeding. Please be sure to pass this message around.

It also means they are expected to hang around! Which is good news to those arriving today and next week.

Perasma Reservoir
Spur-winged Plover 1

Sigri & Faneromeni area
Spotted Crake 1 (lower ford)
River Warbler 1
Citrine Wagtail 3 (1 upper ford, 2 beach)
Red-breasted Flycatcher 1 (beach) + 1 Sigri beach

Meladia Valley
River Warbler 1 (river mouth)
Red-breasted Flycatcher 2 (fig grove)

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands
Rufous Bush-robin 2 in beach tamarisks (view from shoreline, please don't walk through bushes)
White-winged Tern 46
Whiskered Tern 22
Little Gull1 
Red-throated Pipit 6
Ruff 1285
Curlew Sandpiper 19
Turnstone 8
Black-tailed Godwit 1
Eurasian Curlew 1
Common Redshank 1
Little Stint 60
Black Stork 4

Christou (Kameras) River
Citrine Wagtail 2 (m&f)
Purple Heron 3
SandwichTern 1

Mesotopos
Eleonora's Falcon 2

Tsiknias River
Eleanora's Falcon 1
White-winged Tern 7
Little Gull 1 (same as saltpans)
Golden Oriole 2
Bee-eater 1
Rufous Bush-robin 2 (river mouth)

Podaras
Squacco Heron 8
Stone-curlew 1
Alpine Swift 6

Skala Eresou
Pallid Swift 2
Squacco Heron 6

Achalderi
Kruper's Nuthatch - female incubating and male visiting infrequently, expect to wait!

Kavaki
Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana
Scops Owl 
Long-eared Owl adult by nest with 3 young (same site as 2012)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'
Scops Owl 5l. Please do not harass the birds!

3 May - now two Great Snipes!


Great Snipe, Nr Achladeri, 3 May 2013 
(Gallinago media) Διπλομπεκάτσινο 
© Anna Thompson

Two Great Snipes today, yesterday's bird still at Faneromeni and a new bird found near Achladeri. Griffon Vulture still out west. No news of either the White-throated Robins. Fewer shrikes out west but a cracking evening at Kalloni Saltpans with marsh terns and pratincoles.

Petrified Forest
WHITE-THROATED ROBIN
No news today.

We now have confirmation that we have two males and a female robin in the park. The males are holding territory close to one another and a female has been seen with the male near the concrete building. We are now treating this as a breeding attempt. Please therefore view only from the road and not from within the park to avoid disturbing them.

I've been told that the police are aware of misbehaviour here, including the use of recordings (illegal here) and are now going to be making patrols of the area, especially when the park is closed, to ensure that no one is using recordings or harassing the birds now they are presumed to be breeding. Please be sure to pass this message around.

It also means they are expected to hang around! Which is good news to those arriving today and next week.

Sigri & Faneromeni area
GREAT SNIPE 1 (lower ford)
Spotted Crake 1 (lower ford)
Red-backed Shrike 30+

Beach road between Achladeri and Skala Vasilikon
GREAT SNIPE 1 on first pool travelling south
Eleonora's Falcon 1

Nr Antissa
GRIFFON VULTURE 1

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands
Rufous Bush-robin 2 in beach tamarisks (view from shoreline, please don't walk through bushes)
Black Stork 24
White-winged Tern 38
Whiskered Tern 41
Sandwich Tern 2
Gull-billed Tern 5
Little Gull1 
Spoonbill 1
Ruddy Shelduck 4
Red-throated Pipit 6
Short-toed Lark 5
Collared Pratincole 12
Ruff 330
Temminck's Stint 2
Curlew Sandpiper 21
Mallard 1
Purple Heron 4
Mediterranean Gull 6
Grey Plover 4
Turnstone 3
Red-footed Falcon 10

Molivos
Great Spotted Cuckoo 1
Red-breasted Flycatcher 1

South of Vatousa
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 3 singing males

Lardia Valley
Eleonora's Falcon 1

Gavathas
Scopoli's Shearwater 3
Alpine Swift 30
Bee-eater 12

Alikoudi
White-winged Tern 9
Whiskered Tern 1
Temminck's Stint 2
Greenshank 1

Kalloni Raptor Watchpint
Honey-buzzard 1
Hobby 2

Stipsi
Honey-buzzard 1

Agriosikos (east track)
Hawfinch 1

Metochi Lake
Little Bittern 3
Bee-eater 6
Purple Heron 1

Nr Skamioudi
Olive-tree Warbler 2

Potamia Valley
Olive-tree Warbler 1

Achalderi
Kruper's Nuthatch - female incubating and male visiting infrequently, expect to wait!

Kavaki
Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana
Scops Owl 
Long-eared Owl adult by nest with 3 young (same site as 2012)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'
Scops Owl 5l. Please do not harass the birds!