15 April 2011 - more eyes make light work

What looked like a thundery day turned out to be dry and bright and the threatening clouds moved off by early afternoon.

Water levels OK. Some of the seasonal flooded fields aren't as full as recent years, but all areas holding plenty of water at present.

Plenty of birders present and more and more birds being found. A good first day for many of us.

Platania - ROCK-THRUSH male (photo).

Tsiknias River - WHITE PELICAN 1 high near river ford at c.2pm, BLACK KITE 1, Collared Pratincole 6, Slender-billed Gull 1, Black Stork 1, Sandwich Tern, Squacco Heron 1, Purple Heron 1, Long-legged Buzzard, Hobby, Great Reed Warbler, Alpine Swifts.

Skala Kallonis - in fields opposite the T-junction by the Hotel Pasiphae - Great Spotted Cuckoo (early am only), Ortolan Bunting 1, Black Redstart 1, Red-throated Pipit 2, Meadow Pipit 1, Black- and Blue-headed Wagtails, Common Starling 2. Collared Flycatcher 2 (opposite Aeolin hotel),

Kalloni Saltpans (inc. floods and fields) - Spoonbill 1, Great Spotted Cuckoo (evening), Merlin male, Collared Pratincole 6 arr. 1945, Purple Heron 15 arr. c.0800 and 15 seen dep. c1945, Glossy Ibis 32, Hen Harrier fem, Montagu's Harrier fem, Marsh Harrier fem, Whiskered Tern 7, Marsh Sandpiper 7, Curlew Sandpiper 1, Little Stint 27, Dunlin 5, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, Redshank, Ruddy Shelduck 31. Beach - Eurasian Curlew 1, Stone-curlew 1. On sea - Black-necked Grebe 3. Alykes Wetlands - Tawny Pipit 1, Short-toed Lark.

Upper Tsiknias River - Great Spotted Cuckoo, Hoopoe, Long-legged Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle.

Achladeri Forest - picnic site - pr of Kruper's Nuhatches seen on and off during the day around the shattered tree stump (with electricity cables at top) just beyond the white building. Long-legged Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Masked Shrike, Tree Pipit.

Metochi Lake - Spotted Crake 1 (in culvert up west side), Little Crake 4+, Little Bittern 2+, Great Reed Warbler, Common Kingfisher.

Christou (Kamares) River - Gull-billed Tern 3, Fan-tailed Warbler 1 on west side.

Polichnitos Saltpans - Golden Oriole 1, Marsh Sandpiper 8, Glossy Ibis 1, Tawny Pipit 3, Meadow Pipit 1.

Lotzaria - Quail 1 singing, Red-footed Falcon 3, Honey-buzzard 1.

Soumouria (Kalloni Mini Soccer Pitch) - Scops Owl, 1 roosting to right of taverna in Eucalyptus.

Madaros - Orphean Warbler, Spanish Sparrow flock.

Almyropotamos River (Lisvorio) - Collared Flycatcher 1, Tree Pipit, Purple Heron, Nightingale, Garden Warbler 2.

News from recent days -

SPUR-WINGED PLOVER - 1 Christou (Kamares) River 13 Apr (photo).

Savi's Warbler - 1 Metochi Lake 13 Apr.

BLACK KITE - 1 Christou (Kamares) River 12 Apr.

Caspian Tern - 1 Tsiknias River mouth 12 Apr.

'Russian' Yellow Wagtail (supaciliaris) - 1 Alykes Wetlands 12 Apr.

PALLID HARRIER - 1 fem Kalloni Saltpans 11 Apr.