Crete Birding

                   

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Crete Birding and photography  

Galleries of wildlife photo's from thGreek island of Crete

 

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9th May

A nice sighting today of a 4 cy Steppe Eagle and our first sighting from the house this morning of Cirl Bunting , first heard and then spotted by Sue 

Golden Oriole still provide the closest and best views we have had of this species at Kaliviani. A flock of around 40+ Bee-eater was being closely followed by a Hobby

Our local Common Buzzard are now up and about with 2 young , also several families of Sardinian Warbler and Great Tit . Our Blackbird has been sitting a week now, Greenfinch spotted mating  and the Woodchat Shrike are also courting. Looks good for local young this year

Kaliviani list....

Common Buzzard....Blackbird....Chaffinch....Italian Sparrow....Yellow-legged Gull....Hooded Crow.... Raven Golden Oriole.... Spotted Flycatcher....Stonechat 2 juv.... Woodchat Shrike....Black-eared Wheatear.... Swift... Barn Swallow....Cetti's Warbler.... Alpine Swift... Chukar 2....Cirl Bunting 3....Greenfinch....Hobby 1... Kestrel 1.. Bee-eater 40+....Steppe eagle....Griffon Vulture 6+4... Great Tit.... Sardinian Warbler.... Scops Owl

 

8th May

 No Red-footed Falcon seen along the local beach area , a few seen high up on the slopes onto Gramvousa. a group of around 30 seen at Tavronitis 

Golden Oriole and Bee-eater around in good numbers this year while flycatchers have been few

A nice sighting of a well moulted Spotted Eagle in the afternoon 

Kaliviani list....

Blackbird....Chaffinch....Woodchat Shrike.... Golden Oriole...Bee-eater....Common Buzzard....Honey Buzzard 1.... Crested Lark.... Greenfinch....Red-footed Falcon 4...Yellow-legged gull....Hooded Crow.... Griffon Vulture.... Kestrel ....Goldfinch....Spotted Eagle....Scops Owl

 

 

 

 

7th May

A quiet day after 12 hours on the road birding yesterday..

A White-winged Tern was seen by Nikos at Agyia  

Kaliviani list....

Blackbird....Woodchat Shrike....Swift....Kestrel....Sardinian Warbler.... Bee-eater.... House Martin....Alpine Swift Greenfinch.... Chaffinch....Yellow-legged Gull....Cetti's Warbler....Hooded Crow....Sand Martin....Shag 1.... Common Buzzard 5....Yellow Wagtail.... Linnet....Italian Sparrow.... Black-eared Wheatear.... Crested Lark.... Stonechat juv.... Golden Oriole....Spotted Flycatcher....Collared Dove....Honey Buzzard 5....Red-footed Falcon 4... Marsh Harrier 2.... Blue Rock thrush.... Distant UID Aquila , maybe Golden Eagle 2... Eleonora's Falcon 1.... Goldfinch.....Scops Owl

 

 

 

 

6th May

We took out Alan and Linda from Kalives for the day, no fixed route planned. Before we set of at 0800 to meet up we spotted at Kaliviani ......

Great Tit, Blackbird, Bee-eater 30+, Golden Oriole 3, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Woodchat Shrike, Alpine Swift, House Martin, Barn Swallow, Nightingale (heard), Crested Lark. Arriving home at 830 pm a Nightjar sat in the road and Scops Owl (heard)

 

Our meet at Platanias then took us on to Tavronitis river , Kolymbari coast, then through Deres to Omalos .
Species seen.... Little Egret 3, Grey heron 1, Glossy Ibis 2, Lammergeier 2, Griffon Vulture 15+, UID Aquila 1, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Lesser kestrel, Red-footed Falcon 2, Eleonora's Falcon 1, Wood Sandpiper 4, Common Sandpiper 1, Ruff 3, Yellow-legged Gull, Collared Dove, Turtle Dove 1, Cuckoo (heard) Swift, Alpine Swift, Wryneck, Woodlark, Crag Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Tawny Pipit, White Wagtail, Northern Wheatear, Whinchat, Stonechat, Blackbird, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler, ? Icterine Warbler ? Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Woodchat Shrike, Jay, Chough 2, Hooded Crow, Raven, Golden Oriole 4, Italian Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Cirl Bunting, Corn Bunting.

 

 

 

 

5th May

Common Buzzard and Kestrel moving through this morning. Bee-eaters and Golden Orioles behind the house feeding and calling with a Nightingale joining in another great way to start the day !

Kaliviani list....

Bee-eater groups total 80+....Hooded Crow....Italian Sparrow....Crested Lark....Golden Oriole 7....Nightingale... Cetti's Warbler....Black-eared Wheatear....Common Buzzard 22.... Kestrel 5.... Greenfinch....Chaffinch.... Raven Yellow-legged Gull....Barn Swallow....Swift....Crested Lark....Alpine Swift.... Corn Bunting.... Great Tit....Blackbird....Griffon Vulture 1.... Barn Owl....Scops Owl

 

 

 

 

4th May

Well the rain has stopped hopefully a few more birds around today. Bee-eater all around the house feeding bringing that lovely call through the window early to wake us to another days birding.

A nightjar  called and wing clapped very close to the house at dusk but was not seen  and a Little Owl called from the gully behind us 

Kaliviani list.... Bee-eater 30+....Blackbird....Chaffinch....Hooded Crow.... Great Tit.... Italian Sparrow....       Crested Lark.... Sardinian Warbler.... Yellow-legged Gull....Goldfinch....Greenfinch....Barn Swallow....Hoopoe.... Spotted Flycatcher....Cetti's Warbler....Black-eared Wheatear....Whinchat....Goldfinch.... Nightingale....           Scops Owl... Nightjar .... Little Owl

 

 

 

 

3rd May

More heavy rain today , late afternoon at 6pm it was more like monsoon country ! still it will do the olive trees and plants good , the ground is so dry it looks more like the end of August. We did manage a few species today 9 in all

Chaffinch....Blackbird....Bee-eater 30+....Barn Swallow....Hooded crow...Yellow-legged Gull....Sardinian Warbler Greenfinch....Woodchat Shrike.

 

 

 

  

2nd May

The first real rain for months , at 0500 this morning a steady rain for a short while, at 6pm it was tipping it down. Not good for the tourists but for us birders it's great it may have brought a fall of small birds into the island.

Kaliviani list...

Blackbird....Chaffinch....Woodchat Shrike....Greenfinch....Sardinian Warbler....Yellow-legged Gull....Shag 2.... White Wagtail....Yellow Wagtail....Lesser Kestrel 1....Common Sandpiper 1....Little Ringed Plover ....Raven 6.... Italian Sparrow....Hooded Crow.... Common Buzzard 2.... Eleonora's Falcon 2.... Cetti's Warbler.... Crested Lark... Griffon Vulture 4....Marsh Harrier 1.... Spotted Flycatcher 2.....Black-eared Wheatear 3.... Golden Oriole 1.... Collared Dove....Alpine Swift...Barn Swallow....Great Tit....Kestrel 2.... Bee-eater 60+.

 

 

 

 

1st May 2016

Happy Easter from Greece Και Καλο Μινα  ! We still await an identification for last months Pied or Cyprus Wheatear. Will post when we know.

Some good birds  seen at our place we think we will name the house "Balcony Birding" as it disrupts our day so much we never seem to get anything done !

Kaliviani list....

Swift....Alpine Swift....Barn Swallow.... Blackbird....Chaffinch.... Hooded crow....Crested Lark....Cetti's Warbler.... Great Tit....House Martin....Sand Martin....Honey Buzzard 4... Booted Eagle 4 pale morph....Eleonora's Falcon 5... ? female Hen Harrier.... Red-rumped Swallow.... Griffon Vulture....Hobby 2.... Greenfinch....Bee-eater.... Kestrel.. Spotted Flycatcher....Pied Flycatcher....Woodchat Shrike....Black-eared Wheatear.... Yellow Wagtail....Whinchat.. Common Buzzard 6.... Yellow-legged Gull.... Raven.... Sardinian Warbler.... Italian Sparrow.... Marsh Harrier 1.... Collared Dove....Blue Rock Thrush .... Goldfinch....Little Ringed Plover.