The final morning for Nick and Gill and an airport run beckoned so we packed them up and made our way towards Mytiline before veering off to make our way to Charamidia. It was a glorious still morning but the Ruppell’s Warblers had other ideas and I heard one singing and got brief views of a female. The Sardinian Warblers were very showy and there seemed to be more than ever and Crestzschmar’s Buntings were in fine voice and as usual here were exceptionally obliging.
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| Crestzschmar’s Bunting |
The flat calm sea was made up of different colours and
smoothness due to the currents and some circling Yellow-legged Gulls drew the
eye to a raft of Yelkouan Shearwaters that were plunge feeding. The Gulls were tenacious and were seen
actively pursuing them. I searched for
Scopoli’s but there were none. Ravens made
weird plonking noises and a Cuckoo with a stutter was spluttering up the
slope. It was time to go but we ended on
a high note with a plump Chukar slowly walking across the road in front of the
car. A fine end to the week and the crew
went home happy.
I sat with Alison and Costas and watched Alpine Swifts zoom
overhead while a Robin rather unexpectedly sung from the giant reed by the car
park. A quick look at the sea gave me a
bonus Audouin’s Gull. I picked up five
of the new Oriole Birding crew from the Stansted flight but we had to wait for the delayed one
from Manchester and so pottered up the road and sought some shade under the
Tamarisks.
Yelkouan Shearwaters were streaming past and a couple of
Shags were seen while two White Wagtails ensured this somewhat tricky spring
bird was on the list. Even Sardinian
Warbler showed well on a telephone wire on the other side of the road. We collected Mike and John and headed back to
Skala Kallonis seeing Alpine Swifts around the cliff outside of the capital on
the way.
The wind had got up and after checking in a having a bevvy
we headed back out for a first drive round Loutzaria and the pans. Common, Sandwich and Little Terns were at the
Tsiknias river mouth and up river at the ford we quickly picked up at least two
female Little Crakes once again as well as a bright legged Temminck’s Stint,
Black-headed Wagtails, Bee-eaters and three male Black-headed Buntings with the
Mulberry male putting on a fine performance for us.
.JPG) |
| Black-headed Bunting - he does like exactly that perch! |
We bumped through the middle adding a male Red-backed Shrike
and several Eastern Ollies and two Gull-billed Terns were still cruising around
and picking snacks from the grass. The wind was now howling but somehow we had
some good close views of at least 12 Red-throated Pipits feeding in the last damp patch on the Alykes Wetlands while
down at the Sheepfields, our viewpoint gave us the all important first day
views of Dalmatian Pelicans and a couple of Ruddy Shelduck while Short-toed
Larks spiralled above and Zitting Cisticolas did their thing.
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| Red-throated Pipit - Jim Willett |
The dust in the wind was getting uncomfortable so we
retraced and stopped at the Pump House Corner where Ruffs were with the Stilts and Wood Sandpipers and a Temminck’s Stint was on the other side of the
road. The 2cy male Montagu’s Harrier was out
quartering the back fields and we also picked up Marsh Harrier and a single
White Stork before retreating once again with a final brief stop at Stilt
Corner giving us the Spur Winged Plover once again – and like the Pelicans,
always good to see one on the first afternoon of any trip.
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| Ruff - Jim Willett |
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| Black-winged Stilt |
We decided to retire for the day and give everyone a chance to chill before the first dinner.
The week one bird list:
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