Crete Birding

                                     BLOG MARCH 2014


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31st March

Weather....0900...15.9C...Sea,calm...Vis 20 Miles..Cloud, 5%..Wind ENE 1 m/s. 1012mb.

Kaliviani list....Sardinian Warbler....Chaffinch....Hooded Crow...Yellow-legged Gull Common Buzzard...Blackbird....Marsh Harrier....Sparrowhawk....Great Tit.... Kestrel....Blackcap....Barn Swallow....House Martin....Sand Martin.

 

 

 

 

30th March

Weather....0900...16.3C...Sea,rough...Vis 15 Miles..Cloud, 50%..Wind NE 3-8 m/s. 1016mb.

Birds of the day...Lesser Kestrel , three birds around the house, a nice Steppe Buzzard, passed close by along with a Marsh Harrier.

Kaliviani list....Swift....Common Buzzard....Steppe Buzzard....Marsh Harrier.... Lesser Kestrel....Kestrel....Chaffinch....Hooded Crow...Blackbird....Cetti's Warbler Raven....Griffon Vulture....Greenfinch....Great Tit....Blue Tit

                                          Lesser Kestrel....Falco naumanni

                        

                       

                       

                       

                                 Steppe Buzzard....Buteo buteo ssp vulpinus

                      

                                       Common Buzzard....Buteo buteo

                     

                                        Griffon vulture....Gyps fulvus

                      

                                          Marsh Harrier....Circus aeruginosus

                      

 

 

 

 

 

29th March

Today we took Tom and Sue from Minnesota, USA for a days birding. 

We visited the north coast from Kolimbari to Tavronitis, Agyia lake, Imbros and Aredaina Gorges. 

No photos today,instead a totally enjoyable day just watching the birds in the company of two equally enthusiastic birders.

We had a count of 61 species.... 
Raven ....Yellow-legged Gull... Swift... Rock Dove....Little Grebe....Cormorant.... Mallard.... Wood Pigeon.... Collared Dove.... White Wagtail....Kestrel....  
Wryneck... Meadow Pipit....Common Buzzard....Crested Lark.... Coot....     Common Sandpiper.... Yellow Wagtail....Northern Wheatear....Moorhen...       Water Rail.... Wren... Kingfisher.... Night Heron....Chough....Great Tit....Ruff.... Stonechat.... Serin....Garganey....Little Egret....Black-eared Wheatear.... Greenfinch.... Italian Sparrow....Blackbird....Blue Tit....Woodchat Shrike.... Starling Hooded Crow....Chaffinch....Goldfinch....Sand Martin....Crag Martin....                 Barn Swallow....Red-rumped Swallow...Alpine Swift.... Blackcap...Blue Rock Thrush Reed Warbler...Sedge Warbler...Cetti's Warbler.... Sardinian Warbler....             Wood Sandpiper....Little Crake.... Little Ringed Plover Marsh Harrier....         Bonelli's Eagle....Mute Swan.... Shoveler....Tufted Duck... Griffon Vulture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

28th March

Weather....0900...20.4C...Sea,calm....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 70%..Wind NW 1m/s. 1011mb.

Kaliviani list....Barn Swallow....Hooded Crow....Chaffinch....Cetti's Warbler.... Kestrel....Crested Lark....Quail (heard)...Greenfinch....Goldfinch....Raven.... Common Buzzard....Griffon Vulture ....Collared Dove

 

 

 

 

27th March

Weather...0900...24.5C...Sea,choppy....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 40%..Wind SSE 7-15 m/s....  1010mb. Wind later eased and veered NE. Sunny

Bird of the day, Golden Eagle and a Quail heard . The quail woke us a 0600 just outside the house and six h ours later the golden eagle was spotted after hearing a row from the buzzards again. This is the nearest and lowest we have had a Golden Eagle, just above the roof of the church 70 metres away. It stayed circling for 4 minutes until it had enough of the buzzards, it drifted right over the house then off towards Falasarna. We had work to do on the house today, so no great spieces list 

Kaliviani list....Quail....Blackbird...Chaffinch....Hooded Crow...Cetti's Warbler.... Common Buzzard.... Golden Eagle....Sparrowhawk....Kestrel....Great Tit.... Blackcap....Sardinian Warbler....Yellow-legged Gull...

                                            Golden Eagle....Aquila chrysaetos 

                      

                      

                     

                     

                     

                               

 

 

 

 

26th March

Weather....0900...19.8C...Sea,calm....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 5%..Wind S 3 m/s. 1012mb.

Birds of the day, the return of the Whitethroat ,  we also heard when out in the afternoon, Bee-eater although we could hear them we could not locate them.

Kaliviani list....Barn Swallow....Chaffinch....Whitethroat....Sparrowhawk.... Raven.... Hooded Crow....Great Tit....Common Buzzard ....Kestrel....Tree Pipit.... Yellow-legged Gull....Cetti's warbler....Blackbird....Blackcap.

It was such a nice day that we decided on the spur of the moment to have lunch out , so packing a few tasty goodies we set off along the north coast heading east towards Tavronitis.

Starting on our local beach we first found Yellow Wagtail, (several races can be found here during spring migration). Yellow-legged Gull.... Little Ringed Plover.... Chaffinch....Corn Bunting....Common Buzzard....Greenfinch.....Serin.... Moorhen.... Wood Sandpiper....Northern Wheatear....Tawny Pipit....Starling.... Cetti's Warbler.. Woodchat Shrike....Stonechat....Subalpine Warbler....House Sparrow....Blackbird.. Italian Sparrow....Bee-eater....Hoopoe....Blackcap....great tit....Sardinian Warbler  We also saw and heard several Peafowl near to Kolimbari they were spread over quite an area, maybe 6 birds !!! we have seen before  but usually captive, it took us back to our tour of India in 2007 !

                                      Common Buzzard....Buteo buteo

                     

                                     Green Sandpiper....Tringa ochropus

                     

                                          Hooded Crow....Corvus cornix

                     

                                            Kestrel....Falco tinnunculus

                       

                     

                      

                                   Little Ringed Plover....Charadrius dubius

                     

                                      Meadow Pipit ....Anthus pratensis

                     

                                                 Peafowl...Pavo cristaus

                     

                                Sardinian Warbler...Sylvia melanocephala

                    

                                        Sparrowhawk...Accipiter nisus

                    

                   

                    

                                             Starling....Sturnus vulgaris

                    

                                    Yellow-legged Gull....Larus michahellis

                    

                    

                                     Yellow Wagtail...Motacilla flava

                    

                   

 

 

 

 

25th March

Weather....0900...20.1C...Sea,calm....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 70%..                       Wind W 3-10 m/s.... 1010mb.

Todays highlight.... Unfortunately no photos ! Panos had just arrived at the house as a couple of Common Buzzard were chasing a couple of Raven. We imagine the raven had stolen their lunch, a medium sized rabbit, well the back end of one ! less head and front legs,  was dropped metres away from us by a raven when they suddenly flew crazily chasing squabbling up the side of the house and saw us.        They all went in different directions  and we retrieved the unfortunate rabbit and put it in open space behind the house where it lay for some time. A buzzard was spotted later nearby and the rabbit had gone, we hope one of the buzzard managed to get its meal. Panos tried to get the action but they were right into the sun. An experience to see the natural struggles that wildlife has to overcome for a change, instead of the usual man made ones they have to now suffer.

Kaliviani list....Chaffinch....Hooded Crow....Marsh Harrier m....Shag.... Raven... Yellow-legged Gull.... Sparrowhawk....Italian Sparrow....Cetti's Warbler...Blackbird Common Buzzard....Subalpine Warbler....Griffon Vulture....Barn Swallow.

 

 

    

24th March

Weather....0900...16.6C...Sea,calm....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 100%.. Wind W 2-10m/s. 1012mb. cloud am sunny pm .

Birds of the Day ....A nice male merlin flew low through the olive grove We have our first spring Woodchat Shrike arriving locally. Four Shag appear in the bay  and three species of Wheatear, Isabelline, northern and Black-eared. A Hen Harrier departed north through the middle of the bay doing an extra 7 km over the sea..

There are two short video clips on the Facebook page of, Isabelline and a black throated Black-eared Wheatear 

Kaliviani list 32 species....Cetti's Warbler....Blackcap....Chaffinch....Hooded Crow....Blackbird  Sardinian Warbler....Collared Dove....Subalpine Warbler....Tree Pipit... Raven.... Crested Lark....Yellow-legged Gull....Barn Swallow.... Kestrel....Sparrowhawk.... Merlin.... Hoopoe ....Rock Dove....Great Tit....Black Redstart.... Stonechat.... Northern Wheatear....Common Buzzard....Serin....Italian Sparrow.... Robin....   Hen Harrier....Woodchat Shrike....Shag....Black-eared Wheatear.... Greenfinch.... Little Ringed Plover.

                                          Common Buzzard....Buteo buteo

                      

                      

                     

                               Black-eared Wheatear...Oenanthe hispanica

                     

                               Isabelline Wheatear...Oenanthe isabellina

                     

                                                 Hoopoe....Upupa epops 

                     

 

 

 

 

23rd March

Weather....0900...18.6C...Sea,calm....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 60%..Wind 0 m/s. 1015mb. sunny intervals later wind from NW 4m/s and clear skies.

Birds of the day... A nice male Ruppell's Warbler showed briefly in nearby trees, it did not stop around heading to the hills behind the house where we have had sightings before. Later a nice eastern Imperial Eagle was seen flying NW later it flew right over our heads heading SE as we worked in the olive grove, later images show the bird to have two green rings fitted, research and help from Alena in Bulgaria shows that this is most probably one of their birds, there are no good images of the number so we cannot be sure which bird. A nice sighting and our first raptor ringed "recovery"                                                                                           Also the first honey Buzzard sighting as one mixed with Common Buzzard, Steppe Buzzard and Sparrowhawks, plus a single pale morph Booted Eagle and Hen Harrier (ringtail).                                                                                                                   We do not think much left the island today most birds returned and were seen several times toing and froing

With the wind in the NW we hoped for some good numbers today, species we good numbers low though.

Kaliviani list....Yellow-legged Gull....Sardinian Warbler.... Crested Lark.... Kestrel.. Hooded Crow.... Ruppell's Warbler....Blackbird....Stonechat....Blackcap.... Chiffchaff...Great Tit....Italian Sparrow.... Cetti's Warbler.... Cormorant .... Sparrowhawk 3....Common Buzzard 5+1 local bird....Steppe Buzzard 2...Woodlark Honey Buzzard 1.... Griffon Vulture 3....Tree Pipit...Booted Eagle....Hen Harrier... Subalpine Warbler.

                                      Eastern Imperial Eagle....Aquila heliaca

                      

                      

                                                  Showing the green rings 

                     

                                               Kestrel....Falco tinnunculus

                     

                                           Griffon Vulture...Gyps fulvus

                   

                                             Hen Harrier....Circus cyaneus

                       

                                          Booted Eagle....Aquila pennata

                       

                                      Crown Daisy with Red Admiral butterfly

                      

                                               Egyptian Grasshoppers mating 

                      

 

 

 

22nd March

Weather....0900...17.6C...Sea,calm with slight swell....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 1%.. Wind NE 1m/s. 1019mb. sunny.

A raptor day today.  A single Eastern Imperial Eagle, 20 + Sparrowhawks all spiralling high over the highest range on Gramvousa to high to say if they would have been levants ! 2 pale morph Booted Eagle, a group of Kestrel or Lesser Kestrel 15 birds again too high to know which but 3 definate Kestrel on the lower slopes. A Goshawk was a nice find . 35+ Common Buzzard in several groups and 6 Griffon Vultures.  Apart from the griffons all the other very high raptors were migrating and moving quite fast on the NE wind. Later an adult Bonelli's Eagle was seen off by a couple of Raven.

Close views this morning of several Subalpine Warblers and our first sightings of Hoopoe 2 flying near the road and later a couple more in adjacent olive grove.

Late afternoon a single male Marsh harrier came into roost

Kaliviani list...Chaffinch....Hooded Crow....Blackcap....Blackbird....Great Tit....Kestrel... Sparrowhawk 20+ !! ....Sardinian Warbler....Cormorant....Common Buzzard....Griffon Vulture.. Booted Eagle....?Lesser Kestrel....Raven....Collared Dove....Crested Lark   Yellow-legged Gull ....Subalpine Warbler.... Hoopoe....Barn Swallow....Goshawk Eastern Imperial Eagle...Bonelli's Eagle....Marsh Harrier.

                                           Sparrowhawk....Accipiter nisus

                     

                                       Subalpine Warbler....Sylvia cantillans

                      

                       

                                         Bonelli's Eagle....Aquila fasciata

                      

                       

                                                   Hoopoe...Upupa epops

                     

                                          Cretan valerian....Valeriana asarifolia

                                        

 

 

 

 

21st March

Weather....0900...17.4C...Sea,choppy....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 30%..Wind NE 7m/s. 1020mb. sunny.

Early morning showed a few of the marsh harriers from yesterday as they flew off 2 adult males and one 2cy  With some work to do we had a quiet days birding.

Alan spotted a Pallid Harrier near to Malaeme  along with Little Ringed plover, Isabelline wheatear.

Kaliviani list...Marsh Harrier 3....Common Buzzard 5....Hooded Crow....Chaffinch...  Blackbird....Cetti's Warbler....Yellow-legged Gull....Greenfinch....Kestrel.... Sardinian Warbler.... Woodlark....Great Tit....White Wagtail.

 

 

 

 

20th March

Weather....0900...20.0C...Sea,calm....Vis 15 Miles...Cloud, 1%..Wind 0... 1018mb. sunny....... Wind increased from NW veered South then North 4 m/s

The first Subalpine Warblers seen this morning. Forty plus Common buzzard, 2 Steppe Buzzard, several Lesser Kestrels, Sparrowhawks 3, a pale morph Booted eagle and late evening 9 Marsh Harrier came to to the lower fields to roost once again on their northerly travels. We saw five adult males , there may have been four females but the light made it hard to tell if they were 2cy males.

We took a trip onto Gramvousa where we found Collared Flycatchers, a single female Hen Harrier and Northern Wheatear.

Kaliviani List....Black Redstart....Blackbird....Blackcap....Hooded Crow.. Chaffinch Yellow-legged Gull....Sardinian Warbler....Crested Lark....Common Buzzard 40+... Cetti's Warbler.... Italian Sparrow.... Chiffchaff....Cormorant.... Corn Bunting.... Stonechat ....Goldfinch....Subalpine Warbler....Greenfinch....Rock Dove....Kestrel.. Sparrowhawk 3....Lesser Kestrel 7....Raven....Great Tit....Barn Swallow...Woodlark Booted Eagle 1....Marsh Harrier 2+9....Steppe Buzzard 2....Griffon Vulture 1

On Gramvousa peninsula.... Collared Flycatcher 2....Serin 1...Common Buzzard 10 Kestrel 2....Raven 3....Crested Lark ...Hen Harrier 1f...Sparrowhawk 1...Rock Dove Sardinian Warbler....Stonechat....Woodlark.... Blackcap....Lesser Kestrel 1.... Whinchat 1.... Northern Wheatear 1m

                                         Hen Harrier....Circus cyaneus

                     

                     

                                              Stonechat....Saxicola  rubicola

                                     

                                   Northern Wheatear....Oneanthe oenanthe

                    

                                    Collared Flycatcher.... Ficedula albicollis 

                                      

                      

                      

                     

                                           Crested Lark....Galerida cristata

                       

                       

                                                        Serin....Serinus serinus

                       

                       

                     Flower carpeted fenced area on Gramvousa. No goats here !!!!

                       

                      

                                Scrophularia peregrina .... Nettle-leaved figwort

                                         

                                      

 

 

 

 

19th March

Weather....0900...20.5C...Sea,calm....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 0%..Wind S 2m/s. 1018mb. sunny.

Kaliviani...Corn Bunting....Tree Pipit....Hooded Crow....Yellow-legged Gull...Raven Chaffinch.... Cormorant....Sardinian Warbler....Collared Dove.... Crested Lark.... Sparrowhawk.... Rock Dove.... Goldfinch....Linnet.... Cetti's Warbler.... Kestrel.... Blackbird....Blackcap....Chiffchaff....Barn Swallow....Woodlark

No bird pics today , a few of the flowers in bloom.... 

                                                    Seven Spot Ladybird 

                                       

                     

                                    

                                             

                                        

                      

                      

                                   The first white Barbary Nut we have seen

                                        

                                        

                                         

 

 

 

 

18th March

Weather....0900...19 C...Sea,calm....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 0%..Wind 0... 1015mb. sunny

A nice sighting of a Hobby perched and hunting in the lower fields. A distant Golden Eagle, marsh harrier are arriving and hunting the surrounding fields and a nice male Redstart found in the olive grove.

Kaliviani List....33 species..... Common Buzzard 2....Hobby 1...Hooded Crow....Great Tit.... Yellow-legged Gull....Chaffinch....Blackbird....Robin.... Goldfinch....Chiffchaff.... Cetti's Warbler.... Tree Pipit....Stonechat....Crested Lark....Blackcap...Rock Dove Corn Bunting....Collared Dove....Barn Swallow.... House martin....Black Redstart  Raven....Sparrowhawk 1...Cormorant 1.... Sardinian Warbler....Song Thrush.... Kestrel....Golden Eagle....Griffon Vulture 2.... Marsh Harrier 2....Redstart.... Nightjar and Scops Owl.

                                          Marsh Harrier....Circus aeruginosus

                       

                       

                      

 

 

 

 

17th March

Weather....0900...18.0C...Sea,choppy....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 40%..Wind N 2m/s. 1010mb. sunny

Three sightings of dark morph booted eagle, two different birds. A male Hen Harrier early in the day  

Kaliviani List....Hen Harrier 1m.... Common Buzzard 8+2 local....Booted Eagle 2... Crested Lark....Chaffinch....yellow-legged Gull....Cormorant 2.... Barn Swallow.... House Martin....Swift....Blackcap....Greenfinch....Cetti's Warbler....Great Tit... Blackbird....Stonechat....Robin....Raven....Chiffchaff....Woodlark

                                            Booted Eagle....Aquila pennata

                     

                     

                     

                                         Crested Lark....Galerida cristata

                      

                                                         Swift....Apus apus

                     

 

 

 

 

16th March

Weather....0900...174C...Sea, flat calm....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 20%...                   Wind 0...1010mb occasional hazy sunshine. Thunderstorms late evening.

Awoke late this morning at 0900, first bird of the day when opening the shutters a Lesser Spotted Eagle, being harassed by our local buzzards, they did not take kindly to it sat at their favourite perch and soon saw it off but not before I grabbed a few pics of it. Many hirundines , common buzzard , a male Hen Harrier and a distant Golden Eagle gave us an enjoyable few hours birding.  

Kaliviani List....Lesser Spotted Eagle 1.... Common Buzzard 39....Blackbird.... House Martin....Red-rumped Swallow....Crag Martin....Barn Swallow....Chaffinch.. Collared Dove ....Cormorant 4....Griffon vulture 6....Kestrel 3.... Sparrowhawk 2.... Cetti's Warbler.... Woodlark....Blackcap....Song Thrush 2.... Golden Eagle .... Sardinian Warbler....Crested Lark....Stonechat....Italian Sparrow....Black Redstart Hen Harrier.

                                      Lesser Spotted Eagle....Aquila pomarina

                       

                   

                     

                     

                                     Red-rumped Swallow....Cecropis daurica

                     

                                          House Martin....Delichon urbicum 

                   

                                              Hen Harrier....Circus cyaneus

                     

 

 

 

15th March

Weather....0900...14.0C...Sea,calm....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 20%..Wind NW 1m/s... 1020mb. sunny

Our first days birding for a week, our family have now left from their short vacation, so scopes, cameras and bins are once again in hand.

An Eastern Imperial eagle, a group of Lesser Kestrel, lots of hirundines, lots of common buzzard, several sparrowhawks and a male Marsh Harrier. A good day for migrant birds.

Kaliviani List....Blackbird....Hooded Crow....Great Tit....Sardinian Warbler.... Cormorant 5.... Chiffchaff....Yellow-legged Gull....Blackcap....Rock Dove....Raven 8 Barn Swallow....Griffon Vulture 6....Common Buzzard 38.... Red-rumped Swallow.. Lesser Kestrel 6....Sparrowhawk 3....UID wader  on beach....Greenfinch....Robin Woodlark.... Eastern Imperial Eagle 1....Black Redstart....Cetti's Warbler....Linnet Chaffinch....Goldfinch....Corn Bunting.... Marsh harrier m.

                                        Eastern Imperial Eagle...Aquila heliaca 

                         

                      

                                             Sparrowhawk....Accipiter nisus

                     

                                           Common Buzzard....Buteo buteo

                    

                                   Red-rumped Swallow....Cecropis daurica

                   

              Migrating Common Buzzard and accompanying Griffon Vulture 

                  

                                  Marsh Harrier....Circus aeruginosus

                   

                            Red Palm Weevil.... Rhynchophorus ferrugineus   

                    

                     

 

 

 

 

14th March

Weather....0900...14.7C...Sea, rough....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 30%...                   Wind NNE 12 m/s...1022mb

Kaliviani List....Common Buzzard....Raven....Chaffinch....UID warbler ?....Kestrel.. Griffon Vulture.

On route to Chania airport we stopped off at Agyia....Coot....Moorhen....Mallard.... Shoveler....Common Buzzard....Marsh Harrier.... House Martin....Cetti's Warbler... Redshank....Ruff....Little Crake....Little Grebe.

We placed the cameratrap out a nearby olive grove where we had seen badger activity we managed a poor image

                                           Badger.... Meles meles sp arkalus

                   

                                               Griffon Vulture....Gyps fulvus

                   

 

 

 

 

13th March

Weather...0900....14.7C....Sea,rough ....Vis 20 miles....Cloud 20%...                   Wind N-NE 15-20m/s  1022 mb

Kaliviani List....Sparrowhawk....Hooded Crow....Chaffinch....Griffon Vulture.... Common Buzzard 9.... Kestrel....Raven....Rock Dove.

Aradaina Gorge area....Italian Sparrow....Black-eared Wheatear.... Greenfinch.... White Wagtail....Sparrowhawk....Yellow-legged Gull....Alpine Swift....Serin.... Kestrel.... Raven....Collared Dove....Hooded Crow.... Song Thrush.... Goldfinch.... Chaffinch.... Stonechat....Sardinian Warbler.... Common Buzzard.... Great Tit.... Bonelli's Eagle.... Black Redstart....Blue Rock Thrush.... Crag Martin....            House Martin ....Barn Swallow

                                                           Blue Rock Thrush

                     

                                                                   Fennel

                                        

                                                             Wall Lizard

                                       

 

 

 

 

12th March

Weather....0900...11.9C...Sea, rough....Vis 20 Miles...Cloud, 100%...                   Wind NNE 3-5 m/s...1020mb

No birding today but a few pics from our olive grove

                                                             Butterfly Orchid

                      

                                                        Grecian Spider Orchid

                                           

                                                   Olive tree flower buds

                      

 

 

 

 

11th March

Weather...0900....13.7C....Sea,rough ....Vis 20 miles....Cloud 80%...                   Wind NNE 4m/s  1013 mb 

A single Sparrowhawk on route to Chania and the first Swift arrive with two seen in Chania 

 

 

 

10th March

Weather...0900....13.7C....Sea,choppy ....Vis 20 miles....Cloud 98%...                   Wind NNE 4m/s  1012 mb  Sunny intervals

Kaliviani....Barn Swallow....Hooded Crow....Yellow-legged Gull....Kestrel.... Common Buzzard 15....Griffon Vulture 5....Woodlark....Rock Dove.

Gramvousa Peninsula....Peregrine Falcon....Kestrel....Common Buzzard.... Stonechat...Griffon Vulture....Blackcap....Great Tit....Crested Lark....Woodlark.... Chiffchaff.....White Wagtail....Cormorant 5....Yellow-legged Gull....Sardinian Warbler....Blue Rock Thrush

                                          Cormorant.....Phalacrocorax carbo 

                      

    

                   

 

 

9th March

Weather...0900....16.1C....Sea,rough ....Vis 10 miles....Cloud 100%...                   Wind 5m/s  1012 mb  Rain in north all day, Elafonisi, sunny 

Elafonisis... Barn Swallow....Wood Sandpiper 2....

Topolia Gorge....Griffon Vulture 4

Kissamos harbour....Kingfisher 

 

 

 

8th March

Weather...0900....15.0C....Sea,calm ....Vis 20 miles....Cloud 60%...                   Wind NNE 3m/s  1012mb sunny intervals

We have visitors for the next week so birding etc will be limited. 

Kaliviani list....Sardinian Warbler....Great Tit...Cormorant 2....Common Buzzard 30 Yellow-legged Gull....Goldfinch....Serin....Chaffinch....Hooded Crow....Raven.... Blackcap .... Blackbird....Corn Bunting....Robin....Song Thrush....Barn Swallow.... Sparrowhawk 2....Cetti's Warbler.    

 

 

 

7th March

Weather...0900....15.C....Sea,calm ....Vis 20 miles....Cloud 100%...Wind N 1m/s 1011 mb                                                                                                                                    

Cloud rain showers mid afternoon

Spring migrants....50+ Common Buzzard passed by

Kaliviani list....Raven....Common Buzzard 50+....Griffon Vulture 5.... Blackbird.... Cormorant 3....Shag 1....Chaffinch....Hooded Crow....Crested Lark....Robin.... Cetti's Warbler....Barn Swallow 1....Yellow-legged Gull.... Sardinian Warbler....  Song Thrush .... 

NOW, SOMETHING THAT WE ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT.

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE STATEMENT IN THE LINK BELOW ....SIGN THE PETITION AND PASS ON TO YOUR FRIENDS TO SIGN.... ON FACEBOOK , TWITTER, LINKDIN ETC ETC   

If you have seen or wish to see these majestic creatures on Crete or in Europe,you can really help NOW.

Crete has Griffon Vultures (a few hundred), Bearded Vultures (maybe five breeding pairs left and possibly 10 immatures), Black Vultures (2) and migrant Egyptian Vultures.

Egyptian Vultures breed in the Balkans and are now very few with only a handful of breeding pairs on mainland Greece, Albania, Romania and Bulgaria.

Since we started birding here thirteen years ago the populations of these species has declined. There are probably half the number of Bearded Vultures on the island since that November in 2001 and the habitat is changing with wind turbines, new roads/tracks being driven into the mountains and the decline in goat and sheep farming, this could probably be the last straw !

There would be no recovery from this. We do not want to lose what we have so little of because of governmental/ EU incompetence, granting licences before they do full research into the use of pharmaceuticals produced by irresponsible companies with little or no regard for the environment.

PLEASE HELP BY SIGNING AT THE LINK BELOW

Many, many thanks, Colin and Sue


The Crete population of Griffon Vulture is helping to re-establish the species on Cyprus. 

India lost 90% of its tens of thousands of vultures because of this drug. please sign and not let this happen in Europe....

Many thanks

Egyptian Vultures breed in the Balkans and are now very few with only a handful of breeding on mainland Greece, Albania, Romania and Bulgaria. 

The Crete population of Griffon Vulture is helping to re-establish the species on Cyprus. 

India lost 90% of its tens of thousands of vultures because of this drug. please sign and not let this happen in Europe....

Many thanks

 http://www.change.org/petitions/european-union-diclofenac-the-vulture-killing-drug-is-now-available-on-eu-market

 

 

 

6th March

Weather...0900....16.1C....Sea,calm ....Vis 20 miles....Cloud 60%...                   Wind WSW 1m/s  1010 mb                                                                                                     Rain through the night eased, leaving sunny spells.

Spring arrivals.....House Martin

Kaliviani list....Cormorant 3....Hooded Crow....Rock Dove....Chaffinch....Blackbird..  Common Buzzard 2....Cetti's Warbler....Crested Lark....Crag Martin.... Robin.... Stonechat....Yellow-legged Gull....Collared Dove.

 

 

 

5th March

Weather...0900..17.8CC....Sea,calm ....Vis 20 miles...Cloud 50%%...Wind W 1m/s 994mb      Sunshine and occasional thundery showers/hail 

New spring arrivals.....                                                                                        With intermittent thunderstorms, small migrants are appearing when the sun breaks through. Today Willow Warbler were seen along with a few Song Thrush. White Wagtails' were spotted in their hundreds in the arable fields. A single Redstart and a Northern Wheatear also put in an appearance.                               With the winds now gone, it will be a quiet evening, in perfect conditions we shall be on the listen and lookout for owls and nightjars. (2300 it's still raining nothing about !! ) 

Kaliviani List.....Hooded Crow....Great Tit...Common Buzzard 5+3....Black Redstart Blackbird....Sardinian Warbler....Chaffinch....Rock Dove....Cormorant 3....Raven     Song Thrush ....Italian Sparrow.... Great Tit....Cetti's Warbler.... Willow Warbler.... Redstart....Northern Wheatear....White Wagtail c300....Kestrel 1....Starling 20+                                                                                                                             

 

 

4th March

Weather...0900....16.8C....Sea,chop ....Vis 20 miles....Cloud .80%...Wind S 2m/s 1001 mb                                                                                                                                     Rain early followed by showers , overcast, wind from N later 3m/s

Highlights....The first Barn Swallows seen we had two here, Alan also saw several at Agyia along with a pale morph Booted Eagle. A beautiful female Goshawk flew a metre above the ground past the house at 20 metres, all to short a sighting as it flew with bill open struggling into the strong south winds. It may have been resting somewhere below us and been disturbed by the local farmers. Later as we were heading to Chania we spotted a Cuckoo in the olive grove. Three good species for the day, migration is slowly building !

Kaliviani List....Raven....Linnet....Crag Martin.... Chaffinch.... Blackbird....Robin.... Hooded Crow....Yellow-legged Gull....Barn Swallow 2.....Great Tit....Greenfinch.... Common Buzzard 3+15.... Goshawk 1....Kestrel 1....Collared Dove....Rock Dove....Italian Sparrow....Cuckoo

 

 

 

3rd March

Weather..0900..13.8C....Sea,calm ....Vis 5 miles....Cloud .100%...Wind S, 4-5 m/s 998 mb                                                                                                                                     Rain and wind 

The only species braving the weather here today.....Cormorant 3....Chaffinch.... Yellow-legged Gull and Hooded Crow

 

 

 

 

2nd March

Weather...0900....16.2C....Sea,chop ....Vis 20 miles....Cloud .99%...Wind NW 3m/s.... 1001 mb  Cloud clearing mostly sunny

Kaliviani list....Nothing special today, Crested Lark.... Chaffinch....Cormorant.... Hooded Crow.... Song Thrush.....Sardinian Warbler.....Cetti's Warbler..... Blackbird Yellow-legged Gull....                                                                                                                            

 

 

 

1st March

Weather...0900....12.3C....Sea,calm ....Vis 15 miles....Cloud .100%...Wind 0.... 1011 mb                                                                                                                                     Rain early followed by showers , overcast, wind from N later 3m/s

Lots of Chiffchaff in the area this morning , 40+ were seen, with them flitting about it was difficult to tell if there were any willow warbler among them. Our local common buzzard were seen mating.

With the rain and a chill in the air, we sat under the pergola and birded from the balcony for a few hours this morning !!  

Kaliviani list....Cormorant 3....Yellow-legged Gull 50+.... Robin....Hooded Crow.... Blackcap....Chaffinch....Cetti's Warbler.... Song Thrush....Blackbird.... Goldfinch.... Chiffchaff....Great Tit....Blue Tit....Sardinian Warbler....Italian Sparrow....Linnet... Common Buzzard 3.... Griffon Vulture 1.... Collared Dove....Black Redstart.... Stonechat....Crested Lark.

                                                             Ophion luteus