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!

2 May - Calandra Lark and Great Snipe

Calandra Lark, Alykes Weltands, 2 May 2013 
(Melanocorypha calandra) (Κοινή) Γαλιάντρα © Bob Buckler

A much better day with significantly more birds arriving including star bird, Calandra Lark (11th record for Lesvos), seen by quite a few this evening. Lots of waders and terns at Kalloni Saltpans plus a large arrival of Red-backed Shrikes and other passerines out west including two Red-breasted Flycatchers. Also a Great Snipe (unfortunately flushed by a photographer) and Booted Eagle, Griffon Vulture and Black Kite all seen out west.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

One male seen 06.30 briefly and again 07.25 - 07.35. No news for rest of day.

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 Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

CALANDRA LARK 1 - 17.30 - 18.30 in sheep fields of Alykes Wetlands east of race track

Rufous Bush-robin 2 in beach tamarisks (view from shoreline, please don't walk through bushes)

White-winged Tern 47

Whiskered Tern 32

Sandwich Tern 2

Gull-billed Tern 5

Little Gull1 

Spoonbill 1

Glossy Ibis 2

Quail 1

Ruddy Shelduck 2

Red-throated Pipit 23

Tawny Pipit 2

Short-toed Lark 5

Collared Pratincole 2

Ruff 520

Temminck's Stint 3

Black-tailed Godwit 13

Curlew Sandpiper 21

Grey Plover 4

Spotted Redshank 2

Turnstone 1

Mallard 1

Common Starling 1

Sigri & Faneromeni area

GREAT SNIPE 1 lower ford (unfortunately flushed by a photographer so many people failed to see it)

Black Kite 2

Spotted Crake 1 (lower ford)

Wryneck 1

Citrine Wagtail 1

Roller 1

Red-backed Shrike 70+

Lesser Grey Shrike 4

Masked Shrike 1

Temminck's Stint 2

Wood Warbler 1

Bee-eater 5

Eleanora's Falcon 1

Nightjar 1 - same roosting branch for third day

Mt Ordimnos

GRIFFON VULTURE 1

Apothika

Booted Eagle 1

Meladia Valley

Red-breasted Flycatcher 2 (fem + 2CY male)

Ortolan Bunting 4

Roller 1

Purple Heron 1

Collared Flycatcher 1

Red-backed Shrike 30+

Spotted Flycatcher 40+

Ruddy Shelduck 1

Sigri Old Sanotroium

Great Spotted Cuckoo 1

Lesser Grey Shrike 3

Golden Oriole 2

Common Redstart 1

North Coast Track

Great Spotted Cuckoo 2

Molivos castle

Great Spotted Cuckoo 2

Collared Flycatcher 1

Ipsilou

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Red-footed Falcon 4

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 2

Wood Warbler 1

Golden Oriole 2

Napi Valley

Honey-buzzard 1

Hawfinch 1 (Mavria)

Red-footed Falcon 1 (Mavria)

Metochi Lake

Night-heron 11

Little Crake 2

Little Bittern 9

Nr Skamioudi

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Konditsia Valley

Bee-eater 36 (20 over, 18 

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Track very poor in places - drive down with care!

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!

30 April - Corncrake (RIP) and Baillon Crake

A Corncrake found dead on the road at Faneromeni (only the 20th island record) and a Baillon's Crake at Meotchi Lake. The Griffon Vulture continues to be seen and another potential island first was Syke's Wagtail at Faneromeni. Two more Black Kites continues a very good spring for this species. Oh, and at least one of the male White-throated Robins was seen in the evening.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

One male seen this evening briefly at 18.30 and well at 19.45 

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.

Petrified Forest (cont)

Golden Oriole 3

Collared Flycatcher 1

Skala Kallonis

No sign of either sand plover or divers reported yesterday.

Sigri & Faneromeni area

SYKE'S WAGTAIL (beema) 'several' reported (no previous accepted records)

CORNCRAKE 1 fund freshly dead on road

GRIFFON VULTURE 1

Semicollared Flycatcher 1

Wryneck 1

Citrine Wagtail 1

Roller 2

Bee-eater 5

Barred Warbler 1

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Eleanora's Falcon 1

Nightjar 1

Metochi Lake

Baillon's Crake 1

Night-heron 20

Little Crake 3

Golden Oriole 1

Perasma Reservoir

Great Spotted Cuckoo ad + 2CY

Marsh Warbler 3

Mt Ordimnos

Black Kite 2

Nr Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint

Tawny Owl 1

Makara

Roller 2

Temminck's Stint 3

Chukar 7 (inc. some suspiciously captive origin birds!)

Alpine Swift 60+ around Garbias Is and coming to drink from the beach pool (fantastic views).

Mt Ordimnos

Black Kite 2

Agriosikos (Filia mast area)

Levant Sparrowhawk 2

Christou (Kameras) River

Spoonbill 3 over

Achalderi

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

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Rufous Bush-robin 2 in bech tamarisks (view from shoreline, please don't walk through bushes)

Collared Pratincole 3

White-winged Tern 3

Glossy Ibis 2

Purple Heron 3

Quial 2

Ruddy Shelduck 2

Nr Skamioudi

Olive-tree Warbler 1

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!

29 April - White-throated Robin performs again!

The White-throated Robin performed well this evening much to the delight of many. Two potential firsts for the island reported today - a sandplover species and Red-throated Diver. Another Booted Eagle, the wandering Griffon and an arrival of bush-robins complete what was otherwise a hard, hot day. Day time temperatures now daily in high 20Cs and already 30C recorded. Water levels dropping very quickly with the Alykes Wetlands now holding very little water and virtually not birds!

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

One male seen well this morning c.07.30 - 08.00. No sign of any birds throughout day, but one male again 18.00 onwards. 

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.

Petrified Forest (cont)

GRIFFON VULTURE 1

Montagu's Harrier r/t

Ortolan Bunting 1

Skala Kallonis

Sandplover sp - adult reported on beach 100m east of harbour side tavernas and cafes. Flew on to marsh between Environmental Centre and Tsiknias River. No previous accepted records of any sand plover species on Lesvos.

Red-throated Diver 2 reported off Christou River mouth. No previous accepted records.

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint

Booted Eagle 1

Levant Sparrowhawk 1

Ipsilou

Levant Sparrowhawk 2

Red-footed Falcon 7

Golden Oriole 3

Sigri & Faneromeni area

Semicollared Flycatcher 1 (lower ford)

Thrush Nightingale (upper ford)

Honey-buzzard 2

Collared Flycatcher 12

Pied Flycatcher 4

Lesser Grey Shrike 1

Red-backed Shrike 10

Woodchat Shrike 8

Little Bittern 1

Night-heron 1

Yelkouan Shearwater 300+

Tavari

Roller 1

Konditsia Valley

Bee-eater 12

Scopoli's Shearwater 30+

Makara

Bee-eater 6

Temminck's Stint 3

Golden Oriole several

Mt Ordimnos

Montagu's Harrier ad fem

Bee-eater 2

Lardia

Levant Sparrowhawk 1

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 2

Achalderi

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

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Rufous Bush-robin 2 in bech tamarisks (view from shoreline, please don't walk through bushes)

Collared Pratincole 5

Red-footed Falcon 2

Garganey 1

Curlew Sandpiper

Eurasian Curlew 3

Oystercatcher 1

Tsiknias River

Squacco Heron 2

Metochi Lake

Squacco Heron 35

Night-heron 23

Little Crake 5

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Bee-eater 6

Papiana

Scops Owl 

Long-eared Owl  nest with 3 young (same site as 2012) - adult not seen today.

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl - several. Please do not harass the birds!

28 April - Common Rock-thrush and Great Spotted Cuckoos

Female Common Rock-thrush, Ipsilou, 28 April 2013 
(Monticola saxatilis) Πυροκότσυφας © Steve Dudley

A female Common Rock-Thrush was the star find today at Ipsilou. White-throated Robins were seen first thing then not again until late evening. Five Great Spotted Cuckoos is possibly an island record count. Raptors included the wandering Griffon Vulture, single Lesser Spotted Eagle, Black Kite and Levant Sparrowhawk. Migrant passerines few and far between.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

Two males this morning c.06.30 - 07.30. No sign of any birds throughout day, but one male again 18.30. 

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

COMMON ROCK-THRUSH female
Black Kite 1

Kavaki

LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE 1
Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint

GRIFFON VULTURE 1
Levant Sparrowhawk 1
Eleanora's Falcon 1

Faneromeni

Great Spotted Cuckoo ad & 2CY (western fields)
Wryneck 1 (lower ford)
Roller 2 (1 main track and 1 western fields)
Red-throated Pipit 5 (cut hay field on beach road)
Lesser Grey Shrike 2
Golden Oriole 1
Collared Flycatcher 1

Achalderi

Great Spotted Cuckoo 2
Roller 1

Perasma

Great Spotted Cuckoo 1

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Spur-winged Plover 2
Purple Heron 12
Collard Pratincole 2
Gull-billed Tern 1

Tsiknias River

Temminck's Stint 3

Petri

Black Kite 1

Metochi Lake

Night-heron 8
Little Crake 1

Petrifies Forest

Barred Warbler

Papiana

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

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl - several. Please do not harass the birds!

27 April - White-throated Robin breeding!

White-throated Robin, Petrified Forest, April 2013 

(Irania gutturalis) Λευκόλαιμο Αηδόνι 

© Steve Dudley

South westerly winds saw a small movement of raptors in the morning, but high afternoon temperatures (29C) soon curtailed most bird activity until the evening.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

Two males showed on and off throughout the morning from the road overlooking the square concrete building. 

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.

SEMICOLLARED FLYCATCHER female

Lesser Kestrel 52 over

Black-headed Bunting - several

Collared Flycatcher male

Golden Oriole male

Red-backed Shrike 2

Between Antissa and Ipsilou

Black Kite 4

Levant Sparrowhawk 3

Red-footed Falcon 14

Eleanora's Falcon 3

Ipsilou

GRIFFON VULTURE 1

Black Kite 2

Red-footed Falcon 4

Red-breasted Flycatcher male

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Gull-billed Tern 3

Purple Heron 3

Squacco Heron 5

Glossy Ibis 5

Marsh Sandpiper 1

Common Ringed Plover 3

Red-throated Pipit 5

Black-headed Bunting 10

Tsiknias River

Mediterranean Gull 9

Squacco Heron 6

Black-headed Bunting several

Potamia River

Purple Heron 2

Squacco Heron 1

Platania 

Golden Oriole 2

Metochi Lake

Night-heron 9

Little Bittern 7

Little Crake 5

Squacco Heron 3

Great Reed Warbler 2

Golden Oriole 2

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana

Scops Owl 

Long-eared Owl adult at nest with 3 young (same site as 2012)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl - several. Please do not harass the birds!

26 April - Rollers galore!

No news on the White-throated Robins today but a day of Rollers! The Griffon Vulture toured the west again and was enjoyed by many.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

No news today but late news from yesterday, one bird seen late evening.

Faneromeni & SIgri area

SEMICOLLARED FLYCATCHER 2 males

SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1

GRIFFON VULTURE 1 (also seen Lardia Valley & Ipsilou)

Eleanora's Falcon 1

Pallid Harrier 2CY

Montagu's Harrier 2CY

Roller 15 - inc. flock of 12

Purple Heron 15

Glossy Ibis 5

Lesser Grey Shrike 4

Golden Oriole 

Spotted Redshank 1

Black-headed Buntings

Ipsilou

GRIFFON VULTURE 1 (also seen Lardia Valley & Sigri)

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler

Lardia Valley

GRIFFON VULTURE 1 (also seen Ipsilou and Sigri)

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Pallid Harrier 2CY

Quail 2

Red-footed Falcon 2

Whiskered Tern 3

Glossy Ibis 33

Red-throated Pipit 32

Black-headed Buntings

Zitting Cisticola 

Oystercatcher 1

Great Crested Grebe 2

Tsiknias River

Little Bittern 6

White-winged Black Tern 4

Black-headed Buntings

Meladia Valley

Roller 4

Ortolan Bunting 2

Black-headed Buntings

Napi Valley

Roller 3

Polichnitos Saltpans

Roller 2

Marsh Sandpiper 1

Red-footed Falcon 1

Black-headed Bunting

Meldia Valley

Black-headed Bunting 2

Roller 1

Night-heron 3

Sigri Old Sanotorium

Wood Warbler 1

Metochi Lake

Little Bittern 4

Little Crake 4

Mesa

Garganey 3

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana

Scops Owl 

Long-eared Owl adult at nest with 3 young (same site as 2012)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl - several. Please do not harass the birds!

23 April - WTR, Baillon's Crakes and Spur-winged Plovers

Scops Owl, Papiana, 23 April 2013 

(Otus scops) Γκιώνης 

Taken with iPhone with my new homemade adaptor.

© Steve Dudley

The White-throated Robin and Griffon Vulture remain out west. Three Baillon's Crakes were found today, along with two Spur-winged Plovers and a Black Kite. A count of 140 Spotted Redshank is amazing!

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

Male again at the Petrified Forest Park showed on and off throughout the day.

The park is open but I would suggest you view from the road. This will avoid disturbing the bird by going in to the park.

I received a number of complaints today about birders and photographers pushing the bird around in the park. Nothing I can do only ask everyone to please view from outside the park and do not harass the bird. Thanks.

Park at the end of road by centre as normal. Walk back up the road and at c.200m look right in to park and for square concrete building with some tall, thin cyprus firs by it. The robin was feeding on the ground below these firs and bushes either side and further to the right around the bushes by the covered seating (bandstand).

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Eleanora's Falcon 1

Ipsilou

GRIFFON VULTURE 1 (also seen Petrified Forest & Faneromeni)

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 3

Collared Flycatcher 2

Christou River

Lesser Grey Shrike

Zitting Cisticola

Faneromeni & Sigri

Citrine Wagtail male lower ford

Black Kite 1

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1

Red-footed Falcon 2

Collared Pratincole 1

Lesser Grey Shrike

Black Redstart

Collared Flycatcher 5

Grey Plover 1

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Baillon's Crake 2 in ditch c. 200m north of pump house corner

Pallid Harrier 2CY x2

Montagu's Harrier female

Hen Harrier female

Spoonbill 3

Citrine Wagtail 1 (east track)

Gull-billed Tern 8 (east track)

Slender-billed Gull 3

Whiskered Tern 42

White-winged Black Tern 9

Zitting Cisticola 9

Red-footed Falcon 3

Spotted Redshank 140

Black-tailed Godwit

Temminck's Stint 2

Northern Lapwing 1

Mallard 1

Shoveler 2

Black-headed Gull 1

Greater Flamingo 160

Tawny Pipit 6

Metochi Lake

Baillon's Crake 1 at north end

Little Crake 4

Night-heron 12

Purple Heron 2

Squacco Heron 1

Eleanora's Falcon 1

Kalami Marsh

Purple Heron 3

Great White Egret 2

Mallard 2 males

Polichnitos Saltpans

Spur-winged Plover 2

Roller 1

Black Tern 1

White-wing Black Tern 1

Lardia Valley

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 3+ at eastern lay-bys 

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana

Scops Owl 1

Long-eared Owl 1 adult on nest (same site as 2012)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl - several. Please do not harass the birds!

22 April 2013 - Eagles, Rock-thrush and that robin!

The White-throated Robin remains at the Petrified Forest. Two Choughs were reported from Ipsilou and a male Common Rock-thrush was found in Meladia Valley. Also what is presumed to be the same Griffon Vulture from Saturday was again seen in the west and two Lesser Spotted Eagles and a single Booted Eagle all seen today.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

Male again at the Petrified Forest Park showed throughout the morning and early afternoon then again periodically from 1800 onwards.

The park is open but i would suggest you view from the road. This will avoid disturbing the bird by going in to the park.

Park at the end of road by centre as normal. Walk back up the road and at c.200m look right in to park and for square concrete building with some tall, thin cyprus firs by it. The robin was feeding on the ground below these firs and bushes either side and further to the right around the bushes by the covered seating (bandstand).

Eleanora's Falcon 1

Ipsilou

CHOUGH 2 birds reported (only two previous records)

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 3

Collared Flycatcher 2

Meladia valley

COMMON ROCK-THRUSH male between ford and Sigri

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 3

Wood Warbler 1

Faneromeni & Sigri

SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER male at upper ford

GRIFFON VULTURE 1 near Sigri at c.17.30

Lesser Spotted Eagle 1

Levant Sparrowhawk male

Lanner adult

Pallid Harrier 2CY female

Montagu's Harrier female

Collared Pratincole 1

Citrine Wagtail male at the inlet nr Sigri

Roller at upper ford

Collared Flycacther 4+

Pied Flycatcher 2

Purple Heron 1

Red-backed Shrike 6+

Wood Warbler 1

Sigri to Faneromeni relatively quiet passerines wise

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Pallid Harrier 2CY birds

Montagu's Harrier female

Hen Harrier female

Spoonbill 3

Citrine Wagtail 1 (east track)

Gull-billed Tern 56 (east track)

Collared Pratincole 70+

Glossy Ibis 100+

Zitting Cisticola

Gadwall 3

Red-throated Pipit 2

Red-fotted Falcon 9+ 

Metochi Lake

Booted Eagle 1

Lesser Spotted Eagle 1

Little Crake 6

Lardia Valley

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 3+ at eastern lay-bys 

Anaxos

Citrine Wagtail 1 on seafront

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana

Scops Owl 2+

Long-eared Owl 1 adult on nest (same site as 2012)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl - several. Please do not harass the birds!

21 April 2013 - White-throated Robin (still) and more migrants arriving

Record shot of male White-throated Robin, Petrified Forest, 21 April 2013 

(Irania gutturalis) Λευκόλαιμο Αηδόνι 

© Steve Dudley

White-throated Robin still at the Petrified Forest and certainly more shrikes, flycatchers, etc. and herons today.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

Male again at the Petrified Forest Park at 12.30pm (very briefly) and then seen very well from 5.30pm today.

The park is closed tomorrow but the bird was viewable fro the main road this evening.

Park at the end of road by centre as normal. Walk back up the road and at c.200m look right in to park and for square concrete building with some tall, thin cyprus firs by it. The robin was feeding on the ground below these firs and bushes either side.

Wryneck 1

Eleanora's Falcon 1

Tawny Pipit 1

Chukar - several

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Slender-billed Gull 3

Pallid Harrier 2CY female

Montagu's Harrier female

Spoonbill 2

Citrine Wagtail 1

Glossy Ibis 80+

Collared Pratincole 15+

Black-tailed Godwit 13

Green Sandpiper 1

Common Ringed Plover 6

Common Snipe 1

Olivaceous Warbler 

Zitting Cisticola 

Faneromeni

Citrine Wagtail m & f - upper ford

Roller - lower ford

Night-heron 1

Collared Flycacther 4+

Pied Flycatcher 2

Sanderling 3 at inlet nr Sigri

Lardia Valley

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 2 at first /main east end lay-by 

Metochi Lake

Night-heron 9

Tsiknias River

Pallid Swift 10

Little Crake 1

Little Bittern 1

Purple Heron 1

Night-heron 2

Skala Kallonis Pool

River Warbler between pool and Imerti Hotel

Little Bittern male 'barking' in evening

Purple Heron 9 over

Gull-billed Tern 33 over

Red-footed Falcon 5 over

Ipsilou

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 3

Wood Warbler 2

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Audouin's Gull 1

North Coast Track

Pallid Harrier 2CY

Hen Harrier fem

Perasma Reservoir

Eleanora's Falcon 1

Christou River

Pallid Harrier 2CY

Makara

Alpine Swift 50+

Great Reed Warbler 

Short-toed Lark

Glossy Ibis 2

Mesa Wetlands

Squacco Heron 2

Purple Heron 1

Glossy Ibis 2

Papiana

Scops Owl 4+

Long-eared Owl 1 adult on nest (same site as 2012)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl - several. Please do not harass the birds!