12 May 2012

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Kalloni Saltpans © Steve Dudley

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater! What a stunner. Seen by quite a few birds. Fewer things reported as many British birders left today (best part of two planes) and far fewer birders arriving for this week.

Weather - Bright with scatter cloud and afternoon showers. Light NE breeze. 28C. 

Day trips - see here.

Don't drive down the rivers - see here.

Petrol/Deisel - see here.

Other news - see here.

BIRD NEWS

Achladeri & Kruper's Nuthatch

The young have fledged! Good luck finding the family in coming days. There are two other pairs in this area for you to find too!

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER - a single bird with Bee-eaters at the pumping station in SW corner of pans 1730-1910h. All the bee-eaters went to roost between the pans and Tsiknias River and I suggest looking around the pumping station and the area to the NW of here tomorrow

Gull-billed Tern 17

White-winged Tern 16

Whiskered Tern 2

Ruddy Shelduck 4

Squacco Heron 1

Great White Egret 2

Little Egret 17

Grey Heron 5

Temminck's Stint 1

White Stork 1

Black Stork 2

Greenshank 1

Ruff 110+

Little Stint 65+

Ringed Plover 13

Tsiknias River

Spotted Crake 1 just north of upper ford where single wire crosses river viewed from west side

Little Bittern 2

Red-throated Pipit 1

Quail 1 (seen!)

Bee-eater 20+

Short-toed Lark

Christou River

Marsh Sandpiper 1

Skala Kallonis

Mediterranean Gull 2 adults in harbour

Little Bittern 1 on pool

Whiskered Tern 1 on pool

Platania

Red-footed Falcon 1

Kavaki

Marsh Warbler 1

Ruppell's Warbler, etc

Skala Eresou

Night-heron 1

Sigri / Faneromeni

SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1 near irrigation wheels before the beach road turn

Lesser Grey Shrike 1

Meladia Valley

Lesser Grey Shrike 1

Lesser Kestrel

Papiana

Scops Owl 2 - in same eucalyptus tree by black gates on other side of road from the school (up towards the green and blue waste bins). look for the cut off trunk in the middle of the tree- one bird immediately below the cur off trunk when viewed from the black gates and another bird above when viewed from other side of road

Long-eared Owl - adult by nest with 2 chicks in largest eucalyptus tree by field with the black horse (on school side of road)
Eleonora's Falcon 2 over

NOTE - this is a residential area. Please park with care, respect the privacy of local residents and beware traffic on the road - one birders was knocked over here last week!

8 May 2010 - Eleonora's Falcons return

Kalloni Saltpans flood - BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER 1 on and off in morning but no sign late evening, Whiskered Tern 2, Collared Pratincole 1, Little Stint 70+, Ringed Plover 11, Bee-eater 10+, Rufous Bush Robin 2 in field between SW compound and hide showing very well late afternoon/evening inc. dislaying and collecting nest material.

Metochi Lake - Spotted Crake 1, Little Crake 4, Little Bittern 3, Red-footed Falcon 1.

Ipsilou - Eleonora's Falcon 6, Golden Oriole plus usual Cinereous Bunting, Isabelline Wheatear, etc.

Parakila Marsh - Eleonora's Falcon 1, Curlew Sandpiper 1.

Kavaki - Eleonora' Falcon 2. Ruppell's Warbler showing well in afternoon.

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint - Ortolan Bunting 1, Eleonora's Falcon 1+, Short-toed Eagle 3+, Long-legged Buzzard.

Skala Kallonis - Levant Sparrowhawk 1.

North Coast - Barred Warbler 1 (no further details).

Faneromeni - Honey-buzzard 2, Sardinian Warbler 2, Rufous Bush Robin 1, Night-heron 2, Little Bittern 4.

Kalami Marsh - Whiskered Tern 1, Squacco Heron 2, Little Egret 9.

Mesa - Ruddy Shelduck 18, Great White Egret 7, Little Egret 35, Black Stork 1.

Platania - Olive-tree Warbler 2+ showing well at cattle grid site.

Achladeri - Kruper's Nuthatch 2prs active, one pr in tree stump beyond white building and one par above the fork/ford; Short-toed Treecreeper, Masked Shrike nest just beyond first nuthatch site and birds showing well.

Molivos - Bee-eater 50+ - other flocks of 40-50 seen across north of the island today.