18 April 2011 - Baillon's Crake and Penduline Tit

After a thunderous storm overnight we awoke to dark skies and a cold wind. Fields were flooded and rivers swollen by the overnight rain. Day temperature didn't climb much above 10C out of the wind - in the wind it was freezing! If you're coming out in coming days bring your woollies!

Huge numbers of hirundines throughout the Kalloni area all day.

Metochi Lake - BAILLON'S CRAKE 1 (at north in in reeds by little bridge viewed from the grassy turning area), PENDULINE TIT 1 (at 1510 - no further details), SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER 1, Spotted Crake 2 (at southern end), Great Bittern 1, Night-heron 11, Little Crake 10+, Water Rail 1, Little Bittern 2, Great Bittern 1, Purple Heron 1, Savi's Warbler 1.

Skala Kallonis - CATTLE EGRET 1 in fields by Pasiphae Hotel (second day - same as yesterday's saltpans bird). Long-eared Owl 2 in pines between Imerti Hotel and bakery/mini soccer pitch. Garganey 3, Purple Heron 1.

Tsiknias River - Caspian Tern (mouth), Black Tern 1 (1800), Purple Heron 1, Collared Pratincole 1, Ortolan Bunting 3, Glossy Ibis 42 (over), Pallid Swift 1, Short-toed Lark 4, Tawny Pipit 1.

Kalloni Saltpans (inc. surrounding fields and pools) - Sanderling 3, Temminck's Stint 2, Marsh Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper 3, Whiskered Tern 33, Short-toed Lark 22, Montagu's Harrier 1, Marsh Harrier 3, Hobby 1, Peregrine 1. Alykes Wetlands Short-toed Lark 15-20, Red-throated Pipit 4, Glossy Ibis 50+. On sea Black-necked Grebe 2, Great Crested Grebe 2.

Kavaki - Ruppell's Warbler 3+ males now in, Pallid Harrier r/t, Red=throated Pipit 6.

Platania - Hobby 1, Lesser Kestrel 2; lots of common migrant breeders and residents inc. Orphean Warblers, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Hoopoe, Sombre Tit, etc.

Napi Valley - Red-footed Falcon 1 fem.

Soumouria (Scops Copse)- Scops Owl 3 (2 in tree by green wheelie bin; 1 in tree in centre marked by car oil bottle with red lid).

Faneromeni - Citrine Wagtail 1 (upper ford), Little Crake 1 (lower ford), Common Kingfisher.

Efthalou to Skala Sikaminias - Ortolan Bunting 5, Yelkouan and Scopoli's Shearwaters (north coast track very boggy, rutted and lots of fallen rocks after last nights storm).

Meladia Valley - Golden Oriole 2 (fig grove), Mallard.

Still lots of Collared Flycatchers all over.

26 April 2010 - Rain and migrants

Late news –

24 April – LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE – 9 NE over Polichnitos Saltpans at 1800h (John Bowers).

25 April – Polichnitos Saltpans area – Roller 1, Collared Pratincole 8, Black-headed Bunting 2, Red-footed Falcon 1, Curlew Sandpiper (Terry Robinson).

Today -

BOOTED EAGLE – 1 Lardia Valley (Andy & Gill Swash, Ralph & Brenda Todd)

SAVI’S WARBLER – 1 singing Metochi Lake (Andy & Gill Swash, Ralph & Brenda Todd), present since 24^th (Jeff & Helen Bailey).

EASTERN BONELLI’S WARLBER – 1 singing Skala Sikaminias.

PENDULINE TIT – a pair still building a nest at Skala Eresou (MO). See Skala Eresou item below.

Skala Eresou – Penduline Tit nest is c.100m north of the road bridge viewable from along the track on the eastern side of the river. Walk up to an irrigation head (orange with round turn handle) on right and then on left look for some blue string in the chainlink fence. View the willows directly opposite from here. The nest is directly opposite on the end of a willow branch at about the height of the tallest tamarisks at this point.

Collared Pratincole 2, Curlew Sandpiper 1, Squacco Heron 20 north, Night-heron 2 north, Little Bittern 1, Yelkouan Shearwater 800+, Scopoli’s Shearwater 15.

Kalloni Saltpans (inc. flooded fields opposite saltworks entrance, etc) – Red-footed Falcon 5, Collared Pratincole 7, Marsh Sandpiper 4, Gull-billed Tern 1, Whiskered Tern 50, White-winged Black Tern 4, Garganey 7, Spoonbill 1, Ruddy Shelduck 11, Rufous Bush Robin 1, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Greenshank 20.

Alykes Wetlands – Tawny Pipit 2, Red-throated Pipit 20+, Short-toed Lark 12+, White Stork 8, Ruddy Shelduck 37.

Tsiknias River – Spoonbill 1, Temminck’s Stint 4, Wood Sandpiper 120+. Black-headed Bunting 8+. 13 Squacco Heron between river mouth and Skala Kallonis village.

Metochi Lake – Savi’s Warbler 1, Little Crake 3, Little Bittern 2, Purple Heron 1, Squacco Heron 4.

Kavaki – Ruppell’s Warbler, Orphean Warbler, Sardinian Warbler.

North Coast – Yelkouan Shearwater, Scopoli’s Shearwater, Little Gull 200+, Audouin’s Gull 1.

Kremastes (Bridge) Valley – Red-footed Falcon 40+, Montagu’s Harrier 2, Hobby 1, Purple Heron 1, red-backed Shrike 1.

Napi Valley – Red-footed Falcon 10, Lesser Kestrel 3.

Soumouria (Kalloni Scops Copse) – Scops Owl 1 roosting in tree by the blue bins.

Polichnitos Saltpans – Red-footed Falcon 2, Black Stork 1, Temminck’s Stint 1, Little Stint.

Almiropotamos River (Vatera) – Squacco Heron 20, Little Bittern 1, Purple Heron 1, Sanderling 1.

Achladeri – Kruper’s Nuthatch 2, Masked Shrike, Red-backed Shrike 2.

Meladia Valley – Roller 1, Collared Flycatcher 1, Icterine Warbler 1, Red-backed Shrike 3, Golden Oriole 2.

Ipsilou – Collared Flycatcher 1, Golden Oriole 15, Wood Warbler 20+.

Faneromeni – Collared Flycatcher 1, Eleanora’s Falcon 1, White-winged Black Tern 1, Purple Heron 4, Temminck’s Stint 2.

Sigri Fields – Lesser Kestrel 60, Montagu’s Harrier 2, Lesser Grey Shrike 2.

Voulgaris River (Ancient Antissa) – Purple Heron 2, Night-heron 8, Squacco Heron 2, Golden Oriole 2.

Alikoudi Pool – Whiskered Tern 3, Citrine Wagtail 1.

Upper Tsiknias River - Levant Sparrowhawk 1 (took swallow).

Molivos - Eleanora's Falcon 2.

4 April - another Spotted Eagle!

Spotted Eagle, Meladia Valley, 4 Apr 10 © Sebastien Siblet

Sightings from Jean-Philippe & Sebastien Siblet's last day on the island. I'd like to thank them both for their daily updates which have just served to whet the appetite of those of us due out later this month!

Today's highlight was another Spotted Eagle. None for over a decade and then three in a week! I wonder how normal this is, that birds pass through when there are usually no (or very few) visiting birders on the island.

Meladia Valley - GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE 1, Goshawk 1, Marsh Sandpiper 8, Red-throated Pipit 2.

Sigri - COLLARED FLYCATCHER male.

Faneromeni - GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO 1.

Metochi Lake - HAWFINCH 20+ feeding, SAVI'S WARBLER 1, Little Crake 8, Water Rail 1, Common Nightingale 1, Great Reed Warbler 2.

Tsiknias River - Spanish Sparrow 10.

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands - Black Stork 1, Pintail 2 (pr), Stone-curlew 2, Black-tailed Godwit 9, Marsh Sandpiper 39, Curlew Sandpiper 5, Short-toed Lark 40+, Red-throated Pipit 2.

Polichnitos Saltpans - Glossy Ibis 21 (Terry Robinson).

Meladia Valley - Cinereous Bunting, Orphean Warbler, Nothern Wheatear, Short-toed Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Hen Harrier 4, Rock Nuthatch (Andy Stoddart).

3 April - Another Spotted Eagle, Savi's Warbler and Sykes' Wagtail

Spotted Eagle, over Kalloni Saltpans, 3 Apr 10 © Sebastien Siblet

Sightings from Jean-Philippe & Sebastien Siblet.

Kalloni Saltpans and Alykes Wetlands - GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE 1 (this weeks two birds are the first records since 1999), SYKES' WAGTAIL (beema) 1, Great White Egret 10, Little Egret 13, Glossy Ibis 125, Grey Heron 22, Purple Heron 20 (in off sea at dusk), Squacco Heron 1, Ruddy Shelduck 41, Common Shelduck 55, Shoveler 15, Pintail 1 (female), Common Teal 2, Garganey 15, Marsh Harrier 2, Hen Harrier 1, Osprey 1, Peregrine 1, Stone-curlew 1, Black-winged Stilt 30+, Avocet 300+, Ringed Plover 2, Little Ringed Plover 3, Kentish Plover 1, Black-tailed Godwit 17, Eurasian Curlew 2, Ruff 80, Marsh Sandpiper 4, Greenshank 26, Common Redshank 1, Wood Sandpiper 20, Green Sandpiper 1, Curlew Sandpiper 3, Little Stint 15, Common Tern 1, Short-toed Lark 40+, Black-headed Wagtail 6, Blue-headed Wagtail 20, Grey-headed Wagtail 1, Tree Pipit 2, Red-throated Pipit 1, Tawny Pipit 4, Lesser Whitethroat 6, Common Whitethroat 1, Blackcap 1, Woodchat Shrike 1, Spanish Sparrow 1.

Skala Kallonis Pool - SAVI'S WARBLER 1, Purple Heron 1, Sedge Warbler 5, Eurasian Reed Warbler 1.

Metochi Lake - HAWFINCH 30+, Purple Heron 2, Black Stork 1, Garganey 1, Long-legged Buzzard 2, Little Crake 5, Common Kingfisher 1, Sedge Warbler 4, Eurasian Reed Warbler 2, Great Reed Warbler 1, Masked Shrike 1, Reed Bunting 1.

Mesa - Great White Egret 21, Greater Flamingo 36, Common Shelduck 1, Ruddy Shelduck 4, Little Ringed Plover 12 ,Green Sandpiper 1, Wood Sandpiper 4.

Skala Vasilikon - WRYNECK 1, HAWFINCH 1, Great Crested Grebe 1, Orphean Warbler 1, Lesser Whitethroat 3, Common Whitethroat 1, Eurasian Reed Warbler.

Polichnitos Saltpans - Great White Egret 3, Black Stork 1, Common Shelduck 16, Hen Harrier 1, Black-winged Stilt 3, Avocet 6, Little Ringed Plover 15, Ringed Plover 2, Green Sandpiper 1, Little Stint 1.

Nifida - Glossy Ibis 1, Black-winged Stilt 6, Green Sandpiper 3, Wood Sandpiper 5, Cinereous Bunting 1.

Mikri Limni - Black-winged Stilt 6, Green Sandpiper 3, Common Cuckoo 1, Long-tailed Tit 5, Woodchat Shrike 1.

Eresso to Andissa - Cinereous Bunting 2, Sombre Tit, Subalpine Warbler, Hoopoe, Short-toed Eagle 11, Cretzschmar’s Bunting (many) Black-eared Wheatear (many), Hen Harrier 2, Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Andy Stoddart).

Also, I've been informed that Jean-Philippe's and Sebastien's count of 6000+ Little Gulls is a Greek record count!