Dad and I were up at the double bandstand at Argennos below
Mt Lepetimnos by 10am with a stiff somewhat chill north easterly blowing onshore
but not a cloud in sight. A small team assembled and over the next two hours we
picked up at least 33 juvenile Honey Buzzards coming in from Turkey including a
flock of 12. All were on the dark side bar a strikingly pale individual that was
in fact the first we saw. Some of the views were fantastic. A juvenile Marsh
Harrier, eight Sparrowhawks and singles of both Lesser and Common Kestrel were
noted. A male Goshawk was seen battling across and another adult male and
female were seen around us and may have been migrants or locals.
The big female was seen off by a Raven - probably the only diurnal bird to give them a headache. Two dark Eleonora's Falcons passed by us and a Peregrine was up around the masts with the tumbling Ravens and local Buzzards drifted up now and then.
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| Honey Buzzard |
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| Honey Buzzard |
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| Eleonora's Falcon |
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| Eleonora's Falcon |
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| Eleonora's Falcon |
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| Battle of the beasts - Raven v Goshawk |
Chaffinches bimbled east and a Tree Pipit went the other way
but there was no other discernible passage. I did however find two fine
Woodpigeons in the valley below and forced the others to look at them!
A quick stop above Mithymna on the way back added a flock of
Bee-eaters, two more Honey Buzzards and a Short-toed Eagle while Robins, Cirl Buntings and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers were heard from the
roadside groves and Oaks.
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| Mithymna |
The cooler morning had become a blistering afternoon and while
the Queens State funeral played in the background and a gathering of Brits
respectfully watched the big screen Thekla had set up, I dozed in the shade.
A short pre-dinner pootle around the Triangle gave me a female Sparrowhawk, Green Sandpiper, a Short-toed Eagle on a pole, a few more flava Wagtails and
Whinchats and a close view of that male Red-backed Shrike at last!
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Short-toed Eagle |
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| Short-toed Eagle - 'in the landscape shot' |
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| Red-backed Shrike - can you take too many Shrike pictures? |
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