Crete Birding

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31st December

We finish off the year with a short report and some images from Harry, as you can see from that Crete is very quiet birdwise at the moment !!!

Not a lot happening here, weather very wet and grey at the moment. Pam and I called in at Moronis on Wednesday, nothing of real interest,Greenshank,Redshank,2 Little Egret,2 Mallard (male),2 Kingfisher,3 Ringed Plover, Mediterranean & Yellow-Legged Gulls.

      

This morning (Friday) went to Tavronitis, rained all the time I was there, Willow Warblers, Goldfinches, Linnets, Pied Wagtail, Stonechats, Starlings and Black Redstart is all I spotted.

This afternoon the sun came out for a few hours, so I took a few photos around the house, Redstart, Blackcap(female), Greenfinch, Chaffinch,I think also Serin.

        

        

        

                                 All the best for the New Year, Pam & Harry

 

We forgot to add this a few days ago....the HOS rarities report for 2010 is now online as a PDF file at..............

         http://files.ornithologiki.gr/docs/rarities/annual_report_2010_en.pdf

So as another year draws to a close that just leaves us to say a very very Happy, Healthy and prosperous 2012 to our site members, all who visit the site and to our contributors, Thank you all, seeing that we had visits from people in over 55 counties, makes our efforts in maintaining the site very worth our time. Take care all, look for next years blog starting in a few hours !!!!

17th December

11th December

News from Nikos Samaritakis .........

 11TH
LEFT LASITHI AND WENT FOR THE EARLY MORNING AT ASTEROUSIA

ASTEROUSIA LIST: IMM IMPERIAL EAGLE, 60+ GRIFFONS, 3 LAMMYS, 40+ CHOUGHS, PEREGRINE, 8 CHUKARS...
I SENT A FEW PICS FOR YOUR BLOG... BUT THERE ARE SO MANY MORE ON MY FLICKR! LOL!

HINT TAKEN NIKOS , LINK ATTACHED      http://www.flickr.com/photos/samaritakis/

 

6 images by and © Nikos Samaritakis


                                    ( Eastern ) Imperial Eagle....Aquila heliaca

             

                            Lammergeier....Gypaetus barbatus with Griffon Vulture

             

                                 Lammergeier....Gypaetus barbatus with raven

             

                                   PART OF THE GROUP OF 60+ GYPS FULVUS

              

                                                      GYPS AT CARRION

         

NOTE LOWER LEFT GRIFFON SWALLOWING THE YELLOW PLASTIC USED TO TAG THE SHEEP'S EARS... I WONDER IF THERE IS ANY SURVEY ON GRIFFON CASUALTIES FROM SUCH A DIET...

              

               I'LL BE OUT AGAIN AT THE FIRST SUNNY WEEKEND TO COME...

 
NOTE THAT NIKOS PUT IN OVER 760 Kms THIS WEEKEND , SOME WELL DESERVED FINDS FOR NIKOS. YOU DESERVE THEM, WELL DONE FRIEND.....ALSO ENJOY HIS CLOSE UPS OF GYPS ON HIS FLICKR PAGE, HE MUST HAVE A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM TO GET THIS CLOSE....COLIN 

 

 

9TH
HA GORGE: GOLDEN EAGLE, PERHAPS 100 CHOUGHS...

SELINARI: GRIFFON MATING...

ELOUDA: 2 DUNLIN,REDSHANK,PERHAPS 30 CORMORANT, GREY HERON,4 EGRETS, L.GREBE...A DEAD IMM FLAMINGO

BRAMIANA: PERHAPS 100 CORMORANT, B.N.GREBE, SNIPE, JACK SNIPE, MALLARDS, WIGEONS, TEALS, POCHARDS, GREY HERON, GREAT EGRET AND CRANE REPORTED 2 DAYS AGO...
 
WILL PROBABLY DO A KOFINAS SLEEPOVER HOPING FOR EARLY MORNING LAMMY AND THEN BACK HOME... SO MANY KMS!

 

 

9th December

Nikos news for today, he is out at Lasithi at the moment and hopefully some more good birds will come from there.

Three images by and © Nikos Samaritakis

Today though at Bramiana

                                      A Greater Spotted Eagle....Aquila clanga

        

And a very nice find, usually only seen this far south when the weather further north is extremely cold, an........

                                            Whooper Swan ....Cygnus cygnus

             

 Another nice winter find at Elouda, an 

                                            Audouin's Gull....Larus audouinii     

                          

 From Alan yesterday 8th

 I had noticed what I thought were reed buntings at Kalivaki a few days ago, but photos were not possible - too many reeds in the way!  Two more visits were unproductive,
until today I had another look and had a result - two clinging to reeds, albeit a little distant.  I hope these stay the winter and will obviously keep checking.  
My only previous Crete sighting was at Agia in 2009

Three images by and © Alan Hargrave

                                       Reed Bunting....Emberiza schoeniclus

                          

                          

                          

 

7th December

Respective images are © to Nikos and Alan

From Alan a possible Greater Spotted Eagle on the 5th December

                    

 

 From Nikos a jack snipe at Omalos plateau.

               

         

Alan had a sighting of an Eastern Imperial Eagle on the 1st December

 

On the 22nd November Alan saw a death's head hawkmoth caterpillar on the "beach" at Lake Kournas.  Fully 12 cms long  

         

             On the 21st November Alan spotted a Thrush Nightingale at Kournas Lake 

                            

 

21st November

Just in from and © Nikos Samaritakis the sunset from our veranda yesterday evening, thanks Nikos it was spectacular !

Looking NNW towards the small church and the peninsula 

 

 

20th December

Hopefully will update the weeks news tonight, nothing much warranted a daily update due to bad weather and as winter approaches we will now  update at the end of each week until the spring.

After the bad weather there is a considerable amount of snow on the Lefki Ori and the Tavronitis river has a good flow of water which may produce some waders.

The only bird of note for the week was a dark morph Booted Eagle that has been seen hunting locally. We finally managed a trip out on Saturday the 19th and paid a visit to Moronis and Agyia

19th At Moronis .....Redshank 2...Greenshank 1....Great Egret 1....Little Egret 1.... Dunlin 1 ... Common Sandpiper 1....Little Ringed Plover 3.... Pintail 1....Cormorant 1....Black Redstart Robin.... Linnet....Chiffchaff....Stonechat....Italian Sparrow.... White Wagtail....Kingfisher 2.... Coot....Hooded Crow....Mediterranean Gull 2....Black-headed Gull 3....Yellow-legged Gull .... Skylark 1....Meadow Pipit....Collared Dove.... Blackbird....Sparrowhawk

Agyia....Coot....Moorhen.... Little Grebe....Blak-necked Grebe... Grey Heron 3.... Raven.... Booted Eagle 2 (1dark m 1pale m ) ...Common Buzzard....Hooded Crow....Kingfisher .... Sparrowhawk.... Chiffchaff.... Shoveler....Gadwall.... Mallard.... Wigeon.... Pochard.... Robin Cettis Warbler.... Blackbird....Ferruginous Duck.... White Wagtail....                                     On the way home a Blue Rock Thrush and several Common Buzzard

                                    Snow covered Lefki Ori ...White Mountains  19th

        

                                            Pochard....Aythya ferina  at Agyia 19th

            

         

                   Redshank....Tringa totinus disputing feeding ground at Moronis 19th

               

              

                                    Dunlin.....Calidris alpina At Moronis 19th

          

 

TODAY 20TH.......At home in the morning .....Black Redstart.... Hooded Crow....Stonechat.... Sardinian Warbler....Goldfinch....Crag Martin.... Great Tit....Crested Lark  White Wagtail .... Common Buzzard ....Robin.... Griffon Vulture 2.... Sparrowhawk 1 and a weasel

An afternoon trip to Falasarna with Nikos gave us....Sardinian Warbler .... White Wagtail .. Yellow-legged Gull.... Cormorant 1.... Sparrowhawk 1.... Common Buzzard 8 which looked like they flew in off the sea ( migrants? ).... Kingfisher 2.. Linnet.... Goldfinch.... Chaffinch.... Stonechat ....Blackbird.... Crested Lark.... Snipe....      Great Tit....Chiffchaff 

                                             Snipe....Gallinago gallinago 

     

                                      Black Redstart.....Phoenicurus ochrurus

                             

                                        Sardinian Warbler....Sylvia melanocephala

                             

                                       Spanish Sparrow....Passer hispaniolensis

                              

15th November

Weather !!!! We have had severe gales the last few days and they continue today although the winds have reduced slightly from the force 10 Beaufort of Sunday and Monday. The seas continue to be very high washing up to the beach road at Kaliviani. temperatures have been around 14oC with poor visibility low cloud and heavy rain, the barometer hovering around 1011/1012mb. The  forecast is for this to decrease in the next few days thankfully.

We have done little birding since our lake visit ....until today ! when we went out and saw two griffon vultures  looking like they were about to crash land onto our roof ! The high winds were playing havoc with these two birds which we now see almost daily in the area, one has no tail feathers at all and was having a particularly hard time of it. I raced in and grabbed the camera but they had veered off slightly towards the small ridge to our north, but still close enough to grab a couple of pics to share.

Other species of note... a Pergrine Falcon a dark morph Booted Eagle that was being harrassed by Hooded crows and put up over a hundred Goldfinch just in front of the house.

Our highlight though was as we were just setting off shopping, a group of seven Shelduck as they raced in from the west, circled  twice above us and shot off west towards Falasarna. At the same time I shot in for the camera and straight out the back door, but as luck would have it they had already disappeared, so no pics I'm afraid. Shelduck are a rarity on Crete, according to Birds of Greece 1997 a male was recorded shot at Agyia in 1944 with no records up to 1997. We recorded one, also a male shot at Kaliviani 10 December 2007 and Manos found a single a few days ago at Moronis 10-11-201, ( see Nikos image of female on that date in the blog ) so this is rather a good record of seven birds for here.

                                           Griffon Vulture....Gyps fulvus

          

    no tail struggling to fly into force 8 Beaufort winds, note its feet protruding out the rear !!

      

11th November

Reports and images from Alan for 7th-8th and 9th added below

We would like to thank Martin Herbert for the following.........

I hadn't looked at your site for quite some time, but this evening I spotted the yellow flowers Alan Hargrave had photographed between Spili and Agia Galini (blog entry 24th October.) 
I don't think any of the Gageas would fit the bill: they are all Spring/early Summer flowerers and the flowers of the ones I know from the Alps are really quite small.  
I would plump for Sternbergia lutea, which is an Autumn flowerer.  It occurs right across the Mediterranean Basin and the supspecies known in Crete is S. l. sicula.  
My copy of George Sfikas' "Wild Flowers of Crete", admittedly very old (1987), suggests that its occurrence in Western Crete "has not been confirmed in recent years".  
I have never seen it in the wild, but know it as an alpine garden plant, and the photos look right.

Alan's for today ....

Made the diversion to Moronis in hope of seeing the shelduck - no joy there!  There was a pintail on the river and I'm still not sure if it's a female or a male eclipse?  
A couple of other images including a Med gull about to disturb a couple of black-headed gulls.

Five images by and © Alan Hargrave

                                        (Northern) Pintail....Anus acuta 

         The opinion from others who have also seen this bird is that it is a juvenile male.

              

                         

               

                                                 Grey Heron....Ardea cinerea

                           

                                    Mediterranean Gull and two Black-headed Gull          

               

10th November

Weather....19.oC....Cloud 50%....visibility 20 miles.....wind 0.....1012mb

 At Moronis today a Shelduck.... 1st November bird recorded in Crete !! seen by Nikos and Manos  

                                          Image by and © Nikos Samaritakis

                                              Shelduck ....Tadorna tadorna

            

 

Reports and images for the week from Alan will be added tomorrow

 

We had a late morning trip to Agyia in the hope of Osprey ( was seen by Harry two days ago ) we drew a blank with the Osprey although we had a good impersonation of one by a Grey Heron which dropped into deep water to take a goldfish (photos below) Cormorant also having a feast of goldfish and one even ate a large snake it caught in the water. Goldfish numbers must be drastically reduced by now as we saw six being taken during the afternoon!!

Our species list starts as we left home.....Blackbird....Linnet....Goldfinch....Collared Dove.... Greenfinch....Black Redstart.... Chaffinch....          LAKE:...Coot....Moorhen.... Sparrowhawk.... pale morphed  Booted Eagle .... Common Buzzard 11....Black-necked Grebe 2....            Little Grebe.... Grey Heron....Pochard....Ferruginous Duck.... Wigeon.... Gadwall 3....Tufted Duck.... Shoveler.... Mallard.... Teal....Garganey....Kingfisher....Starling....Hooded Crow.... Stonechat.... Cetti's Warbler.... Marsh Harrier 1.... Cormorant 2....Sedge Warbler.... Barn Swallow.... Chiffchaff.... Grey Wagtail Snipe 1.... Crag Martin.... Yellow-legged Gull 132.... Robin.... Peregrine Falcon.

              Black-necked Grebe....Podiceps nigricollis.  One of two at Agyia today

                

              

                                         Little Grebe....Tachybaptus ruficollis

             

To make up for no Osprey this Grey Heron did it's best to impersonate one, plunging into deep water to take a goldfish. We saw it take at least three today and after this one it was seen drying its wings in a tree looking now like an Anhinga !!!

          

             

              

           

             

     Cormorant....Phalacrocorax carbo. This bird took three goldfish in as many minutes !!

     

                                        Emperor Dragonfly....Anax imperator

              

9th November

Report and images by and © Alan Hargrave....

Omalos gave us nothing memorable today.  A distant golden eagle as we left the plateau and five water pipits by the pools.  Where they were, so too were numerous
goldfinches. 
Nothing special to mention from Agia either today - female marsh harrier, grey heron, sedge warbler, chiffchaff, kingfisher and the usual species of duck.

                          

                          

8th November

Report and images by and © Alan Hargrave....

I was back at Kalivaki this morning, as I thought the light may be better than yesterday afternoon.  Three water pipits, two common snipe, singles of common sandpiper and
redshank all in or around the flooded area under the trees.  While there a spotted flycatcher was on an overhead cable at the back of the beach - this is the latest date
we have seen one.  At the Viewpoint a juvenile marsh harrier, dark morph booted eagle and common buzzard all high in the sky.  Nothing new on the water.

                  

           

              

                     

 

7th November

Report and images by and © Alan Hargrave...

Had a look at the Viewpoint and Kalivaki this afternoon.  At the former, the usual birds, including two female garganey and a female shoveler, with the addition of a
green sandpiper.  Cormorants gradually arriving at both sites.  At Kalivaki I noticed a redshank in long grass on the flooded meadows yesterday, in close proximity to two
common snipe.  Today, on the flooded area "under the trees", the redshank was there, accompanied by various other birds - meadow pipit, grey wagtail, stonechat, robin and
water pipit.

              

             

             

6th November

Weather....0700....13.4oC....cloud 0....visibilty 20 miles....wind E light....1018mb

We were up at dawn to see if our Griffon Vultures from yesterday were still around . After some scoping of the northern ridges we found two then a third arrived from the west they all sat for some hours before leaving separately to the south, they never visited the carcass again !!

Species from home ...Hooded Crow.... Great Tit....Blackbird....Robin....Griffon Vulture.... Chaffinch....Black Redstart....Stonechat....Goldfinch....Sardinian Warbler.... Rock Dove....    Blue Rock Thrush....Chiffchaff....Italian Sparrow....Greenfinch....Collared Dove....Raven .... Kestrel 2....Spotted Flycatcher....Common Buzzard....Sparrowhawk 2.... Yellow-legged Gull Red-rumped Swallow 1....Crag Martin....Crested Lark....Woodlark.... Blackcap....Linnet.... Shag.

                                    Hooded Crow....Corvus cornix

      

                                           Hooded Crow and Sparrowhawk

                         

                                         Common Buzzard....Buteo buteo

          

                                               Kestrel.... Falco tinnunculus

        

5th November

Weather....0800...16.5oC....cloud 50%....visibility 20 miles....Wind NE light....1017mb

Highlight today was the appearance of a juvenile Eastern Imperial Eagle at 1015, which flew in from the ridge to the west of us and then out onto the peninsula. We believe this is our first autumn bird of this species, others seen in spring and July.

The afternoon highlight was watching a couple of Griffon Vulture that found a goat carcass and spent a good hour feeding, before flying to a nearby crag to spend the night. We will be up early to see if others join this pair as its not too far away.Good numbers of Robin and Black Redstart arrived overnight

Species list....Robin....Italian Sparrow.....Common Buzzard 4....Hooded Crow...Sparrowhawk 2 Goldfinch....Sardinian Warbler....Blackcap....Greenfinch....Chaffinch....Great Tit....Chiffchaff  Blackbird....Blue Rock Thrush.... White Wagtail....Raven....Black Redstart....Griffon Vulture 3 Woodlark....Crested Lark.... Spotted Flycatcher....Eastern Imperial Eagle....Stonechat.... Booted Eagle dark morph....Yellow-legged Gull

                                       Eastern Imperial Eagle....Aquila heliaca

              

     

                                       Black Redstart ....Phoenicurus ochruros

        

                                        Chiffchaff.....Phylloscopus collybita

               

                            Griffon Vulture ....Gyps fulvus  descending to carcass

                         

Nikos headed for Omalos and sends us this picture of Lammergeier which appeared near the Samaria Gorge entrance.

Picture by and © Nikos Samaritakis

                                           Lammergeier....Gypaetus barbatus

                  

4th November

Weather....17.0oC....Cloud 99%....Wind NE 5B....visibility 20 miles....1015mb

We were not actively birding today but noticed the following from the house.... 0900, 10 Griffon Vultures scouring the north ridges of Gramvousa....Raven 5....Hooded Crow 15....Common Buzzard 3....Kestrel 1....Goldfinch....Robin....Blackbird....Sparrowhawk 1.

3rd November

Weather...14.0oC at sea level, 8.6oC at Samaria Gorge....Cloud 80%....Wind N3-6B

November 2nd blog now posted below.

We went out with another visitor to the island. Peter from Madrid/Boston met us at Souda at 8am, we visited Moronis, Agyia, Omalos, Samaria, Achladhies/Ghrleska then back for a late afternoon visit to Agyia where we met another birder from Spain doing Vulture research. Good news from him that at Agyia the Ferruginous Duck numbers were at a high of 25 !

Also news from Harry who also was at Moronis later than us....

Not a lot happening today,unable to get any decent photos due to lots of people wandering about and fishing,this is what i did see,osprey,buzzard,pied wagtails,siskins,great white egret,little egret,grey heron,kingfishers,common sandpipers,little ringed plover(juv), redshank, willow warbler,sedge warbler.stonechat,linnets.

From Alan....

Not a lot happening around here at the moment, but BLACK -NECKED GREBE are arriving at Kournas Lake - about 60 so far.  Spotted flycatchers are still "everywhere"

Two images by and © Alan Hargrave

                                   Black-necked Grebe....Podiceps nigricollis

 

                                      Spotted Flycatcher.....Muscicapa striata

                        

Our efforts.....

MORONIS:-Coot 3....Moorhen 2....Little Grebe 3...Grey Heron 1.... Great Egret 1....Little Egret 1 Cormorant 1.... Yellow-legged Gull 5....Mediterranean Gull 3....Redshank 1.... Stonechat  Little Ringed Plover 2 ....Common Sandpiper 1....Serin.... Starling.... Chiffchaff....Goldfinch.... Goldfinch.... House Sparrow.... White Wagtail....Common Buzzard....Hooded Crow.. Kingfisher 

 

                          Mediterranean Gull....Larus melanocephalus  1st-winter

                

                   

   

                                  Juvenile Little Ringed Plover....Charadrius dubius                           

              

                                  Common Sandpiper ...Cormorant....Little Egret

  

AGYIA LAKE:- Marsh Harrier....Little Grebe....Coot....Moorhen....Shoveler....Teal....Mallard.... Pochard.... Wigeon....Ferruginous Duck.... Grey Heron....Grey Wagtail....Spotted Flycatcher Garganey....Sedge Warbler....Cetti's Warbler....Robin....Tufted Duck....Blackbird.... Chiffchaff Cormorant 3 ....Common Buzzard....Barn swallow....Hooded Crow....Starling.... Kingfisher.

At 1030 we headed off to the mountains, where we hoped that the low cloud would clear !

At Omalos and Samaria we found our elusive Lammergeier once again, it almost gave us the slip as we watched some Griffon Vultures approaching us from the gorge, Sue happened to turn to her right just in time to spot an adult bird as it flew in from the scree slope to the right of Gigilos, a brief but close flyby again.

                                             Griffon Vulture....Gyps fulvus

                          

Spinning around whilst taking the above picture, hearing Sue call.. "Lammergeier"... I just managed the shot below 5 seconds later it was gone !!

                                           Lammergeier....Gypaetus barbatus 

  

We were lucky with a break in the clouds at the entrance of the gorge. No  Aquila's  today !!!

Our species list for here:- Peregrine Falcon 2....Sparrowhawk....Griffon Vulture.... Great Tit... Lammergeier...Blue Tit....Chaffinch....Greenfinch.... Stonechat.... Crag Martin.... Spotted Flycatcher....Common Buzzard....Chough ....Raven....Hooded Crow....Goldfinch....Blackbird                                     

                                           Chough....Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

      

At the northern end of the plateau were very large flocks of Goldfinch                                        

                                             Goldfinch.....Carduelis carduelis

       

 

         

On the way back to Agyia an obliging Common Buzzard posed briefly for a picture

                                           Common Buzzard....Buteo buteo 

                           

At Achladhies/Ghrleska we stopped for lunch and here also we had a break in the clouds, big disappointment though the only birds we saw Raven and Chaffinch ...very disappointing !!

2nd November

Weather....14.9oC....visibility 10 miles....Wind 2-3B....cloud 100%....1016mb

A dark morphed Booted Eagle hunted near the house for most of the morning other species for the Kaliviani list were .....Sparrowhawk.... Peregrine Falcon.... Blackbird Rock Dove....Collared Dove....Great Tit....White Wagtail....Stonechat....Hooded Crow....Common Buzzzard....Sardinian Warbler....Corn Bunting....Goldfinch

                                          Booted Eagle....Aquila pennata

 

1st November

Weather ...17.4oC....Cloud 75%....Wind light NE....Visibility 20 miles....1015mb

I was hoping that there would be some more migrant movement after the high northerlies of the last week but its still very quiet. lots of robins singing and blackbirds calling out warnings. A round trip to Chania did produce 9 Common Buzzard in a kilometre and around the house there were three . Also a Sparrowhawk was harrassed by 15 Hooded Crows. Crested Lark....White Wagtail....Griffon Vulture....Stonechat....Sardinian Warbler....Great Tit....Blue Tit....Yellow-legged Gull made up the low numbers.

                                           Sparrowhawk....Accipiter nisus

               

30th October

Weather....0900....17.2oC...wind 7 Beaufort.... Cloud 90%....Visibility 15 miles...1018mb

 

Again strong winds made finding smaller species difficult on a short walk around Kaliviani I found...Griffon Vulture 2....Hooded Crow...Eleonora's Falcon....Common Buzzard....Crested Lark ....Kestrel....dark morph Booted Eagle....White Wagtail....Stonechat....Black Redstart.... Goldfinch....Collared Dove....Yellow-legged Gull....Barn Swallow

                                         Booted Eagle .... Aquila pennata

 

29th October

News from Alan...

A quick look at Kalivaki this morning.  Nothing on the ground, except a kingfisher.  Just as I walked back to the car, some commotion above.  Looking up, a dark morph
booted eagle was being harassed by a hooded crow, and as it pursuaded it to go out over the bay, a yellow legged gull joined in the "fun".

A local walk this afternoon, and pleasing to see several migrants still here - spotted flycatcher, red-backed shrike, red-rumped swallow x5, and alpine swifts x3.  
First wintering chiffchaff seen briefly and many robins holding territory; a flock of serins, and a few common buzzards about too.

3 images by and © Alan Hargrave

                                        Booted Eagle and yellow-legged Gull

                         

                                            Booted Eagle and Hooded Crow

                       

                                                   Red-backed Shrike          

                          

High winds from the north still prevailing and little to be seen at Kaliviani a couple of griffon Vultures.... Common Buzzard 2....Kestrel 1....White Wagtail....Crested Lark.... Great Tit.... Goldfinch....Stonechat.... Collared Dove

28th October

With the wind still at 7 Beaufort and cloud on the north coast a trip to the south looked more promising . Up at 5am and a trip to meet up with Nikos at Moronis then up to the mountains at Imbos, here the cloud was very thick and stormy looking but as we got over the ridge ...sunshine, we headed to Chora Sfakion and  Aradena Gorge , then onto Frangokastello. Stopping between Anopoli and Chor Sfakion to watch the griffon roost on the cliffs. A quick look at Skaloti Gorge was non productive it was very quiet along here. At Frangokastello this was also very very quiet and it was very disappointing here. After a lunch stop we headed for Kourtaliakou Gorge, high winds here and a few Griffons struggling to land so onto Gorgopouli to check out the lake and the coast, again the weather made birding very difficult. A non productive day but a nice drive around the central part of the island made up for the lack of species.

Species in the order we saw them.... Yellow -legged Gull....House Sparrow....Little Egret.... Moorhen....Griffon Vulture....Common Buzzard....Raven....Black Redstart.... Hooded Crow.... Crag Martin.... Collared Dove....Crested Lark....Barn Swallow....Blue Rock Thrush.... Robin Woodlark....Great Tit....Chukar....Golden Eagle....House Martin....Eleonora's Falcon.... Kestrel White Wagtail.... Stonechat....Sparrowhawk....Linnet....Peregrine Falcon....Goldfinch.... Song Thrush.... Jackdaw....Grey Wagtail....Little Grebe....Cetti's Warbler....Sedge Warbler...Coot

                                       Crag Martin.....Ptyonoprogne rupestris

                

     

    

                                     Hooded Crow....Corvus corone cornix

           

                                           Golden Eagle....Aquila chrysaetos

           

                                               Griffon Vulture....Gyps fulvus 

              

                            

                            

                                                  Kestrel....Falco tinnunculus

          

                 

                                               Jackdaw....Corvus monedula

        

                                              Little Egret....Egretta garzetta

                  

                                                                 .....

              

27th October

Weather....17.4oC....100% Cloud....visiblity 15 miles....wind 7-8 Beaufort....1014mb

Alan braved the elements today and headed for Agyia....

Despite another gloomy and drizzly day, we set off for Agia in hope of osprey. Arrived at
2 pm and - hooray, an osprey! - at 3.20 pm. This bird, a juvenile, remained high above the water and was quickly ushered away by two Eleonoras' falcons. Twenty minutes later it reappeared, still high, and made off towards the coast without "looking" at the lake. So, we had the sighting, but not the entertainment you had! Just one image worth keeping. (Three Eleonoras' seen in total).

                                                Osprey....Pandion haliaetus

                    

Nikos also had the Osprey at Agyia yesterday, daily visits ! Lets hope for blue skies and better views, its not often we get more than a quick view of these lovely birds as the migrate through.

25th October

Weather ....0900....17.7oC....Cloud 100% RAIN....Wind 0....Visibility 10miles....1014mb

A bleak day with persistant rain, the only thing of note....the Corn Buntings have arrived, a small group sat on wires along the beach road.

From Alan....Don't know about you, but today has been drizzly, dull and overcast here.  Had a quick look at Kalivaki and improved on common snipe images.  Then at Viewpoint, a female
shoveler, and juvenile garganey in same patch of water.

 Four images by and © Alan Hargrave

 

                                              Snipe....Gallinago gallinago

                   

 

                                                 Shoveler....Anas clypeata

                      

                         Shoveler....Anas clypeata and Garganey....Anas querquedula  

                          

Alans report from yesterday has been added below.

24th October

Weather...0900...17.4oC....Cloud 90%....Visibility...20miles....wind light NE...1013mb

A trip to Agyia today in the hope of Osprey !! I was not disappointed with two visits at 2.15pm and 3.36pm by the same bird after a three hour wait.

At Kaliviani as I set off , the first Black Redstart of the season, sat on the car roof !!

So to Agyia.....The water levels still very high. There are several shoals of large goldfish /Koi and the past week has been entertaining with Osprey visiting most days and taking these fish, they just lay on the surface and are easy pickings, even the grey herons are enjoying the harvest that someone has thoughtfully deposited in the lake !!

Todays list at Agyia...Common Buzzard 6+...Eleonora's Falcon 3...Booted Eagle 1pale morph Sparrowhawk 1...Kestrel 1....Hooded Crow.....Pochard....Tufted Duck 1m...Shoveler .... Coot Ferruginous Duck 10+....Mallard 1m....Moorhen....Little Grebe....Kingfisher 4....Stonechat .... Cetti's Warbler....Italian Sparrow....House Sparrow....Grey Wagtail....Teal 2....Blackbird.... Chaffinch.... Robin....Crag Martin....Raven....Marsh Harrier 1....Barn Swallow....Goldfinch....Greenfinch....Sedge Warbler....

Really nice to at last meet up with Viv and Grahame in the afternoon.

My first views of the Osprey...Pandion haliaetus as it arrives on its first afternoon visit at Agyia

                        

               

                                   Scattering the Coot as it heads into the water

         

                                                 A nice catch for lunch

             

                                       A quick shake to get rid of the water

                          

       Seeing where it went to feed I followed on foot through good cover of orange trees

                            

             

                                              An hour later still hungry

        

                                                             the dive              

                           

                                                             2nd snack

                           

                                        Booted Eagle and Common Buzzard

                           

                                        Eleonora's Falcon...Falco eleonorae

               

 

  

                                                Shoveler....Anas clypeata

    

                                          Kingfisher ....Alcedo atthis preening

         

                                               and one with deformed bill

                       

                                     Juvenile Moorhen with american bullfrog

             

                                                 Grey heron with goldfish/koi

          

                                                  Introduced Goldfish/koi

                                           Introduced American Bullfrog

        

From Alan....

A rather long afternoon drive to Kokkinos Pirgos (Timbaki area).  We wanted to visit the "lagoon" that produced such good sightings last April.  Although there was plenty of water there, again no waders except for a single wood sandpiper.  Only other birds were two common snipe, willow warbler, spotted flycatcher, white wagtail and a flock of starlings.      The return journey via the Amari Valley gave us good sightings of griffons, ravens, common buzzard and kestrel, but little else.
On the way out we found a small area of yellow flowers on a hillside between Spili and Agia Galini.  These were flowering in an area recently ravaged by wild fire.  
Have tried to id them, and believe they are possibly gagea bohemica (one of many yellow Star of Bethlehem) - but we haven't seen this plant before, and this would be the wrong flowering period anyway.

 

                                  Possible   Sternbergia lutea ssp..S l sicula

     

                       

                                      Willow Warbler ....Phylloscopus trochilus

                         

                                             Starlings....Sternus vulgaris

 

23rd October

Weather....0900... 19.3oC....wind SE 4.6m/s....Cloud 80%....Visibilty 18 miles....1016mb

Kaliviani.... A three hour stroll around the village,coast and peninsula produced 26 species. Bonelli's Eagles, 2 adults were seen at 1030 hunting over the peninsula as a pair , they hung in the wind high over the highest point for half an hour then plunged towards the same position , one re-emerged  before slowly heading to its mate on the ground, a hare, rabbit or a chukar its probable prey out here. ...Blue Rock Thrush....Great Tit....Robin ....Chaffinch.... Raven....Hooded Crow....Barn swallow....Woodlark....Crested Lark....Italian Sparrow .... Collared Dove....Goldfinch....Common Buzzard.....Spotted Flycatcher..... Blue Tit.... Kingfisher Rock Dove.... Griffon Vulture 1.... Stonechat..... Kestrel.... Sparrowhawk.... Redstart.... Sardinian Warbler..... Linnet....Greenfinch.

From Alan ..... 

I went back to Kalivaki area this morning to see if any new arrivals since yesterday.  Greenshank and ringed plover not visible, but two common snipe arrived as I watched the flooded field, and they quickly took cover.  Singles of common sandpiper, little egret and kingfisher to be found today.  A spotted flycatcher landed directly above me on a wire with a dragonfly held in its beak.  That photo was quickly followed by the next - with the dragonfly being consumed in one go!

                                  Spotted Flycatcher..... Muscicapa striata

        

                                          Common Sandpiper....Actitis hypoleucos

                        

                                             Little Egret....Egretta Garzetta

                   

22nd October

Weather...1000hrs....20.5oCWind SE 2.6m/s....Cloud 0....Visibility 20 miles....1017mb

A walk around Kaliviani this morning and home spotting gave me....Barn Owl 0445hrs, ( it woke me !!) ...Woodlark....Common Buzzard 5....Goldfinch....Robin....Collared Dove.... Yellow-legged Gull....Hooded Crow....Sardinian Warbler....Great Tit....Griffon Vulture 21+3.... Sparrowhawk 2....Kestrel 1....Rock Dove ....Raven 8.... Blue Tit....Spotted Flycatcher.... Blackbird....Stonechat....Peregrine Falcon....Bonelli's Eagle 2 adult .

The highlights was watching the 21 griffons rise from the high point  of Gramvousa circling before 15 headed south over the house towards Topolia area. The others followed in ones and twos . Later at 430pm two adult Bonelli's headed north onto Gramvousa circling for half an hour giving great but distant scoped views..

REPORTS ALSO FROM AGYIA, MOUNT DIKTI AND KALIVAKI BEACH, BELOW.

MANY THANKS TO ALL CONTRIBUTORS.

                                             Griffons leaving Gramvousa

 

                                         Stonechat....Saxicola torquata

                             

          

                                           Sparrowhawk.....Accipter nisus

                          

 

             

           

 I hope I have the ID's correct for these

                                         Common Blue....Polyommatus icarus

               

              

                                                        Male and female

             

                                            Small Copper....Lycaena phlaeas

           

 

Thanks to Mike Meecham for the following news ....

At about 12.00 an osprey appeared at AGYIA LAKE and after one unsuccessful attempt I saw it catch a very large goldfish, something around 200/250 mm.

And thanks to Nikos at mount Dikti .....

DISTANT PAIR OF GOLDIES, LAMMERGEIER AND 12 BLACK KITES

3 images by and  © Nikos Samaritakis

                                     Lammergeier.... Gypaetus barbatus

        

                                Two Griffons (top left) and two Golden Eagles 

       

                                              Black kites...Milvus migrans 

          

 Also thanks to Alan for the following....

News from Kalivaki area today is that common snipe have arrived around the waterlogged edges of flooded fields.  I saw three and managed two together for a photo.  
A single ringed plover was in the same area, and then the greenshank and one of the garganey, which had been at the Viewpoint, also arrived.  Singles of red-backed shrike,
spotted flycatcher, kingfisher and grey wagtail also sighted.

Four images by and © Alan Hargrave

                                             Snipe....Gallinago gallinago

              

 

                                          Ringed Plover....Charadrius hiaticula

                        

                                          Greenshank....Tringa nebularia

             

21st October

Weather.... 0900....19.2oC.... Wind SE light....Clous 1%....Visibilty 20 miles....1018mb

News from Alan at Moronis and Agyia....

Visited Agia and Moronis today in the hope of repeating some of the sightings posted on your blog recently - alas these locations have not been kind to us this year, and today was no different!  Seen at Agia - sedge warbler, willow warbler, stonechat, grey wagtail, kingfisher, ferruginous duck, shoveller, pochard, grey heron and distant sightings high up of marsh harrier and pale morph booted eagle.  The photo of the sedge warbler shows this bird must have been in confrontaion with something that took a bite out of its breast side.  The bird didn't appear to be affected in any way.

                                 Sedge Warbler....Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

                        
                                              Stonechat....Saxicola torquata
                 
At Moronis - great egret, grey heron, little egret, redshank, common sandpiper, kingfisher, willow warbler and flock of c30 starlings.

                                        Great Egret....Casmerodius albus

                  

For some time there have been reports of a Black Vulture....Aegypius monachus spotted at various locations on the island, you may remember we had one over Gramvousa on the 14-07-2007. Yesterday Manos managed to get a photo of one high in the mountains. You can see the image at... 

http://www.manospapadomanolakis.com/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=39&page=view&catid=80&PageNo=1&key=2&hit=1

 Be sure to check out those groups of griffons carefully you may just get lucky

20th October

Weather....20.3oC ....cloud 0....wind 0....Visibility 20 miles....1019 mb

A sighting by Manos of 4 black Stork overflying Agyia late yesterday afternoon. A report and some pictures added to19th report from Alan.

Today from Kaliviani....highlight was 4 Sparrowhawks hunting around the house along with 3 Eleonora's Falcon, 5 Common Buzzard and a single Kestrel.

Species list ....Barn Swallow...Hooded Crow....Goldfinch....Sardinian Warbler...Griffon Vulture 5 Sparrowhawk 4....Chaffinch....Robin....Collared Dove....White Wagtail....Common Buzzard 5 Woodlark....Crested Lark....Rock Dove....Raven....Blackbird....Yellow-legged Gull 2  Eleonora's Falcon 3....Great Tit....Blue Tit....Kestrel 1....Peregrine Falcon 1....Greenfinch

                                           Sparrowhawk....Accipiter nisus 

               

            

                             

            

19th October

BEFORE WE GO INTO TODAYS REPORT , MAY I PLEASE ASK THAT YOU GO TO THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE AND SIGN AGAINST THE ILLEGAL MIST NETTING AND TRAPPING TAKING PLACE ON CYPRUS. IT WILL ONLY TAKE A MOMENT, PLEASE HELP TO TRY TO STAMP OUT THESE BARBARIC ACTIONS....THANK YOU.....COLIN

 

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/call-for-action-against-illegal-bird-trapping-in-cyprus/sign.html

 

WE NOW HAVE REGULAR VISITS FROM 60 COUNTRIES WITH MANY VISITORS EACH DAY, BEFORE YOU READ ON, SIGN THE PETITION, PASS IT ON VIA YOUR FACEBOOK , TWITTER , WHATEVER YOU USE  !! THANK YOU 

 

Weather....0900....18.0oC...cloud 0%....Wind 0 ,later light S ....visibilty 20 miles ....1020mb

Lots of Robins arrived overnight , they could be heard all around as some staked out their winter territories. Twenty four species today from home . Due to national strikes fuel stations are closed until Friday, so its more local birding. Today a walk along some local tracks produced.....Barn Swallow....Spotted Flycatcher....Sardinian Warbler....Hooded Crow.... Greenfinch....Great Tit....Common Buzzard....Woodlark....Sand Martin....Chaffinch....Griffon Vulture 1+2+13....Collared Dove....Raven....Rock Dove....Robin....Sparrowhawk 2....  Crested Lark....Blue Rock Thrush....Yellow Wagtail, Feldegg....Chukar....Kestrel.... Blackbird    Yellow-legged Gull....White Wagtail.

                                         Common Buzzard....Buteo buteo 

                            

                  

                                             Griffon Vulture....Gyps fulvus

             

                                           Sparrowhawk.....Accipiter nisus

              

         

Nikos reported that there were two Osprey apparently  taking the goldfish at Agyia, he went there at 4pm but had no luck hopefully with the good stock of fish !!!! they will be back tomorrow. He did manage a picture of a ....

                                           Little Crake....Porzana parva

              

                                           Image by and © Nikos Samaritakis

 

From Alan......

Purple herons yesterday; grey today - c25 initially seen over the bay, then after shopping I called in at the Viewpoint - and there they were!  
They soon found roosts on a large tree on opposite side to Viewpoint, and would have been a great picture if they were nearer.  Also a single greenshank at the Viewpoint.  
Near Kavros, a flooded field was "home" to hundreds of dragonflies - all appeared to be mating?  With the sun against me I couldn't quite make out which species they were.
At Kalivaki, two Spanish sparrows.  I never seem to get a chance to get a decent image of these, but one attached, though not in focus.  Over the house today, a marsh harrier.  It was very high up, so presumably on migration.  I think it's a female.

Four images by and © Alan Hargrave                                                     

                                                                Dragonflies

                          

                                       Marsh Harrier ....Circus aeruginosus

                          

                                    Spanish Sparrow....Passer hispaniolensis

              

                                          Grey Heron .... Ardea cinerea

18th October

Weather....1000....18.5oC...cloud 40%....Wind N light ....visibilty 20 miles ....1018mb

The first Robin seen locally this season. Some good news below from Alan about the Gorgeopoli Pelican

Kaliviani....Common Buzzard 3....Hooded crow....Sardinian warbler....Griffon Vulture 4 north ridges & local, 12 south ridges ....Goldfinch ....House Martin.... Barn Swallow.... Robin.... Woodlark....Chaffinch.... Stonechat.... Collared Dove.... Rock Dove.... Great Tit .... Linnet .... Crested Lark.... Blue Rock Thrush.... Italian Saprrow .... Willow Warbler.... Barn Owl

From Nikos at Agyia Lake ... 2 Sparrowhawk... 1 Grey Heron along with the usual ducks

Images by and © Nikos Samaritakis

                                       Ferruginous Duck ....Aythya nyroca

                                                 We are unsure as to the reasoning behind the placing of Goldfish in

                                   Agyia but its good food for the Ciconiiformes !!       

               

From Alan....

Some good news.  Have just learnt that the "Georgioupoli" pelican has recovered sufficiently to be released back into the wild.  Understand there may be some pictures on a website soon  - I will look out for them.

After 30 hours of continuous rain from Sunday evening to Monday night, we thought today might produce some good sightings.
Despite large areas of flood water around Kalivaki, only white wagtails were in evidence there.  Between Georgioupoli and Kavros we came across a flock of ten purple herons, all in flight.  A common buzzard joined them, hence an unusual pairing in one of my photos.        At the Viewpoint, still nothing new - one of the two garganey was a little closer than usual.  Finally, in our garden, a robin was attempting to announce its arrival and maybe hold its territory here.  
Still have daily sightings from the house of spotted flycatcher, red-backed shrike, red-rumped swallow and barn swallow.

Images by and © Alan Hargrave

                                          White Wagtail .... Motacilla alba

                      

                                             Robin....Erithacus rubecula

                           

                                             Garganey....Anas querquedula

                           

                                           Purple heron....Ardea purpurea                                               

               

                                       Purple Heron with Common Buzzard

                         

 

16th October

weather....woke to thunderstorms at 6am temp at 0900 20.8oC....100% cloud visibilty 20 miles wind 0 1010mb rain stayed most of the day

15th October

Weather....0800....19.6oC...cloud 70%....Wind N light ....visibilty 10 miles ....1013mb

A day down at Elafonisi with Nikos today, we hoped the weather would be different there ! The only change was the wind from the east and a light shower as we arrived.

At home before leaving 3 Commin Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk were up and flying at 0730 all the usual small birds were about and late evening a Scops Owl.

We saw nothing much of note on route, a roadkill Little Bittern on the approach road, but as we arrived at Elefonisi we were just in time to spot a couple of Night Herons as they disappeared into  the trees in the car parking area.

Birds around the carpark included: Blackcap, Robin, Blackbird, Starling, White Wagtail, Crested Lark, Collared Dove, Rock Dove,Chukar (heard) many Spotted Flycatcher,Yellow-legged Gull, Stonechat, Barn Swallow, Kestrel, Red-backed Shrike. The Night Herons stayed well hidden !!

Around the beach area and island....  Wimbrel 1, Kentish Plover 1, Turnstone . A Great Egret seemed to follow us along the beaches and across to the island giving some good photo opportunities. Three Grey heron were spotted coming  to land on the reef area to the east of the beach , where I noticed a large bird sat , not having the scope with me and using the camera for diatnt birds, I was just in time to catch it lifting off ....an Osprey ! which headed east as the herons came in to land.

On the island we found many Aegean Wall Lizard.... Podarcis erhardii ssp elaphonisii this sub species lacks the blue and orange and appears mainly black and green.

On route home a couple of Cormorant , Common Buzzard and a Kestrel

A brilliant day, thank you Nikos for your company.

                                            Wimbrel......Numenius phaeopus

             

 

                                           Great Egret.... Casmerodius albus

        

                             

              

                                             Crested Lark....Galerida cristata

           

                         The 3 Grey Heron....Ardea cinerea  that disturbed ........

      

                                    ......... The Osprey......Pandion haliaetus

                                                          Spotted Flycatcher....Muscicapa striata

     

                                                  Hornet....Vespa crabro

    

                             Aegean Wall Lizard.... Podarcis erhardii ssp elaphonisii

      

                                                               Juvenile

14th October

Weather... 0900, 24.2oc....visibility 20 miles....cloud 40%.... wind NW 1.0m/s.... 1012mb.

From Alan...

We were tempted to visit Moronis in hope of seeing osprey, but had already planned a day out.
We risked a visit to Prassanos Gorge in the hope of some good griffon watching, and we weren't disappointed.  A warmer day than of late meant the thermals were  creating some uplift for the birds, though not directly below us as in the height of summer.  Also seen were sparrowhawk and Eleonora's falcon, both at great height.

We moved on to the Spili high meadows for picnic lunch with good numbers of woodlark, crested lark, corn bunting, linnet and goldfinch to be seen.  
A single willow warbler, and then our first wintering robin completed what was perhaps a disappointing number of species for the area.  
Back home a first winter stonechat was on our telephone wire and willow warblers in our olive trees.

Four images by and © Alan Hargrave

                                          Griffon Vulture ....Gyps fulvus

                          

              

              

                                            Stonechat....Saxicola Torquata

                            

Meawhile I did decide to have a go for the Osprey after a few hours birding at home I set off at around midday.

Bird of the day at Kaliviani was a pale morph Booted Eagle, it did not get a chance to hang around and was chased off by the Hooded Crows. It was very quiet out this morning , not the usual birds singing so a look through the trees produced the problem ... a Sparrowhawk sat above the small church, it flew over the hill to the rear scattering feeding Goldfinch in its path....

List from home....Chaffinch....Sardinian Warbler....Woodlark....Common Buzzard.... Sparrowhawk.... Boted Eagle....Blackbird....Collared Dove....Italian Sparrow.... Great Tit.... and the lovely Scops Owl decided to grace our pergola tonight  calling for some time before setting off into the olive trees to hunt.

On route at Kissamos harbour....2 Raven....a juv Yellow-legged Gull....1 Kingfisher....      White Wagtail 2 ....Blue Rock Thrush 1....Collared Dove.

Moronis .....Little Egret 4....Yellow-legged Gull....Grey Heron 1....Redshank 1....Great Egret 1 Common Sandpiper 1.... Kingfisher 3.... Cetti's Warbler....Blackbird....Shag 1....Little Ringed Plover.... Peregrine Falcon 1.... The Osprey? well that was a no show, four of us turned up hoping for another appearance !!!

                                  Manos,Colin and Panos, Photographer Nikos....

                               Those Canon prime lenses put my Tamron to shame !!

             

                                       Little Egret ....Egretta garzetta, review !!

       

               

       

     

                                            Kingfisher ....Alcedo atthis

                         

                       

                                                Redshank....Tringa totanus

          

         

                                              Grey Heron.... Ardea cinerea

           

                                     Little Ringed Plover....Charadrius dubius

            

                                  Juv. Yellow-legged Gull.....Larus cachinnans    

           

 

13th October

Weather... 0800, 20.6oc....visibility 20 miles....cloud 0%.... wind 0....1012mb.

A quiet day with surprisingly little about. The highlight though was a small falcon sat by our electric pole. I watched for a while to make certain, yes a Merlin, easing indoors for the camera it flew off left, scattering Goldfinch busy feeding on the thistles nearby.

Other species, and they are few !! Woodlark....Crested Lark....Hooded Crow....Redstart.... Common Buzzard 4....Italian Sparrow....Sardinian Warbler....Goldfinch....Stonechat....Great Tit Chaffinch....Greenfinch....Collared Dove....Rock Dove.

News from Nikos at Maronis.....   

OSPREY AT MARONIS THOUGH IT KEPT SOME DISTANCE AND DIVED FAR FROM ME...
ALSO 4 GREY HERON,2 LITTLE EGRET,1 GREAT EGRET,MOORHEN, KINGFISHER, RAVEN, BUZZARD, STARLING, REDSHANK, COMMON SANDPIPER, SEDGE WARBLER

 Four images by and © Nikos Samaritakis

                                             Osprey......Pandion haliaetus

             

         

                                                Kingfisher.....Alcedo Atthis

             

                                           Grey Heron.....Ardea cinerea

        

From Alan.... 

A local day again today.  In the garden, a spotted flycatcher and a willow warbler were around all morning, and unexpectedly, at times, a female redstart too.  
I glimpsed the redstart again in the afternoon, but it never presented itself well enough for a photo.  A walk down to Kalivaki Beach area late afternoon revealed a blackcap singing in a thicket along our lane. In the partially flooded meadows behind the beach several sedge and willow warblers.  Three corn buntings were disturbed when a gun went off.  
No waders arriving here yet, despite several small areas of water.

                                  Sedge Warbler....Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

                    

                                          Spotted Flycatcher....Muscicapa striata   

                                 

From Viv at Agyia......

I saw this Hobby at Lake Agias. There was a quick flash of marsh harrier and an eleonora's falcon as well.
 
There were pintail, garganey, ferruginous and shoveler duck on the lake and the kingfishers (at least 8 of them) were giving a very good show.
There were over a thousand martins taking insects and water from the lake - a really tremendous cloud of them and spectacular.
 
There were no waders. Juvenile grey heron - possibly with one of its parents and accompanied in the tree by a little egret. The was another adult grey was at the top of the tree. My first sighting of a juvenile grey so I am quite pleased. Taken at Lake Agias near the bridge. 

Two images by and © Viv Walker 

                                              Hobby....Falco subbuteo

              

                                                 Grey heron and Little Egret  

             

 

12th October

Weather... 0800, 20.0oc....visibility 20 miles....cloud 10%.... wind N 1.6m/s....1010mb.cloud increasing PM

With fairer weather we found another influx of Spotted Flycatcher, clouds of large flying ants attracted  a fair sized mixed flock of Hirundines and numbers of Linnet and Chaffinch increased whilst Goldfinch numbers decreased.

Species ....Kestrel 1....Sparrowhawk 1....Common Buzzard 3....Great Tit 4...Goldfinch .... Crested Lark ....Woodlark....Italian Sparrow....Chaffinch....Barn Swallow....House Martin.... Crag Martin....Sand Martin....Spotted Flycatcher....Linnet....Red-backed Shrike.... Raven.... Blackbird....Blue Tit....Griffon Vulture 3....Stonechat....Scops Owl

At Moronis ...Manos reports an Osprey this evening ! a nice autumn sighting if you are lucky.

 Spotted Flycatcher...Muscicapa  striata with Tiger Moth...Dysauxes famula                            

                           

From Alan...........A couple of images from today. Firstly, a willow warbler in the garden. Secondly, part of a flock of grey herons over Almyros Bay, Georgioupoli. There were over 70 grey, one purple, and two little egrets/squaccos (too far to tell). My walk down to Kalivaki Beach area also revealed willow and sedge warblers, meadow pipit, Spanish sparrow, spotted flycatcher and juvenile red-backed shrike.

Things could be looking up?

  Two images by and © Alan Hargrave                                                

                                                 Mixed flock of herons

                                       Willow Warbler....Phylloscopus trochilus

                       

 

We have added a new page with Satnav co-ordinates, other site details will be added as and when we get them

11th October

Weather... 0800, 19.2oc....visibility 20 miles....cloud 40%.... wind N 2.0m/s....1004mb. Occasional rain showers PM

Kaliviani species.....Hooded Crow....Barn Swallow....Crested Lark....Woodlark....Spotted Flycatcher....Chaffinch....Greenfinch....Common Buzzard....Raven....Sardinian Warbler....  Blackbird....Stonechat....Linnet. A Black Kite flew south and distant brief view of Bonelli's Eagle.

We took a drive along the coast to the east and west of Kissamos ... 1 little Egret.... 3 Little Ringed Plover....2 Yellow-legged Gull....30+ Yellow Wagtail (flava)...Whinchat....Common Buzzard 2....Hooded Crow....Sparrowhawk 1....Kestrel....Meadow Pipit....Great Tit....White Wagtail.... Blue Rock Thrush....Spotted Flycatcher....Crested Lark....Barn Swallow....Chaffinch....Sardinian Warbler.....Greenfinch.

                                         Spotted Flycatcher....Muscicapa  striata

                             

                                     Northern Wheatear....Oenanthe oenanthe

                    

                         A number of White Wagtail....Motacilla alba arrived overnight

          

                                               My attempt at a Whinchat !!!

                

                                                A few Sea Daffodil hanging on 

          

10th October

Weather... 0800, 20.3oc....visibility 15 miles....cloud 100%.... wind SSW 5.1-9.9 gusting to 9 Beaufort....1000mb. Heavy rain showers throught he day

Not much to report today the only thing of note were four chukar in the olive grove and an overflying Marsh Harrier

From Alan......

October has almost been a non-event for birding so far !

A visit to the Viewpoint yesterday, and two garganey (a juvenile and a female) are the only birds worth a mention.  At the rivermouth in Georgioupoli the mute swan is on the river, and some brown rats along the quayside.  Nobody really likes rats, but this image is "quite cute".  In the garden, little happening.  Yesterday, a whinchat on the telephone cable, and today two tree sparrows appeared, one perched next to a female house/Italian sparrow.  
Unfortunately the white sky spoiled the photos somewhat.  It rained all afternoon today, sometimes heavy, and I was surprised to see c50 barn swallows on overhead cables around the house - all drenched; they looked a sorry sight!

                                                Whinchat....Saxicola rubetra

                          

                                              Tree Sparrow.....Passer montanus

                                          

               

                                             Gorgioupoli harbour entrance

             

          

9th October

Weather....21.8oC...Cloud 100%...Visibility 20 miles....Wind SW 4.7-8.5m/s ...1004mb, heavy rain showers throughout the day..

Another day trip out, taking in Deliana Gorge/ kolymbari/Tavronitis/Gerani Bridge/ Agyia lake and Maronis. A bit of birding from home and surounds gave us only nine species, the weather playing havoc with our plans....Hooded Crow....Greenfinch....Goldfinch....Chaffinch.... Sardinian Warbler....Blackbird....Crested Lark....Northern Wheatear.

On to Kolymbari to meet up with Peter then into Deliana Gorge. On route an Eleonora's Falcon was spotted near Nohia and a couple of Common Buzzard. Deliana Gorge proved to be a risky business as the weather turned really bad. We entered the gorge to find that some rather large boulders had fallen across the track in its narrowest  part, we decided living was a better option than entering any further and headed back to the coast, in the gorge we spotted a couple of griffon vultures at their nest holes.

At Kolymbari we had a lucky sighting as the rain started to get heavier, 3 Red-footed Falcons sat on the electric wires, just as some walkers were passing underneath them they flew off a bit further and we had some good views as they sat soaking up the rain !!!! during a lull in the rain a couple took to the air and flew back from their original location whilst the other was seen hawking for insects. Nothing further was sighted apart from some Goldfinch...1 Northern Wheatear....1 Spotted Flycatcher, a Chiffchaff ,34 Yellow-legged Gulls headed east just offshore and Italian Sparrows.

Approaching Tavronitis a kingfisher flew across the road from the sea and another was seen on the pool at the river mouth ( now blocked ) A juvenile Little Grebe and a couple of Moorhens were the only birds on the water, Cettis' Warblers called from several locations and our first Sedge Warbler of the autumn was spotted flitting about in the bamboo. A common Buzzard and some Hooded Crows and Blackbirds were the only other species here !! Towards the road the river is totally under cover of bamboo which seems this year to be encroaching everywhere, as we will also find at the next two sites.

At Gerani bridge the the river is almost totally overgrown, the shingle bank has disappeared under the bamboo and other shrubs, we will be lucky to spot anything here later in the year and today all that was seen was a couple of Moorhens seen towqards the sea end !

At Agyia, we looked for the black-necked Grebe ...after scanning 50 plus Little Grebe we could not see the B. Necked !! Again the water was too high and there were no waders to be seen anywhere !!! The bamboo is also overgrowing the lake which is gradually shrinking in size !! here we spotted 2 Marsh Harriers....20+ Ferruginus Duck ( a nice group of 12 swam together )  Pochard....Shoveler....Teal....Coot...Moorhen...Kingfisher 4+....Yellow Wagtail .... Barn Swallow....Hooded Crow....Sparrowhawk....Cetti's Warbler and Blackbird.

Peter called it a day here and headed back to Chania whilst we thought we would have a look at Moronis.....Kingfisher....Grey Heron....Little Egret  a Kestrel and 1 Yellow-legged Gull were the only species seen.

Considering the awful weather we were lucky to get the birds did.

 

                                       Red-Footed Falcon .....Falco vespertinus

                           

                 

                                                                    Coot....Fulica atra,    juv.

        

                                             Moorhen....Gallinula chloropus

           

                                         Little Grebe.....Tachybaptus ruficollis

       

8th October

Weather... 0800, 24.6oc....visibility 20 miles....cloud 50%.... wind S 5.0-9.6....1011mb heavy rain 4pm onwards

Kaliviani species list..... Woodlark....Common Buzzard....Chukar ( The first seen on our property )....Spotted Flycatcher....Raven....Hooded Crow.... Goldfinch....Chaffinch.... Great Tit  Crested Lark....Linnet....Sardinian Warbler....Stonechat....Italian Sparrow....Rock Dove....Barn Swallow....Collared Dove. Balkan Whip Snake in the courtyard

7th October

Weather....24.4oC...Cloud 90%...Visibility 20 miles....Wind WSW 1.6m/s increasing...1025mb

Included in the 5th and 6th dates, some late entries from Nikos and Harry

We had another trip out with Peter from the UK today , we went into the depths of Gramvousa peninsula and surrounding area. It was a fairly disappointing day with WSW winds prevailing little was seen in the way of migrants. Late afternoon proved to have the highlight of the day with a pair of adult Bonelli's Eagles giving great views on the eastern side of the peninsula.

We started at the house getting all the usual species before taking a track to the centre just north of us. Here we had hope for some raptor migrants moving through, but an hour of watching produced only 5 Griffons, Raven and a couple of kestrel, a blackbird and hooded crows along with the many Crested and Woodlark.

After lunch we headed for the track towards Balos, spotting a Blue Rock Thrush sat quite close ( a first for Peter)  stopping at the small church part way along .... a good place for small migrants with a regular water supply throughout the year and plenty of cover. we had goldfinch and Spotted Flycatcher and again it was just too quiet. Then along came two  Bonelli's Eagle...2 adults... they lifted from a little north of us before rising high and then an overfly south before veering onto the high ridge to the west, here they circled for some time before landing for a few mintues on a ledge high up but opposite us . They took off north, were harried by a couple of raven and then disappeared into the central ranges .... Another first for Peter !

                                    Blue Rock Thrush....Monticola solitarius

         

                                            Bonelli's Eagle.....Aquila fasciatus

                            

       

                            

                                           Crested Lark.... Galerida cristata

          

6th October

Weather... 0800, 22.7oc....visibility 20 miles....cloud 0%.... wind 0....1018mb

 Highlight of the day ...our first Icterine Warbler in the garden !!

Kaliviani list ....Chukar....Woodlark....Hooded Crow....Sardinian Warbler....Common Buzzard 3 Chaffinch....Great Tit....Blackbird....Goldfinch....Raven 11....Griffon Vulture 2....Kestrel 2   Icterine Warbler 1....Wood Warbler....Northern Wheatear....Crested Lark...Stonechat.... Bonelli's Eagle 2cy....Willow warbler....Cetti's Warbler.

                                      Icterine Warbler ....Hippolais icterina

              

 

We have published quite a few pictures on the blog from the 2nd October see below...

Tomorrow we are going to several locations on Gramvousa peninsula hopefully with more migrant news.....

 

News from Harry and Pam......

Thank you both for a great day yesterday,Pam and I spent a couple of hours around Mathimnia today, not a lot doing,wheatear, willow warbler, 4 shag, whinchat, 1 griffon vulture buzzard, meadow pipits, whinchat and 1 hoopoe.

Image by and © Harry Lough

                                          Shag....Phalocrocorax aristotelis

              

Harry had us going when he sent us a picture taken on our trip out yesterday of a Long-toed Treecreeper !!!! 

        

5th October

5th October
We went out early this morning at 7am, picking up a fellow birder in Chania, Peter from the UK had asked to join us once again on one of our birding days out whilst he
visited the island. Then meeting Harry at Aygia for a full days birding in the mountains at Omalos/Kalergi and surrounds. In all we had 48 species for the day.

A beautiful day with blue skies and little wind and temperatures in the mid twenties.

At Chania....12 Yellow-legged Gulls on the breakwater

At Agyia....Wood Warbler....Barn Swallow....Great Egret 1....Moorhen....Coot.... Kingfisher.... Cetti's Warbler....Italian Sparrow....Little Grebe....Ferruginous Duck 8+ Mallard... Shoveler.... Marsh Harrier 2....Starling....Spotted Flycatcher....Hooded crow.... Blackcap. We watched one of the Marsh Harriers trying to catch Little Grebe! swooping in and several grebe diving with lots of splashing at the last moment to evade capture..

We moved on, stopping at Fournes on the off chance that the Bee-eaters were hanging around from Sunday, no luck there, but Italian Sparrow, chiffchaff, Blackbird,
Greenfinch, Goldfinch.
We should mention that after a very poor showing of Spotted flycatcher in the spring the place was alive with them , in fact everywhere we went we saw good numbers, a good breeding season for this species it seems.

A dark morph Booted Eagle was spotted on the ridges to the north side of Omalos plateau, it circled for a while before heading towards the north coast.

At Omalos we went straight onto the Cafeteria at the gorge entrance to sample their lovely mylopita's (apple pies), we had visits from Wren, blue Tit, Great Tit and Crag Martin. Griffon Vulture soared overhead and the cries of Chough could be heard, Raven flew noisily overhead and Jays were once again very verbal and everywhere.

On up to Kalergi, we had great views of Griffon Vulture with perhaps 12+ in one group. Of the Griffons seen, we counted through the day 30+, we believe that many were the same birds and would at estimate the actual different birds seen as around 20. A Hobby hunted insects above the refuge, two different Golden Eagle flew over, a kestrel was heard plus more Raven. Lots of Linnet, Goldfinch, Chaffinch with scatterings of Wren a Common Buzzard and more Crag Martin.

From the refuge we headed back down to the plateau and onto the pools. One was holding a small amount of water and the other a bit of a muddy patch , we never saw much here apart from, Linnet, Goldfinch, Stonechat, Whinchat, Woodlark,and Jay.

We left the plateau on the western exit and headed to the Greleska refuge above Aygia Irini Gorge: Here we had another good sighting of Golden Eagle, this time an adult and juvenile plus two other seperate birds,from photos it appears we had four different birds and with adult and juvenile mayb e six different , the juvenile markings on the pair were more strongly marked than the other birds, this is the most goldies we have seen in one day !Unfortunately we never got pics of the pair together.

More griffons with really close flybys with some at eyelevel as they flew above the gorge. An unidentified distant accipiter and another larger raptor which we still have to ID , either booted or bonelli's eagle. Great Tit, Blue Tit, Spotted flycatchers and Jay.

A last look around the plateau before we headed to Aygia, produced more Cirl Bunting, Corn Bunting, trees full of goldfinch, Woodlark, Chaffinch and Linnets. we spotted a Red-backed Shrike, Sardinian Warbler and more Whinchat, with Harry getting a last minute sighting of a White Wagtail near the taverna's.

We dropped Harry back at his car at Agyia, had one last look at the lake, nothing more to add in species but spectacular views of a few hundred Barn Swallows and some
House Martins in a cloud around the lake.

On the way home a barn Owl.

Of note, the water level at Aygia has remained constant this year. The water company in past years drained most of it towards the end of summer, then refilled after a few weeks.
This has resulted in a lack of wader species this year and leaving the levels high may be to the detriment of some species with no mud banks and surrounds to rest and feed.
Many tourists ( Birders ) come to the lake to see the variety of birds, with the species numbers dropping this may in future result in less tourists/visitors, lets hope they
get it right for next year !!

Thanks to Peter and Harry for their good company......

                                          Golden Eagle...Aquila chrysaetos

                                                             1st bird

                                                             2nd bird

              

                                                           3rd bird

          

                                                            4th bird

                         

                                           Griffon Vulture...Gyps fulvus

           

               

                           

                           

 

                                           Corn Bunting....Miliaria calandra

 

                                       Spotted Flycatcher....Muscicapa striata

           

                                            Woodlark....Lullula arborea

           

                                          Wren ....Troglodytes troglodytes

       

   Away from its Crete mountain habitat....at the taverna tables Samaria Gorge entrance  

       

From Nikos........BLACK-NECKED GREBE ( we missed that then !!! Colin ) MARSH HARRIER AND GREAT EGRET AT AGYIA TODAY... YESTERDAY BY MANOS A PEREGRINE AND A SPARROWHAWK THERE ALSO...

Image by and © Nikos Samaritakis
                                 Black-necked Grebe....Podiceps nigricollis

              

Image by and © Harry Lough

                               Hobby....Falco subbuteo  above Kelergi refuge

                 

2nd - 4th October

A condensed report 2nd October - 4th October

2nd: Sardinian Warbler....Stonechat....Great Tit....Common Buzzard.... Hooded Crow....    Barn Swallow....Italian Sparrow....Goldfinch....Woodlark....Crested Lark....Raven....    Eleonora's Falcon....Griffon Vulture....Kestrel....Blue Rock Thrush....Chaffinch....Blackbird

Harry reports 10 Bee-eaters at Fournes on the road to Lakki

3rd: Barn Swallow....Crested lark...Hooded Crow....Rock Dove...Collared Dove .... Goldfinch....Woodlark....Great Tit....Chaffinch....Blackbird....Kestrel....Sardinian Warbler 
Bonelli's Eagle....Blue Rock Thrush....Stonechat....Sparrowhawk....Hoopoe

4th: Barn Owl....Crested Lark....Woodlark....Italian Sparrow....Goldfinch....Hooded Crow ....    Common Buzzard 2 + 4 migrating....1015am, 2 pale morph 1 dark morph Booted Eagle....
Peregrine Falcon....Sardinian Warbler....Great Tit.... Chaffinch.... Greenfinch.... Raven.... Eleonora's Falcon...Blackbird....
A short walk along the track to our house produced; Blackcap....Spotted Flycatcher.... Skylark....Sparrowhawk....Redstart and a Weasel

                                   Booted Eagle....Aquila pennata pale morph

         

           

                                                    dark morph with Raven

            

      Gives a good comparison of size: Raven wingspan 115-130cm,  Booted 110-135cm  

             

                                                  Raven....Corvus corax

                          

                                   Molting   Eleonora's Falcon ....Falco eleonorae           

                           

From Alan on the 4th

We were out all day yesterday, and not a single bird pic - even at Elafonisi!  A black kite over the National Highway at Souda was our best "sighting". 
At Elafonisi three squacco, a little egret, a few woodlark and a thousand holidaymakers - we thought it would be quiet by now and look for grey plover etc.  Wrong!

 3 Images by and  © Alan Hargrave

                                           Bathing Spotted Flycatcher

               

                                     Elephant Hawkmoth....Deilephila elpenor

                       

                                Silver-striped Hawkmoth ....Hippotion celerio

       

4th October

Our apologies for no reports over the weekend. We have been nursing our little dog Mia.

We know there are many of you out there who have met and birded with Mia. Unfortunately Mia had to be put to sleep last night after being in severe pain since she arrived back in Crete in August. There had been no improvement and Mia went downhill fast in the last week and we decided she should suffer no more.

Mia has helped out at Antikythera seeing the ringers off in the morning and greeting them on their return in the afternoon, birded and befriended people in Italy, France, England and Scotland whilst on our birding travels.

Lifes a little empty now without her about. After saving her here in Crete when she was about to be dumped at 4 weeks old, she has been a faithful little companion to us for the last nine years....

                               Mia last year enjoying the sea at Falasarna

           

 

1st October

Weather, 0800... Temperature, 21.0oC....Cloud 80%....Wind N 18 m/s .... 1016mb Visibility 20miles.... noon temp. 23.7oC Gales force winds thrroughout the night reaching 9 Beaufort continuing into the day

Due to the weather on the coast another bad day although a small flock of Little Egret were seen early morning as the battled northwards along the bay. The Griffons were forced down low as twelve flew onto Gramvousa  at 0900, numbers of Eleonora'sFalcon were up with 10 seen as they actively hunted for migrants.

Kaliviani species....Chukar....Kestrel 2....Griffon Vulture 12....Crested Lark ....Barn Swallow.... Little Egret 20+....Common Buzzard 3....Eleonora's Falcon 10....Greenfinch....Hooded Crow... Rock Dove....Collared Dove....Italian Sparrow.

                                           Griffon Vulture....Gyps fulvus

             

 

From Nikos at Elafonisi.....3 Turnstone, 2 kentish Plover, 2 Dunlin and a Grey Plover

Four images by and © Nikos Samaritakis

                                        Turnstone....Arenaria interpres

                         

                                         Grey Plover....pluvialis squatarola

            

                                                 Dunlin....Calidris alpina

       

                                    Kentish Plover.....Charadrius alexandrinus

       

Don't forget tomorrow 1100-1400 at Agyia there should be a good number of birders there. 

30th September

Weather, 0800... Temperature, 23.4oC....Cloud 80%....Wind NE,6-18.4m/s .... 1014mb Visibility 18miles....Noon temp 25.1oC

Kaliviani....Chukar....Hooded Crow....Crested Lark....Raven....Woodlark....Common Buzzard... Barn Swallow...Sardinian Warbler....Goldfinch....Little Ringed Plover....Grey Heron...      Yellow-legged Gull...Collared Dove....Spotted Flycatcher....Northern Wheatear....Rock Dove.... Griffon Vulture 2 ( one tagged but unable to decipher the number)

From Alan.....Had an afternoon walk round Georgioupoli - the river to be exact.  The mute swan returned a few weeks ago, but stayed on the small river on the "other" side of Kalivaki Beach.  Today it is on the main river (still looking for the pelican?).  I have noticed the ring, and it's the same bird that is now probably staying for its third winter here.  

Along the tow path there are ploughed fields - spotted my first autumn sighting of a redstart.  It appears to be a first winter male.  Same spot found a whinchat, and small flock of willow warblers.

Images by and © Alan Hargrave

                                                 Mute Swan...Cygnus olor

                          

                                     Redstart....Phoenicurus phoenicurus

                          

                          

                                             Whinchat....Saxicola rubetra

                        

29th September

Weather, 0800... Temperature, 21.9oC....Cloud 90%....Wind NE 6-14.2m/s .... 1016mb Visibility 20miles.... noon temp. 23.2oC

Strong winds continue to plague us and look set for the next few days, very liitle bird life to be seen here in Kaliviani, some Griffons were the highlight as three came in fairly close to the house and we spotted a Red-backed Shrike , the first for a few days now. Also large flocks of Goldfinches once again feeding on the dry thistle heads.

List....Hooded Crow....Sardinian Warbler....Crested Lark....Common Buzzard 5....Barn Swallow Rock Dove....Collared Dove....Griffon Vulture 6+6 (possibly the same birds).....         Peregrine Falcon....Kestrel 3....Goldfinch ....Red-backed Shrike.... Italian Sparrow....Great Tit Blackbird.

28th September

Weather, 0800... Temperature, 22.4oC....Cloud 90%....Wind NExE,10.6m/s .... 1015mb Visibility 20miles

We have added a report from Harry onto 27th blog along with four images .

Again very quiet alothough we spotted a small group of Little Egret resting up on the rocks nearby,while watching them four Green Sandpiper were spotted flying looking for somewhere safe to land.

Kaliviani List....Crested Lark....Woodlark....Common Buzzard....Sardinian Warbler....      Hooded Crow....Little Egret 6....Stonechat....Kestrel 1....Spotted Flycatcher....                 Green Sandpiper....Barn Swallow....Great Tit....Blackbird....Goldfinch....Greenfinch....Raven Collared Dove....Rock Dove....Chukar....Italian Sparrow

Seen at Elafonisi today by Manos....Grey Plover, Turnstone, Kentish Plover and Dunlin

From Alan....Yesterday 27th a friend and I climbed up to the Kallergi Hut from Xyloskala. Absolutely no large birds seen during the entire trip - best sighting was a single red-billed chough at the top.
We called in at Agia on the way back, and again very little there. A surprise as we entered the taverna for a coffee. A kingfisher standing on the pathway, obviously not in good shape,
though very much alive. I took a photo, then approached it and was able to pick it up and find an area of cover for it near the water.After coffee I checked it out and it was standing upright, though seemingly not ready to move.I guess it may have flown into the taverna window? A nice close-up, but I feel I cheated a bit for this one!
 

 Picture by and © Alan Hargrave

                                             Kingfisher....Alcedo atthis

         

27th September

Apologies for no news over the last few days, we have had problems with the internet speeds and access. We have been told by OTE that we have been put on a new connection/line and everything should now be OK !!

The blog has been updated this afternoon with the last three days news , which has unfortunately been very little, with strong winds from the NE and East birds have been few.

For those interested and on the island there is an event on Sunday the 2th October at Agyia coinciding with EuroBirdwatch 11, organised by Birdlife International and the Hellenic Ornithological Society.... the times are 1100-1400. The Theme this year is "Save Migratory Birds" mainly aimed at the younger generation there will be quite a few youngsters at the lake. If you are interested in going along with Scope, camera, binoculars, we are sure you will be welcomed by the local organisers, the youngsters will hopefully benefit from fellow birders enthusiasm. There may also be another event organised by an Akrotiri group, which if we get details will be posted on here.

Todays bird list and news....Still fairly quiet with a peregrine actively hunting all morning a few species could be heard and the only sightings were of many Goldfinch busily feeding on the dried thistles. A dark morph Booted Eagle arrived at 1340hrs staying to hunt for about 15 minutes before disappearing west on the strong winds. Whilst one of a pair of Kestrel had it in for anyhting that was flying ! in ariel manouveres with the local Hoodies and Common Buzzard throughout the morning.

Species...Chukar....Blackbird....Italian Sparrow....Sardinian Warbler....Goldfinch.... Greenfinch ....Hooded Crow....Common Buzzard 3....Peregrine Falcon 1 juv.... Crested Lark Barn Swallow.... Kestrel 2....dm Booted Eagle....Rock Dove....Collared Dove....Stonechat... Barn Owl.

From Nikos at Maronis....Grey, Purple and  Squacco Herons, Little and Great Egret. On the 24th there were 19 Glossy Ibis near Gerani

From Harry at Maronis ....great white egret,  little egret,  grey heron,  purple heron, night heron, redshank, kingfisher, ringed plover, common sandpiper, redshank, Common buzzard.  

Four Images by and © Harry Lough

                                         Purple Heron....Ardea purpurea

              

                                juvenile  Night Heron....Nycticorax nycticorax           

        

                                      Common Sandpiper....Actitis hypoleucos

              

                                              Redshank....Tringa totanus

              

 

 

26th September

Weather, 0800... Temperature, 23.5oC....Cloud 50%....Wind NExE,6-9m/s gusting 12 1015mb.... Visibility 6miles

Kaliviani List....Common Buzzard 3....Chukar....Blackbird....Goldfinch....Hooded Crow....Raven....Peregrine Falcon 1....Griffon Vulture 12....Crested Lark....Sardinian Warbler Bonelli's Eagle 1....Little Egret 8....Italian Sparrow....Barn Swallow....Northern Wheatear.... Rock Dove....Collared Dove....Barn Owl.

25th September

Weather, 0800... Temperature, 23.0oC....Cloud 50%....Wind NE,3-8m/s....1012.... visibility 20miles....Noon temp 26.1oC

Kaliviani List....Raven....Hooded Crow....Woodlark....Crested Lark....Italian Sparrow .... Goldfinch ....Kestrel 1....Griffon Vulture 1....Common Buzzard 3....Chukar....Rock Dove .... Collared Dove....Eleonora's Falcon....Barn Owl

From Alan.... Lots of alpine swifts about today - over the house and at the Viewpoint.  Margaret and I made a brief stop at the Viewpoint after some shopping in Georgioupoli. 
Just as we were leaving, having seen little on and around the lake except a female shoveller, Margaret noticed a falcon.  We watched it carry out several stoops for insects - never at close quarters, and couldn't decide if it was a red-footed or maybe a hobby - definitely smaller than an Eleonora's.  At home with the laptop, I'm fairly confident this was a hobby.  Photos not great, but one attached is enough to confirm id - I think. ( Hard to tell and may also be a juvenile Red-footed Falcon...Colin )

Picture by and © Alan Hargrave                 

                           

24th September

Weather, 0800... Temperature, 23.5oC....Cloud 0%....Wind N,6m/s....1010.... visibility 20miles....Noon temp 26.4oC

Kaliviani list....Chukar....Griffon Vulture 2....Kestrel 1....Sparrowhawk 1....Eleonora's Falcon 1 Goldfinch....Collared Dove....Rock Dove....Raven....Hooded Crow....Woodlark....Crested Lark  Common Buzzard....Blue Tit....Great Tit....Northern Wheatear....Stonechat....Barn Owl.

From Alan....An "at home" day and nothing to get too excited about.  Two willow warblers at back of garden and good number of alpine swifts circulating high up. 
One of our local common buzzards came over and I noticed it was carrying prey.  My shot just about shows a mouse being carried, I think, but what a boldly plumaged bird this is!

Picture by and © Alan Hargrave                

                         

23rd September

Weather, 0800... Temperature, 23.2oC....Cloud 80%....Wind N,5-9.3m/s....1008.... visibility 15miles....Noon temp 25.9oC

From Alan....

We called in at Moronis.  The gypsies are using the quayside area again, and the walk along the river from there is disgusting - one big toilet.  This is a few weeks after the council had a big cleanup !!!! Colin
We didn't stay long, but sighted a ringed plover, common sandpiper, little egrets x 4,  grey heron, and a small flock of willow warblers.

On our return we looked at the Georgioupoli Viewpoint and had our first marsh harrier there for 4 months.  In the past a female has often stayed through the summer.  
This one though was a juvenile, being constantly pestered by a few hooded crows.  Three grey herons and a glimpse of a single Eleonora's racing through, otherwise still very quiet there.

Three images by and  © Alan Hargrave

                                            Marsh Harrier / Hooded Crow

               

                                     Ringed Plover....Charadrius hiaticula

               

                                     Willow Warbler.....Phylloscopus trochilus

                     

Kaliviani....

We did little birding today, high winds had most of the small birds sheltering, raptors were the best views today, good numbers of Eleonora's Falcon and our favorite at the moment the 2cy bonelli's Eagle , alas at a distance ! Liitle Egrets once again entered the bay on they're  route south

Chukar....Hooded Crow....Eleonora's Falcon 10....Peregrine falcon 1....Common Buzzard 2....Bonelli's Eagle 1....Raven 12....Goldfinch....Greenfinch....Collared Dove....Italian SparrowCollared Dove....Rock Dove....Woodlark....Crested Lark....Little Egret 30+

Some news from Harry when he visited Tavronitis two days ago ...  

This morning at Tavronitis, ringed plover, marsh harrier,I  think a crane, hoopoe and kingfisher seen,weather very wet so difficult to get photos. We await  confirmation picture of the Crane.

22nd September

Weather, 0800... Temperature, 24.2oC....Cloud 70%....Wind N,0-1.7/s....1006mb....Rain Showers, heavy at times. Noon temperature 23.3oC

Kaliviani species....Chukar....Hooded Crow....Woodlark....Sardinian Warbler....Goldfinch.... Italian Sparrow....Rock Dove....Great Tit....Willow Warbler....Common Buzzard....Blue Tit Northern Wheatear....CrestedLark....Kestrel....Peregrine Falcon....Griffon Vulture....          Little Egret 40.

 

From Alan...... 

After our first rain for over 3 months, we decided to have a walk near Petres Gorge late afternoon.  The rain just about held off, and as we left our house Margaret noticed a red-rumped swallow on our telephone wire.  That's my first picture.  As we drove to Petres the rain came again, heavy this time.  We almost turned back, but started the walk anyway, and came across a flock of jackdaws.  
These were not paired up as we've seen in the past.  Our sightings over the next half hour included great tit, blue tit, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch, spotted flycatcher, red-backed shrike, stonechat and whinchat.  Nearer the gorge, common buzzard and raven.  At the gorge, one single griffon landed on a ledge, a peregrine was seen at distance on the far side, but the best sighting was a flock of nine red-footed falcons, mainly males.  Unfortunately the whitish sky gave a silhouette effect on many photos, but there was some blue up there.  
They were great to watch as they gradually moved south - we felt lucky to see them in the autumn

Three images by and © Alan Hargrave

                                       Jackdaw......Corvus monedula

                                     Red-footed Falcon....Falco vespertinus                        

                        

                                  Red-rumped Swallow.....Cecropis daurica

                        

21st September

Weather, 0800... Temperature, 26.2oC....Cloud 99%....Wind W,1-3m/s....1008....Rain Showers.

After a night of heavy rain showers with thunder and lightning at times the wind shifted to the West and and for the day was fairly poor.

Todays list....Crested Lark....Hooded Crow....Sardinian Warbler....Italian Sparrow.... Goldfinch....Greenfinch....Northern Wheatear....Woodlark....Griffon Vulture 10+ south ridges + 2 Gramvousa....Raven....Red-backed Shrike....Barn Swallow....Whinchat....Woodchat Shrike....Spotted Flycatcher....Common Buzzard, locals + 3 migrating....Little-ringed Plover (coast)....Collared Dove....Rock Dove.

                          Red-backed Shrike....Lanius collurio bringing up a pellet

               

20th September

Weather, 0800... Temperature, 28.0oC....Cloud 0....Wind 0....Visibility 15miles.... 1011mb Rain Showers, pm thunder /lightning distant, wind shift to SW temperature rose 3oC in half hour to 31.2oC.

From Harry, A flock of 20+ Green Sandpipers at Agyia

Image by and © Harry Lough

                                      Green Sandpiper.... Tringa ochropus

                     

Kaliviani list....Crested lark....Blackbird....Yellow-legged Gull....Goldfinch....Sardinian Warbler Hooded Crow....Woodlark....Italian Sparrow....Chukar....Rock Dove....Common Buzzard.... Stonechat....Red-backed Shrike....Blue Rock Thrush....Great Tit....Chaffinch....Little Egret 1.... Woodchat Shrike....Spotted Flycatcher....Bonelli's Eagle