No laughing but I actually got up
early today and was pottering down towards Metochi well before six. It was
still and calm and as I drew up in the dark I could already hear the
prehistoric croaks of Grey Herons and bizarre whistles of Black Storks. After a
while I could just see shapes and further birds of both species were dropping
in for the morning fishing frenzy. Little Egrets began to descend and I could
hear Greenshanks and both Common and Green Sandpipers. What followed was on a
par with last years’ experience with 16 Black Storks, 29 Grey Herons, 37 Little
and a single Great White Egret and a juvenile Spoonbill all jostling for
position in an attempt to stab, hoover, grab, impale and gulp down fish ranging
for tiddlers up to foot long Mullet and an even longer Common Eel. Nothing had
a chance and by 7.30 things were starting to already calm down as indigestion
overtook the desire to hunt.
The various Tringas fed around the margins on the
now much reduced water and there were even six Mallard squibbling in the muddy
sections. A female Marsh Harrier drifted through and Bee-eaters and Ravens
called above.
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| Green Sandpiper |
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| I am particularly pleased with these Grey Herons |
Breakfast beckoned again and there are only so many pictures
you can take. The Bee-eaters were on the wires as I drove put along with
several early rising Red-backed Shrikes and the Bats had been replaced by Red-rumped
Swallows and House Martins. There was one more pre-repast treat in store with
two immature Golden Orioles bounding away from me and into the Olives. Back at
the Pela, Tawny and Tree Pipits flew over and about 80 House Martins and Red-rumped Swallows were
resting on the wires.
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| Bee-eaters |
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| Swallows and Martins |
The plan was to go to the nice warm spring beach that Alison
revealed last September at Kali Limani but it was actually cool and cloudy upon
arrival and the sea was full of weed but I was happy with an obliging female
Eastern Black-eared Wheatear and a sprinkle of Spotted Flycatchers,
Whitethroats and Willow Warblers.
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| Skalochori |
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| Eastern Black-eared Wheatear |
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| Eastern Black-eared Wheatear |
From here I could access the track to Ancient
Antissa from the east end and bumped along the coast path to the valley passing
many Rock Nuthatches, Wheatears and Crested Larks en route along with fine
scaly male Blue Rock Thrush.
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| Blue Rock Thrush. |
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| Towards Ancient Antissa |
A swirl of Jackdaws were in the village and the now expected
passerines were regularly encountered. I followed the track down to the actual
remains of the old fort on the promontory and found a single Sea Daffodil in flower
on the beach complete with what I think is a Eupeodes Hoverfly in attendance and
two stunning little pink and purple spotted Jellyfish in the harbour.
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| Jackdaws and Hooded Crows |
I walked back up the track we had driven and most of the
birds decided to stay on the side that left me looking into the sun but I still
saw plenty with a host of Chats, Shrikes, Pipits and Wagtails and a smattering
of Willow Warblers, Spot Flys and Whitethroats. One productive Fig tree held
both Whitethroats and a chunky Garden Warbler which is always a good bird to
find out here.
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| Sea Daffodil - Pancratium maritimum |
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| Ancient Antissa |
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| funky Jellyfish |
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| Willow Warbler |
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| Red-backed Shrike |
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| Spotted Flycatcher |
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| Unknown plant - help needed! |
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| The leaves |
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| Thorn-apple - Datura stramonium |
A recently cleared meadow was dotted with birds and a vast House
Sparrow flock and at least six Hoopoes which is the most I have seen together
before. Four hirundine species hawked around and a female Marsh Harrier arrived from
Turkey with an almost perceptible sigh of relief.
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| Hoopoes! |
From here the road was followed into Gavathas where lunch
was taken in the completely deserted harbour car park. It was a ghost town but
at least the view was good and a Common Sandpiper and White Wagtail were seen.
Clumps of vibrant Sea Lavender dotted the rocky edges.
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| male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear - all three ACV |
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| The bay around to Gavathas |
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| Sea Lavender sp |
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| White Wagtail |
With the wind getting up I chose not to head for Ipsilou and
instead asked Google maps to plot a route to Agra over the top...
The road was my normal way home to start with via Lardia
Gorge (Sardinian Warbler rattling) but then turned right in Vatoussa and up through
Revma and nearly to Chidira where I swung left onto a rough tack that amazingly
was actually blue signposted to Agra! What followed was an amazing route up and
down the heart of the west side of the island. It was amazingly well forested
with whole hillsides of Oak and Pine with a thick scrub layer of Kermes Oaks,
Turpentine and Mastic and Strawberry Trees. I had only seen the latter above
Mytillini and it was good to see them actually fruiting too. I looked for Two
Tailed Pashas but had no joy. One of the Pine woods looked like a cone of trees
in the high valley and suspect it warrants a better look. I certainly found
more bands of Long-tailed Tits that I have ever seen before and that was while
trundling along with the windows down. The views were magnificent.
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| Strawberry Tree |
Eventually it came out of the trees and onto a high plateau
boulderfield where Chaffinches and Goldfinches were around the Milk Thistle
heads and Rock Nuthatches and a Blue Rock Thrush were seen. You could look down
over all of Agra and beyond and across the entire Kalloni Gulf to Nifida and
the hills in the distance.
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| Over Agra and the Gulf |
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| Rock Nuthatch |
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| Looking down on Agra |
A last wiggle through Agra and then it was back on the main
road.
A mini siesta and then I took myself down to the lower reaches
of the Potamia and walked down past the Kalloni Bay Apartments as far as the
road would let me. The river was flowing well and there were gaps in the Giant
Reed and Willows to see Kingfisher, Moorhen, Little Grebe and Grey Heron while
85 Bee-eaters were feeding from the top of the tallest reeds before spiralling
south with a Short-toed Eagle or company. Brown Argus was a new island
butterfly for me.
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| The well vegetated Potamia from the main road |
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| Christou Black Stork |
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| Bee-eaters |
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| An adult Moorhen is such and under-rated species. They seem especially bright here. |
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| Brown Argus |
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| Brown Argus |
There was no change on the Potamia pond and up at Kerami
Reservoir there were now 20 Mallard but only three Teal and two Garganey. I
watched several Shrikes of three species as I made my way back to the hotel.
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| Red-backed Shrike |
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| Masked Shrike |
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| Masked Shrike |
A Slender Billed Gull joined us for dinner at the Dionysis and a final dusk
circuit of the Tsiknias and Lotzaria saw Kingfisher, Snipe and Greenshank still
at the Ford and a Water Rail scooting across the channel was only the second
new trip bird for the day.
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| Red-backed Shrike |
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| Slender Billed Gull |
There were no Nightjars seen but the sky was full of
countless fat black Verge Crickets, Bats, a Little Owl bounded down the track and the third Eastern
Hedgehog of the week ambled towards the car in the lights.
Another full day came to a close.
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