Toadsnatcher 2

SHETLAND & ORKNEY, 21 – 30 June 2009

2009-07-05T15:47:00.013Z

A Speyside Wildlife holiday with Steve Dudley and Craig Round.

Guests: Grainne, Margaret, Chris & Rob, Moira, Emily & Peter, Mick, Gordon, Annabelle, Lyn & Dave.

Day 1, Sunday 21 June - travel day

Craig and Steve meet the group at Inverness airport and we are soon airborne and on our way north. After a brief stop at Kirkwall we arrive shortly afterwards at Sumbrugh at the southern end of Shetland. Luggage collected we collect the minibuses and were off north and within the hour we’re checking-in to the Herrislea House Hotel, our home for the week. We meet up for dinner and enjoy the first of the week’s sumptuous home-cooked meals before retiring to our rooms, many of us gazing out of our windows until late eager to enjoy our first simmer dim at this high latitude.

Day 2, Monday 22 June - South Shetland Mainland

After our first hearty Shetland breakfast we head off into a murky, drizzly day. We head south and our first stop is at Easter Quarff where we immediately locate a Little Egret stood on a shoreline rock. We’re all familiar with Little Egret in England as its gotten commoner over the years, but on Shetland it’s still a real rarity. We stay by the little bay and start adding species after species to the trip list. Along the shoreline are Oystercatcher, Redshank and Ringed Plover and a lone male Teal which is already showing signs of turning into its eclipse plumage. Bonxies patrol offshore and sweep overhead as they head inshore on the look out for easy pickings. A Common Tern hovers close by over the bay whilst a party of Artic Terns bounce behind over the open sea. Up to three Red-throated Divers are offshore and the first of our Shetland races, Shetland Starling, is seen quickly followed by a Shetland Wren which flies off across the bay. The Starling is strikingly different to our Starling being plainer with few spots. A couple of Rock Doves wing by flashing their white underwings and rump and a single dark phase Arctic Skua sweeps over the sheep fields before being seen off by a noisy Oystercatcher. A Curlew alights on the beach briefly and three more Teal make a quick splash down in the bay before springing back off. All the while the Little Egret has been sat on a nearby rock. As we retreat to allow the Little Egret back in to the bay to feed, a single Dunlin lands on the shore.

We continue south and arrive at Loch of Spiggie as the cloud begins to lift and the drizzle ceases. Three Mute Swans are feeding near the car park and Craig immediately proclaims that there is eight Red-throated Divers on the loch! Scopes are soon set up and divers, Bonxies, Great Black-baked Gulls and three Whooper Swans are all enjoyed. There is a constant stream of birds coming and going from the nearby sea to bathe in the freshwater loch. Arctic Terns, Herring and Common Gulls, Kittiwakes – all pop in for a quick wash. We find another Common Tern before Craig spies a ‘white-winged’ gull stood on a nearby rock. Its tail end on to us and appears an odd bird. It has grey upperparts but the pale bill with dark tip like a first winter bird. It eventually flies off and its size and structure give it away as an Iceland Gull. Just before we leave, the three Whooper Swans are disturbed form the far shore by fisherman and they give us an excellent fly-by.

We head off around the loch spying a Snipe on a fen post and a couple more Whooper Swans, before arriving at Loch of Hillwell. First scan of the loch reveals some Coot and a Little Grebe before Steve spots a duck in the corner. ‘Wood Duck!’ he shouts just as the bird disappears into the reed edge. For the next half and hour it gives us the run around. Detected movement turns into a Moorhen. Then another movement turns out to be a Mallard. Questions are asked. Did Steve see a Wood Duck? ‘There it is!’ proclaims Mike. But we all miss it. A couple of Ravens appear and start hanging around nearby. ‘Here it is!’ shouts Dave. Bingo! Most of us get on to it at last. Although widely kept in captivity, this bird might just be a genuine vagrant and will at some point be considered as such by the British Ornithologists’ Records Committee who maintain the British List and which Steve runs!

We continue south to our lunch stop at Grutness. Here the busy Arctic Tern colony keeps us entertained whilst we refuel. Any gulls approaching too close are immediately attacked by a constant line of birds until there is a frenzy screaming terns around it. One lucky gull breaks through and snatches a young tern. Ah well, the terns can’t always win. Even the rabbits grazing nearby are soon chased off if they stray beyond the colony lines! A female Eider and three young are found along the shore and there is a procession of Gannets heading south, presumably from the major colony on Noss to their feeding areas.

After lunch we head up to Sumburgh head. A look in one of the quarries strikes lucky with good views of Wheatear, Shetland Wren and a four Twite which are are bouncing around calling their nasal ‘tweeze’ and showing off their forked tails. We park at the bottom of the heard and start to walk up to the lighthouse. We don’t get too far before Puffins, Puffins and some more Puffins stop us in our tracks! They’re everywhere! Sat along the cliff tops, popping in and out of burrows, whizzing past on blurred wings – even sat on walls! Every now and then we look at other things – Shags, Guillemots, Razorbills, Bonxies and Arctic Skuas patrolling the skies – but we always end up returning to the Puffins! Alarmingly though, we don’t see a single Puffin coming in with food. We spend a couple of hours enjoying all the bustle of a seabird colony before heading off back to the hotel via Lerwick for a few provisions.

We all have a relax before dinner and are joined by Albert a local Shetland birder and Speyside regular.

Day 3, Tues 23 June - Fetlar and Mousa

We wake to a fine, sunny day and after breakfast head north. We take the ferry across to Yell and in no time we are on board our second ferry to Fetlar. The 40 minute crossing sails by as we are occupied with Black Guillemots, Fulmars, Gannets, Puffins, Shags and several flocks of Greylag Goose. ‘There’s a fin!’ shouts Chris. Eyes search the see behind the ferry and eventually the distinctive shape of a Harbour Porpoise appears as it breaks the surface.

There’s plenty of visitors heading over to Fetlar today, so once on the island we stop at the ferry terminal to allow all the others to get on their way. We search the surrounding shoreline for Otters and the sea for divers when another porpoise is spotted. Directions are confused but it soon becomes apparent we have two pairs of porpoises in different parts of the sound. Two animals in particular are close and log on the surface for us all to enjoy.

We head off in to the island, but no sooner we are on our way when Craig spots a diver offshore. We climb out of the vans to find a non-breeding plumage Great Northern Diver. A great find. Scopes are soon out and we are enjoying good views when Steve spots a second bird! Wow!

We head off again and again are soon stopping to enjoy some Arctic Skuas cruising around over the moorland chasing one another. One of them is a fabulous pale phase bird, our first, which comes right overhead. Fantastic!

We turn on to the airstrip road and straight away come across a couple of splendid Golden Plover. They stand tall on their tussock mound look-outs showing off their black bellies calling mournfully. Nearby an Arctic Skua sits on it’s own look-out, watching us closely. We head on up to the end of the track where we are met by a pair of Whimbrel right by the vans! They are really close, but don’t mind us and call their delightful seven whistles between bouts of feeding. We get unbelievable views, the best Craig and Steve themselves have ever had! We spend a fabulous hour watching Whimbrel on the moor and Arctic Skuas wheeling around the skies around us. Some of us enjoy some alpine flowers including Alpine Squill, Alpine Speedwell and Thyme-leaved Speedwell.

We follow the main road into the main island village of Houbie when Steve grabs his radio to tell Craig about another Great Northern Diver! This one is much closer than the other two feeding in the little harbour just offshore. We are again out of the vans, but no need for a scope this time as we watch the bird feeding at super close range.

We arrive at Loch Funzie (pronounced Finnie!) and have lunch in the lay-by right by the loch. A Red-throated Diver sits on the water whilst there is a constant procession of terns and gulls coming to the loch to bathe. Occasionally a Snipe jumps up in to the sky to drum as it descends back to earth. Craig spots a female Red-necked Phalarope on the edge of the loch. It’s a scope job but it flies off before everyone can enjoy it. Continually searching the shoreline we find three summer plumaged Dunlin which give excellent views. The occasional Bonxie comes in to bathe in the shallows nearby when a Whimbrel flies past and follows suite.

We move to the other side of the loch in a hope of finding a phalarope. The diver is great from here with the light just right for us to see the delicate black and white lines down the back of its head and its triangle red on the throat. A second diver comes in wailing and lands right in front of us. The first bird wants none of it and dives and aims straight for the intruder which is soon running along the surface and taking to the air to escape the aggressor. Great action!

Several of the group walk down to the hide when Dave spots a phalarope from the road down on the mires in front of the hide. It’s another scope job but at least the light is good and we are able to get fairly good views of a single female. The Mires also hold Teal and Mallard. We then notice that there are a couple of phalaropes on the loch! We walk back to the vans and get fabulous views of two female and a single male phalarope. The male has one of the females in close attendance, intent on mating and to leave him sat on her clutch of eggs. We watch the phalaropes for a further half an hour before heading back to the ferry.

At the ferry terminal we spend half an hour or so watching the sea and shoreline. Another porpoise is seen briefly before Craig spies a stunning summer plumaged Great Northern Diver. Mick’s offering comes in the form of a large pink sea urchin atop a large boulder. Nice.

We arrive back on Yell and with time in hand we stop at West Sandwick. A Red-throated Diver is in the voe and Steve spots a female Red-breasted Merganser. Peter than spots the main attraction, a big dog otter on the beach on the opposite shore. It’s mobbed by angry Arctic Terns as it slips in to the water. It starts to hunt instantly, and in its first dive comes up with a juicy butterfish which it soon scoffs and is back down under the water. We watch for about 20 minutes as it catches butterfish after butterfish, occasionally rolling on its back to handle a larger fish in its paws as it chomps with sharp teeth. Just as we are packing up to leave, it comes back ashore to eat a larger fish. It lies down among the rocks and is busy for only a minute and then it slips effortlessly back into the water. Its time to head for home.

We arrive back at the hotel for a freshen up before another excellent dinner. At 10.30pm we assemble in the car park for our night-time excursion – a trip over to Mousa for Storm-petrels. The sea is calm and there is barely a cloud in the sky. The crossing is straight forward with the usual auks, Fulmar and Gannet seen. We arrive on Mousa and begin our 20 minute walk across the island to the broch. In the first bay we find a family party of Eider and Craig finds a Fulmar skull by the path which is almost certainly left-over from a Bonxie kill. It takes a little while before we hear our first Storm-petrel but one is now singing from one of the dry stall wall. Its churring is interrupted with regular hiccups. We continue to the broch. The boulder beach by the broch is alive with churring Stormies. We go into the broch and sit for a while and soak in the Iron Age essence of this fabulous building. There are several Stormie flying around inside and as we exit one lands at Steve’s feet. Gordon scoops up the bird and hands it to Steve and when outside we gather and Steve shows us all the features of this tiny little seabird.

Its 00.30am and its still bright. Stormies are only now beginning to come in in numbers. Birds are wheeling around broch and over the sea countless birds are streaming in. The light is easily bright enough to use binoculars to watch the Stormies arriving back with food for their single chick.

Its approaching 1.00am and time to head back. The walk is punctuated with shapes flying by and drumming Snipe. Just short of the quay we find an Eider chick right on the path! Its probably part of the Eider brood we saw earlier, but as it is its only going to be a Bonxie snack sat there!

We climb back aboard the Solan and head back to Sandwick where we have a quick look at Jupiter and its moons before heading back to the hotel for some much needed sleep!

Day 4, Weds 24 June - Noss boat trip

We again wake to bright sunshine and little wind. After breakfast we split up and Grainne, Mick, Margaret, Moira, Chris and Rob head off with Craig for a boat trip around Bressay and Noss. Annabelle, Gordon, Emily, Peter, Lynn and Dave head off with Steve down to the Loch of Tingwall. There they learn that Tingwall originates from the old Norse word Ping-Völler which means ‘field of parliament’ and we overlook the small headland running into the loch which held the parliament. The field behind has been cut and the grass is being turned. There are hundreds of gulls and Rooks feeding behind the tractor including several Lesser Black-backed Gulls. We head on further down and see four Whooper Swans on the loch but little else. So we decide to head in to Lerwick for a spot of retail therapy, a coffee and cake! Yum!

We meet up for lunch south of Lerwick at Scarfa Ferry overlooking Brei Wick were we have great views of four Turnstone on the small freshwater pool. We split up again and Craig’s group do the Lerwick and Tingwall route and Steve takes his group on the Bressay and Noss boat trip.

From Lerwick we first head over to Bressay harbour to drop off one of the boat crew! There is a small colony of Arctic terns by the harbour which is busy with birds coming and going. We head off south round the lighthouse enjoying good views of divers, Black Guillemots, Puffins, Guillemots, Fulmars and Bonxies. We stop briefly in a little bay where there are several Common Seals hauled out and a single Roman-nosed Grey Seal bobbing in the sea. We next head in to a little cave where we hold up and the crew send a small submersible camera down in to the depths. The undersea world appears on monitors aboard the boat and we get fabulous views of all sorts of sea vegetation and animals including sea urchin, crabs, coral and things with unpronounceable scientific names!

Undersea exploration brought to a close we head off round the south-eastern corner of Bressay where we get our first view of Noss and the amazing steep headland of the Noup. We charge across the sound and within minutes we’re under the southern seacliffs of Noss which are covered in breeding auks and Gannets. As we move slowly north the density of birds increases and the smell of the guano fills out nostrils. Arriving under the main seabird cliffs which rise up to the Noup, the ledges are thick with birds and the sky like an aerial soup. Every seabird is here! All four species of auk are dotted over the sea with ledges crammed with Guillemots amidst the white-washed rocks of the Gannet rookeries. Adults adorn the breeding ledges whilst young birds congregate at the foot of the cliffs on the rock flats, some even practicing building nests! Between several sections of cliff steep grassy slopes peppered with Puffins cut into the rocks. Kittiwakes call their endless onomatopoeic calls as they to and fro form their ledges in the clefts between cliff faces. Above us the air is thick with giant shapes. Thousands of Gannets fill the air as the stream if birds coming and going from the breeding ledges is seemingly endless. Amidst them the occasional Great Black-baked Gull or Bonxie soars around on the look out for easy pickings – unattended eggs or young! On one of the Gannet flats we find a Bonxie which has been successful in picking out a chick and sit offshore as it tears the little bird apart!

Reluctantly we tear ourselves away from the seabird cliffs and head north around Noss and back down the northern side of Bressay. Here we find a small party of male Eiders before sitting of a small island which was glowing pinky-red as it was covered in Red Campion. We continue around Bressay and find another group of Common Seals hauled up and a single jet black pup in the water. Approaching Lerwick we pass the Shetland Catch which is covered in gulls and Ravens. Suddenly the boat is besieged by Grey Seals, the bulls coming right alongside and almost jumping out of the water hoping for free food to be thrown overboard! Unfortunately for them we aren’t a fishing boat and have no scraps for them so we enjoy their performance for free!

We arrive back in Lerwick and bid the crew thank you and farewell and head back to the hotel for another anticipated dinner and full nights sleep!

Day 5, Thurs 25 June - Unst

After an early breakfast we set off into another fine day. We’re heading north to the most northern habitat island in Britain – Unst.

After two ferry crossings we arrive on Unst and our first port of call is a tiny wooded area at Hannigarth. There is no sign of the reported Crossbills, but Dave finds a Woodpigeon and Lynn spots a female Sparrowhawk rising out of the wood and it circles over our heads giving great views. We move on up the road to Ungirsta and park alongside a couple of fabulous hat meadows. The surrounding damp grassland is chocked with calling Redshank, whickering Snipe and bubbling Curlew. After a little while we hear what we came to hear – the distinctive ‘whet-whet-whet’ of a Quail. Its distant to start with, or facing away from us, but it gets a little louder and several prolonged blasts and everyone gets to hear it well. The local farmer comes down to have a chat and tells us this is the second time he’s had Quail breeding in these meadows and last year he had a Spotted Crake calling by the farmhouse!

We drive up to Hermaness Visitor Centre overlooking the vast Burra Firth. Here a quick search of the ‘gardens’ and Grainne finds a family party of Wrens and a female Eider sat on her downy nest under a thick fern. After some refreshment and a look in the centre, we head off on our moorland trek north across Burn of Winnaswarta Dale to Toolie. The moorland walk is made a whole lot easier by the very recent installation of a new boardwalk made with ‘plastic wood’. The new boardwalk takes us halfway and we follow the old worn moor path through the piles of pre-assembled boardwalk sections. The walk isn’t without birds either. Meadow Pipits are simply everywhere, seep-seeping as they bounce around. Wheatears are dotted about and the odd Snipe and Dunlin rise from the moor to display. But this is the land of the Bonxie. This headland has the highest density of Bonxies anywhere in the world. They sit within meters of the path, watching us menacingly as we walk by. They are completely unconcerned by our presence, but should a rival Bonxie wander into their airspace then they rise to their feet and draw their huge wings out above them to flash their white wing patches whilst extending and lowering their necks. It really is impressive. If that doesn’t work they take to the air to pursue the intruder and escorted it forcibly away from its patch! Bonxies are quite simply everywhere you look. Dotted across the moor and the sky about them is heaving with them.

After an hour we arrive at the sea cliffs at Toolie where we look north to Muckle Flugga and The Stack – the most northerly point of the British Isles! Its wonderfully sunny with a perfect blue sky for us to lunch and spend an hour enjoying the fabulous view and the endless seabirds flying around. Some of us cant seem to get enough of the Puffins and there are plenty of birds around the lunch stop satisfy. Several hardy soles continue up to The Neap and look across to the Saito outcrop gannetery – wow!

We head of back across the moorland for more close encounters with Bonxies, Golden Plover and Snipe. Back at the vans we have a drink before heading back south. Leaving Burra Firth we see another two Woodpigeons then it’s a quick stop at the best-dressed bus shelter in Britain if not the world! The Unst Bus Shelter (ww.unstbusshelter.shetland.-co.uk/) theme this year is ‘pink’! The whole shelter is pink and in the cupboard Grainne and Chris find a pink police woman’s hat and a shocking pink feather boa!

The 'gang'. From left to right: Margaret (nice bag), Rob, Chris (dig the boa), Grainne (nice pink helmet Mrs), Lynn, Dave, Annabelle, Steve (pulling a face as usual!), Gordon, Peter, Emily (behind), Moira, Craig (where's his bins!?). Missing - the photographer, Mick © Mick MacMahon

Our journey home is enlivened when one of our ferries is held up by an advance notice that the police are heading for it and have a criminal in custody to transport to Lerwick! Once the police car is on board we set sail for Yell, and once on Yell the police car blasts past the line of traffic ahead of it with blues blazing and tunes blasting! Well, they can’t get much chance to use their toys on Shetland!

We arrive back at the hotel for another fulsome dinner and evening checklist. Tomorrow is our last day on Shetland.

Day 6, Fri 26 June - Shetland mid-Mainland

Well, we wondered if it could happen four days in a row and it did – waking up to fine, sunny skies! After a leisurely breakfast we bade farewell to the Herrislea House Hotel and headed north to Kergord – the islands largest wooded area. We had been at the first stand of trees for only minutes when a flock of 50+ Crossbills erupted from the treetops. They ‘jipped’ loudly as they bounced around and eventually off down the valley! We knew there had been a handful of birds seen this week, but this easily outnumbered all other flocks reported. We headed off to the main woodland area. In the open glades it was sunny, bright, hot and humid. The air was thick with woodland vegetation smells and flavours. The large Crossbill flock flew over us calling loudly. They didn’t settle but went over to a pine plantation up on the hillside and we could just see them through binoculars bouncing around the treetops. We continued into the wood when Lynn found a small group of Crossbills feeding on the outer pines. We huddled together to look between the trunks and branches as the birds fed, sometimes hanging upside down, before they too took flight and disappeared. We searched for more Crossbills with no joy, but a singing Blackcap and up to four Siskin were found.

We made a brief visit to the Weisdale Mill centre before heading off to South Nesting on the east side of Mainland. On route we chanced upon a pair of Whooper Swans with two small cygnets on one of the lochs. He adults heads were stained an orange-brown from feeding in the peaty waters. On the shore a half-grown Curlew chick walked ungainly around.

We arrived at South Nesting and found a suitable grassy headland to have our lunch and look over the voe and the rocky shorelines either side of us. The voe was full of Black Guillemots and the air busy with gulls and terns. Behind us a pair of Curlew repeatedly chased gulls away from their territory and the occasional wail of a Red-throated Diver drifted up from below us.

‘Otter!’ yelled Craig. Lunches were discarded and we all scrambled together to get instructions. There below us was a large Otter about 30m offshore heading for land. It was carrying a large fish and hauled itself out on a large rock and started to immediately tear at its prey. It sat out in the open eating the fish for several minutes before sliding off the rock and immediately resume feeding. It rose after its first dive with a butterfish, chomped and then submerged once more. It rose again with another fish. It was doing well. Craig and much of the group headed off towards the Otter when it was down, stopping in their tracks when it surfaced. After several dives they were as near as they could get and only 20m from the feeding animal! They all laid down, bums in air as they watched the animal just offshore. Peter approached a wee bit closer along the grassy bank commando-style crawling along on his belly! Steve and the others continued to watch with scopes from higher up. After some minutes the Otter started to swim along the shoreline, diving occasionally and nearly always rising with something to eat. Craig and co. followed on hands and knees. They got some more brief views but when the Otter clocked them it immediately headed for the rocks and out of view. Show over – but what a show! Leaving in the vans Craig spots his second Hedgehog of the week by the roadside, but like the first, its gone to ground by the time Steve’s van pulls up – missed it by minutes again!

We returned to our lunches and continued to watch out for the Otter. A lone Whimbrel flew past calling its distinctive seven-whistle call, and three Harbour Porpoises were seen briefly. But time was running away and we need to make a move and head towards Lerwick. A brief stop at the Loch of Benston for a hoped-for Lesser Scaup left us scaup-less but five Goldeneye were knew for the trip.

We made a brief stop at the hotel to drop off our flasks (and Steve eventually collected the long-expected and much-awaited proofs of his Lesvos book – it’s a long story!) before arriving at the ferry terminal to check-in for our trip down to Orkney. We waved farewell to Shetland as we steamed down its eastern side during the first hour of the journey. Said hello and goodbye to the lone Fair Isle as we passed close by, and after five or so hours many of us were on deck to witness out arrival at the Orkney Isles as we went first past North Ronaldsay and then slowly past the eastern islands. Our Orkney adventure begins in the morning!

Day 7, Sat 27 June - Orkney: Stenness, Skara Brae, Yesneby and Maeshowe

Our first morning on Orkney dawns overcast and breezy, but after our late breakfast following last night’s late arrival, the sky is brightening and the wind beginning to drop by the time we arrive at the Standing Stones of Stenness only a stones throw from the hotel. Erected around 5000 years ago we. The surviving stones form an impressive monument. It is sited on a promontory at the south bank of a stream that joins the southern ends of the sea loch, Loch of Stenness, and the freshwater loch, Loch of Harray. The name, pronounced stane-is, comes from Old Norse and means ‘stone headland’. The stream is now bridged, but at one time was crossed by a stepping stone causeway, leading to the Ring of Bodgar about 3/4 mile to the north-west, across the stream and near the tip of the isthmus formed between the two lochs. Maeshowe chambered cairn lies about 3/4 mile to the east.

The entrance faces towards the Barnhouse settlement which was built adjacent to the Loch of Harray. The Watch Stone stands outside the circle to the north-west and is 5.6 m (18 ft) high. Other smaller stones include a square stone setting in the centre of the circle platform where cremated bone, charcoal and pottery were found, and animal bones were found in the ditch. The pottery links the monument to Skara Brae and Maeshowe.

We walk over to the Barnhouse settlement. The base courses of at least 15 houses have been found. The houses have similarities to those at Skara Brae in that they have central hearths, bed stalls and stone dressers, but differ in that these houses seem to have been free-standing. Pottery of the grooved ware type was found linking it to both the adjacent Stones of Stenness and Skara Brae. Flint and stone tools were also found. The largest building had a room about 7m square with walls 3m thick and an entrance facing towards the north west so that the midsummer sunset shines along the passageway, with similarities to some chambered cairns.

Whilst we are here a Sedge Warbler performs on some nearby willows and Sand Martin is also seen. Arriving back at the vehicles Craig spots a Hobby which most of us just get on before it disappears into the distance.

We move on to The Loons. From the hide we see Little Grebe, a female Tufted Duck with young, a female Shoveler and a female Gadwall with young. The tall reeds now block much of the view from the hide so we relocate to a lay-by above the reserve and have lunch watching the area. From here we have a good vantage point, but the now clear sky and hot sun is causing considerable heat haze so we concentrate on nearer areas. There are loads of Curlew feeding below us and lots of Greylag Geese, some with young. Gordon spots a Hare feeding in one of the fields and one of the cut fields behind us is bustling with feeding Rooks, Jackdaws and Oystercatchers.

Next stop is the Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae. Dating back nearly 5000 years, this pre-historic settlement pre-dates both the pyramids and Stone Henge. Brilliantly preserved forthousands of years due to being covered by sand dunes, now excavated we can see intimately how people lived around 3000 BC. The houses are impressively built, with the second phase of the settlement built into the midden of the first. The most amazing aspect o the site is the stone furniture preserved in each of the houses including sleeping stalls and ornate ‘dressers’ at the head of each house in line with the door and hearth. Hearths, quern stones, seats, sunken ‘boxes’ believed to be coolers for food or fish bait – they are all here 5000 years after the settlement was abandoned. We all end up in the café for tea/coffee and cake before departing this fabulous site.

We drive a little south to the coastal area of Yesneby. After looking distantly at the Old Man of Hoy we walk through the grassland area in the slim hope of finding Primula scotica. We are between the flowers two flowering periods but Steve and Craig have occasionally found the odd plant at this time. The first good plant we find is the Grass of Parnassus, when turning round we see a carpet of primroses! Steve has been here once before during the flowers second emergence, but he said it wasn’t half as good as it is today! Soon bums are in the air as many of us switch our cameras to macro and take frame-filling shots of this delicate little dolly-pink flower.

We eventually head off and drive across to our finale – Maeshowe. After some retail therapy in the shop we head over to the chambered tomb itself where we are given an excellent talk by one of the guides. Like Skara Brae, this site is around 5000 years old and is believed to be the chambered tomb, the first of its type, for the settlement of Barnhouses only a short distance from here. The structure is immense with some slabs estimated to weigh over 40 tonnes! Nothing was found in the tomb as Norse graffiti tells us that the tomb was entered more than once so anything left in here by Neolithic man would have been plundered long ago, and long before any records of such things were kept. Still, the graffiti itself is very interesting, the equivalent of ‘I woz ‘ere’ in Nordic runes, and also includes several drawings of a dragon-like creature (the Maeshowe lion), an otter or seal and a couple of entwined snakes.

Day 8, Sun 28 June - Rousay and Ring of Brodgar

Breakfast turned out to be an extended affair this morning, but we eventually got away and headed for Tingwall for our ferry over to the isle of Rousay. Eynhallow Sound was full of auks and terns and reminded us very much of Shetland. Arriving at the pier there is a large flock of Greylag Geese on the sea.

After a visit to the Trumland Heritage Centre we head off around the eastern side of the island. We stop to view across to Egilsay and the impressive sight of St Magnus Kirk. We drive slowly north and turn into Ervedale to look over the shallow valley of Sourin. The sky is blue, the sun is shining and there is little breeze. Curlew bubble endless below us. Its simply fabulous. Craig picks up a raptor above the northern ridge and it begins to hover – Common Buzzard! That’s a real rarity still on Orkney. ‘Harrier!’ shouts Dave. We turn round and following Dave’s directions we find a fantastic male Hen Harrier floating over the moor. Its brilliant white with jet black wing tips in this strong sunlight, not the expected smoky grey shown in the books. Dave then picks out the ghostly shape of a Short-eared Owl across the valley. It can be seen with bins but scopes prove much better as it quarters the moor looking all white in the bright light. The owl continues to perform when Craig picks up a female Hen Harrier crossing the valley. When it reaches the far side it turns across the hillside and flies across the entire length of the hill in front of us, its clean white ring-tail occasionally standing out when it turns. Steve then picks up a second Short-eared Owl right in front of us and much closer than the first. We get stunning views of this bird when it decides to be a real poser and land on a fencepost! Through the scopes you can see its fierce bright yellow eyes! Last up is a Kestrel which has replaced the buzzard hovering over the ridge behind us.

We move off north again, and as we drop down into Wasbister Loch there are loads of Stonechats on the heather, fence posts and wires running through the moor. Some of the males are simply stunning, almost pie-bald with a hint of russet on the chest.

We spend an hour at Nousty Sand having a leisurely lunch in the sun and enjoying the peace and quiet of the place. The nearby abandoned farm is covered in rich yellow-orange lichen which gleams in the bright sun. It provides a great subject for the photographers. We spread out around the beach and rocks and take in this beautiful spot. Arctic Terns fish in the bay with the occasional Gannet causing a major splash as they dive from height after fish. Dozens of Painted Lady butterflies feed on the carpet of clover by the vehicles, and the now familiar gingery bumble bee buzzes noisily between the butterflies. Just offshore an Arctic Skua chases terns, trying to get them to disgorge their fish with frequent success. We move off south-west across the island for an afternoon of archaeology. Out first stop is at Midhowe, a two for one experience with the Neolithic stalled burial cairn and an Iron Age Broch.

Midhowe is a large Neolithic chambered cairn and lies on the shore of Eynhallow Sound separating Rousay from Mainland Orkney.

The tomb is a particularly well preserved ‘stalled’ cairn. Stalled cairns have a central passageway flanked by a series of paired upright stones that separate the sides into 12 compartments along a passageway over 20, long. The original roof is gone and the structure now lies within a modern hangar-like structure that protects the site. The nature of the original roof is unclear. It may have consisted of flat slabs or it may have been vaulted like Maeshowe to a height of as much as 5 metres (16 ft). The cairn appears to have been intentionally filled with debris after hundreds of years of usage beginning early in the third millenium BC and the size and complexity of the interior of the cairn must have exerted a powerful influence on those entering it. The cairn was originally protected by an oval barrow 33m long and 13m wide. Some of the stones in the walls are laid at angles to each other, forming decorative patterns that echo the incised rims found on some Unstan ware bowls, examples of which were found in the tomb. These patterns are clearly part of the architectural design of the walls, meant to be seen. Midhowe is distinguished from other tombs of its type by having a horned forecourt adjacent to the long axis of the barrow on the north side. Extension of the curvature of the surviving ‘horns’ of the structure suggests an original diameter of as much as 70m indicating a ceremonial space capable of holding hundreds of people.

Midhowe represents an excellent example of collective burial common to the Orkney tombs. The remains of at least 25 individuals were discovered in the tomb. The bodies were found in groups of two to four on six of the shelves (seven stalls have shelves). Several of the skeletons were in a crouched position on the shelves, with their backs to the side wall and heads resting against the supporting pillars. Other groups of bones had been heaped into the centers of the shelves or swept under them, suggesting that earlier burials had been moved to accommodate later ones. In a few cases only the skulls were present, in one instance the long bones had been piled together with the skull placed on top.

Bones from a variety of animals were found as well including ox, sheep, skua, cormorant, buzzard, eagle, gannet, and carrion-crow. Fish bones from bream and wrasse were also present. Bream are not found this far north today, evidence that the waters around Orkney during the Neolithic must have been several degrees warmer than today.

We take a walk around the Midhowe broch. Constructed and used some time between 200 BC and 200 AD, this is possible the most impressive of the Orkney brochs. Standing on a promontory formed by two geos, the broch is protected on one side by the sea and on the landward side by a stone rampart and ditch. This massive rampart is built in an arc between the two geos and effectively cuts off access from the land. Although there is no doubt that these outward defences would have looked impressive in their heyday, it may be that they were merely built for dramatic effect. The southern end of the rampart stops short of the geo and leaves a ledge on the rock face by which a "visitor" could easily gain access to the promontory. Like the Broch of Gurness (on the opposite shore of Eynhallow Sound), Midhowe is surrounded by a group of external buildings. These, however, are probably from a later date, a time when the need for defence was not as important. Coastal erosion, a problem for all shore sites such as Midhowe, has greatly damaged the remains of these outhouses. The remains of the broch’s circular wall stand to a height of approximately four metres and within the structure the general layout of the ground floor is remarkably well-preserved. Large slabs of local flagstone were used to divide the interior into two smaller, semi-circular rooms. These were then further divided into smaller cells, each with its own hearth and water-tank. Water was supplied from a spring that flowed up through a crack in the rocks and during the excavations, it was written that the main storage tank retained water which remained clear and drinkable all the years the work of excavation was going on.

The site isn’t without its wildlife interest. Offshore several Grey Seals bob up and down, an Eider family feed along the shoreline and an Arctic Skua patrols the bay. Just as we head back up the steep walk to the vehicles, Craig spots a young male Hen Harrier by the cairn. It comes low across the hay field giving us great views before it heads off in to the island.

We move on to the double-tier tomb of Tavistock Tuick. This is an unique tomb as the lowered stalled level has had at a later date a Maes Howe type chambered tomb placed on top. Also, among the human remains found here were some cremated remains which is unlike any other Orkney tomb.

We arrive back at the Rousay pier for the 5.30pm crossing which again comes with rafts of auks, Black Guillemots sat on buoys and the odd Red-throated Diver before heading back to the hotel.

After dinner most of us head off to the impressive Ring of Brodgar.

The Ring of Brodgar (or Brogar, or Ring o' Brodgar) is a Neolithic henge and stone circle. Most henges don’t contain stone circles, but Brodgar is a striking exception, ranking with Stonehenge among the greatest of such sites. The ring of stones stands on a small isthmus between the lochs of Stenness and Harray and are the northernmost examples of circle henges in Britain. Unlike similar structures elsewhere there are no (or thought never to have been) any obvious stones inside the circle. The site has so far resisted attempts at scientific dating and the monument’s age remains uncertain although a further excavation in 2008 is hoping to at last date the monument. However, it is generally thought to have been erected between 2500 BC and 2000 BC, and was, therefore, the last of the great Neolithic monuments built on the Ness.
The stone circle is 104m in diameter and is the third largest in the British Isles. The ring originally comprised 60 stones, of which only 27 now remain standing. However, preliminary results from the 2008 excavation suggest there were over 70 standing stones. The stones are set within a circular ditch up to 3m deep, 9m wide and 380m in circumference that was carved out of the solid sandstone bedrock by the ancient residents. Technically, this ditch does not constitute a true henge as there is no sign of an encircling bank of earth and rock.
Ring of Brodgar lies at the heart of an extraordinary concentration of Neolithic sites, making this both a significant settlement and ritual landscape. Within 2 square miles (5.2 km2) there are the two circle-henges, four chambered tombs, groups of standing stones, single stones, barrows, cairns and mounds.

There is now increased speculation about the monument, with the new thought being that it was the building of the stone circle and not the use of it that was important. This is based on the lack of artefacts found in and around the site.

We spend an hour around this incredible site before returning back to the hotel.

Day 9, Mon 29 June - Burray and South Ronaldsay

Some of the group ventured out around the hotel and loch before breakfast. After breakfast we headed south cutting through the wide open moorland valley of Tuskerbister. We hadn’t long been in the valley when Steve spotted a Short-eared Owl up ahead. We pulled up alongside the field. Craig instantly started squeaking and he owl immediately headed for us, coming within meters looking right at the source of the squeaking before deciding it was not potential prey! We continued watching the owl for around 20 minutes as it continually quarters the rough grass field. We move on only when the owl itself decides to take refuge in the long grass once it’s caught itself a big, fat Orkney Vole. We’re just climbing back into our vehicles when Dave spots a ring-tail Hen Harrier coming up right behind us. We get fabulous views s it speeds past. We follow in the vehicles, but it is constantly moving away from us at an angle.

We stop at Scapa Flow and learn about the sinking of the Royal Oak and view out across the bay to the marker buoy of the wreck. We also manage to add House Martin to the trip list.

We head off further south, across the first of the Churchill Barriers and pay a visit to the Italian Chapel. The chapel was built by Italian Prisoners of War who were imprisoned here in order to build the barriers. We walk down to the bay a little and have lunch by the beach, and more importantly, next to the new Orkney Wine shop! A few bottles were bought, but many more ice creams were enjoyed - some of us had two!

We moved on after lunch to the south of South Ronaldsay to Liddle Farm at Isbister. This is home of the Simison family, and it was Ronnie Simison (now retired at 87) who discovered the Tomb of the Eagles in 1953 and excavated it himself in the 1970s. Kathleen, his daughter, gives us a fabulous introduction to the site and the tells us about excarnation, or sky burials, which were believed to have been used, and believed to the corpses believed to have been part-eaten by White-tailed Eagles. Kathleen also shows us artefacts from the tomb including skulls, tools and jewellery. Amazingly we get to handle some of these – 5000 year old items fashioned and used by Neolithic man! Eagle claws, pieces of Grooved Ware pottery and stone tools were all passed around for us to study up close. Unforgettable!

We then walk the mile down through the fields to the sea cliff and the tomb itself. We crawl through the 3m long entrance tunnel (some of us choose to use the trolley) and we are in the tomb were the remains of around 300 Neolithic people were found along with eagle claws, fish and animal bones. The tomb is a stalled and chambered tomb with the human remains found in the various chambers.

One the way back to the car park we look at a Bronze Age burnt mount before heading off back north before our final stop of the day at Furzebrook Pottery home of Andrew Appleby – the original Harray Potter! Andrew shows us the replica Neolithic kilns he has made out outside his studio and has began to commercially make pottery, using materials and techniques as close as possible to how Neolithic man would have done. He has a pot cooking on a small fire and shows us he is melting down animal fat how Neolithic man would have done to rub into the inner walls of the pots to seal and make them stronger and waterproof. It’s fabulous! Andrew shows us some of the larger vessels he has made this way, all decorated in the known Grooved Ware-style.

Inside, Andrew demonstrates the skills of a master potter throwing three pots and a lid for one of them in minutes! Andrew chats away to us genially and passionately about how he thinks Neolithic man did things. It’s a great experience. Several of us buy some pottery before heading back to the hotel for a rest and dinner.

Day 10, Tues 30 June

After breakfast we load up the vans and head into Kirkwall to see St Magnus Cathedral, the museum and shopping. We then relocate to Sheila Fleet’s studio at Tankerness before heading off to the Cleat of Taing for lunch. After lunch we head around to the airport and do our final checklist before heading back to Inverness. We perform the usual Speyside Wildlife end of trip ritual of declaring our personal species of the trip, place of the trip and magic moment. Species of the trip was tied with the South Nesting Otter and the Short-eared Owl at Terkerbister taking joint top billing, with votes also for Red-necked Phalarope, Storm-petrel and Puffin. Place of the trip goes to Mousa broch, with Noss, Sumbrugh Head, sunset at the Ring of Brodgar and the Loch of Stenness all getting vores. Magic moments are either a little more personal or one of those group moments. With so many to choose from its little wonder that the votes are spread and there is no clear winner. The Turkerbister Short-eared Owl, Storm-petrels coming in over the pebble beach on Mousa and the Primula Scotica all shared top spot with three votes each, with the Noss boat trip, the ever-present calls of the Curlew on both Shetland and Orkney, arriving at Hermaness, the Midhowe Hen Harrier and watching the South Nesting Otter swim under water all getting votes.

We arrive at Inverness and after collecting our bags we bid farewell and all head our separate ways.

Birds
Mute Swan
Whooper Swan
Greylag Goose
Shelduck
Teal
Gadwall
Mallard
Shoveler
Tufted Duck
(Wood Duck)
Eider
Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Great Northern Diver
Red-throated Diver
Little Grebe
Fulmar
Storm-petrel
Gannet
Cormorant
Shag
Little Egret
Grey Heron
Quail (heard only)
Pheasant
Common Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Hen Harrier
Kestrel
Hobby
Moorhen
Coot
Oystercatcher
Ringed Plover
Golden Plover
Lapwing
Dunlin
Snipe
Whimbrel
Curlew
Common Sandpiper
Redshank
Turnstone
Red-necked Phalarope
Arctic Skua
Great Skua
Kittiwake
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Iceland Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Guillemot
Razorbill
Black Guillemot
Puffin
Rock Dove
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Short-eared Owl
Swift
Skylark
Sand Martin
Swallow
House Martin
Meadow Pipit
Rock Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Wren
Stonechat
Wheatear
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Sedge Warbler
Blackcap (heard only)
Chiffchaff (heard only)
Jackdaw
Rook
Hooded Crow
Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Siskin
Linnet
Twite
Crossbill
Reed Bunting

92 species

Mammals
Otter
Common Seal
Grey Seal
Brown Hare
Rabbit
Brown Rat
Orkney Vole
Hedgehog

Butterflies and moths
Common Blue
Meadow Brown
Clouded Yellow
Red Admiral
Painted Lady
Green-veined White
Large White
Magpie moth
Silver Y

Other insects
Shetland Bumble-bee
White-tailed Bumble-bee

Plants
Water Aven
Northern Bedstraw
Slender Marsh Bedstraw
Amphibious Bistort
Bogbean
Bramble
Meadow Buttercup
Butterwort
Red Campion
Sea Campion
Chickweed
Marsh Cinquefoil
Cleavers
Red Clover
White Clover
Coltsfoot
Crosswort
Cuckoo Flower
Daisy
Oxeye Daisy
Dandelion
Red Dead-nettle
Common Dock
Ground Elder
Foxglove
Gorse
Grass-of-Parnassus
Groundsel
Hawkweed
Mouse-ear Hawkweed
Ling Heather
Bell Heather
Hogweed
Yellow Flag (Iris)
Marsh Marigold
Mayweed
Sea Mayweed
Meadowsweet
Black Medick
Mimulus
Nettle
Common Spotted Orchid
Heath Spotted Orchid
Northern Marsh Orchid
Pignut
Ribwort Plantain
Sea Plantain
Primula Scotica
Purslane - Pink
Ragwort
Ramsoms
Yellow Rattle
Scurvy-grass
Self-heal
Silverweed
Prickly Sow-thistle
Lesser Spearwort
Alpine Speedwell
Thyme-leaved Speedwell
Cown Spurrey
Alpine Squill
Slender St John’s Wort
Creeping Thistle
Marsh Thistle
Melancholy Thistle
Spear Thistle
Thrift
Thyme
Tormentil
Bird’s-foot Trefoil
Kidney Vetch
Tufted Vetch
Meadow Vetchling
Dwarf Willow
Broad-leaved Willowherb
Great Willowherb
Rose-bay Willowherb
Field Woodrush
Great Woodrush
Yarrow

Photos, unless stated, © Steve Dudley

Garden List

2009-03-23T13:26:00.012Z

135. Avocet 08/04/11

134. Waxwing 08/03/11

133. Ruff 06/11/10

132. Montagu's Harrier 15/05/10

131. Nuthatch 28/01/10

130 Jack Snipe 27/11/2009

129 Nightingale 26/08/2009

128 Common Crane 09/04/2009
127 Bewick's Swan 28/01/2009
126 Honey-buzzard 26/09/2008
125 Great Grey Shrike 05/04/2008
124 Hen Harrier 23/10/2007
123 Mandarin 23/04/2007
122 Wheatear 18/04/2007
121 Twite 18/10/2006
120 American Golden Plover 05/10/2006
119 Egyptian Goose 15/05/2006
118 Black Tern 05/05/2006
117 Whimbrel 04/04/2006
116 Siskin 21/03/2006
115 Goshawk 03/10/2005
114 Jay 03/10/2005
113 Tree Pipit 22/09/2005
112 Spotted Flycatcher 16/08/2005
111 Lesser Whitethroat 21/07/2005
110 Common Crossbill 17/07/2005
109 Shoveler 16/07/2005
108 Ring-necked Parakeet 12/07/2005
107 Coot 11/04/2005
106 Pochard 31/03/2005
105 Shelduck 26/02/2005
104 Mediterranean Gull 01/02/2005
103 Pink-footed Goose 07/11/2004
102 Reed Warbler 10/08/2004
101 Grey Wagtail 10/08/2004
100 Pied Flycatcher 09/08/2004
99 Red Kite 05/08/2004
98 Quail 13/06/2004
97 Little Grebe 13/04/2004
96 Oystercatcher 12/04/2004
95 Great Crested Grebe 17/03/2004
94 Curlew 05/03/2004
93 Little Egret 16/02/2004
92 Peregrine 19/11/2003
91 Blackcap 11/11/2003
90 Whooper Swan 09/11/2003
89 Redshank 30/10/2003
88 Short-eared Owl 30/10/2003
87 Common Buzzard 23/10/2003
86 Greylag Goose 10/10/2003
85 Hobby 04/09/2003
84 Green Woodpecker 20/08/2003
83 Greenshank 18/08/2003
82 Willow Warbler 06/08/2003
81 Marsh Harrier 01/08/2003
80 Common Sandpiper 30/07/2003
79 Sand Martin 18/07/2003
78 Canada Goose 08/06/2003
77 Moorhen 06/06/2003
76 Sedge Warbler 28/05/2003
75 Osprey 28/05/2003
74 Swift 18/05/2003
73 Cuckoo 15/05/2003
72 Whitethroat 08/05/2003
71 Tufted Duck 08/05/2003
70 House Martin 07/05/2003
69 Common Tern 07/05/2003
68 Turtle Dove 22/04/2003
67 Swallow 14/04/2003
66 Yellow Wagtail 07/04/2003
65 Bullfinch 22/03/2003
64 Barn Owl 19/03/2003
63 Grey Partridge 16/03/2003
62 Snipe 21/02/2003
61 Merlin 16/02/2003
60 European White-fronted Goose 15/02/2003
59 Tawny Owl 13/02/2003
58 Gadwall 12/02/2003
57 Brambling 08/02/2003
56 Goldeneye 07/02/2003
55 Reed Bunting 21/01/2003
54 Tree Sparrow 08/01/2003
53 Yellowhammer 06/01/2003
52 Chiffchaff 01/01/2003
51 Cormorant 01/01/2003
50 Little Owl 30/12/2002
49 Corn Bunting 24/12/2002
48 Green Sandpiper 24/12/2002
47 Mute Swan 24/12/2002
46 Linnet 09/12/2002
45 Goldcrest 09/12/2002
44 Stonechat 09/12/2002
43 Golden Plover 09/12/2002
42 Teal 09/12/2002
41 Grey Heron 09/12/2002
40 Great Spotted Woodpecker 05/12/2002
39 Goldfinch 02/12/2002
38 Herring Gull 02/12/2002
37 Feral Pigeon 30/11/2002
36 Sparrowhawk 30/11/2002
35 Wigeon 30/11/2002
34 Wren 30/11/2002
33 Meadow Pipit 30/11/2002
32 Great Black-backed Gull 30/11/2002
31 Rook 30/11/2002
30 Woodpigeon 30/11/2002
28 Redwing 23/11/2002
27 Dunnock 23/11/2002
27 Fieldfare 23/11/2002
26 Lapwing 23/11/2002
25 Mallard 23/11/2002
24 Long-tailed Tit 23/11/2002
23 Lesser-black Backed Gull 23/11/2002
22 Common Gull 23/11/2002
21 Black-headed Gull 23/11/2002
20 Red-legged Partridge 23/11/2002
19 Greenfinch 23/11/2002
18 Chaffinch 23/11/2002
17 House Sparrow 23/11/2002
16 Starling 23/11/2002
15 Carrion Crow 23/11/2002
14 Jackdaw 23/11/2002
13 Magpie 23/11/2002
12 Great Tit 23/11/2002
11 Blue Tit 23/11/2002
10 Mistle Thrush 23/11/2002
9 Song Thrush 23/11/2002
8 Blackbird 23/11/2002
7 Robin 23/11/2002
6 Pied Wagtail 23/11/2002
5 Skylark 23/11/2002
4 Collared Dove 23/11/2002
3 Stock Dove 23/11/2002
2 Pheasant 23/11/2002
1 Kestrel 23/11/2002

EXOTICS
Zebra Finch 09-16/08/2004
Sudan Golden Sparrow 15/10/2004, 09/08/2005

Canary 20/01/2006

Garden List

2007-12-13T10:04:00.001Z

125 Great Grey Shrike 05/04/2008
124 Hen Harrier 23/10/2007
123 Mandarin 23/04/2007
122 Wheatear 18/04/2007
121 Twite 18/10/2006
120 American Golden Plover 05/10/2006
119 Egyptian Goose 15/05/2006
118 Black Tern 05/05/2006
117 Whimbrel 04/04/2006
116 Siskin 21/03/2006
115 Goshawk 03/10/2005
114 Jay 03/10/2005
113 Tree Pipit 22/09/2005
112 Spotted Flycatcher 16/08/2005
111 Lesser Whitethroat 21/07/2005
110 Common Crossbill 17/07/2005
109 Shoveler 16/07/2005
108 Ring-necked Parakeet 12/07/2005
107 Coot 11/04/2005
106 Pochard 31/03/2005
105 Shelduck 26/02/2005
104 Mediterranean Gull 01/02/2005
103 Pink-footed Goose 07/11/2004
102 Reed Warbler 10/08/2004
101 Grey Wagtail 10/08/2004
100 Pied Flycatcher 09/08/2004
99 Red Kite 05/08/2004
98 Quail 13/06/2004
97 Little Grebe 13/04/2004
96 Oystercatcher 12/04/2004
95 Great Crested Grebe 17/03/2004
94 Curlew 05/03/2004
93 Little Egret 16/02/2004
92 Peregrine 19/11/2003
91 Blackcap 11/11/2003
90 Whooper Swan 09/11/2003
89 Redshank 30/10/2003
88 Short-eared Owl 30/10/2003
87 Common Buzzard 23/10/2003
86 Greylag Goose 10/10/2003
85 Hobby 04/09/2003
84 Green Woodpecker 20/08/2003
83 Greenshank 18/08/2003
82 Willow Warbler 06/08/2003
81 Marsh Harrier 01/08/2003
80 Common Sandpiper 30/07/2003
79 Sand Martin 18/07/2003
78 Canada Goose 08/06/2003
77 Moorhen 06/06/2003
76 Sedge Warbler 28/05/2003
75 Osprey 28/05/2003
74 Swift 18/05/2003
73 Cuckoo 15/05/2003
72 Whitethroat 08/05/2003
71 Tufted Duck 08/05/2003
70 House Martin 07/05/2003
69 Common Tern 07/05/2003
68 Turtle Dove 22/04/2003
67 Swallow 14/04/2003
66 Yellow Wagtail 07/04/2003
65 Bullfinch 22/03/2003
64 Barn Owl 19/03/2003
63 Grey Partridge 16/03/2003
62 Snipe 21/02/2003
61 Merlin 16/02/2003
60 European White-fronted Goose 15/02/2003
59 Tawny Owl 13/02/2003
58 Gadwall 12/02/2003
57 Brambling 08/02/2003
56 Goldeneye 07/02/2003
55 Reed Bunting 21/01/2003
54 Tree Sparrow 08/01/2003
53 Yellowhammer 06/01/2003
52 Chiffchaff 01/01/2003
51 Cormorant 01/01/2003
50 Little Owl 30/12/2002
49 Corn Bunting 24/12/2002
48 Green Sandpiper 24/12/2002
47 Mute Swan 24/12/2002
46 Linnet 09/12/2002
45 Goldcrest 09/12/2002
44 Stonechat 09/12/2002
43 Golden Plover 09/12/2002
42 Teal 09/12/2002
41 Grey Heron 09/12/2002
40 Great Spotted Woodpecker 05/12/2002
39 Goldfinch 02/12/2002
38 Herring Gull 02/12/2002
37 Feral Pigeon 30/11/2002
36 Sparrowhawk 30/11/2002
35 Wigeon 30/11/2002
34 Wren 30/11/2002
33 Meadow Pipit 30/11/2002
32 Great Black-backed Gull 30/11/2002
31 Rook 30/11/2002
30 Woodpigeon 30/11/2002
28 Redwing 23/11/2002
27 Dunnock 23/11/2002
27 Fieldfare 23/11/2002
26 Lapwing 23/11/2002
25 Mallard 23/11/2002
24 Long-tailed Tit 23/11/2002
23 Lesser-black Backed Gull 23/11/2002
22 Common Gull 23/11/2002
21 Black-headed Gull 23/11/2002
20 Red-legged Partridge 23/11/2002
19 Greenfinch 23/11/2002
18 Chaffinch 23/11/2002
17 House Sparrow 23/11/2002
16 Starling 23/11/2002
15 Carrion Crow 23/11/2002
14 Jackdaw 23/11/2002
13 Magpie 23/11/2002
12 Great Tit 23/11/2002
11 Blue Tit 23/11/2002
10 Mistle Thrush 23/11/2002
9 Song Thrush 23/11/2002
8 Blackbird 23/11/2002
7 Robin 23/11/2002
6 Pied Wagtail 23/11/2002
5 Skylark 23/11/2002
4 Collared Dove 23/11/2002
3 Stock Dove 23/11/2002
2 Pheasant 23/11/2002
1 Kestrel 23/11/2002

EXOTICS
Zebra Finch 09-16/08/2004
Sudan Golden Sparrow 09/08/2005 - 15/10/2004

Lesvos trip report 25 April - 2 May 2002

2007-05-14T10:47:00.000Z

Lesbos trip report

25 April – 2 May 2002

A Speyside Wildlife holiday with Steve Dudley and Mark Newall

Sorry no photos - see here

Day 1. Mark and Steve meet the group off their 6.30am flight at Mytillini Airport. Everyone’s tired after their overnight lights and Mark and Steve have also been up since 4am in order to get last weeks group to the airport for 6am check-in. The 35km drive to Skalla Kallonis is quick and quiet as sleep catches up on most. Arriving at the hotel we have a quick breakfast before checking everyone into their rooms and a morning’s rest before meeting up again for lunch.

After lunch, we head down to the Kolloni II Pools. We get as far as the hotel gateway before stopping to check on the White Stork nest on a nearby rooftop. The huge structure is perched on one end of roof and looks just like a chimney. One bird is sat on the nest and another is seemingly asleep on a nearby telegraph pole. We walk down the road to the pools to the sound of singing Greenfinch and Corn Bunting. We hadn’t even got sight of water when a Little Bittern is seen flying in to a roadside tamarisk bush ahead of us. The bird typically vanishes. We reach the first wet patch. The mud right in front of us is alive with ‘yellow’ wagtails, Wood Sandpipers and Crested Larks. Its now that the only rule of the week is explained to everyone – the Brown Rule! If its brown and on the ground, it’s a Crested Lark. If its brown and on a wire, it’s a Corn Bunting. And if its brown and near water, it’s a Wood Sandpiper. After Sunday, Mark and Steve would refuse to identify Crested Lark, Corn Bunting and Wood Sands!

Looking over the pool in front of us its difficult to know where to start – there are birds everywhere! The brown Wood Sandpipers and Crested Larks are soon looked over for the brighter birds around us. The abundance of yellow wagtails come in all head colours and shades of yellow and green. The two commonest types found in Lesbos are looking up at us and are relatively easy to remember. Those with all black heads are Black-headed Wagtails and those with pastel blue heads and white ‘eyebrows’, Blue-headed Wagtails. The duller females are dismissed as all but the female Black-headed are virtually impossible to tell apart.

Looking to the patch of water beyond the wagtails, there are a group of Black-winged Stilts taking an afternoon doze. Sat amongst the stilts’ forest of bubble-gum legs are a couple of male Garganey – looking all resplendent with their gleaming white head stripes. ‘Little Bittern!’ Steve shouts as a female flies low across the marsh and lands in view midway up a bush. Scopes are soon put into action before it has chance to slope off in typical bittern fashion. But she decides it’s nice in the sun and sits out for us all to enjoy at our leisure. The sky above the pools is thick with hirundines like an aerial soup! A Common Snipe is found lurking in the back reed edge and the scopes are repositioned to study this often overlooked bird. Steve then spies a White-winged Black Tern coming in from the north. Everyone is able to get on to this stunning marsh tern as it lazily flies low over the pools and straight through. ‘That was wonderful’ comments Joy, ‘I’d like to see more of them’ she adds. Without catching our breath, three more terns are picked up flying along the southern side of the pool. ‘Gull-billed’ shouts Mark. Again everyone is able to get on to these larger terns, with heavy, short, black, gull-like bills and black caps, before they too head off. As Steve and Mark begin to show the group the two terns in the book, Mark looks up to see four Collared Pratincoles. Unfortunately they fly straight through and in to the sun, so only their unique shape can be seen with little plumage detail discernible. We look back over the pools to see a male Little Bittern doing a full fly-pass showing off his bold wing patches before disappearing into the reeds. A Balkan green lizard is seen running across the road and on to a low wall where it stops for us to enjoy its stripy green and yellow patterning. A Whiskered Tern is next to appear. Another of the marsh terns, this elegant sooty looking bird with gleaming white cheeks and dark cap, gives us a prolonged performance as it passes back and forth, occasionally swooping to pick prey off the surface of the water. Another male Little Bittern flies past followed by a female. A near adult Purple Heron then rises from the reeds before flapping off to the east. Its huge size, dark colour, bulging neck and tangle of toes are all clear to see. Then the first of three Squacco Heron’s is found on the edge of the near pool. This small golden-brown heron is a real delight, and no sooner as we all get on to it and it takes flight and the transformation from brown ground bird to a ghostly white flying bird is amazing. Wow! We are in heron heaven! Andjust to emphasise it, another couple of Little Bitterns are found perched up in a tamarisk bush! And another two are visible in the short reeds, and another two at the back of the pools. How many are there? With several more in flight, we have a minimum of nine (!) Little Bitterns. Wow!! A couple of male Shoveler are quickly lookedover, as are the pair of Teal (although the latter are a tick for a Speyside group on Lesbos!). A female Little Crake is then found creeping below the tamarisk bush with the Little Bitterns in it. This tiny crake performs brilliantly as we all get great views. A grass snake is then seen swimming across the bottom of the pool right next to us and Steve manages to spot one of the more vocal marsh frogs amongst the floating pool vegetation. Steve gets his scope on to it as it continues to croak, inflating and deflating its cheeks for all to enjoy. ‘ALB’ remarks Joy rather dismissively as yet ‘another Littler Bittern’ flies past. Mark then points skywards to another Collared Pratincole. This time we have the sun behind us, and we are able to clearly see the main features of white rump and trailing edges to the wings and the contrast in the wings. Like too many of the afternoons birds it continues straight over without landing. Steve then spies the Whiskered Tern sat amongst the Black-winged Stilts on the marsh. Scopes aimed at the bird, and we are able to take a real close look at this great looking marsh tern with its sturdy dark red bill. Another snake is spotted swimming through the pools and the week’s first Red-rumped Swallows appear in the myriad of hirundines over the pools. Little Bitterns continue to leap out in front of us from all directions and Sedge Warblers are zipping from reed to reed, rarely allowing us to get our bin on them.

Its taken us over two hours to walk the few hundred yards to the beach! Here we enjoy good views of Common Tern and distant views of Yellow-legged Gull and a single first-summer Sandwich Tern – quite a scarce spring record. Steve picks up six Avocets swimming distantly on the sea. We head off down towards West River and are greeted by the ever-present Cetti’s Warbler guarding the road junction. In the fields beyond, at least four Whinchat are dotted along the fence and a male Woodchat Shrike is found, to be joined by a female. This smart shrike brings a real Mediterranean flavour to the afternoon. On the saltmarsh opposite a couple of Little Ringed Plovers chase one another and our first Kentish Plovers is found. Steve explains that these smart little birds are called ‘KP Nuts’ as they like most plovers they have a tendency to go bananas when another plover trespasses into its patch. And true to form, our KP then goes nuts as another male lands close by, and it speeds off on its long legs like something out of a cartoon! A Common Buzzard is picked up distantly and soon forgotten about when Mark spots a Stone-curlew sat out on the marsh. Little Egberts (egrets) can be seen in every direction, and working our way through the army of Ruff, we pick out three Curlew Sandpipers, all in fine summer plumage (which is more that can be said for the Ruff!) and a handful of stints. Steve begins to scrutinise the stints. Little, Little, Little – ah – Temminck’s! The sun isn’t brilliant, but even so, the longer rear end, uniform colour including complete dark chest band, greenish legs and longish decurved bill are all visible. Ian then shouts harrier. Panning his scope right following Ian’s direction Steve hits on a Common Bittern just as it drops out of view! No one else managed to get on it. Looking in vain at where it disappeared, a female Marsh Harrier does drift across our view over the distant reeds.

Times getting on and we all wearily drag ourselves away from this bonanza of birds back to the hotel and for dinner. We’ve all seen so many birds its hard to believe that this is still only the first day!

Day 2. We wake to a cool, bright morning, but with no clouds, it is soon beginning to warm by the time we leave the hotel at 9am. Our first stop is the oddly named Derbyshire. We park and prepare to go for a walk along the track running below a scrubby hillside. No sooner than we have got our scopes out of the vans, when Rae spots a small warbler on the top of the hill. Steve swings his scope on to it. ‘Rüppell’s!’ he shouts. ‘It’s a bloody male Rüppell’s!’. Mark is soon on to it, and the group gather behind Steve’s and Mark’s scopes to get a view as it sits out in the open singing. The bird disappears and the other scopes are readied for its reappearance. Mark explains how unusual it is to find Rüppell’s Warbler here and the reason for Steve’s total surprise at being confronted with a singing male Rüppell’s here. The bird reappears briefly and all but two members of the group get good scope views before it vanishes and no further sign despite a lengthy wait. During the wait though a male Woodchat appears and the odd Spanish Sparrow is picked up amongst the House Sparrows on the hillside above us. Two Agama lizards vie for attention as they bask in the strong sun when a single Red-rumped Swallow appears briefly over us and a stunning male Masked Shrike makes a brief appearance on wires behind us before making off for the cover of the hillside. A couple of male Subalpine Warblers raise pulses as we search for the Rüppell’s, but neither hang around or give good views. ‘Black Stork!’ is shouted, and looking seawards a stunning adult flaps past only a couple of hundred yards away. The light is perfect, and the intensity of the glowing red bill and legs is unreal. Then a second bird lifts up from the right and we are treated to a repeat performance! An adult Purple Heron passes from the opoosite direction and this too looks stunning in this brilliant light. Whilst looking out to sea, a handful of Little Terns are picked up flying past and a Common Sandpiper is spotted on the nearby marsh when a first-summer male Marsh Harrier drifts past. There is a steady stream of Common Swifts heading north, and wave after wave Swallows and House Martins. A walk along the track produces Turtle Dove, Common Cuckoo, a few Whinchat, Blue and Great Tits and distant views of Short-toed Eagle and Common Buzzard. It’s impossible not to enjoy the array and colour of the wild flowers which included a large stand of heart-flowered serapias.

On to the Derbyshire Outcrop, and we are greeted by a several Ruddy Shelduck. Three birds in flight head off, flashing their vivid white wing patches, but two birds remain on the ground for us to enjoy. A single Great White Egret struts between the Little Egrets and five Mute Swans. It’s easy to appreciate the Great White’s greater size and yellow bill at such close range and how similar it looks in structure to the nearby Grey Heron. A couple of Kentish Plovers run around the beach pools and a small group of Linnets flyover before three Short-toed Larks fly in noisily, landing right in front of us. From our slightly elevated position, we get great views of what is too often dismissed as just another LBJ. These adults sport bright rufous crowns, gleaming eyebrows and their triangular neck patches. A superb male Black-headed Wagtail sits up on a dead stick and soon attracts our attention.

We move on to Achladeri and arriving at the car park see that two other groups are already in the trees ahead of us. We take our time readying ourselves, and enjoy superb views of a singing Woodchat and our first Black-eared Wheatear – a stunning black-throated bird. We move in to the wood and gingerly make our way past the other two groups who have staked out a Krüper’s Nuthatch nest site. We walk on up through the wood to an open area. Within minutes a Krüper’s Nuthatch can be heard calling up to our right. Mark picks up a nuthatch feeding in a near pine. Most get on to it before it flits off. Krüper’s Nuthatch calls ring out from the slope in front of us, and it isn’t long before two birds appear in front of us, flitting tit-like from tree to tree. The next ten minutes are really frustrating as the birds bounce around in front of us giving only the briefest of glimpses and not settling. Mark manages to follow one bird as it disappears up the slope away from us and watches it disappear on the side of a tree. He’s found the nest! We position the scopes on the nest tree (we can’t quite make out the hole which looks as if it is on the side of the trunk ninety degree on to us). We take it in turns to stand at the scopes awaiting the two returning birds as they make regular visits to the nest with food and often leaving with a feacal sack to dispose of. Those of us with bins enjoy great views as the birds collect food from the trees immediately around us. Hunger gets the better of us and we reluctantly retreat back through the trees. We get no further than the stream when Steve stops us to enjoy cracking views of a XXX dragonfly sat on the bare stones ahead of us. Standing here two Hoopoes are spotted flying through the trees to our left and a few get a glimpse of a Jay. We get a few yards further on before being stopped by a family party Short-toed Treecreepers. The birds perform brilliantly as the adults stuff beakfuls of insects down hungry throats. On one tree three treecreepers form a procession as two hungry young chase after their parent.

Back at the car park, we tuck into our packed lunch with entertainment provided by the male Woodchat and Black-eared Wheatear. Only a couple of the group notice the Common Buzzard overhead. Sarah then finds a dung beetle which is rolling a perfectly round ball of dung. The group gathers, and after reversing one of the vans from its path, we enjoy a comical performance as the beetle rolls its dung ball across the stoney ground. Every time it met an obstacle, it would jump up on top of the dung ball to survey the path before jumping back down and expertly navigating its way around each of the offending obstacle.

Returning back past the Derbyshire Outcrop we stop briefly to enjoy super close views of a Black Stork. The iridescent green on the birds head, and the ‘painted’ red of the bill, face and legs are all marvelled at.

We arrive at the East River and our first close views of Yellow-legged Gull. The sun is behind us and the light is brilliant and five Glossy Ibis look stunning in their copper and green plumage. Mark picks up a small wader running around the mud under the Wood Sands. It’s a Temminck’s Stint, and much closer and in much better light than last nights bird. We quietly creep out of the vans to erect our tripods and enjoy his great little calidrid through the scopes. Looking around the many patches of mud we soon find another three Temminck’s, each being chased by Wood Sand! Don then turns our attention to a Great Reed Warbler bouncing around the tangle of dead trees in the middle of the trickling river. It looks enormous out in the open as it passes a Sedge Warbler. ‘Text book perfect’ remarks Joy with a beaming smile in appreciation of the stunning views of this monster of a warbler. A large stripe-necked terrapin is seen hauling itself out on to a mud bank as the liquid ‘prruutt’ calls of Bee-eaters are heard above us. Looking up Mark points out two birds circling among Common Swifts and frustratingly heading away from us. Next up is an Olivaceous Warbler singing from a tiny bush below us. Scopes soon target this rather featureless ‘hippo’ warbler, but with increased magnification, the structure and colour can be appreciated a little better (!) and Don’s shout of White Stork goes largely unnoticed as most enjoy great views of our first ‘Oli’. Neil picks up a cream a cream-crowned Marsh Harrier above the hill opposite and a Common Sandpiper is glimpsed bobbing around below the road bridge.

We move on and park the vans and head off further upstream on foot. Our first find is a distant Long-legged Buzzard, which Rae spotted distantly, but as we watch it begins to work the ridge opposite, heading towards. It eventually gives itself up to superb scope views as it hangs in the wind above the ridge. We can now see all its plumage and how big and eagle-like this large buzzard is. Steve comments how Red Kite-like in general colour it looks. Steve then picks up two falcons – ‘Red-foots!’ he shouts. Everyone looks across to the ridge opposite to see two falcons coming across the valley, and as they pass overhead, the blue-grey colour and red trousers can be seen. We search the rocky slope above us for passerines and Mark soon picks up a Rock Nuthatch. It is very active bobbing up and down and hopping from rock to rock. Everyone at least catches up with it with bins as it works across the slope. At one point it is seen to catch a large green cricket and hack at it in typical nuthatch fashion (well at least it must have been a quick death!). Steve meanwhile pre-empts the nuthatch and positions his scope on a nest he and Mark found earlier. Sure enough, the nuthatch appears at the nest and is joined by a second bird. Both birds then begin to too-and-fro from the nest and are actively repairing the entrance hole. Wow! A very tatty Peregrine drifts over the valley and a single Lesser Kestrel plays cat and mouse as it appears every now and then over the opposite ridge. Mark then finds a Cuckoo perched upon the opposite side of the valley which performs very well as it feeds and occasionally being mobbed by various passerines. Mark then spots a ring-tail Montagu’s Harrier over the opposite hillside and everyone is able to get good views as it works back and forth before heading off upstream. Two Red-rumped Swallows make a brief appearance over the river before we head back to the vans and driving out we pick up two Squacco Herons lurking in the bankside vegetation.

We end the day on the West River and all too typically brief views of a Fan-tailed Warbler (or Zitting Cisticola as some of us prefer – and as it is in the book!) as one flits from stem to stem before disappearing completely. We had already enjoyed great views of Black Stork earlier in the day, but these were blasted away as a full adult rose within a few yards of us and the whole group just stood in absolute awe as it flapped by us – absolutely crippling views! You could almost feel the whoosh of air with every wingbeat! Unbelievable! Not to be outdone, a stunning male Montagu’s Harrier then glided lazily by us on the opposite side. With such close views in brilliant light the barring on the upperwing and underwing were clearly visible. An adult Whiskered Tern tried hard to vie for attention, but lost out to a winter plumaged Red-throated Pipit that Mark found sat amongst ‘yellow’ wagtails on the nearby wire fence and three more birds flew directly overhead calling their distinctive high-pitched, drawn out ‘speee’ calls. We return to the hotel and for those not totally birded out, they have an hour or so to explore the Kalloni Pools before dinner.

Day3. No time for pre-breaky birding for most, as its an early start as we are off to the enjoy the delights of western Lesbos for the day. As we load up the vans, a Night Heron does a quick fly-by on its way to roost in nearby trees.

Our first stop is at Limonos where we stop with a view overlooking the fantastic monastery. A Subalpine Warbler song-flights right in front of us, but only gives tantalising views when it lands. A male Cretzschmar’s Bunting is much more obliging as it sings in full view in the sun from the top of a nearby bush. Steve then looks up to see two Bee-eaters high over the hillside behind us, but they disappear as sharply as they appeared. The hillside below us is alive with birds as Mark soon picks out a superb male Red-backed and another male and a female are soon located. The group also enjoy the ‘extra’ birds running around the monastery grounds (Peacock, Rhea, Ostrich and Chicken!).

We arrive at the Grand Canyon and Mark immediately locates a singing male Black-eared Wheatear on the rocks directly above us and just to the left of it is a male Subalpine Warbler singing from the overhead wires. Mark then spies a Wood Warbler in the valley just below us, and the bird performs really well feeding in an oak tree, occasionally hovering to pick insects from the outer leaves. ‘Woodpecker!’ someone shouts, and looking across the valley, a Middle-spotted Woodpecker disappears into a tree on the opposite side and can’t be relocated. A Long-legged Buzzard appears over the distant crags as Mark picks up a similarly distant Crag Martin which frustratingly proves impossible to get the group on to. Steve then picks up a Blue Rock Thrush on the crags but it promptly disappears before we could get the scopes on to it. Mark then finds something we can all enjoy! A superb Short-toed Eagle hanging over the opposite hill and drifts slowly along the ridge allowing everyone to get good scope views. Steve than drags the group back to look for the Blue Rock Thrush as two birds are courtship flighting off the crags. They frustrate everyone with brief flight sorties and occasional perched views and no one really gets a good look at them. A Rock Nuthatch makes a brief appearance on the main crag and is a welcome diversion from the increasingly frustrating views of Blue Rock Thrush. A male Cretzschmar’s Bunting then pops up on the wires above us gives us a grand performance of its rather short and monotonous song. Steve then picks up a Blue Rock Thrush right on the crag just above us. At last we get stunning views of a male perched as it starts song flighting. It launches itself off the rock-face and with wings and tail fully spread as swoops back to the jagged rocks whilst delivering its melodic song. A Crag Martin then gatecrashes proceedings and people don’t know what to look at – the Crag Martin floats between us and the rock-face and the song flighting Blue Rock Thrush! Incredible! Blue Rock Thrush wins the contest as scopes are again lined up to enjoy it’s iridescent blue plumage. The Blue Rock Thrush disappears and we look round for the Crag Martin. Its gone! ‘No its here’ shouts Mark, pointing up the valley, and we enjoy stunning views as it swoops around showing off its little tail spots and eventually gives itself totally and comes right overhead and flies around with the two Red-rumped Swallows that have been bombing about throughout. A Long-legged Buzzard is appears over the other side of the valley and lazily drifts along the ridge and then suddenly lands on a open rock. Scopes are grabbed and aimed at the raptor and we all enjoy good perched views of this eagle-like buzzard. The lush valley below is almost forgotten about, but our brief glimpses produce Long-tailed Tit, Pied Flycatcher and Jay. Golden Orioles can be heard singing downstream, and Steve glimpses three males disappearing into distant trees never to be seen again. We reluctantly drag ourselves away from this bird-filled valley and head off westwards.

An unscheduled stop is between the Erossos/Ipsilou junction and Ipsilou Monastery when Steve’s van picks up a male Isabelline Wheatear. Steve radios Mark who reverses back but the bird has gone, but we enjoy two male Northern Wheatears chasing each other round the boulder strewn hillside.

We arrive at Sigri and the seafront is unusually quiet. We head off down the road towards Fanoromeni Ford when we come across small field alive with birds. An adult Lesser Grey Shrike takes stop billing as it hunts from the top of a nearby fog tree, swooping down to ground to grab beetles and crickets. A Woodchat Shrike is hunting from the fenceline behind, and on the opposite side of the field, a male Red-backed Shrike is found feeding from the lower branches of another fig tree. Spotted and Pied Flycatchers feed from the same tree along with a lone Blackcap. A Long-legged Buzzard appears high overhead, followed by three superb Short-toed Eagles and a more distant Hobby. A Common Kestrel is feeding from the nearby telegraph poles and a second kestrel appears behind us – it’s a Lesser Kestrel! And its chasing a bat! A big bat at that, all black with really long broad wings, much bigger than the noctule bats of the UK – about starling sized. The Lesser Kestrel though is no match for the bat, and eventually gives up after countless twists and turns of the aerial combat. Continuing down the track, we pass a couple more Woodchat and Red-backed Shrikes and a cream-crown Marsh Harrier before stopping by the pond when an unfamiliar song is being belted out from a nearby bush. We soon locate the culprit – a superb male Orphean Warbler. No sooner as we get onto him and he’s off back up the track and out of view. We jump out of the vans to relocate it and see more Short-toed Eagles overhead being mobbed by a Raven. Then Ian picks up two birds in the distance which Mark immediately identifies as pratincoles. They whirl around in the distance as we struggle to see all the features but eventually agree they are both Collared and not the hoped for Black-winged. Steve then finds a couple of Red-veined Darter dragonflies on the pond and goes through the ID features for those interested. The Orphean Warbler starts to sing again from a bush further up the track before flying off to a large tree on the other side of the field. It sits out in the open just long enough for us to get the scopes on to it at last. The same tree also holds adult male Woodchat and Red-backed Shrikes. Mark then locates an adult female Montagu’s Harrier and we watch it cross two Short-toed Eagles and a Lesser Kestrel! A Little Egret looks out of place flying over this waterless area. Just as we are about to drive away, Mark beckons us to jump out again. John has seen a male Black-headed Bunting up ahead, and as we all pile out, two male Black-headed Buntings fly out of a nearby bush, do a superb fly-by before heading off up the track. As we lose sight of them, Bee-eater calls are heard overhead and looking up is a single bird, calling repeatedly, giving stunning views as it drifts slowly directly overhead, soon followed by two more birds, again calling, and again fly directly overhead giving superb views. Mark then shouts ‘Golden Oriole!’ as a male swoops down from the hillside to our right and down the track and lands briefly in a bush before flipping over the top and out of view. We make do with two Woodchat Shrikes hunting from the nearby wires before Mark shouts ‘Black-headed Bunting!’ and turning round we see a female leaving a fennel plant behind us. We leave this brilliant bird bonanza to the marsh frogs who continue to bang our their liquid croaks.

We arrive at Fanoromeni Ford, and even before we are park up Ian spots a female Little Crake right by the ford. Several of Steve’s van get on to it before it sneaks off, but looking downstream, Steve can see two Little Bitterns and a single Squacco Heron sat out in the open on the trickling riverbed. We park the vans a scopes are soon pointing downstream taking in the stunning views of male and female Little Bittern. A single Tree Pipit is wandering around the centre of the dried upriver section and settles down to a good bathe in one of the small pools, and Spotted and Pied Flycatchers are swooping down from the bankside bamboo stands. Searching through the bamboo and bushes we soon start picking out a few warblers – Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Reed and Sedge Warblers. Hunger stops proceedings and everyone locates a comfy rock to perch on. A Nightingale is belting out from a nearby bush, and Mark soon locates the bird sat out in the open. Steve grabs his scope and superb full field views of Nightingale are being enjoyed over between mouthfuls of lunch! Two Masked Shrikes appear above us in a large tree before moving off to feed in adjacent field along with a couple of Whinchat. A feature of lunch are the groups of Turtle Doves flying around, with several groups seen flying overhead along with a good numbers of hirundines. A Great Reed Warbler them appears in the nearby bamboo, bouncing around the thick stems in typical monster fashion.

We set off for a walk up the lane and get as far as the other side of the ford when there is a sudden increase in flycatcher activity. We have up to four Spotted, two Pied and a very elusive Collared Flycatcher which few of us manage to get on to. An adult Night Heron then flies low overhead downstream and lands in full view and immediately starts fishing for tadpoles. The river is teaming with tadpoles of all sizes, and two Little Bitterns creep out of bankside vegetation to resume their hunting within metres of us! Wow! A cream-crown Marsh drifts overhead heading downstream. Small birds head for cover, when it suddenly twists in mid-air and amazingly dives onto the feeding Night Heron! Wow! The harrier has the heron by the neck and both tumble to the floor, wings flailing, and the birds rolling a bundle of feathers. The heron seems to regain its momentum and fights back with snapping beak and tearing feet. The harrier hangs on but the heron is too strong and it eventually gives up its ambitious lunch plans! The harrier flaps casually away and the heron resumes its fishing stance. Closing your eyes and opening them to look back down the river and it’s hard to believe the encounter we’ve all just witnessed. Just as we catch our breath, Ian spots an adult male Red-footed Falcon over the ford before drifting off. We head off up the track, and as we reach an open gateway, Neil spies a male Golden Oriole sweep across a field and into a fig tree. Its landed right out in the open and tripods are hastily erected and scopes aimed at this vivid yellow bird. It sits motionless, the group lapping up our best views of this gorgeous bird as female joins in the fun. Over the next fifteen minutes we get fantastic views of these two birds, plus a second male, feeding in the trees and bamboo stands before both are flushed by a farm worker. A male Lesser Kestrel swooping down to gather a beetle right in front of us breaks our attention briefly from the orioles, the light is perfect and all the key features are easily seen including the blue-grey wing panel, light underwings, salmon body with obvious spotted and the elongated central tail feathers - stunning.

We move on up to an open area overlooking a scrubby hillside. A Golden Oriole flights past and a male Red-backed Shrike is feeding from the top of a fig tree. ‘Bee-eater’ shouts Duncan, and right in front of us appears a single Bee-eater. One turns two. Two to four. Four to eight. Eight to 18! Wow! Rainbow birds are swooping low over the field in front of us, their liquid calls soon ringing all around us as they seem to engulf us! No matter where you look there is a Bee-eater. They slowly drift off, but their calls can continue to be heard so Steve walks back down the track and finds at least nine birds sat on a wire out of view of the group. He beckons the group, but the ensuing rush and clatter of tripods flushes all but two of the birds, who thankfully stay put and give crippling views only several yards away for several minutes before eventually flying off after the others. A ring-tail harrier sweeps overhead but disappears before we are able to get views good enough to clinch the ID. With the sound of Bee-eaters ‘prruutting’ in the distance we resume of search of the area. Mark locates a Wood Warbler feeding in a nearby tree. Steve takes a number of the group up along the field edge to get a better angle to view the tree and we enjoy superb views of this bright warbler – its lemon yellow face and silky white underparts clearly visible in the shade of the tree.

Walking back down the track to the ford, we can again hear the Bee-eaters to our right. We stop in a gateway to see half a dozen or so Bee-eaters toing and froing from a fig tree. Mark then spots a male Collared Flycatcher in a small bush. Viewing is tight in this restricted gateway, and the flycatcher keeps low and largely behind the field boundary. We get only fleeting glimpses as it flits from perch to perch before suddenly making a beeline right for us. It lands in the bush right next to us. Too close for some to focus on! It then settles down to feeding in the trackside bushes. The group’s attention is divided, with half the group mesmerised by the stunning and super close views of the Collared Fly, and the other half enjoying the rainbow display of a dozen or so Bee-eaters. Its amazing how stunning a black and white bird can look and is just as good looking as the Bee-eaters but in a different way. Eventually we must drag ourselves away and everyone bar Helen is Bee-eatered out (and totally flycatchered as well!). Hirundines continued to move overhead, and at least four Red-rumped swallows were picked out amongst the mass of Barn Swallows and House Martins.

Taking the track down to the beach, Mark’s lead van flushes a female Common Redstart which Steve’s van fails to get on to. A little further on a recently cut hay meadow is teeming with ‘yellow’ wagtails. We pull up and start to sift through the countless Black-headed and Blue-headed Wags before Steve picks out a single male Grey-headed Wagtail. Ian than comments he has a pipit. Steve foolishly tells him to concentrate on the wagtails before coming across the back of a pipit which turns round to reveal a brick red face and throat! ‘Red-throated Pipit’ blurts Steve, swiftly followed by an apology to Ian who is muttering Steve’s request to concentrate on the wagtails! Humble pie swallowed, Steve directs the others on to the pipit and radios Mark. Mark begins reversing back as someone in his van then picks up a second Red-throated Pipit alongside their van. We enjoy great close views of the pipits and wagtails for 10 minutes or so before moving on to check the beach. We arrive at the beach hopeful that the two Collared Pratincoles seen earlier might have pitched down by the beach pool. The beach is strangely bird-free, so we turn straight round and head back along the track. The pipits and wagtails have moved fields, and with Steve’s van in the lead they manage to relocate the earlier missed female Common Redstart and a Common Whitethroat in an olive grove.

The drive back is rather uneventful and very quiet as weary eyes eventually succumb to sleep. Only a few hardy soles manage a visit to the Kalloni Pools before an eagerly awaited dinner.

Day 4. We awake to a rather overcast sky and a cool northerly wind, but by the time we leave the hotel at 9am, the sun is warming the land and the clouds scattering. We drive out to the Kalloni Saltpans and on arrival get straight stuck in to a large flock of waders on the first pan. Amongst the large flock of Ruff are quite a few Curlew Sandpipers, many of them in their brick red breeding dress. The Ruff in contrast were all still very much in winter plumage. Twelve Little Terns are roosting upon one of the nearest islands. An Olivaceous Warbler is found in the hedgerow immediately behind us and it performs well for a few minutes before disappearing into cover.

With the air temperature rising, the nearby hill soon starts to get busy with raptors. First up are three Common Buzzards with their distinctive rounded shape and wings held upwards as they circle on a thermal. The thermals soon attract a single Short-toed Eagle, a couple of Common Kestrels and at least three Red-footed Falcons. They seem to enjoying the morning sun as they dance on the thermals. The Red-foots begin to hunt over the hillside, combining hovering with perching on fence posts. Although distant, in the brilliant light we can easily see the silvery upperwings and red trousers of the males and the orangey underparts of the female.

In the middle of saltpans the Greater Flamingos form a pink line, rippling as they move too-and-fro. Suddenly they all rise and the subtle pink colour is transformed to vivid red and black as they swirl around against a backdrop of hills and mountains before they gradually descend back in to the middle of the pans. Stunning! A couple of Common Shelduck fly across the pans. We move further down the saltpans road and come across a group of five Red-footed Falcons hunting from the overhead wires parallel with the road. From the vans we get stunning views of several adult males, a first summer male and an adult female. Two Bee-eaters then appear to our right and one swoops down and lands on the mud only 20m away. Absolutely stunning! Looking across the fields a cream-crown Marsh Harrier crossed paths with a male Montagu’s Harrier, and a Black Stork lazily flaps across in the middle distance. We drive on to the end of the tarmaced road where we find at least 14 Bee-eaters feeding from wires, swooping low over the marsh catching insects. Scopes are soon on these stunning birds and for a second day we have rainbow birds swirling all around us. Two Cormorants fly over, the white thigh patch of one bird clearly visible. Several of the Red-footed Falcons have followed us down the road and appear on the nearby overhead wires giving terrific views. Our next stop is the sheep fields and no sooner have we entered them and Mark picks up a Tawny Pipit and summer plumaged Red-throated Pipit feeding out on the open grass. Scopes out and we soon start to pick up more and more Red-throats and increasing number of ‘yellow’ wags. The Red-throated Pipits are in a whole range of plumages from drab winter, to full blown glowing brick-red throats. We start to walk through the tussock grass and kick up even more pipits and wagtails when three Collared Pratincole rise from right in front of us. They whirl around in front of us on their long-pointed wings, showing off their gleaming white rumps and trailing wing edges before landing in the open not too far away. Scopes are soon in action and we enjoy superb views of these strange looking waders. The closest bird gets most attention, and the shrike-like bill with a red base, and the creamy throat bordered by the dark collar are all clear to see. The pool to our left holds a few Ruff and Little Stints, and a single Temminck’s Stint. Two Stone-curlew then fly low over our heads, giving fantastic views, before landing just out of view on the edge of the field. After a few minutes the heads of both birds are just visible beyond the ridge, and then both birds come out in to full view and begin courtship displaying. A Hoopoe explodes from long grass right next to us, but unfortunately lands distantly out of view. We push on past the pools the saltpans perimeter fence but the near pans are devoid of birds. We head back along the fence when a cloud of Short-toed Larks erupt from in front of us. They land amongst Spanish Sparrows on a sandy ridge and begin to dust bathe. A quick count – 36! Unbelievable. With so many birds they is an amazing variety of plumages from very dreary, pale, monotone sandy birds to some with bright rufous crowns and prominent neck patches. We spend a few minutes watching them before heading on and push up another flock of 26 larks a little further on. 62 Short-toed Larks! Wow! Three more Bee-eaters fly noisily overhead and two Stone-curlews take flight and fly right by us. Many of the group had never seen Stone-curlew in flight before and these views are stunning with the bold black and white wing markings contrasting with the more cryptic brown plumage.

Enjoying lunch in the warm sun, Don finds a Hoopoe feeding close to the vans. Many break from their lunch to enjoy good close views of this wacky looking bird feeding among the poppies before it eventually flies off.

We leave the sheep fields and stop in the vans to enjoy more close views of Bee-eaters when Mark spots a male Black-headed Bunting sand on the fence behind us. True to form, no sooner had we got on to it and it flew – high and off! We continue down the saltpans road and pass a stunning Black Stork sat in the moat just yards from the vans. The light is brilliant and again we can see the green sheen to the head and mantle feathers. A little further down we find a Kingfisher fishing from one of the pipe tunnels.

We head up Napi Valley and unfortunately the northerly wind getting up and is really quite chilly. We could heard several Golden Orioles and a Turtle Dove and had very brief views of Rock Nuthatch before it started to rain. We decided to move on up the valley to a sheltered woodland area. ON walking into the trees, five Golden Orioles fly out across the valley and land in distant trees. Several more oriole can be heard calling from the woodland above us and we eventually pick up two males sat up in the top of the trees. We staked out a woodpecker area centred on dead tree with lots of holes, but over the next 45 minutes there is no sign. On the ridge opposite, raptor activity starts to pick up with two Red-footed Falcons, three Lesser Kestrels and single Short-toed Eagle and Long-legged Buzzard. A Middle-spotted Woodpecker then started calling behind, and on turning round some of us glimpses a woodpecker flying through the wood and out of sight. Hanging around for it to reappear, Mark hears a Sombre Tit, to our left. We move down the track and we find two birds feeding along a dead section of hedge on the opposite side of the road. Both birds are extremely obliging and perform really well feeding in the open, occasionally calling. Still no activity around the woodpecker tree – no matter how hard we stared at it! ‘Goshawk’ shouted Mark. And flying away from us was large raptor with big, powerful wingbeats and ‘nappy’ effect of the undertail coverts wrapping up around the base of the tail. A female as it was clearly larger than the Hooded Crow mobbing. Brilliant!

We call it a day on the woodpeckers and head off back down the valley picking up more Rock Nuthatches and Mark’s lead van get brief views of a Blue Rock Thrush. It disappears and we all get great views of a male Black-eared Wheatear. We make our way back via the Kalloni oive groves but they are unusually quiet so we call it a day and head back to the hotel and an eagerly awaited dinner.

Day 5. It’s a lovely bright, warm and still morning. We get away from the hotel at 9am and stop off in Kalloni a supermarket stop. With everyone stocked up with various sweets and beverages, we head of westwards for Ipsilou Monastery. We stop just short of the monastery by the junction to Erossos. No sooner are we out of the vans and Mark picks up a male Isabelline Wheatear. This and another bird song flighting just above us both perform well. Right in front of a male Cretzschmar’s Bunting is singing from a rock. A couple of large Agama lizards are basking on the rocks below and Duncan sees yellow-headed grey bird fly past and down to the gully to our left. The hunt is on, and within a few minutes Mark picks up a pair of Cinereous Buntings flying in and they land just below us. Over the next 10 minutes we enjoy corking vies of these handsome buntings as they feed among the rocks on the slope below us. The Isabelline Wheatears and Cretzschmar’s Bunting are still performing well and we can hear Golden Orioles singing in the distance. Don then finds a first-summer male Black-headed Bunting perched up out on a rock and it gives us brilliant views sowing off its black head and brown mantle – easily the best views so far this week. Searching the slope below we also find Woodchat and Red-backed Shrikes, Black-headed Wagtails and Whinchat and a couple of Alpine Swifts wheel around high overhead.

The brilliant blue skies are slowly beginning to be slowly swallowed up by dark black rain clouds. The whole area is transformed. The light if anything is better, and the bird song all around is phenomenal with buntings, shrikes, wheatears, wagtails and larks in full song. Ipsilou Monastery looks menacing as it looks down on us from its distant mountain top perch. We head off up the road and stop only after a few hundred yards to watch a Rock Nuthatch close to the road. An adult bird is bobbing up and down on rock and in a crevice below we can just make out two recently fledged young. A second adult arrives and a third young is found. Then a fourth, then a fifth. There are young Rock Nuthatches seemingly popping up from under every rock! Some flutter down into a nearby gully where Mark gets on to them. ‘I’ve got three birds’ says Mark. ‘I’ve still got four’ says Steve. ‘No, I’ve got four’ says Mark. ‘I’ve still got four’ says Steve. ‘I’ve now got five’ remarks Mark. Steve still has four. Nine Rock Nuthatches! The young look wacky – all dumpy with dusky underparts and brilliant white cheeks below black caps and stubby little bills.

Arriving at Ipsilou Monastery, Mark immediately picks up a Rock Sparrow on a nearby rock. We are soon all pointing scopes at this rather scruffy and drab looking sparrow with its stripy plumage. The dark clouds are now right above, but the whole sky is filled with Alpine Swifts. The light is fantastic to watch these aerial masters, their large size, deep chocolate brown plumage and white bellies clearly visible. Its amazing how difficult it is too see the white throat even on really close birds. From our high vantage points, many of the Alpine Swifts are sweeping past us at either at eye level or even below us. It’s an absolutely awesome sight. A pair of Blue Rock Thrushes are then seen flying up to the Monastery building and perch on the top. Scopes are swung round on to them as they flit from rampart to rampart in full view. A Woodlark is singing below us but despite searching we can’t find it. There is also Black-eared Wheatear song flighting below us and at least Cretzschmar’s Buntings can be seen and heard singing from tree top perches.

We walk up to the monastery building when a harrier appears then disappears over us. Arriving at the monastery, some of the group climb to the top of the buildings to enjoy crippling views of the Blue Rock Thrushes. The rest of us marvel at the unbelievable spectacle of hundreds of Alpine Swifts thundering around the mountain, only feet above our heads, shouting out their stuttered flight calls – very different to the screams of Common Swifts. The dark clouds are still sat above us, but the light is perfect. The few Common Swifts are easy to pick out as their size, shape and black colour stands out amongst the much larger brown Alpines. Mark finds a Wood Warbler feeding in an oak directly below us along with both Spotted and Pied Flycatchers. A Peregrine is found feeding on a kill on a nearby crag. Steve then picks up on a smaller brown swift, but it is heading away from us. He follows it for what appears like an age as it flies off distantly before turning round and slowly working its way back towards the group. Even at a distance the bird can be identified as a Pallid Swift and it eventually comes right overhead. We slowly pick up on the key features of contrasting pale and dark in the wings and body, large pale throat and slightly blunt-winged shaped. We walk back down to the vans for lunch and in the valley to our left a huge passage of House Martins and Swallows is underway. In amongst them are the odd Sand Martin and Red-rumped Swallow. We arrive back at the vans and the skies are deadly quiet. Not a single swift, swallow or martin to be seen. It’s eerily quiet apart from a single Cretzschmar’s Bunting and the Woodlark singing below us.

During lunch a couple of Crag Martins are found flying around the crags immediately below the monastery building. There’s a steady build up of birds on the slopes below us – Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, Wood Warbler and Common Redstart are all found. A handful of Alpine Swifts appear in the sky. Then half a dozen Red-rumped Swallows. The aerial migration is resumed as the sky steadily fills up with swifts and swallows. In among the Alpine Swifts Steve picks out another Pallid Swift. Then another, and another. Numbers are slowly increasing until there are Pallid Swifts dotted in among the Alpines in every direction. The Pallids are now performing brilliantly with staggering views – the pale fringes to the body feathers and wing coverts and the little dark mask and quite easy to see on some birds as they sweep past only feet away from us. As the group gathers to enjoy the swifts and flycatchers, Steve spots a Chukar sat up on a rock. Scopes are soon on this plump partridge and everyone is enjoying their first views of this Red-legged Partridge look-a-like before it drops off the rock and out of sight. All, that is, apart from Duncan, who appears from the monastery having gone up there to look for the Chukar seen by group member Mark earlier! Duncan however is able to enjoy the stunning views of a Short-toed Eagle which appears to our right and then does a phenomenal stoop on to a snake at the bottom of the valley. Although somewhat distant, through scopes we are able to watch it devour the snake before lazily flying off along the valley bottom below. This gives us the rare opportunity to view this large eagle from above, and everyone enjoys the brilliant views as it passes below us.

We go for a walk down the monastery approach road in the hope to locate the singing Woodlark. True to form, the Woodlark packs in just as we reach the slopes it was singing from! We search the trees for migrants and are soon watching Willow Warbler, Blackcaps, Lesser Whitethroats and Pied Flycatchers as well as more good views of Blue Rock Thrush and Black-eared Wheatear. A little further down the road we come across a superb male Cretzschmar’s Bunting singing from a tree top only yards from the road. You don’t even need a scope to see the feather detail of this stunning bunting with the sun perfectly behind us and full on to the bird. We drag ourselves away from this star performer when Mark hears our first Cirl Bunting of the week, and we soon locate this great looking bunting singing from a small tree. Everyone enjoys great scope views as it sings showing off its chestnut rump between drooped wings, and its striking black and yellow head pattern. Mark then hears a woodpecker calling further down and looking up he sees it disappearing in to an oak tree further down the track but despite searching, another woodpecker eludes us. An Orphean Warbler begins to sing loudly from a nearby tree, but flies up the slope to a more distant bush where some of us are able to get brief but good scope views. It then disappears into the dense canopy of an oak tree where it continues to belt outs its melodic, quite nightingale-like song, with a distinctive ‘giddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up’ phrase. A second Cirl Bunting is found singing from wires behind us and below a pair of Stonechat are busy feeding from the roadside fence.

We head back up the road to the vans with some members of the group deciding on staying at the bottom of the track to be collected on the way back down.. Many of the group have gone up ahead when Duncan spots a large spur-thighed tortoise sat still in a nearby flower meadow. Mark and Steve note the position and head back to the group at the vans. They arrive at the top just as the group are watching a raptor pass by at eye level. ‘Honey Buzzard’ shout Mark and Steve. Only yards away from us is a stunning adult male Honey Buzzard, and in perfect light the light grey upperparts with two wing bars, dark trailing wing edge and barred tail, barred underparts and small grey head are all easily seen as the bird slowly heads away on slightly bowed wings. Fantastic! It’s a pity that some of the group are at the bottom of the mountain waiting for us to pick them up!

We jump in the vans and make our way down to the bottom to pick up the others. We stop by the flower meadow for the tortoise – it’s gone! We can see the imprint of where it was sat still, but no trail leading from it to follow. It’s well and truly vanished! The meadows are however incredible – absolutely stuffed with colour. We head off to the bottom and collect the others with tales of Honey Buzzard and missing tortoises – some aren’t too amused they chose not to undertake the climb back to the vans!

The drive back to the hotel was uneventful until we are nearly back at the hotel when Mark anchors on the brakes and radios through ‘woodpecker on the tree behind you!’. We stop, turn round in our seats and search the two trees in view. Nothing! But then a movement on the second tree - and there it is, clinging to the side of the trunk a Middle Spotted Woodpecker! Hooray! Everyone just manages to get on to it before it takes flight, across the field and over the olive trees. What a cracking finish to the day.

Day 6. We wake to another superbly warm and bright morning and a day that is to be full of surprises!

All but two of the group join Rae and Don for a walk into Skala Kallonis to look for the two Little Owl’s they had found the previous morning. And they were in luck as one bird was still in residence.

Surprise no. 1. Heading out of Kalloni we pull the vans in under a stand a eucalyptus trees. Mark and Steve jump out of the vans and quickly get their scopes out. The group don’t know what to expect and the first two put their eyes up to the scopes. ‘Scops Owl!’ they exclaim joyfully. The whole group is gripped by utter delight at even the thought of Scops Owl. Even those who have not yet seen it are beaming with anticipation. Mark and Steve give directions for the others to get their bins on to the roosting owl. ‘Wow! Its so close’ explains Helen. Mark and Steve explain their relief as this, along with other known sites, have been far from reliable this last week, and when they had last checked only a couple of days ago, they couldn’t find it.

We head north and arrive at Petra to look for Rüppell’s Warbler. On arrival there are many other birders at the site and they report Rüppell’s showing only minutes before our arrival. But they ain’t there now! Our first find is actually a Spotted Fritillary butterfly which lands on rocks within feet of us. Although only about 20ft away, Steve puts his scope on it and some of us enjoy incredible detailed views of this beautiful butterfly. Attention was soon focused on the scrubby hillside below us and the search for Rüppell’s Warbler. A couple of Orphean Warblers were chasing each other around and not staying put for long, before Mark locates a female Rüppell’s. A handful of the group get onto the bird briefly before it too dashes off. We hand around getting increasingly frustrated in the increasing temperatures. In the fields below are between 4-5 male Black-headed Buntings showing reasonably well. Offshore in the distance a small number of Striped Dolphins attract a handful of Yelkouan Shearwaters. A Peregrine appears above the cliff below us and lands on a rock out in the open and is joined by another bird. They are two immature birds (from last year) and scopes are soon on to them for brilliant views of this powerful falcon.

Mark and Steve begin to search further afield and Mark eventually locates a singing male Rüppell’s on the hillside above. We eventually get the group up the track to where the bird but as we arrive it disappears! We hang around hoping for it to return but we then find another male singing further up the hill. We eventually manage to get everyone good scope views of this cracking scrub warbler as it song flights right in front of us and sings from the tops of several bushes. Absolutely brilliant.

We continue along the northern coast road to Efthalou and make a brief stop to watch a large group of Yelkouan Shearwaters sat on the sea amongst Yellow-legged Gulls. After about 10 minutes they all get up and have a brief fly round, showing off their brown plumage and flight characters before settling back down on the sea. Very nice indeed!

We hit the track which forms the north coast road and make a handful of stops to search the gullies and find Masked Shrike, Black-eared Wheatear, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Woodchat Shrike, Cuckoo, Orphean Warbler and Red-backed Shrike. Mark spots a Little Owl sat on a stone building so those of us who didn’t make the Little Owl walk in the morning are more than satisfied to see it! We continue along the coast road picking up more Red-backed and Masked Shrikes, a few Whinchat and loads of Yellow-legged Gulls on the sea which we check for Audouin’s Gull but without any joy. We arrive at our lunch stop where we have a pair of Red-backed Shrikes, purring Turtle Doves, singing Nightingale, Subalpine Warbler and even more stunning Cretzschmar’s Buntings to keep us entertained whilst snacking. There are lots of butterflies around including a small skipper on the road which we eventually identify as Orbed Red underwing Underwing Skipper. A singing male Cirl Bunting is located near the vans and six Bee-eaters drift noisily overhead.

Surprise no. 2. We move on to where the road runs right alongside the seafront and stop. The group are sceptical as Mark and Steve explain the hot rocks on the tideline are caused by hot underground springs. On seeing the steam rising from the water some of the group eventually brave it and take off their shoes and socks and have a paddle. Some invesitagte the springs just inland of the track. Mark joins in the shoreline fun by wading out to near knee depth. Fun and frolics commence those paddling begin to splash one another and some on the shore think it funny to see how wet they can get Mark by lobbing rocks at his feet! Everyone is very relaxed enjoying this very leisurely day along the north coast.

Surprise no. 3. ‘Audouin’s Gull!’ yells Steve. Steve points directly over Mark’s head, and somewhat dis-believingly people look beyond mark to see a pale gull with an all red bill. Amazingly the bird swoops down and settles on the water only yards out from Mark. It pecks at the water surface a couple of times and them takes flight and heads of east. Wow! What fantastic views of an adult Audoiun’s Gull.

Surprise no. 4. We continue on to Skala Sikimineas and stop in the village for ice creams! Lovely. A few of the group also take in a beverage or two as we relax in the mid-afternoon sun in this lovely fishing village with its tiny but colourful little harbour. The day just gets more relaxed and some are surprised to see Mark and Steve ‘appear’ to switch off from birding! We return to the vans and Lila spots a Little Owl on a building right next to us! Fantastic. A couple of Shags are fishing just offshore.

We head off back south via the Stipsi valley and the painfully narrow village roads which Mark and Steve have to breathe in for in order to get the vans through! The route was very picturesque and provided a totally new landscape for the week.

Sorry - no species list (lost in the bowells of time!)

Lesvos trip report - 14 - 21 April 2005

2007-05-13T20:34:00.000Z

Lesbos trip report

14 - 21 April 2005

A Speyside Wildlife holiday with Steve Dudley and Duncan MacDonald

Sorry no photos - see here

Trip lists at end

Day 1. We all meet at the airport and jet off to Athens on time. We grab a meal in Athens before the short hop over to Mytilini, Lesbos. Arriving we fly in to low cloud and distant lightning is clear to see, lighting up the underside of the cloudbase as we come in to land. Leaving the aircraft it feels close and humid. A storm is brewing. We collect our bags and hire vehicles and head west across the island. We haven’t long left Mytilini behind when the heavens open – with marble-sized hailstones! The lightning increases and the rain just keeps coming down and what should be a 45 minute drive lasts well over an hour as the roads are becoming treacherous, lots of surface water and the road drains bubbling up alongside us! We eventually arrive at the hotel and thankfully the rain has ceased. The hotel has already experienced a power cut so we are taken to our rooms and left with candles – just in case!

Day 2. Amazingly, we wake to a bright morning, with blue skies and a warming sun. We all met up for breakfast and after yesterday’s long travel, it’s no surprise that everyone (bar Duncan and Steve of course!) opt for a lay in. After breakfast we head for the Kalloni pools. From the hotel entrance we scope the White Stork nest on the nearby rooftop. A single bird sits atop the huge, square nest which is busy with sparrows nesting in this avian high-rise. Black-winged Stilts chase each other around the pool whilst four small ducks take flight – two Teal and two Garganey! Moorhen, Coot and Little Grebe are all picked up on the pools while Common Swifts, Barn Swallows and House Martins whiz around overhead. A Cetti’s Warbler shouts his short burst of song at us from deep within a tamarisk bush. ‘Little Crake!’ shouts Steve. We’re looking in to the sun, but trotting along the tops of the floating vegetation is a female Little Crake, spinning in phalarope fashion as she picks at the surface. At the beach the southerly wind has got up but we are soon watching Common Terns, several Black-necked Grebes and a single Great Crested Grebe. A Sandwich Tern fizzes by uttering its harsh call and Yellow-legged Gulls patrol the coastline.

We cut across the edge of the marsh and down the east side of West River. Corn Bunting and Crested Larks serenade us whilst House Martins collect mud from the puddles and take it up to their new constructions in the lamp housing of the nearby streetlights! A splendid male Black-headed (Yellow) Wagtail pops up in front of us before a Swallowtail butterfly lands near us and attracts all our attention. It’s so fresh, in pristine condition as it suns itself in the warm sun. A flock of a dozen or so yellow wagtails landing front of us and amazingly it holds at least four different subspecies - Black-headed, Blue-headed, Grey-headed and Italian (Yellow) Wagtails! We scan the saltmarsh picking out Little Egret, Kentish Plover, a couple of Greenshanks, and tucked up distantly, a pair of Ruddy Shelducks. A party of Little Stints zip around the marsh, feeding frantically when they land, before lifting and relocating to resume feeding immediately on touchdown. ‘Zeeeeep, zeeeeep’. ‘Red-throated Pipit!’ shouts Steve. We try and track the thin calls before eventually it swoops out of the sky and lands out of view among the yellow wagtail flock. It pops up on top of small bush showing off its brick-red front before dropping out of view again.

Our walk back to the hotel is a little quicker than our walk out, but we still manage to pick up Little Ringed Plover, cracking views of a Cetti’s Warbler and more views of the Teal and Gargeney before boarding the vans and heading away from the coast. Our journey is halted when Duncan, John and Mary see a female Red-footed Falcon over Kalloni but it disappears as quickly as it arrived. We are interrupted again when Steve spots a Short-toed Eagle wind-hovering over a hillside above the road. We pull over and it’s all out to enjoy not one, up to three eagles! And what views! Two of them begin displaying, exaggerating their shapes with outstretched necks, flattened stretched wings and dangling legs. Then they talon-grapple! Wow! ‘Olivaceous Warbler’ proclaims Steve. In the bush behind us the pallid and somewhat featureless warbler delivers its scratchy song. But the eagles soon regain our attention – well they would wouldn’t they!

We stop briefly at Derbyshire where Maggie spies a Purple Heron just before if takes flight providing flight views. Great views are enjoyed of both Black Stork and Great White Egrets before we relocate to Achladeri for lunch. On arrival Maggie spies a Masked Shrike singing from the top of a nearby bush. Scopes are soon up and we get fabulous views of this attractive shrike. ‘Alpine Swift!’ exclaims Duncan. Above a nearby ridge two larger swifts with white underparts zoom around among the Common Swifts. We complete lunch and head up in to the wood. A Serin song flights from a pine tree and Chaffinches sing from all around us. We wander around the wood in search of Krüper’s Nuthatch to no avail. An hour and a half go by with no reward. A Woodlark sings distantly. Just as we decide to give up, Steve hears a call and spies a movement. ‘Short-toed Treecreeper’. We all get good views of a single bird collecting food and attempt to follow it back to its net but it soon disappears in to the trees. Steve follows. ‘Kreeeez-kreeeez’. Both Duncan and Steve are on to it instantly. ‘Krüper’s’ indicates Steve. ‘There it is’ points Duncan, ‘on the dead branch’. We are all on to it and get good views as one bird turns in to two, both feeding actively. We even manage to retrieve a scope and some of us enjoy even better views of this great looking tit-like nuthatch. A male Pied Flycatcher tries to get in on the action and when the nuthatches are out of sight attention is switched to the stunning Pied Fly.

We board the vans and head up Upper East River which is decidedly quiet. There are very few Wood Sandpipers which normally number in their dozens. A couple of Little Ringed Plovers add interest before a stunning male black-throated Black-eared Wheatear is found. Whilst we are watching the wheatear a male Cirl Bunting begins to rattle out his song from the same rock! Mary then asks what the two birds in the bush are. ‘Cretzschmar’s Buntings!’ yells Duncan and Steve in unison. Wow! What a trio! We move on a little way up the track and we are immediately watching a pair of Rock Nuthatches visiting a nest hole. Each parent is taking tiny prey items in to the nest so they are obviously feeding very small young. A couple of Lesser Whitethroats are added to our tally before we head down Lower East River and find our first party of Spanish Sparrows, the males looking resplendent with their dark, streaky chests and vivid, Great Tit-like cheeks.

We arrive back at the hotel with a couple of hours to relax before our first Lesbos dinner together and our first day’s checklist. What a week t his is going to be!

Day 3. Most enjoy a good night and are out early around the pools and West River for some pre-breakfast birding. After breakfast we make our way to the Inland Lake. The water level is very high which doesn’t bode well for fringe feeding species such as crakes and Little Bitterns. Reed and Sedge Warblers keep us entertained for a short time, as do the Stripe-necked and European Pond Terrapins. We scrutinise the edges of the lake for anything, but all we turn up is Moorhen after Moorhen. A Marsh Harrier appears over the lake, a melanistic male. Fantastic. It goes straight through and it doesn’t take long before it’s climbing the thermal of a nearby hillside. Duncan picks up a small falcon crossing the valley. It’s a Hobby and it shoots through and heads off at speed as if it’s spotted a group of hirundines to harass. High above one of the nearby hills a Short-toed Eagle is wind-hovering when Duncan picks up another raptor over another hill. ‘Long-legged Buzzard’ is his verdict and we all train our scopes on to this eagle-like buzzard. It’s a rufous-phase bird, very Red Kite-like in colour on the uppers. It swoops down and lands in the top of a tree where its pale head and long legs are easy to see. Another Marsh Harrier, this time an adult female with its pale cream crown and shoulders, wings through.

We cut through the narrow streets (everyone breath in!) of Kalloni and out to the saltpans. Our first stop looks over a pan full of Avocets in every direction. It’s a job to see anything else, but eventually we find a handful of Teal and Maggie picks up a party of Pintail. We move on down picking up a few Ruff, Little and Common Terns when Duncan and Steve notice large numbers of terns on the east side of the pans. We transfer to the north-east corner and follow the track down towards the sea. A Common Sandpiper greets us with its wittering call. We sift through the terns but all appear Common. There’s more birds sat up on mounds in the next pan. A first-summer Little Gull is sat small island among the Little Terns, but our interest soon switches to a couple of Whiskered Terns on one of the mounds. Fantastic! We are all enjoy these beautiful terns with their sooty under-bellies, white cheeks and stout, deep-red bills. They sit with Common and Little when suddenly Steve notices a tern preening in the group – it’s an Artic Tern - in Lesbos! Wow! The last tern for our tally is Gull-billed, but they prove very elusive and few get on to them before they disappear.

As we arrive back, Duncan spies a small raptor high in the sky. Sparrowhawk. John P. then finds a male Woodchat Shrike in the roadside bushes. We reposition and all enjoy great views of this first-summer bird as it feeds from a fenceline, swooping down to the ground to collect beetles and other prey.

As lunch is approaching we head up Napi Valley and pick up a superb White Stork circling over Agios Paraskevi. Our first stop delivers our second Long-legged Buzzard of the day, and second pair of displaying Short-toed Eagles for the trip. Superb! We move further north to our lunch stop and the birds keep on coming. More Short-toed Eagles, a male Peregrine with a damaged wing, a Raven and our first Montagu’s Harrier of the week – a fine female drifts lazily down the valley.

Suitably fed and watered, we head back to the saltpans. A male Montagu’s Harrier performs brilliantly for us and takes priority over a female Lesser Kestrel who is less obliging. We head on in to the sheepfields and walk straight on to a flock of around 30 Short-toed Larks. They scuttle around in front of us allowing us great views before most of them take flight and hop over our heads chuttering as they go. Little Ringed and Kentish Plovers run around the short grass around the pools. A mixed flock of Spanish and House Sparrows feed noisily and flying up to the saltpans boundary fence when spooked giving fantastic views in brilliant light. More Short-toed Larks fly in when Maggie spots several Ruddy Shelduck amongst the gulls. We then notice another 30 or so birds flying around in the background and we are treated to an aerial spectacle from these dazzling ducks-cum-geese, their brilliant white wing patches and pale heads standing out against their chestnut bodies. We walk back through the fields picking off a few more Wood Sands and Ruff on the pools. Steve picks out a large dark bird flying low towards us. ‘Purple Heron!’ Duncan and Steve shout in unison as the bird flops down in to reeds on a small pool. It looks shattered. As it came in its flight was laboured and is legs were near-dangling. Duncan and Steve both expected it to belly flop to the ground, but it stood erect, its snake-like neck sticking up over the reeds to view the scene. It crouches then launches its back in to the air and flies right by us, the brilliant light showing up every detail of the adult plumage. Stunning! Not so stunning was the dead tortoise we find which has been scavenged and is crawling with a troop of ‘recycling bugs’ as Duncan put it. John C. then spots three Whinchat feeding from the tops of Asphodels.

We arrive back at the vans when Jean picks up a flock of birds flying in over the sea. Ducks, but which ones? ‘Teal or Garganey’ says Steve. But the light is atrocious. Thankfully they are flying towards us and eventually Duncan and Steve pick up the wing pattern and confirm them as Garganey – all 30 of then! They fly by us and land on the sea! ‘I’ve never seen Garganey on the sea before’ comments Steve.

We haven’t gone far when Mary shouts ‘Hoopoe!’. And what a star! It’s a pristine bird and it sits tight behind some tussock grass. It looks tired as if it’s only just come in off the sea but still thrills us at one point by raising its crest and flying a short distance. Even Penny is enthralled by it (we’ll make a birdwatcher of you yet Penny!). Moving on we come across two more stunning male Montagu’s Harriers quartering the roadside fields. Two Marsh Sandpipers fly overhead providing far from satisfactory views, and a group of yellow wagtails feeding among sheep are scrutinised and separated out as Black-headed, Syke’s (new for the trip) and Blue-headed.

We make a brief stop along East River where we enjoy good views of a singing Nightingale before hot-footing it to our last site of the day (with the rear van picking up a fly-by Glossy Ibis on route). Duncan and Steve ask the group to be as quiet as possible as they search the trees along a track. It’s not looking good until bingo! Duncan and Steve setup their scopes and invite everyone to feast their eyes on two Scops Owls! The whole group is spell-bound by these two little gems. One bird is upright, thin with its ear tufts erect while the other is more relaxed and dumpy. ‘What a fantastic way to end the day’ comments Maggie. And who can disagree!

Day 4. We wake to a dull, but warm morning. It’s been raining overnight and there are still a few spots of rain in the air. We enjoy a nearly breakfast in order to get away by 0815h to head up towards the north coast. We stop just north of Kalloni at the ‘band stand’ hoping that the duller conditions may have extended the early morning activity. And we aren’t disappointed. The first bird we see is a singing male Blue Rock Thrush, followed by Cretzschmar’s Bunting and several Lesser Whitethroats. A Sylvia warbler is in sub-song and Duncan and Steve are trying to locate it. ‘Rϋppell’s Warbler!’ yells Steve making a mad dash for his scope. We are soon all enjoying a stunning male Rupe singing from the top of an olive tree. What a bonus! The Rupe behaves brilliantly and we all have our fill before it eventually disappears and we move on to Petra. Within minutes of arriving we are watching another male Rϋppell’s Warbler bouncing around the lower slopes of ‘Tracey Island’. Several flocks of Spanish Sparrows bounce past us, almost certainly migrants leaving the island heading off to nearby Turkey – only five miles around. Tree Pipit is next sat up on the overhead wire before two Red-rumped Swallows appear above us. A large dark warbler flies by us in to a bush and begins a little sub-song. Orphean or Barred? It reappears briefly on the side before darting in to another bush. Barred! John C. then picks up a male Peregrine out over the sea wheeling around in front of Petra Island.

We move on to Eftalou where we scan the straights between Lesbos and Turkey we find lines of distant Yelkouan Shearwaters. We hit the coastal track but the first valley is dead. We move eastwards and find a sheltered spot from the strengthening wind. A Common Whitethroat is found whilst we search for a singing Cretzschmar’s Bunt. A male Black-eared Wheatear fits from bush to bush. Back in the vans we stop briefly to look at a dead Montpellier Snake on the track. At three foot long it’s pretty impressive. We stop overlooking a spruced up villa. It’s sheltered and there is quite a bit of activity. ‘Sombre Tit!’ announces John P. We all converge on him and directions are spot on and bingo! Sombre Tit all on our lists! It gives us the run around as it flits from tree to tree before eventually being joined by another and they settle down and we get cracking views of this grey, ‘sombre’ looking tit. By the vans, the roadside daisies are covered in crickets and beetles which bring out the cameras.

We have lunch in what is normally a sheltered valley, but the wind has changed direction (again!) and is coming straight up the valley and blowing a gale. We lunch in the vans peering out at Cretzschmar’s Buntings picking around finding their own lunch. Amazingly, the wind drops and we are soon out of the vans enjoying singing Nightingales and two dazzling Subalpine Warblers. A Rock Nuthatch nest is admired, and by the sea we get our best views yet of Yelkouan Shearwaters. Non-avian interests come in the form of a Scarce Swallowtail butterfly and an amazing spangled millipede.

We head on round the coast to the hot springs, but as we approach, John C. spots movement tour right. ‘Chukar’ he bellows. Fantastic. Two birds picking their way through the rocks only meters from the van. Everyone gets great views of these Red-legged Partridge ‘look-a-likes’ before they disappear in to the scrub. We reach the pools and only Steve braves the sea and a few dip their hands in the hot gravel. The scrubbed rock face above us is alive with butterflies including the stunning Cleopatra and similar looking Brimstone butterflies.

We move on to the lovely little fishing village of Skala Sikiaminias finding a Turtle Dove on route. We stop at the usual Speyside Wildlife taverna for coffees and ice creams and Steve’s longed-for wish of watching an Audouin’s Gull from the taverna whilst munching an ice cream comes true! Amazingly, whilst sat enjoying the view, Steve and Duncan spy the same gull. They follow it as it circles the harbour and drops towards us. ‘Audouin’s Gull!’ they scream as they leap to their feet to the astonishment and amusement of the many locals in the surrounding tavernas! Coffee and ice cream suddenly taste even sweeter!

We head back south down Napi Valley and stop off just north of Napi village. The hillside seems dead at first until Steve finds a Sombre Tit and we follow it back to its nesthole. ‘Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch’. A Starling-sized bird undulates past us. Middle Spotted Woodpecker but we fail to relocate it. A distant male Lesser Kestrel and Short-toed Eagle wind-hover over a distant wooded slope. A Long-legged Buzzard zips across the valley, and Hobby and Peregrine are both seen distantly. We see another flock of Spanish Sparrows heading north through the valley. Our last brief stops provides a couple more Subalpine Warblers and another view of a Nightingale before we have to make haste back to the hotel to freshen up before another hearty dinner.

Day 5. Yesterday’s strong winds increased overnight to near storm force and waking we find tree debris scattered around the hotel grounds and hear that the hotel lost three trees to the gales.

After breakfast we head west stopping off at Liminos Monastery briefly before arriving at the Grand Canyon. Subalpine Warblers duet our arrival and are chasing each other around the nearby bushes. Several Red-rumped Swallows wheel around above us and a Common Whitethroat and Blackcap share the same bush. A Long-legged Buzzard appears over the crag and we get great views of its rusty tones, pale head and tail in the brilliant sunlight. Just as we ready ourselves to move on a male Cirl Bunting begins to sing from the overhead wires.

We arrive at an extremely windy Ipsilou. We park at the bottom and make our way up the windswept northern side which at first glance appears birdless. Black-eared Wheatear, Cretzschmar’s Bunting and Rock Bunting (sunning itself) are soon found, but Cinereous Bunting is beginning to get difficult, and frustrating. A male begins to sing below us but we can’t find him. ‘There he is!’ shouts Steve. The others gather around him and most get on to him before he exits stage right. Damn! We search further and still nothing. A couple of Short-toed Eagles drift down the valley against the strong wind and a single Marsh Harrier heads north with the wind behind it. Mary finds us a Pied Flycatcher when a male Cinereous Bunt starts to sing from above us. We find him briefly sat in a small tree on this more sheltered slope but he flies off. Mary beckons us to her as she has him sat in a tree right in front of her. No sooner have we made it to her than it flies and drops back down on to the windswept lower slope. Steve though has tracked it and soon has it in his scope and we all get god views as it hops around the rocks before departing once more. We head on up the slope admiring the amazing blankets and banks of flowers. We reach Steve M. and Pat who have already walked on ahead (and missing out on the Cinereous Bunt). They’ve been watching two raptors in the valley but lost them to view in the trees below. ‘Peregrine!’ yells Duncan, and a superb adult hurtles over our heads. ‘Cinereous Bunting!’ exclaims Steve. ‘Sat in the top of the big oak’. Scopes are soon on him and everyone, including Steve M. and Pat get good views of this lemon-headed bunting.

We lunch at the top by the monastery and Jean finds us a Little Owl and a Blue Rock Thrush song flights from the rocks. Several of the monastery cats join us for lunch and eat everything that’s thrown to them!

We walk down the sheltered side of the mount and immediately find more birds. An Isabelline Wheatear is singing but we can’t locate it. A Sombre Tit bobs up and shows well and there are several Pied Flys flitting about the oaks. An Orphean Warbler belts out its fluty song but before we can find it, it moves way down the slope and little chance of locating it. A Cinereous Bunting starts singing. We find it sat on top of an oak tree in the sun. Fantastic! These are the best views yet as the male sits in the full open, the sun illuminating his lemon yellow head. We arrive at the bottom and John C. finds a couple of Isabelline Wheaters for us all to enjoy and another Short-toed Eagle appears over us, the brilliant light allows us to see every feather of the underside. Awesome!

Time is pressing and with the southerly wind getting stronger, we abandon the idea of heading south to Skala Eressou in favour of the more sheltered Grand Canyon. On route we stop off by the bridge at Pavoroli monastery. On arrival Steve glimpses a Goshawk flying up the river but it disappears. Loads of Common Swifts and hirundines appear overhead, and all the swifts are checked for Pallid. No luck. Duncan then finds a Wood Warbler along the river and Penny gets a lucky view of the returning Goshawk whilst the rest of us are watching the warbler!

We arrive in the Grand Canyon for our second visit of the day. All seems very quiet. A male Subalpine Warbler song flights and shows well and a handful of Red-rumped Swallows are skimming around. Duncan then finds two Crag Martins and a procession of Short-toed and Long-legged Buzzards appear and disappear over the crags. But the star performers aren’t birds – but a lizard. Steve spies an 18-incher on a small mound by the vans but it takes cover. We soon encircle it and with a little encouragement, we are soon all enjoying some pretty amazing views of this green and pale-blue mini-monster! Fantastic!

The journey back is not without incident, with Weasel, a live Montpellier Snake and Persian Squirrel all seen along the road from the vans!

Pre-dinner activities are interrupted by news of a Spur-winged Plover. Duncan was out enjoying a few minutes to himself when he was stopped and told of the bird. He races back to the hotel and gathers all those he can find and transports us to West River where we find the plover huddled behind some beach debris sheltering from the wind. It looks tired and miserable and clearly fresh in from Africa. We are mighty pleased that one of the finders had remained with the bird to point it out, as it might have tested Duncan and Steve’s bird-finding skills it was so hunkered down!

Day 6. We have an earlyish breakfast and first check West River for yesterday’s Spur-winged Plover, but no joy. A Black Stork provides great interest though as it feeds with several egrets. We then head west and stop above the Eressos junction before Ipsilou for Issabeline Wheatear which we get even before we leave the vans! A Long-legged Buzzard wheels overhead ‘showing off’ as Maggie puts it. Steve M. then appears holding a small snake. It’s freshly dead and we soon identify it as a young (probably a young of this year) Large Whip Snake. Although the adults can measure up to 3m in length, this baby only just reaches 18 inches in length. A little further up the road we find a Little Owl sat on top of a small roof. It cowers behind the apex of the roof so all we can see is its eyebrows!

We stop briefly above Sigri to take in the view. The offshore islands sit amidst a deep turquoise-blue sea topped with white peaked waves. It is simply stunning.

We arrive at Sigri fields and immediately get stuck in to good numbers of Lesser Kestrels including a flock of seven working the slope before the mast. The Lessers out number the only Common Kestrel see by about 20:1! Steve then spies four large dark birds over the offshore islands. He gets them in his scope. ‘Purple Herons’ he proclaims, and most get on to them as they make their way north at a fair pace. Pat’s in stitches and explains that Steve lined up his scope announcing ‘they’re in my scope if anyone wants them’ and then promptly picked up his scope and walk off! ‘It had to be seen to be believed’ says Pat. Next up is a female Marsh Harrier and another Long-legged Buzzard. Whilst searching for a singing Masked Shrike we find a single Pied Flycatcher (but no shrike). A Red-throated Pipit is seen on a fence before we reach an olive and fig grove which holds a pair of Masked Shrikes. We get stunning views as they collect nesting material and return to the outer branch of one of the fig trees. The next field is alive with yellow wagtails which are al assigned to Black-headed and Blue-headed. A White Stork appears just in front of us and circles before making its way off along the nearby river valley.

We arrive at Faneromeni Ford to find only a trickle of water heaving with tadpoles. The trickle seems to hold no birds but closer inspection finds many yellow wagtails and Steve picks out a Green Sandpiper under the overhanging branches. A couple of Pied Flycatchers are busy flitting and out of the giant ‘bamboo’ reeds. The White Stork reappears over us – circling with a Montagu’s Harrier! The light is fantastic and we can clearly see the barring on both the under- and upper-sides.

We walk on up the track which turns in to a stream after the recent rains. A Cirl Bunting flies off ahead of us. We walk along a short track between two lush green fields lined with fig trees. ‘Golden Orioles!’ exclaims Steve. Scopes are soon trained on a fig tree and we struggle to see the yellow and black birds in the green foliage. It moves and eventually gives itself up by feeding from an overhanging bamboo stem. It’s a full adult male and is dazzling. It feeds by hopping down to the floor rummaging about before hopping up back to the bamboo stem. A second male also appears and the two feed alongside a Woodchat Shrike. The orioles take flight and two birds turn into three! Where was the third bird lurking?

Before were retrace our steps, Duncan and Steve check out an old building for Beech Marten. No animals, but clear signs of occupancy with three sleeping indentations formed in the bed of hay which is lying in one corner.

We move on a little further up the track and look over a lush field of r the barley which is also covered in flowers. No intensive agriculture here! Hirundines are sweeping low over the field. Wave after wave of birds pass by, mostly Red-rumped Swallows. Duncan and Steve are in conversation when Steve pauses. Lifting his bins he sees a pale-faced swift flying towards us. ‘Pallid Swift!’ he yells. Everyone follows his instructions and within seconds we are all enjoying fabulous views of this south European swift. It wheels around low over our heads and we are able to see every single diagnostic feature to separate it from Common Swift. For a start it’s brown, not black. Then there’s the face. Great big pale patch extending above the bill and right across the throat. The blunt wings have dark leading edge, paler flight feathers contrasting with the dark coverts of the inner wing. It provides stunning views before four more appear. Fantastic!

Our walk back along the track provides brilliant views of a Green-underside Blue butterfly. We arrive back at the vans for lunch and the passage of Red-rumped Swallows continues apace, with lesser numbers of Barn Swallow, Sand and House Martins. A lone Common Swift flies over before four more Pallid Swifts appear over us.

We arrive at the beach with the sun beating down on and we are thankful for the cool offshore breeze which cools us a little. There isn’t a single cloud in the rich blue sky. As we approach the river mouth, a Tawny Pipit flies down on to the beach area in front of us and gives great views. The river mouth has been dammed by the beach and now forms a shallow lake. A lone Glossy Ibis feeds in the shallows upriver. Wood Sands trot around in all directions and John C. finds a Black-tailed Godwit before three Little Stints and a Knot drop in. A single Ruff also appears. More yellow wags indicate an increase in passage. Two Little Ringed Plovers do what all species need to do in order to survive – have sex right there in front of us. Shocking!

We make a dash to Skala Erossou but the river is dead. Only a handful of yellow wagtails and a few warblers, including our first Chiffchaff of the week, are found. A handful of Jackdaws flyover. From the beach we search for shearwaters. There’s plenty of Yelkouans moving north, but not a sniff of a Cory’s.

Leaving Eresson, we drive slowly past some roadside gravel pits. Steve is in the middle of explaining to his van that he has never seen a single bird on the pits when he glances and left, hits the brakes and points to a Squacco Heron sat on the edge of one of the pools! He burbles in to the radio to Duncan. HE then scans the rest of the pools and picks up Little Grebe, Coot and Moorhen. He picks up the radio and asks Duncan if he’s got everything. Nothing. The radio isn’t switched on bozo! He turns on and apologises to Duncan for his stupidity. Duncan confirms he’s seen Little Grebe, Coot and Moorhen. ‘And the Squashy Heron?’ asks Steve. ‘What Squashy Heron!’ replies Duncan. Oops! Steve provides directions and Duncan’s van is soon enjoying it too!

Our run back to hotel is broken up only by the best views of Short-toed Eagle of the week. It’s hunting a valley by the road, and is only just a little higher than us. It uses the wind to hold itself still in the air before stooping to the ground. The light is great and the views are simply breathtaking!

Day 7. We wake to an overcast sky and a cool breeze, a stark contrast to recent scorching days. After our usual hearty breakfast we head out to East River. At the mouth a lone Great White Egret stands sentry, but otherwise it’s dead. By the ford we find Greenshank, Common and Wood Sandpipers, which at last are starting to come in good numbers. We take a walk along the east bank with the sun behind us. The river itself is pretty dead, but we manage to find a showy Olivaceous Warbler which sits out on top of a dead bush singing his little heart out. The fenceline behind us holds a couple of Whinchat and a Tree Pipit. A Corn Bunting appears with a beak full of dry grasses which looks like a huge bushy moustache like you expect to find on some army major, and it is soon christened ‘General Melchett’s Bunting’ (see Blackadder Goes Fourth!).

We head up the Dead Goat Pit Track and find more Whinchat, loads of Black-eared Wheatears, a fine singing Cretzschmar’s Bunting atop a juniper bush and several Rock Nuthatch. A Hoopoe is calling distantly when Duncan then finds a Sombre Tit singing his head off from a small dead tree. Jean then spies a Woodchat and Pat does likewise with a second. A Short-toed Eagle demands our attention and satisfies Duncan and Steve’s daily fix. Duncan sees an Agama Lizard disappear in to rocks. John P., Steve and Duncan follow it and find it nestled in a crevice. Steve M. joins us and immediately spots a Tortoise. It’s promptly gathered and taken to the group where it is popped on a grassy patch for photos before being taken back to where we found him.

We drive across to the Inland Lake, and on our approach, Steve spies something in the bushes as we cross a tiny stream. He reverses and scanning upstream he finds a female Little Bittern alert and aware of our presence. We move further on and park up and walk back as quietly as possible. The Little Bittern is spooked, but only to the extent of trying to hide in the bare bush rather than walking or worse, flying off. We watch quietly and she eventually resumes feeding and we get good scope views. An adult Purple Heron flies over whilst we are watching the Little Bittern. We make our way to the lake which is incredibly quiet and we leave with only a Marsh Harrier for our efforts.

We drive up Potamia Valley and lunch by the dam whilst being serenaded by Nightingale. White-legged Damselfly and Broad-bodied Chaser are added to the insect list and we get some great views of ‘singing’ Marsh Frogs, inflating their throat pouches in to little bubbles either side of their face. Steve wanders along the dam and flushes a Grass Snake and finds a Stripe-sided Terrapin stuck head down in the debris mesh of the dam! Thinking it is dead Steve pulls it out and amazingly it is still alive, and appears to have not been their long. He releases it back to the river, not without noting that it stinks. ‘Terrapins always smell’ says Duncan. How does he know these things?! A quick scan of the hillsides reveal a Short-toed Eagle, Common and Long-legged Buzzards and a couple of high Lesser Kestrels. A check of the reservoir finds a single Coot with the many Yellow-legged Gulls and Steve M. finds a Woodchat as we drive back down the track.

We arrive in Napi Valley to increasing winds from the south, but still a lovely warm sun high in the sky. Soon after arriving Duncan picks up a Middle-spotted Woodpecker flying across the hillside which a handful of us get on to. Unfortunately it goes to ground, but other birds are soon popping up all over the place. Two Hoopoes are seen briefly’ and a male Masked Shrike is singing right below us. The Hoopoes reappear in tree just coming in to leaf and bounce around after each other and appear to be nest prospecting. Another tree is leaping with stuff and two Sombre Tits appear at its base. Hold on. There’s now A Great Tit with the Sombres. And now there’s a Subalpine in the same view! Fantastic! A Woodchat Shrike is found and the Masked Shrike continues to vie for our attention. Two Ravens cronk as they cross the valley and a male Cirl Bunting appears in a tree right bus and gives great views. As usual the banter returns to the comedy theme of the week – the Churchil Insurance adverts! ‘Oh yes’. ‘Oh no no no no no’. And, ‘Steady now’. But this time the surreal twist is combining the Churchill wording with Fast Show sketches! Duncan is reduced to tears, and not for the first time!

We retreat to the Saltpans and whilst watching a group of Dunlin (trip tick) we hear that there is a young male Pallid Harrier kicking about. We begin searching and soon find a harrier sat in a roadside field. It lifts and turns in to a first-summer male Pallid Harrier. Wow! It’s a delicately marked with a diffused orangey underside and a smoky turquoise-grey upperparts, and retaining the face pattern of a juvenile with a full collar. We watch it quarter the barley fields when another bird crosses it. ‘It’s another Pallid!’ shouts Duncan. Now we have two first-summer male Pallid Harriers! This is awesome and you can taste the group’s excitement

We spend our last half an hour checking the mouth of the East River for reported Slender-billed Gulls but no joy. We head over to West River to check the loafing gulls and are amazed to find nine Squacco Herons! A little more searching and Steve locates a single Stone-curlew at the back of the marsh. Fantastic!

It’s back to the hotel to freshen up and start packing before dinner and our final checklist of the week. We end with our usual end of trip votes. Scops Owl sweeps the boards for species of the week, whilst it’s a tie for place of the week – Sigri area, Ipsilou and Skala Sikaminias all collecting the same number of votes. Magic moments are usually much more personal and often diverse. Steve M. plumps for the displaying Short-toed Eagles; Maggie and Duncan the fab views of Rüppell’s Warbler; Pat delights, with tears nearly rolling down his face (steady now!), in recounting the incident when Steve shouted the Purple Herons over the islands off Sigri and having proclaimed that they are in his scope for someone to enjoy, he grabs his scope and walks off; Jean’s magic moment was the trio of Golden Orioles above Faneromeni Ford; the chapel at Ipsilou monastery did it for Penny; John C.’s moment is another ‘Steveism’, this time when driving past the gravel pits near Eressos and Steve saying he’d never seen a single bird on them just as he spots a Squacco Heron slap in the middle!; the self-found Hoopoe floats Mary’s boat (the bird she most-wanted to see and she found it too!); whilst Steve’s was all too easy to guess (well he went on long enough about it!) – finding an Audouin’s Gull whilst enjoying an ice cream at the taverna in Skala Sikaminias.

We bid each other good night as the group heads off to pack for their early morning departure, and the end of a fantastic week. Or is it?

Day 8. We are all up at 04.30h, grab a quick bite and then off to the airport for Steve and Duncan to say goodbye to the group before greeting the incoming second group later in the evening. We are soon encamped in the departure lounge when we are delivered some stunning news. There is a ground staff strike at Athens. No one is going anyway, in or out, for 24 hours! So after alerting the Speyside office (and its still only 05.00h in the UK!) we head off back to the hotel. We all grab a second, much fuller, breakfast, check back in to our rooms, and take the morning off to relax after the early start.

We all meet up for lunch in the hotel which is a nice change to the packed lunches. After lunch we head back out and head for Steve’s favourite valley on the island - up Potami. We leave Penny at the vans sketching the stunning craggy landscape we head off up the valley in full sun and what is fast becoming blistering heat. The heat is obviously having an effect on the birds as its pretty quiet. Masked and Woodchat Shrike are soon picked up, but our main quarry, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, is obvious only by its absence. We’ve had glimpses elsewhere on the island, but it’s amazing just how quiet they’ve been this year. Long-legged Buzzard and Short-toed Eagle are back on the menu and arriving back at the vans, Duncan picks up a couple of Hobbies and a Lanner high in the blue, cloudless sky. Unfortunately, no one else is able to connect with the Lanner before it dives behind the opposite hillside.

We have a quick drive up to Parikila Marsh which is devoid of birds but a do find a couple of Red-veined Darters by the track.

Out final stop off is the trust old West River where we savour our last views of egrets and Squacco Heron before reaching the hotel, and our second final night of the trip!

Day 9. Another early start, but this time with the expected outcome – goodbye hugs and handshakes and bon voyage! Adios gang - hope to see you all again!

Birds
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
Yelkouan Shearwater
Cormorant
Shag
Little Bittern
Squacco Heron
Little Egret
Great White Egret
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
Black Stork
White Stork
Glossy Ibis
Greater Flamingo
Ruddy Shelduck
Common Shelduck
Pintail
Teal
Garganey
Short-toed Eagle
Marsh Harrier
Pallid Harrier
Montagu’s Harrier
Goshawk
Sparrowhawk
Common Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Lesser Kestrel
Common Kestrel
Red-footed Falcon
Hobby
Peregrine
Chukar
Water Rail
Spotted Crake
Little Crake
Moorhen
Coot
Black-winged Stilt
Avocet
Stone-curlew
Little Ringed Plover
Kentish Plover
Ringed Plover
Spur-winged Plover
Little Stint
Dunlin
Knot
Ruff
Common Snipe
Black-tailed Godwit
Curlew
Greenshank
Green Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Mediterranean Gull
Audouin’s Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Little Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Sandwich Tern
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Little Tern
Whiskered Tern
Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon
Collared Dove
Turtle Dove
Cuckoo
Scops Owl
Little Owl
Common Swift
Alpine Swift
Pallid Swift
Hoopoe
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Short-toed Lark
Crested Lark
Woodlark
Sand Martin
Crag Martin
Barn Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
House Martin
Tawny Pipit
Tree Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail
Grey-headed Yellow Wagtail
Black-headed Yellow Wagtail
Italian Yellow Wagtail
Syke’s Yellow Wagtail
Nightingale
Whinchat
Stonechat
Isabelline Wheatear
Black-eared Wheatear
Blue Rock Thrush
Blackbird
Cetti’s Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warbler
Great Reed Warbler
Olivaceous Warbler
Subalpine Warbler
Rüppell’s Warbler
Orphean Warbler
Barred Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Common Whitethroat
Blackcap
Wood Warbler
Chiffchaff
Pied Flycatcher
Long-tailed Tit
Sombre Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Krüper’s Nuthatch
Rock Nuthatch
Short-toed Treecreeper
Golden Oriole
Woodchat Shrike
Masked Shrike
Jay
Jackdaw
Hooded Crow
Raven
House Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow
Chaffinch
Serin
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Cirl Bunting
Cinereous Bunting
Ortolan Bunting
Cretzschmar’s Bunting
Black-headed Bunting
Corn Bunting

(140 species)

Amphibians, lizards and snakes
Marsh Frog
Green Toad
Stripe-necked Terrapin
European Pond Terrapin
Tortoise
Grass Snake
Large Whip Snake (RIP)
Montpellier Snake
Turkish Gheko
Agama Lizard
Balkan Wall Lizard
Balkan Green Lizard
Snake-eyed Skink

Mammals
Weasel
Persian Squirrel

Butterflies and moths
Scarce Swallowtail
Swallowtail
Small White
Large White
Wall Brown
Small Heath
Orange Tip
Clouded Yellow
Painted Lady
Green-underside Blue
Small Copper
Red Admiral
Black-veined White
Bath White
Cleopatra
Brimstone
False Apollo
Green-underside Blue
Green-veined White

Humming-bird Hawk-moth
Silver Y
Cream-spotted Tiger

Dragonflies
Broad-bodied Chaser
White-legged Damselfly

Other insects
Dung Beetle
Carpenter Bee
Ladybird
Cicada
Yellow-and-black Flat-backed Millipeed
Locust
St Mark’s Fly
Common Green Bush Cricket
‘Red-winged’ Grasshopper

Lesvos trip report - 25 April - 1 May 2003

2007-05-13T20:31:00.000Z

Lesbos trip report

25 April – 1 May 2003

A Speyside Wildlife holiday with Steve Dudley and Mark Newall

Sorry no photos - see here

Trip lists at end

Day 1 – Friday 25 April

The first morning saw a few early risers watching the Kalloni Pools before breakfast. After breakfast we gather at the front of the hotel where we watched the White Stork nest on a nearby building. The huge nest looked like a big chimney and Steve explained how it was like a huge wildlife apartment block, hosting breeding sparrows and numerous insects.

It was now that the only bird rule of the week was explained – the Brown Rule. If it’s brown and near water, it’s a Wood Sandpiper or Ruff; if it’s brown and on the ground, it’s a Crested Lark; and if it’s brown on and a wire, it’s a Corn Bunting. After Sunday, Mark and Steve would refuse to identify any of the above!

We then take a leisurely stroll along the pools road. The first field holds a couple of Hooded Crows and the first patch of water holds the expected Wood Sands and Ruff in the company of the lanky Black-winged Stilts on their bubblegum-pink legs. The fenceline behind us holds a single male Whinchat and a splendid Red-rumped Swallow which would later show off all its pink bits with a bit of aerial showing off.
Back on the pool, a couple of male Garganey look all elegant and a male Pochard feeds nearby. An explosive burst of song behind us reveals a Cetti’s Warbler right out in the open of a dead tangle of branches and just besides it a smaller, paler warbler – Olivaceous. Both show off brilliantly in the open before Mark beckons the group to star in to the bottom of a nearby tamarisk bush. There, a male Little Crake is preening and although viewing is slightly limited, it provides a chance for everyone to good close views of a stationery Little Crake which are normally viewed weaving in and out of marginal vegetation.

Out on the pool, a couple of Glossy Ibis are feeding, looking all resplendent in their green and coppery colours and three Squacco Herons float in on ghostly white wings. Attention then turns to the aerial soup of hirundines over the pool – Barn and Red-rumped Swallows and both Sand and House Martins. Sand Martins easily outnumber all the other three and many frequently perch up on the reedstems where they probably spent the night.

Common Swifts then join in the frenzy in the sky when Steve picks out a couple of Alpine Swifts – their large size, chocolate-brown uppers and white bellies clear to see. Whilst watching the swifts, several large birds are picked up over the hills – the first is identified as a circling Black Stork, the second a nearer Long-legged Buzzard, and then our first of several Short-toed Eagles. A last look at the pool before we head off adds a lone male Mallard and several Sedge Warblers which are flitting from one grassy tussock to another.

Arriving at the beach, we are greeted by the usual Yellow-legged Gulls and Common Terns over the sea. A quick scan of the water locates at least four Black-necked Grebes, one of which is reasonably close and quite obliging showing off his golden ear tufts.

Scrutinising the gathering of birds on the spit reveals Black-headed Gull and Sandwich Tern, while two immature Mediterranean Gulls wheel around over the sea. We walk on towards the marsh when Mark disappears headfirst in to the base of a tamarisk bush and emerges clutching a bundle of brown feathers: a recently deceased Crested Lark which had almost certainly been struck by a car.
It’s always wondrous to see birds this close and Ann can’t believe how light it is when she asks to hold it. Before its placed back for the local scavengers to enjoy, Mark opens the wings to reveal the buffish underwing – one of the key identifiers to help separate Crested from the very similar Thekla Lark.

At the marsh we find a female Kentish Plover settled on her nest whilst several males chase each other around like clockwork toys. Scanning the marsh, several Little Egrets are soon found with a couple of Grey Herons. The first of three Great White Egrets is found and allows us to compare the differences; Great White looks more like a white Grey Heron with a yellow-orange bill. A Long-legged Buzzard is spied circling over West River and above it a Short-toed Eagle. Two Red-footed Falcons whizz through, not allowing us chance to enjoy them. We head back to the hotel when a Golden Oriole is seen flying high over, its undulating, woodpecker-like flight very noticeable.

Walking back along the pools road, there are even more hirundines swirling around. From some distance, three White-winged Black Terns are seen on the far side of the pools and careful study also reveals a single Black Tern which is almost lost in the mass of hirundines.

We spend some time watching the marsh terns when three Marsh Sandpipers are found among the Wood Sands and Ruffs near the back of the pool. Scopes are soon on to them and Mark and Steve explain the differences between these three brown waders. There are a few puzzled faces and some declare their loath of waders because they all look the same!

‘Little Bittern!’ Shouts Steve and everyone looks up to see a male do a full fly-by before dropping into the reeds. ‘Temminck’s Stint!’ proclaims Mark and he quickly gives directions, but the bird has vanished. A slight shuffle up the road soon has the viewing angle sorted and we all enjoy good views as it feeds alongside a Little Ringed Plover. A Common Sandpiper is also feeding nearby and the resemblance with the Temminck’s Stint is noted.

A single Red-rumped Swallow soon distracts us as it flies up and down in front of us. An Olivaceous is next up as it hops around a nearby tamarisk, while a Cetti’s Warbler belts out its short but energetic song. The marsh is alive with ‘yellow wagtails’, mainly Black-headed, but a single male Blue-headed soon attracts our attention. Paul picks up a Woodchat Shrike but it soon disappears and we head for the vans.

We transfer to Achladeri for lunch. On arrival, the Chaffinches and Greenfinches around the car park are soon forgotten when a Masked Shrike is found and begins to give us the run-around before finally succumbing to our objections and perches out in the open on a wire.

A Black Stork is circling over the nearby hill and both Long-legged Buzzard and Short-toed Eagle are thermalling and a Hobby zooms over. ‘Black Kite!’ There above us was the kite circling. Some are still watching the Masked Shrike but Mark and Steve exclaim that they are unlikely to see another Black Kite during the week and Masked Shrike ‘It’s even a Lesbos tick for me’ comments Mark.

We head off into the wood. Another group are watching the Krüper’s Nuthatch nest site, but Mark and Steve are friends with the other tour leaders so we are invited to join them and view activities. Scopes are set up on the nest hole and in seconds an adult bird arrives with a beak-load of food. Into the hole it pops and before you know it, its head is back at the hole, checks all is clear and then hurriedly exits. Second later the second bird arrives with another beakful of food. And so it continues!

To our left, a pair of Short-toed Treecreepers are found undertaking the same routine with their fluffy brood of chicks which are in a tree trunk crevice. We spend quite some time being entertained by the activities of the two families when the liquid calls of Bee-eaters are heard above us. Through the canopy we can make out the shapes of 30-40 birds high over the wood.

A little further up the track we come across a couple of Wood Warblers, busily feeding in the outer branches of two different pines. Paul then calls a Collared Flycatcher. ‘There he is!’ Gone. ‘Up now!’ Disappeared! The bird began to lead us a merry dance until eventually it was tracked to the edge of a track where we all managed at last to get good scope views as it swooped for insects over the track.

Walking back to the vans, a Cuckoo was calling when Steve spied movement on the forest floor. ‘Tree Pipits!’ blurted Steve. We stopped and stared. And stared but nothing. They appeared to have walked off. A couple of Spotted Flycatcher, a single Pied Flycatcher and a calling Hoopoe provided some interest until the pipits returned and wandered around for a few minutes before wandering off again.

Day 2 – Saturday 26 April

A gloriously sunny day but the cool north wind keeps the temperature down as we venture down to the Kalloni Saltpans. Turning on to the saltpans road, we pull up and immediately get stuck in to the hosts of waders on the nearby pans. Ruff everywhere we look and mixed in are the larger white forms of feeding Avocets and dark forms of Black-tailed Godwits.

In the middle of the nearest pan Mark and Steve pick out a group of Curlew Sandpipers feeding among the Ruff – their long necks and bills and deliberate feeding action very obvious even at range. A group of 20 Little Stints are seen running around the forest of long legs of the other waders. Flamingos aren’t too difficult to spot, but as most are asleep the spectacle of five birds flying across the pans is made even more spectacular.

In the channel in front of us a handful of diminutive Little Terns are feeding – all ultra-fast hovers and lightning-fast plunges. Behind us, two Gull-billed terns hawk over the grassy fields. These large terns swoop down to pick insects off the ground in stead of competing with the other terns for fish. Whilst we are watching the Gull-billed Terns, a female Blackcap is seen flitting along the roadside shrubs. Steve then picks up a Isabelline Wheatear in a nearby field, but it soon disappears from view before everyone manages to get on to this pale beauty.

Above us in the gathering numbers of hirundines appears a female Red-footed Falcon, circling effortlessly on the increasing thermals rising up from the warming ground. The fields are suddenly alive with flocks of Gull-billed Terns. Groups of eight birds at a time are quartering the fields. It’s brilliant to watch these birds lazily work their way across a field then on reaching the end, effortlessly glide back to the start and do it all again – just like the other terns would do over a lake or pond.
We move along and check the other pans for new species. More Ruff and Avocets then give way to a Greenshank whilst a single Whiskered Tern is picked up amidst the Gull-billeds over the fields.

‘Collared Pratincoles!’ yells Mark, pointing to up to the sky. And there above us are two birds, their unique shape easily identifies them as pratincoles and the light is great and the chestnut underwing and white trailing edges to the wings are easy to see. The nearest group of Flamingos wake up and several start wing-stretching, flashing their brilliant scarlet patches – fantastic!

A walk along the perimeter road adds only a singing male Whitethroat when a huge bird appears in the sky above us. ‘Dalmatian Pelican!’ shouts Mark. No need to point, as this thing is nearly big enough to cause a solar eclipse! The pelican wheels around, gaining height before heading off to the left, putting everything up off the pans, before gliding steadily down on to a distant pan.

Two Stone-curlews are then found on one of the banks between two of the pans giving excellent views as they simply stand there like statues. Another Greenshank is found, this time much closer and providing much better views. The Flamingos begin to make a real racket, calling goose-like to one another as they vie for space and the odd scuffle breaks out between two neighbours.

As we continue on our walk, the fields turn from grass to flower-filled meadows – an array of colour swaying around in the breeze. Butterflies can be seen flitting across the flower meadows, mostly Small Whites and some form of blue, but two Black-veined Whites are seen and several Painted Ladies. As we enjoy a non-avian moment, a couple of Olivaceous Warblers are found in some nearby bushes providing excellent views of this rather featureless ‘hippo’.

On the nearest saltpan, four Curlew Sandpipers fly in and land in among a group of close Ruff and provide much better views than the distant birds we saw earlier. Now we can really see their shapes and their brick-red plumage – stunning. Another Stone-curlew is found right in front of us, giving superbly close views, right down to its brilliant yellow eye, before taking flight across the corner of the pan and transforming from sandy-brown statue to striking black and white flying bird.
Behind us a Kingfisher is seen perched up on a fence post. The post is obviously next to a small pool or ditch, as the Kingfisher takes off a couple of times, hovers, dives and returns empty-billed. Behind it a male Woodchat Shrike is then found, its bright chestnut crown and black and white plumage looking brilliant in the bright sunlight. Above us we are treated by a single Hobby, a rather high Red-footed Falcon and a Kestrel – what a trio! Four full-plumage Little Egrets are then picked up on one of the banks, looking quite scruffy as their plumes and aigrettes blowing about in the wind.

Back in the vans we pull up to look at a couple of Collared Pratincoles when Chas shouts ‘pelican!’. Looking round the view is almost obliterated as the Dalmatian Pelican comes within a hundred feet of us and plonks down on a nearby pan out of sight.

We walk down a rough track to look for the vanishing pratincoles and eventually come across a group sat in a sheep field. They are running around collecting insects off the ground in typical wader fashion and occasionally taking to the sky and hawking around taking insects on the wing. We have at least eight birds, when another flock joins them – its no 14! Wow! The views are stunning as several birds hawk within 40 feet of us.

The liquid ‘prrrrrt’ calls of Bee-eaters are heard above us. Two birds suddenly swoop through the pratincoles and begin to catch insects over the field. They whirl around for 30 seconds or so before exiting left. One bird settles on the fence and scopes are quickly trained on to it – phwoar! What a corker! They call them Rainbow Birds for good reason. The second bird joins it and they both begin to feed from the fenceline, launching themselves at passing insects before returning to the fence.
The pratincole action intensifies when another group swoop in. A quick count reveals at least 21 birds hawking around us! Unbelievable! They are swirling around us like fighter jets in full throttle before pulling out of a dive and elegantly wheeling round before taking another run low over the field. Fantastic! Some then land right in front of us on the other sand of the fence. This just gets better! It’s almost exhausting watching such breathtaking views of both pratincoles and Bee-eaters.
Pratincoled-out, we begin to drift back to the vans. A pair of Red-footed Falcons appear above those bring up the rear. We stop to watch when Steve picks up two larger raptors, quite low and close. ‘Honey Buzzards!’ he shouts. One bird is a male, showing off its grey upperparts with delicate barring. We get cracking scope views as they quickly thermal and gain height and are lost to view.

We have lunch at the entrance to the ‘sheep fields’. Some of us don’t stop birding though, and Great Crested and Black-necked Grebes are soon picked up on the sea nearby. Those more keen on food than birds can’t fail to be enthralled by two Red-rumped Swallows skimming a puddle to take a drink.

Lunch over, we head into the fields and straight away, two Short-toed Larks fly over our heads and land on a nearby sandy area. Scopes are soon onto them and these all to easily dismissed larks are transformed into a rich mix of sandy-brown and ginger – wonderful.

Venturing in to the fields we soon locate a group of about seven Red-throated Pipits, all with full brick-red throats. There are also several Short-toed Larks among them. The pool they are feeding around holds 11 Little Stints and a couple of Kentish Plovers. Tony then picks up a Temminck’s Stint feeding in the longer vegetation. Scopes are swung on to it and we get excellent views of this tiny wader with Little Stints not to far away for easy comparison. Its difficult to know where to look with Red-throated Pipits and Short-toed Larks all around us.

Two White Storks are picked up circling over a distant hillside. We continue around the fields and come across a large flock of yellow wagtails. In amongst the Black-headed Wagtails, we eventually pick up a couple of cracking male Blue-headed and a single Grey-headed. Behind us, a flock of 15 Ruddy Shelduck are flapping around before gliding down on to a distant pan. Amidst all the birds various butterflies are also seen including Clouded Yellow, Swallowtail and Small Copper.

We head back down the road in the vans when we again come across the Dalmatian Pelican feeding in the perimeter dyke. We pull up and watch it feeding by sweeping its huge bill and pouch from side to side (I doubt the water is deep enough for it to head-plunge or dive!) before it takes to the air, turning the sky dark as it wings off!
We drive past the Collared Pratincole area where at least half a dozen birds are still wheeling around. We pull up when we come across a female Red-footed Falcon which gives brilliant views from the van. Turning on to the East River we soon hit a flock of 20-30 Bee-eaters whirling around over the river and track – it’s absolutely stunning! The noise is fantastic too.

Birds are everywhere – perched up in trees along the riverbed and the air is full of flying rainbows. The river itself looks and sounds alive! Against the backdrop of calling Marsh Frogs, dozens of Clouded Yellow and various white butterflies flit along the river banks, and a Temminck’s Stint is found on one of the islands. Two Linnets fly over chattering away and Crested Larks and Corn Buntings add to the orchestra. It’s absolutely bristling with birds and their various sounds – fantastic!

We head off and approaching the main road, and as we slow down a movement attracts Steve’s attention. ‘Ortolan!’ he yells. He quickly gets his van onto the stunning male that is bathing in the river below us, then radios the directions to Mark’s van. We are soon all out with scopes trained on this cracking bunting. ‘Stormin!’ beams Steve. We enjoy the little stunner for a good 10 minutes before it gives itself a quick shake and flies off over our heads calling and disappears into the nearby olive grove.

Turning back to the river, someone shouts ‘terns!’. Looking up, there’s a large flock of white birds winging their way inland. But they ain’t terns, they’re Mediterranean Gulls, about 50 of them, all first- and second-summers - no adults - but they pass through without stopping.

We park up and start to walk up the upper East River. On the hill opposite is a fantastic Short-toed Eagle ‘wind-hovering’. The light is brilliant and it’s joined by two more, and they slowly drift off right over us. Fantastic!

Walking along the track we find a Lesser Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler and at least four Wood Warblers. The latter are glowing yellow! We stop by a rocky slope where a male Black-eared Wheatear is in full song launching itself off the rocks song-flighting. Mark then spies a Rock Nuthatch. We follow it beyond the ‘crow tree’ and to the nest where we get superb views of a pair bring food to a nest hole. We also have another Ortolan briefly and a Wood Warbler is in sub-song in the ‘crow tree’.
A male ‘black-throated’ Black-eared Wheatear appears on the rocks in front of us. A female Marsh Harrier then appears low over the river below us – the chocolate brown and creamy head and shoulders look brilliant in the sun.

Whilst enjoying the Rock Nuthatch action, we pick up single male Blackcap, Spotted Flycatcher and a lone Agama Lizard head-bobbing on a rock. We walk down to the ford where we find a female Blackcap and Lesser Whitethroat, when Steve picks up a male Collared Flycatcher feeding off the river edge. We soon have our scopes on it and get brilliant views of it as it flits from branch to branch over the riverbed.

Day 3 – Greek Easter Sunday – 27 April

The weather is again cool and after breakfast we head off west. Our first stop is a brief one at Liminos Monastery, where a male Subalpine Warbler is song-flighting. With not a lot else other than a few ‘exotics’ running around the monastery grounds, we head off to the Grand Canyon.

It’s quiet on arrival, but after a few minutes a few things start to emerge. A Subalpine Warbler gives brilliant views as it feeds and sings in nearby treetops. A couple of Turtle Doves could be heard up the valley, and are eventually pinned down the overhead wires some way off. Up above us a Cirl Bunting singing his head off, but despite extensive searching we just can’t find him until he decides to move bush, and once seen, we manage to train the scopes on him and get superb views.
A Long-legged Buzzard appears above us, and in this good light, we get brilliant views of this eagle-like raptor. It stoops down and lands on a rock above us – wow! What fantastic views. The far hillside wasn’t too be outdone with Hobby, Sparrowhawk and Peregrine all being picked up. A Wren was then found and following it, it took us straight to its nest where it and its mate made regular visits with beakfuls of food for hungry mouths.

We continued westwards, and just west of Ipsilou Monastery, we come across a flock of 11 Lesser Kestrels working the hillside by the road. We pull up and enjoy the spectacle of these colourful falcons hovering and hawking over the grass hillside. We continue and rounding the next corner we come across another six kestrels and a Raven flew across the road right in front of the vans – terrific!

As we zig-zag down into Sigri, a cream-crown Marsh Harrier appears below us and as we enter Sigri there are a number of Jackdaws around the pig pens. We take the coast road and there are lots of birds along the roadside fences – Masked Shrike, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers and Whinchat as well as more Long-legged Buzzards and Short-toed Eagles overhead.

We stop at the dried up stream where a female Little Bittern is found hiding under the bankside vegetation. A Hobby and Red-footed Falcon are next to appear when a first-summer male Collared Flycatcher is found in the nearby olive grove. The place is dripping with Spotted Flycatchers and Turtle Doves are zipping around in every direction and a Sombre Tit was seen very briefly by a few of us.

We walk down to the pool where a stunning male Collared Flycatcher is happily feeding from the single tree which it shares with a Spotted Flycatcher and a Lesser Emperor dragonfly zooms about the pool. Nearby, a huge flock of House and Spanish Sparrows feed noisily when a mixed flock of hirundines swoop over the pools and begin skimming the surface to drink, including a couple of stunning Red-rumped Swallows and nine Jackdaws go over.

Walking further along the track we come across a small disused building which is home to a couple of Persian Squirrels. The squirrels are busy jumping from tree to tree but once they become aware of us they scarper out of view around the far side of the building.

We arrive at the Faneromeni Ford and it’s very quiet. Several Spotted Flycatchers and Reed and Sedge Warblers try and keep us entertained. A Cetti’s Warbler hammers out his brief but explosive song from nearby, and a couple of Wood Sandpipers feed along the river along with White Wagtail and Little Egret.
We settle down to lunch around the ford and things begin to liven up a little. Mark is studying something intently and then calls Steve over for consultation. The two of them discuss in detail the characteristics of a flycatcher that Mark has found. It’s some way down the river, but eventually Mark and Steve are agreed, and Mark pronounces that we have a male Semi-Collared Flycatcher. It gives us the run-around at first, but eventually everyone gets to see it through the scopes.
A Middle Spotted Woodpecker proves no less difficult when it bathes briefly in the river, but only a handful of us see it. Trish then spots a female Little Bittern trying its best to creep by us through the tangle of bushes. It eventually thinks better of this hard route, and comes out on to the river edge and walks away from us in full view. A Great Reed Warbler also puts in a good performance in the nearby giant bamboo.

We head away form the ford to the beach. We pull up and Mark goes for a little wander in search of birds. He seems to be taking his time, when a rather attractive young Greek girl comes up to us and invites us to come and join their beach party. Looking towards their gathering and we can see Mark very much at home among the young beach birds! Mark drags himself away from the lovely ladies, sweetbread in hand, to the heckles of the group! Justly deserved too!

We eventually head off back towards Sigri and come across last year’s ‘shrike’ field. We have been told that a Lesser Grey Shrike has been seen in ‘the area’ earlier, and on arrival a couple of birdwatchers say they haven’t yet seen it. Steve then picks the shrike up sat amongst the upper branches of a tree. It eventually comes out and proceeds to act a little more shrike-like, feeding from fences and tops of bushes giving stunning views. At one point it perches on the same twig that Steve and Mark had one perch on last year!

The drive back is broken up with a brief stop at the bottom of Ipsilou Monastery. No sooner than we are out of the vans when a male Isabelline Wheatear bursts in to a frenzied song-flight, sounding like C3PO or something out of a Stars Wars film. It’s very close and we all get great views. A Short-toed Eagle appears above us with a snake in its bill, and two Black Storks are thermalling across the valley. A couple of Rock Sparrows put in a very brief appearance but not everyone manages to get on to them. The hillside to our right is leaping with Lesser Kestrels and Hobbies – perhaps this morning’s birds?

Day 4 – Monday 28 April

After breakfast, we headed north to Petra where we stopped off at ‘Tracey Island’ overlooking the coast. Within minutes of arriving, Mark had located our first Rüppell’s Warbler – a fantastic singing male – on the slope above us. It performs brilliantly, song-flighting again and again from the tops of the bushes.

A male Cretzschmar’s Bunting sings form the fenceline below us with several Black-eared Wheatears and Linnets dotted around the scrubby slope. Mark then picks up a male Blue Rock Thrush as it flies up the slope and lands on the fence. There’s a scramble for scopes as everyone tries to get on to it before it makes a hasty exit left! Grrrrr! A pair of Peregrines then appear swooping around the cliff below us before landing on the edge of the clifftop in full view – fantastic!

We move on along the north coast, taking in a few photos of Molivos as we go. We stop at Eftalou briefly and see a handful of Yelkouan Shearwaters over a glassy sea before heading on to the north coast track.

The first gully we stop at holds a couple of Wood Warblers, one in song, and a pair of Cirl Buntings visiting a nest area with beakfuls of food. A Sombre Tit appears right in front of us and we get cracking views of this… sombre brown and grey bird as it flits and feeds in the oaks.

Several Eastern Festoon butterflies are bombing around and one settles in front us so we can all enjoy this gorgeous butterfly and a young Balkan Wall Lizard is seen well along the roadside. Moving along the track Steve spies a movement at the foot of a bush and stop to see a pair of Cretzschmar’s Buntings mating. They then come out to feed right by the road and provide unbelievable views.

Whilst we are stopped, Steve picks up a Little Owl sat on post by a old building so we all jump out of the vans and scopes are soon all pointing up at it. A pair of Masked Shrikes in the gully below us provide extra action and it’s difficult to know which way to look!

Back in the vans, and Mark spots a male Red-backed Shrike on a fenceline in a nearby field. We stop for lunch by the sea, with a pair of Rock Nuthatches visiting a nest and a song-flighting Subalpine Warbler as the main attractions. Mid-lunch and Mark picks up an adult Audouin’s Gull flying right past us. We moved on to the hot springs where a few people had a paddle before we turned our attentions to the Red-veined Darters and Southern (blue) Skimmers on the spring pools.

Arriving in Skala Sikaminias and we barely got in to the village as cars were parked right along the coastal approach road. With only inches between a dry arrival and a wet one, we squeeze past the parked cars at the narrowest part with the sea only three inches to the left and four feet below! We eventually park up and head down in to the packed village harbour and enjoy ice cream and drinks amidst the local Easter Monday festivities.

We head south in to the Napi Valley and stop at a wooded glade where we view the hillside opposite and pick up Black Stork and Long-legged Buzzard. We hear Middle Spotted Woodpecker in the trees nearby and a few of us glimpse a 'pecker in flight. Mark then picks up a pair of Wood Nuthatches in some of the closer trees which perform really well as a Chukar calls from the valley below us. We then stop at the five-a-side pitch on the outskirts of Kalloni, but fail to find any Scops Owls. We do though find an old crow nest with a single, fluffy Long-eared Owl chick sat in the middle looking down at us!

Day 5 – Tuesday 29 April

A pre-breakfast outing was offered to those who wanted to take part. 10 pairs of bleary eyes met Mark and Steve in the car park at 6.30 am, and we drove up to the Upper East River to the ‘dead goat pit track’ (honest!).

On arrival, Mark picked up a Barred Warbler which we were all soon enjoying this monster Sylvia warbler. Around the nearby bushes, we pick up both Common and Lesser Whitethroat and a further three Barred Warblers. They all performed brilliantly bouncing around the ground in search of insects. An Orphean Warbler announces itself with its ‘giddyup, giddyup’ song from a nearby olive tree and shows briefly.
The air is alive with sounds – Nightingale, two calling Hoopoes, Cuckoo, warblers, and the ever-present Corn Bunting. A Black-headed Bunting is seen briefly. From a higher vantage point we can see downstream and at least four Ruddy Shelducks. Steve then spies a rock with both Ortolan and Cretzschmar’s Bunting sat on it. Wow!

After breakfast, we visit the playground of Ariana School where we enjoy superb views of a lone Scops Owl perched in a poplar tree. While we are enjoying this, Steve sees a Golden Oriole in a nearby tree. It flies, disappears into another tree and it seems lost. It then reappears and we all get brilliant views as it flies for insects and gives a few snatches of song. More views of Scops Owl are needed (you can never get enough!) before we depart.

Heading out west again we arrive at the Grand Canyon were we immediately pick up a Long-legged Buzzard perched on a nearby rock. Nightingales sing from the valley bottom and a Jay hops around the trees below us. A Black Stork is thermalling down the valley, when it suddenly drops downwards and lands out on a rocky outcrop. Scopes are soon trained on to the stork and we get excellent views of the this big, almost prehistoric bird.

Steve then picked up two Crag Martins swirling around under a distant crag. With two Red-rumped Swallows. As if called to order, the birds then begin to wander along the cliff face and come right overhead, the Crag Martin showing off its tail spots and large, chunky shape. Brilliant. Mark then picked up a Blue Rock Thrush on a distant crag, doing the usual ‘Blue Rock Thrush peering over the cliff edge’ routine.

We arrive at Ipsilou Monastery, where we park at the bottom of the access road and begin to slowly work our way up to the top. Isabelline Wheatear and Cinereous Buntings are soon found, the latter showing reasonably well on the rocks below.
The slopes above us were heaving with flycatchers. Nearly every movement you lifted your bins up for was a Spotted Flycatcher, but at least three excellent male Collared Flycatchers. Wood Warblers and Blackcap were also very evident, as where the Black-eared Wheatears which seemed to be leaping from every rocky outcrop.
A group of more than 20 Alpine Swifts could be seen swirling above the monastery above us, and searching the skies, up to three Pallid Swifts could be seen high up, looking very brown in this excellent light. A Hoopoe calls from the valley bottom, and we begin to wonder if we are ever going to see one. Two Chukars exploded from the slope above us and disappeared around the hill. Damn!

Arriving at the monastery, we find a Tree Pipit sat on the wires and a Honey Buzzard drifts overhead. Mark then picks up a Rock Sparrow on an outcrop where it sits in the open, giving us plenty of time to get the scopes on it, and all agree that it’s a very good view of a scruffy little bird! A Woodlark sings from the slope below us and several of the group scope it distantly as it sits on wires.

Lunch over, we head off and stop at a rocky area below the monastery where Steve picks up a Chukar sat up on a wall above us. The bird simply stands put for ages allowing us brilliant scope views (about time too!).

We head south and arrive at Skala Eressos and find the ford totally devastated. All the bushes have been ripped out and the whole area flattened. The river still meanders its way through though, and there are lots of ‘yellow’ wagtails flitting about, including a couple of Grey-headed Wagtails.

A Cetti’s Warbler belts out from a nearby bush and with little cover to hide in shows well and a Common Sandpiper bobs along the river. Jill then asks if she is seeing things, or is that a Little Bittern sat in the river. We follow her directions and sure enough, sat amidst a tiny tangle of dead branches is a female Little Bittern!
Once you can see her, she is more than obvious and she is probably wondering just where all the cover has gone! We watch her for some time when she makes a sudden movement and a very large frog appears in her beak.

‘Now this’ll be fun,’ comments Tony, as we all sit back and wait to see how she tackles this ambitious dinner item. It repeatedly dipped the frog in the water, until eventually it pointed skywards and proceeded to gulp the frog down in one. Neck still outstretched, the frog could be seen bulging in its throat, ever so slowly working its way down. After what seemed like an age, an further gulp and the bulge in the throat was no more and the Little Bittern took off and disappeared downstream.

We headed off again and motoring along the road, we come across a Chukar sat on the wall of a large road bridge. Spotted well in advance we manage to slow right down and get more good views before it flies.

We arrive at Devil’s Bridge and apart from music drifting up from the valley below, it seems very quiet. The sky suddenly fills with Red-rumped Swallows and they are swirling around everywhere. A Sombre Tit is then seen right out in the open on a fence and lands on a metal fence post, which it disappears down headfirst! It reappears and flies off.

Within a minute or so, it’s back, perched on the fence post with a beak full of food. It’s clearly been nesting in the post and it is now trying to entice the chicks out with food. Mark then picks up a pair of Cinereous Buntings above us. Proving difficult to see, we decide to walk up to the church where we get storming views of singing Cinereous Bunting a few metres in a small tree. Superb!

Day 6 – Wednesday 30 April

Our final morning was to be spent up the Potamia Valley. We arrived at the head of the valley and pulling up to look at a Woodchat Shrike, Steve notices a male Black-headed Bunting on the overhead wires. We still hadn’t seen the species well, so all eyes were soon watching this superb bird.

We gingerly left the vans and soon we had scopes trained it – fantastic! ‘There’s another one’ says Tony. ‘And another’ pointed Yvonne. Looking round Black-headed Buntings were crawling out of all nooks and crannies, and several began to since. What a performance! We wait all week for a good view of just one and we get a valley-full on our last morning!

The Short-toed Eagles and Long-legged Buzzards above get a mere glance as everyone enjoys the bunting bonanza. Mark then finds a small butterfly taking salt from a nearby puddle. It’s a Lang’s Short-tailed Blue – and what a little cracker! The crag behind us holds Black-eared Wheatear and Rock Nuthatch. There’s a movement at the top. ‘Blue Rock Thrush!’ shouts Mark.

Our attention back to the buntings, a mustelid appears along the nearby wall. With no dark tip to the tail it’s a Weasel, a big one as well! It works along the wall to the track and then along the track edge towards us. It gets our scent and darts in to the grassy edge. Two Bee-eaters swoop over our heads but attention is still fixed on the Weasel hoping for more views. But it appears to have gone. Male Cirl Bunting and Orphean Warblers are next up in this beautiful little spot followed by a Masked Shrike then the fantastic sight of six Purple Herons drifting over! Fantastic!

We drive a little further and park by the dam. Our walk up the valley from here is a stark contrast to the bounty of birds we have just left behind. Our search of the olive groves for Middle Spotted Woodpecker is fruitless. Raptors prove frustrating in the rising temperature with an unidentified harrier and the tail end of what looked like a Lesser Spotted Eagle – but both slip away. A Honey Buzzard provides some consolation.

We find a stretch of ditch with some very interesting frogs and toads, but it is at this point we discover the limitations of the field guide. It’s useless! Either we have a new species for Europe, they are some mutant hybrid or the book is plain wrong. Take your pick! We return from the open valley and its soaring temperature to the shade of the trees around the vans. We all flop down for lunch. David and Hazel plump for the riverside perch and are soon calling us over. ‘Bright green frog on a stick’ says Hazel. And sure enough there was. ‘Tree Frog’ says Mark. ‘A soon to be very well-photographed Tree Frog’ replies Steve, reaching for his camera.

After lunch, we head for the Inland Lake. On arrival, we are greeted by a field full of yellow wagtails. A Little Grebe is whinnying from the lake and there are still two Night Herons in the lakeside tamarisk Bushes and up to three Little Bitterns dotted around as a third Night Heron flies right over us. Our second Tree Frog of the day is found and becomes an even bigger draw to the camera touts than the first. As we are photographing the frog, Paul shouts ‘Purple Heron!’ as an adult lands on a dead tree directly opposite us.

Stunning! It stands nearly bolt upright , all thin and gangly ‘like a supermodel’ mocked Steve. Mark then fulfils a Lesbos ambition and finds a Pond Terrapin in amongst the hordes of Stripe-necked Terrapin, but only Peter manages to get on to it before it plops off its perch.

We take a drive along the lower east river which holds lots of Ruff and Wood Sandpipers. We locate at least three Little Stints and the whole river valley is heaving with Bee-eaters. You can see and hear them everywhere.

At the river mouth we find Sandwich Tern, Mute Swan and Mediterranean Gulls. We drive back up the river picking up Squacco Heron and Little Egret, and eventually find a group of trees Mark and Steve were looking for (with a combination of duff gen and a flash of brilliant memory recall by Mark).

No sooner have we pulled up when Steve radios to Mark ‘Middle Spot at the nest hole’. We disembark quietly and set up the scopes on the nest hole. Within a few minutes, we have both parents visiting the nest with food. Wonderful! With the odd glimpse and too many ‘heard only’ records during the week, it was great to catch up with this brilliant woodpecker. The 'peckers perform brilliantly and everyone is chuffed with the mega views we enjoy.

We move on to the saltpans and get stuck into waders – summer-plumaged Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stints, Ruff and a couple of Stone-curlews. What we had all mistaken to be an earth mound suddenly moved as it transformed into a soon to be airborne Dalmatian Pelican! It lifted off and everything within half a mile (OK, a few hundred metres) took flight in fright! What a fantastic sight!

A single adult Dunlin is found in amongst the Curlew Sandpiper flock when Mark fixes on to a lone godwit at the back. ‘Steve, I think I’ve got a Bar-tailed Godwit,’ says Mark. ‘What’s so special about that’ asks Hazel. ‘Well, it’s only the eighth ever record for the island!’ replies Mark.

And sure enough, there at the back is a Bar-tailed Godwit (well done that man!) with a couple of Greenshank and more Little Stints. To celebrate, Steve then nearly stands on a snake! All he sees is it uncoil at his feet and as it moves away it gives an almighty hiss – Montpellier Snake. What a way to end a holiday!

We retire to the hotel early to enjoy the evening. Some have a dip in the pool, others enjoy a slow drink by it. After dinner we regale some of the highlights of the week. The Collared Pratincole flock win birds of the week (just pipping Little Bittern). Ipsilou (quite rightly too) gets place of the week (beating off dead goat track!) and it’s unanimous – magic moment was the ‘Byee, Mark!’ girl at Faneromeni beach (Mark’s still blushing).

Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
Yelkouan Mediterranean Shearwater
Shag
Little Bittern
Night Heron
Squacco Heron
Little Egret
Great White Egret
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
Black Stork
White Stork
Glossy Ibis
Spoonbill
Greater Flamingo
Dalmatian Pelican
Mute Swan
Ruddy Shelduck
Shelduck
Mallard
Pintail
Common Teal
Garganey
Honey Buzzard
Short-toed Eagle
Marsh Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Hen Harrier
Goshawk
Sparrowhawk
Common Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Lesser Kestrel
Common Kestrel
Red-footed Falcon
Hobby
Peregrine
Chukar
Little Crake
Moorhen
Coot
Black-winged Stilt
Avocet
Stone-curlew
Collared Pratincole
Little Ringed Plover
Kentish Plover
Little Stint
Temminck's Stint
Curlew Sandpiper
Ruff
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Black-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Mediterranean Gull
Black-headed Gull
Audouin's Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Sandwich Tern
Gull-billed Tern
Common Tern
Little Tern
Whiskered Tern
Black Tern
White-winged Black Tern
Rock Dove
Collared Dove
Turtle Dove
Cuckoo
Scops Owl
Little Owl
Long-eared Owl
European Nightjar
Common Swift
Alpine Swift
Pallid Swift
Common Kingfisher
European Bee-eater
Hoopoe
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Short-toed Lark
Crested Lark
Woodlark
Sand Martin
Crag Martin
Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
House Martin
Tree Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
'Blue-headed' Yellow Wagtail
‘Grey-headed’ Yellow Wagtail
'Black-headed' Yellow Wagtail
White Wagtail
Wren
Nightingale
Common Redstart
Whinchat
Stonechat
Isabelline Wheatear
Northern Wheatear
Black-eared Wheatear
Blue Rock Thrush
Blackbird
Cetti's Warbler
Savi’s Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warbler
Great Reed Warbler
Olivaceous Warbler
Subalpine Warbler
Rüppell's Warbler
Orphean Warbler
Barred Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Common Whitethroat
Blackcap
Wood Warbler
Willow Warbler
Spotted Flycatcher
Collared Flycatcher
Semi-collared Flycatcher
Pied Flycatcher
Sombre Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Wood Nutchatch
Krüper's Nuthatch
Rock Nuthatch
Short-toed Treecreeper
Golden Oriole
Red-backed Shrike
Lesser Grey Shrike
Woodchat Shrike
Masked Shrike
Jay
Jackdaw
Hooded Crow
Raven
House Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow
Rock Sparrow
Chaffinch
Serin
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Cirl Bunting
Cinereous Bunting
Ortolan Bunting
Cretzschmar's Bunting
Black-headed Bunting
Corn Bunting

Marsh Frog
Common Tree Frog
Balkan Green Lizard
Balkan Wall Lizard
Stripe-necked Terrapin
Pond terrapin
Montpelier Snake
Agama Lizard
Turkish Gecko

Persian Squirrel
Eastern Hedgehog (deceased)

Mole Cricket (in Squacco’s beak!)
Locust
Dung Beetle (with dung)

Red-veined Darter
Southern Skimmer
Lesser Emperor

Scarce Swallowtail
Swallowtail
Cleopatra
Black-veined White
Green-veined White
Small White
Large White
Wall Brown
Small Heath
Orange Tip
Eastern Festoon
Clouded Yellow
Painted Lady
False Apollo
Lang’s Short-tailed Blue

Humming-bird Hawk-moth

Lesvos trip report - 22 - 29 April 2004

2007-05-13T20:28:00.000Z

Lesbos trip report

22 – 29 April 2004

A Speyside Wildlife holiday with Steve Dudley and Mark Newall

Guests: Valerie, Lynn & Ray, Mary, Alan, Dorothy, Lesley, Brian

Sorry no photos - see here

Trip lists at end

Day 1. Steve and Mark meet the group at Mytilini airport at 2030h and drive them across the island to the hotel where we have dinner and settle in to our rooms and prepare for the week ahead.

Day 2. Most of the group meet up at 0730h for a pre-breakfast walk down to the Kalloni Pools. We are greeted by a singing Cetti’s Warbler, a male Black-headed (Yellow) Wagtail and a bevy of Black-winged Stilts. Over the fields opposite the pools are a squadron of hirundines –House Martin, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow and a handful of Red-rumped Swallow. Eyes are firmly fixed on the Red-rumps as Mark and Steve explain the differences with Barn Swallow. Common Swifts appear above us and these are checked carefully for Pallid – but no joy. Mark then spies a couple of Garganey lurking in the reed edge behind the forest of stilt legs. The male of course takes centre stage, the dull brown female barely gets a look. Three Squacco Herons jump up, turning from buff to white, and land in view. Scopes are soon trained on to these cracking little herons. Sedge Warblers zip around when eight Glossy Ibis rise from the pools and immediately alight again. We creep along the road and come across the ibises feeding. ‘Golly!’ exclaims Ray as he scopes the iridescent green and coppery over-sized Curlews. A Cetti’s Warbler explodes into song right by us. Looking up it’s sat right out in the open. ‘Fantastic!’ remarks Brian. It continues to sing in the bright warming sun and Ray and Steve reach for their cameras. ‘Ruddy Shelduck!’ shouts Mark. A lone bird is flying distantly over the sea, but its white wing patches are easy to see even at a distance. On the other side of the road a handful of Whinchat are found adorning a rusty fence line. A Hooded Crow lands on a fence post right in front of us – ‘what a view’ comments Dorothy.

We reach the beach and soon pick out a pair of Great Crested Grebes. Yellow-legged Gulls wheel around in every direction and a handful of Common Terns bounce around in front of us. ‘Brekky!’ remarks Steve, and with that we head back to the hotel stopping to enjoy the ibis and Squacco’s briefly.

After breakfast we gather in the car park, but the birding is relentless. Two White Storks are on the rooftop nest visible from the hotel when a Long-legged Buzzard appears above us. Within minutes a Short-toed Eagle appears low over the car park receiving a hammering from one of the local Hoodies.

We jump in the vans and head off along the edge of West River. We pull over and are immediately watching a pair of Kentish Plovers running around the marsh. ‘White-winged Black Tern!’ shouts Mark, and out among the Common Terns is a lone adult White-winged, its deep black body and underwings contrasting with its flashing white upperwings. Two Whiskered Terns appear, their sooty unders separated from their black caps by brilliant white moustaches. A Marsh Harrier floats around over the far end of the marsh which holds both Little and Great White Egrets. A female Montagu’s Harrier speeds past low over the marsh, its barred tail and clear white rump easy to see. As we pull away, a White Stork appears high in the sky.

Arriving at the Inland Lake, Alan is first to spot the roosting Night Herons in the bushes opposite us. Scopes are soon on them when Lynn finds the first of at least five Little Bitterns! Little Grebe, Moorhen and Coot are all too familiar to get close scrutiny. We continue to enjoy the two herons before adding Common Sandpiper to the list. The margins of the lake are covered with Stripe-necked Terrapins while Marsh Frogs make their usual racket. Searching the margins Brian spies a crake. After five long minutes, Steve eventually relocates it – a female Little – and we are soon enjoying out-in-the-open scope views of this cracking little bird which is dwarfed by the Moorhens. A handful of Spanish Sparrows feed in the field nearby and a Short-toed Eagle appears over the hill opposite. As we prepare to leave we can hear the distinctive sound of Bee-eaters. A quick search locates around eight birds in the distance. We watch for a while before jumping in the vans to get closer. Arriving at the spot we are frustrated to find they have moved off and are still somewhat distant on a telephone wire, but easily viewable with scopes. An Olivaceous Warbler breaks in to song and we get good views as it sings and feeds in a small bush.

We head east and are stopped in our tracks in ‘Derbyshire’ when a pair of Red-footed Falcons are spotted by the side of the road. We get brilliant views of the pair as they hop from post to post. A Woodchat further delays our arrival at Achladeri. We head straight in to the wood and are soon watching a male Krüper’s Nuthatch excavating a nest hole. It’s calling constantly and takes time out now and then to go up to an open branch from where it delivers its simple song. It’s display includes wing fluttering and loudly tapping on a dead branch. We spend a good while watching the nuthatch when a Short-toed Treecreeper is found on a nearby tree. A female Pied Flycatcher is glimpsed just as we ready ourselves to retreat for lunch.

During lunch we are serenaded by a distant Hoopoe when Brian finds an Orphean Warbler by the roadside. We gather and watch this large warbler collecting nesting material. All the swifts are checked carefully but still nothing other than Common are found.

After lunch we head back in to the wood where the Krüper’s Nuthatch is still calling continuously. We soon locate another Short-toed Treecreeper for those who missed the earlier bird, and follow it back to a nest crevice where it delivers a beakful of food. Blue and Great Tits are also seen before a Jay is found. Everyone gets great views of this black-capped form. We walk on further in to the wood and see several butterflies including Green-underside Blue and Small Heath before Steve finds a Balkan Wall Lizard at the foot of a tree. We all get great views of this fabulous lime-green striped lizard – all eight inches, half of which is it’s tail!

Heading back west we stop at Derbyshire where the pools holds both Great White and Little Egrets, three Greenshank and a couple of Kentish Plovers and a Grey Heron is on the nearby marsh. At one point, a strange fascination in a patch of marsh with no birds, just a few lumps of earth, grips some of the group! ‘Turfbirds!’ exclaims Mark. Steve then works on a hunch, and on spying a patch of whitewash on the rocks, spots a Little Owl sat just above it. We jump back in the vans, but are immediately stopped by the same two Red-footed Falcons seen earlier. They are sat up in a small bush in perfect light. From the vans we get breathtaking views as they stare back at us. The red cere and feet of the male stand out against his blue plumage. He then takes flight and the blue on the upperwings reflects silver, flashing with every wingbeat.

We pull onto the track that takes us up the west side of the upper East River. The bridge area is crawling with Little Egrets, Wood Sandpipers and Ruff. Steve spots a single Marsh Sandpiper among the other waders. It stands out with its greyer tones, elegant shape and long, needle-like bill. We work slowly along the river birding from the vans. Loads more Wood Sands, Ruff, Greenshank and another two Marsh Sands. A group of Spanish Sparrows are watched dust bathing. One of the males gets excited and starts to display to the females – it’s strongly streaked chest all puffed out and wings shivering.

We park the vans and while readying ourselves a Short-toed Eagle and Peregrine appear over the hill opposite. Mark picks up a male black-throated Black-eared Wheatear on the rocks when Brian finds a male Red-backed Shrike in the bushes right in front of us. The shrike performs brilliantly as it sings its scratchy tune from a bush. Showing us first his front with is bandit mask and salmony belly, then the back, with his richly coloured rusty mantle and blue-grey head.

A little further on no one falls for Mark and Steve’s Rock Nuthatch nest site (‘and just how big is this bird again’ says Mary dismissively, so Mark puts his scope on to a real nest. ‘There’s last years nest’ says Mark. As line up other scopes on the nest, a Rock Nuthatch appears on the rock above and then drops in to the nest hole with a beakful of food! ‘Make that this years nest’ adds Mark. A Cuckoo belts over our heads from one side of the valley to the other. A male Peregrine appears over the valley with prey in its talons. It sweeps around before landing on a rock on the open hillside opposite. Scopes swing round and we watch as it devours what appears to be a Sand Martin. A Cretzschmar’s Bunting begins singing from a bush and superb views of this gorgeous bunting are soon enjoyed. Every detail of its plumage can be seen, including the fine eyering set against its blue-grey and orangey head. Two Common Buzzards appear overhead, then a Sparrowhawk and a second Peregrine. The male Peregrine is up and begins to harass the second bird – a huge female. The size difference is immense, the female dwarfing the dive-bombing male.

Time has run out, and with heads spinning from all the top birds seen from the day, we make our way back to the hotel. Some still have energy for a stroll down to the Kalloni Pools before dinner and enjoy good close views of a roosting Whiskered Tern. After dinner and the first checklist of the week, Mark and Steve run through what else is in store in the week ahead.

Day 3. We wake to a bright, warm morning. We head west and just outside Kalloni come across several Stonechats including a splendid male Siberian male. We make our way to the Grand Canyon. It’s relatively quiet as we empty out of the vans. A Nightingale serenades us from the valley bottom and Mark picks up a Short-toed Eagle over the opposite hillside. A Jay flies across the valley and is immediately mobbed by a pair of Masked Shrikes. The Jay lands in a tree in view, but is quick to move off and away from the dive-bombing shrikes. The pair of Masked Shrikes settle in the top of the same tree once the Jay has departed, and sit out allowing us great views and a direct comparison of the two sexes. A handful of Red-rumped Swallows wheel around the valley providing us great views from below and occasionally appearing below us to show off their upperparts. A male Black-eared Wheatear sings from a craggy perch up above us and three Long-legged Buzzards circle over the opposite hill. A Sparrowhawk does a nice fly past – flap, flap, glide – and Steve explains why even at a distance it can be clearly told from Goshawk by its fast wing action and square shaped tail.

We continue west and just beyond Ipsilou Steve spots a couple of Lesser Kestrels ahead of us feeding over a hillside. We pull up and Steve jumps out. ‘Eleanora’s Falcons!’ Steve yells. Everybody dives out of the vans to enjoy the aerial spectacle of up to four Eleanora’s Falcons, a female Red-footed Falcon, a Hobby and two Lesser Kestrels wheeling around us. ‘Wow!’ exclaims Lynn – to which fantastic, sensational, super, brilliant can all be added! The Eleanora’s comprise three dark birds and a single pale bird. They easily take up most of our attention and Mark and Steve explain the differences in shape and plumage of the four different falcon species we are watching. The birds begin to disperse so its back in the vans only for us to bump in to another Eleanora’s and Lesser Kestrel over another hill.

We arrive at Sigri and stop off by an orchard being grazed by sheep. The orchard is alive with Yellow Wagtails. Both vans have soon picked out Black-headed, Blue-headed and Grey-headed Wagtails. We jump out and Alan immediately shouts ‘bright yellow bird flying across the orchard!’. A single male Golden Oriole is then glimpsed diving in to the cover of a large tree. A second bird follows it. After a few seconds, both birds take flight, fly across our view and in to a smaller bush. We are able to briefly scope them before they take flight again. They flit from bush to bush, are then joined by a second pair and eventually start feeding out in the open on fennel plants. Everyone gets great views and are more than a little happy! ‘Black-headed Bunting!’ cries Mark. Most manage to get on to a fine male sat up in a small tree before it takes flight. We continue to search the area in front of us and soon locate a couple of female Pied Flycatchers, Wood and Willow Warblers. By the roadside we find a rough field corner with at least six Stonechats flitting around, including two more handsome male Siberian birds, and a single Northern Wheatear in the next field. A little further up the track Mark finds a female Common Redstart and we all get good views when she eventually decides to come out of the cover of the tree was hiding in.

We move on to our lunch stop at Faneromeni Ford. Pulling up, both vans pick up different Little Bitterns, and Steve is quick to call a Collared Flycatcher. Hunger is put aside while we get stuck in to the mass of birds flitting about just downstream of us – Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers in the same scope view. Collared, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers sharing the same tree. Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Cetti’s Warbler in the reeds. Up to three Little Bitterns boldly fishing out in the open and a single Squacco Heron is seen briefly. Three Tree Pipits, including a leucistic bird, sat out on the overhead wires for us to study, and one bird comes down to the river to feed allowing even closer scrutiny.

After lunch we move on up the track from the ford where we can’t help but flush more flycatchers and warblers from the dense cover along the trackside. A Nightingale delivers its song from a tree right by the track, but although nearly deafening us, we can’t pick him out in the dense foliage. In the fields behind the Nightingale tree we find several Blackcaps, a Wood Warbler and a male Red-backed Shrike. Further up the track we find a field teaming with birds including a huge flock of Spanish Sparrows, large numbers of Yellow Wagtails and a couple of Whitethroats. A Wood Warbler feeds around the base of a tree when Val spots a bird sat up on a fennel plant in the middle of the field. Mark and Steve swing their scopes on to the bird ‘Ortolan!’ they both proclaim. The bird sits out long enough for everyone to get a good look, noting its greeny and yellow head and yellow eye ring.

We head back to the vans, and after one last look at all the birds on the river, head off towards the beach. Progress is slow with Masked Shrike and a Little Owl spotted by Ray both getting a good looking at. At the beach we park the vans and first scope the sea. Distantly lines of Yelkouan Shearwaters are moving south, and a single Shag feeds just offshore. Brian calls another Shag ‘close in’. Those of us with half an interest discover Brian’s ‘close in’ is not quite our ‘close in’ when we find his bird flying by in the middle distance! We wander down to the beach where Wood Sandpipers, Ruff and half a dozen Little Stints are immediately obvious. ‘Citrine Wagtail!’ shouts Steve and directs everyone to a well marked female feeding along the river. The Citrine Wag goes down well. ‘What a lovely bird’ comments Dorothy – and no one would disagree with that! Steve wanders out to the beach to check the rivermouth. ‘I’ve got another Citrine Wag!’ he bellows back to the group. ‘It’s the same one. We haven’t got one anymore’ responds Mark. ‘No it ain’t!’ shouts Steve, ‘this is a jam spangler of a male’ he adds. Most join Steve on the beach to enjoy this second and even brighter Citrine Wagtail. Nearby there is also are also White and Black-headed Yellow Wagtails for comparison. Those on the beach then pick up a male Little Crake in the reedfringe opposite. Meanwhile Mark finds a Temminck’s Stint and we all reassemble to look at this diminutive wader. ‘You’re not gonna believe this’ says Steve. ‘But I’ve got a third Citrine Wagtail!’. And sure enough, there is a second female, and third bird in total! ‘This is getting silly’ comments Mark. Attention turns back to the Temminck’s Stint and studying the river further upstream for anything new. ‘Raptor!’ shouts Val. Looking up we find a smashing female Montagu’s Harrier circling over the river. ‘Lovely’ comments Lesley. Attention back on the river when everything takes flight. Looking around Steve picks up the offender. ‘Eleanora’s Falcon’ Steve announces pointing to the sky. A lone pale bird leisurely laps across the sky towards the sea – our sixth of the day. With that we return to the vans to find a fine Lesser Whitethroat feeding out on the scrubby beach bushes and get superb views and a couple of Northern Wheatears are also found in the adjacent dunes.

With time getting on we don’t have time to stop off on the way back, but most don’t mind. Many have succumbed to heavy eyelids and are already dreaming of the many fantastic sights of the day.

Day 4. Another warm, sunny morning as we leave the hotel. We abort our first stop due to far too many other birdwatchers at the site, and make our way out to the eastern end of the Kalloni Saltpans. As we pull up, Val remarks ‘I can see a flamingo’. Err … just the one is it Val? We point out the hundreds gather together in gaggles! The gaggles (well – they do sound like geese!) look stunning with the sunlight on them, most of them still sleeping stood on one leg. As they awake the noise increases and some begin to wing-flash, showing off their brilliant crimson and black underwings. Even Mark can’t fail to be impressed!

The moat is relatively quiet. Two Redshanks and a couple of Black-headed Gulls are new for the week, and there are also Wood Sandpipers, Ruff and Kentish and Little Ringed Plovers. A single Marsh Sandpiper picks along the edge before a Curlew Sandpiper appears in front of us. Brian picks up a male Red-backed Shrike which is soon the centre of attention. Common and Little Terns flit up and down the moat while a handful of Little Egrets are roosting on the bank. The numbers of hirundines and swifts are well down, with only a handful of each Barn Swallow, Sand Martin and Common Swift.

We move round to the west side and our first stop brings a flock of Little Stint. In the centre of the first pan there is an island. Eggs litter the island. Last week the Avocets had laid and just began incubation when the heavy rains flooded the pan and the island and the nest scrapes were covered. Some birds appear to be sitting again now the water levels have receded. ‘Black-headed Bunting!’ calls Steve. All eyes are directed to the top of a nearby fig tree where a corking male is sat, his black executioners hood contrasting with his bright yellow underparts. Brian then picks out his, and our, second male Red-backed Shrike of the morning. ‘Brian thinks he’s hit on a sure way of getting a mention in the trip report - find as many male Red-backed Shrikes as he can’ comments Steve. And see – it works! Next up is Common Shelduck sat up on a bank only feet away from a couple of Stone-curlews.

We head along the road and soon pick up a pair of Shoveler and a Garganey in the next pan. More Little Stints, Ruff, Black-winged Stilts and Avocets are dotted around the pan edges. A lone Greenshank calls mournfully before heading off. A single White-winged Black Tern appears on the pan in front of us. The liquid ‘prüp’ of Bee-eaters can be heard and two birds swoop right by us. ‘Wow!’ and a few other superlatives are uttered by everyone. Brian then spies a Whiskered Tern coming in with another White-winged Black Tern. The Whiskered eventually makes its way within a few meters of us for us all to enjoy. A Goldfinch and Greenfinch are sat up on nearby wires. We begin to move off when Steve spies a raptor over the pans. ‘Male Marsh Harrier!’ he cries. Seconds later he’s shouting again. ‘Collared Pratincole!’. The Marsh Harrier is instantly ditched in favour of this gorgeous aerial-feeding wader. Everyone gets good views, but it isn’t long before we are enjoying more, when another half dozen come over the moat and start hawking over the adjacent field. Steve then finds a couple of Tawny Pipits close to in the field. We get cracking views of this large, pale, upright pipit. The two birds run around the shorter grass areas between the asphodels. Mark then locates a single Collared Pratincole sat up on an island of the nearby pan and this holds everyone’s attention, at least when we’ve sorted the bird out from a pale rock!

Moving on further we find a Swallowtail butterfly by the saltworks entrance, while the pools opposite are alive Wood Sandpipers and Little Stints. As Mark and Steve take the vans on ahead, the group pick out their fifth Citrine Wagtail in two days on the pools! They are soon hastened towards Mark and Steve when two Bee-eaters are seen by the salt pile. Mark, Steve and Dorothy have been watching them sat up and taking it in turns to excavate a nest hole in a bank. The image of two Bee-eaters sat on a dead twig with a spree of bright red poppies behind them is pretty amazing.

After lunch we cover the Sheep Fields on foot. No sooner have we entered then we locate our third Tawny Pipit of the day followed immediately by a flock of 29 Short-toed Larks. The larks bounce around calling noisily before settling in a short grassy area and we get a good chance to study these small buffy birds. A couple are really bright and gingery coloured. Brian locates a Ringed Plover among the Kentish Plovers on a nearby pool, and Mark points out two more Stone-curlews before they take flight, flashing their black and white wing markings as they head off to the saltpans. We follow the fence line round and see an adult Black Stork, its bright red bill and legs gleaming in the sun. Scanning the tussock areas we find lots of Yellow Wagtails, a couple more Short-toed Larks and a Tawny Pipit. We spot a group of Ruddy Shelduck on a pool long enough to get a look at them before these nervous birds take flight. The nine we can see turn in to a flying line of 25 birds which land by the six Common Shelducks on the nearest of the saltpans. We continue further checking all the damp areas and pools carefully, flushing two Common Snipe but nothing else. We put up another flock of around 20 Short-toed Larks before Brian spots our first Red-throated Pipit, a nice bright bird. Not everyone gets on to it before it flies off. ‘It’s not often you find yourself a life bird. Is it?’ comments Brian very cheerfully. We sweep the far end of the fields when a Curlew flies by. We begin our return walk when two Red-throated Pipits fly past calling ‘speee’. The birds land and are soon located. One is a rather dull wintery-plumaged bird, but the other has got quite a good rosy glow about the face and neck. They take flight and we continue back towards the vans when a large flock of mixed wagtails and pipits lands among the sheep in front of us. We begin picking our way through them picking out at least 11 Red-throated Pipits, including a couple of ‘jam spanglers’ as Steve puts it, two Tawny Pipits and at least one Short-toed Lark. We spend some time enjoying the pipits before continuing, picking up two male Pintail and a couple more Red-throated Pipits before getting back to the vans.

We begin to pick our way back along the saltpans road managing to get stuck behind the same herd of sheep that we got stuck behind coming! Linnet is added to the trip list before we see a tight flock of terns lift from one of the pans and begin wheeling round - 64 Whiskered Terns and two White-winged Black Terns.

Our last stop of the day is a return to the site we withdrew from first thing in the morning. Mark and Steve ask the group to be quiet as the site is best worked as quietly as possible. Following the tree line Steve sets up his scope and asks everyone to take it in turns to view. ‘Scops Owl’ mouths Val, beaming as she takes her eye from the scope. We all take it in turns to view one of the two roosting owls in the scope then three at a time we walk a little closer to view with bins and for a few photos. We are all exceptionally quiet, talking only in hushed voices and being extremely light-footed as not to disturb the birds. ‘Aren’t they cute’ comments Lynn. Everyone is really chuffed with the day’s finale, and it’s a group of happy birders returning to the hotel for dinner.

Day 5. It has rained heavily overnight (‘dogs and cats’ as hotel manager Bill says) and we wake to an overcast sky and cool day. After breakfast we make our way north but at the petrol stop in Kalloni (where they run out of petrol!) Val realises she has left her binoculars behind. Steve’s van puts it to the vote whether to return for them or not! Mark continues north while Steve nips back to Skala Kalloni and the two vans meet up at Tracey Island near Petra. As Steve’s van pulls up the others are already watching a singing male Rüppell’s Warbler. Over the next30 minutes, 2-3 males vie for our attention, taking it in turns to sing from their prominent song posts. A pair of Blue Rock Thrushes are seen on the crag below us. Whinchat are dotted around the slopes and Tree Pipits are continuously going over. An Orphean Warbler is seen but is far from obliging, unlike the male Subalpine Warbler which gives superb views. Mark then picks up a flock of Yelkouan Shearwaters which we all get to see – much closer than the other day’s distant birds. Mark then picks up a Crag Martin, and although we all get on to it, it blasts right through and offers little chance of getting any detail on it. We continue to watch the Rüppell’s when Steve spots a Turtle Dove on the hill side above. ‘Crag Martin!’ shouts Mark from down the road. ‘Coming towards you!’ he adds. The bird doesn’t materialise and by his gestures it looks as if its about turned in the opposite direction. ‘No here it comes!’ shouts Steve. ‘Flying up the road’. The Crag Martin comes straight up the road and almost through the group before heading of flow across the headland in front of us. We get good views but the bird fails to open its tail so we can’t see its tail spots. The pair of Blue Rock Thrushes put in another appearance, this time a little closer while Black-eared Wheater, Cirl and Cretzschmar’s Bunting and a couple of perched Tree Pipits are also seen.

We move along to Eftalou where we get even closer views of Yelkouan Shearwaters but it is otherwise very quiet and we continue eastwards along the north coastal track. The first valley we stop in seems very quiet as we get out of the vans. A female Masked Shrike is the first to put in an appearance, sitting out in the open on a bush on the opposite slope. Another Black-eared Wheater and a Whinchat are above us when an Orphean Warbler begins to sing its rather Nightingale-like song from the deep cover the higher slope. Tree Pipits continue to buzz overhead but none land. A male Cirl Bunting puts in a brief appearance, as does the Orphean Warbler. ‘Black-headed Bunting’ calls Mark and we all manage to get on to it before it takes flight – typical! ‘Blue Tit’ calls Mark for Brian’s benefit who has missed them the last three days. But he dips again. ‘No, here it is’ says Steve. Brian arrives at Steve’s side and eventually sees the bird as it flies from the tree. The male Cirl Bunting returns and this time puts on a great performance, singing right out in the open from a nearby tree. As we are getting ready to leave, a local pulls up alongside us and ask if we are looking for birds. ‘Good’ he says. ‘I have something to show you’ he adds. He reaches in to his pickup and pulls out the corpse of a dead Common Buzzard. Its fresh as rigor mortis has only just begun to set in. As Steve holds the corpse up, wings spread for all to see, Ray asks ‘is it injured?’. ‘It’s dead!’ comes a unified response! With that we hit the track and head on east.

We haven’t gone far when the lead van slows to take in a pair of Masked Shrikes and an Orphean Warbler. We are all enjoying terrific views of the shrikes when Ray spots a bird to the right of the track. ‘Ortolan’ radios Mark and gives directions. We see the bird fly down into a hollow, but it doesn’t reappear. We get out of the vans and eventually find the bird dust bathing in the hollow. The bird flies up in to tree but remains on view. A second bird then appears in the hollow dust bathing. ‘That’s lovely’ comments Lynn. ‘Golden Oriole’ is shouted and scopes are soon trained on to a bright male at the top of the hillside. Over the next 15 minutes or so, 2-3 are seen in flight and a male is again pinned down in a tree. A rather hoarse Cuckoo calls in the distance. Steve, suffering with a stinking cold feels just how the Cuckoo sounds – rough. Tree Pipits continue to pile over in little flocks and a couple are seen in the trees.

We make our way to our lunch stop, a sheltered valley with a mix scrub and good hillsides. A Common Kestrel hovers over one slope and a Long-legged Buzzard hangs over another. A Turtle Dove calls from above the sheep pens, occasionally being drowned out by the cacophony of sheep bells. A male Cirl Bunting performs well, but the Orphean and Subalpine are less obliging.

We continue along the north coast track which now runs along the coastline. We stop every now and then to check lone gulls, but we can’t turn any in to prized Audouin’s. We make a brief, but welcome stop in the picturesque village of Skala Sikaminias for ice creams and drinks. Brian gets too close to the resident Scarlet Makaw, not once, but twice, and is lucky not to lose his ice cream and his collar!

We are soon in the Napi valley and within minutes of stopping, Val asks what the brown Marsh Tit-like bird she is looking at is. ‘Sombre Tit!’ yells Mark, summoning everyone to the spot. The bird flits around a small oak and most of us get good views before it disappears in to the olive trees. A male Red-footed Falcon glides over. Steve then picks up a Rock Nuthatch carrying food. It’s sat out on a rock looking very nervous. A second bird appears nearby and both are carrying prey (a cricket and a caterpillar) and make their way down to a nest site at the top a small cave. We move further down the valley and over the next hour we get views of a Middle-spotted Woodpecker visiting a nest. Unfortunately the hole is out of view on the other side of a dead tree, and the bird has a habit of flying straight to the hole and then exiting into either a dense foliaged tree or a large oak. Perched views are brief and usually of a partially hidden bird, but the flight views are fantastic, with its bright red crown and black and white patterning very easy to see.

‘Hoopoe!’ shouts Mark as a bird flies overhead and down the valley. It lands on a dead branch at the top of a tree and we are soon enjoying scope views. It too is carrying a large prey item. It sits out in the open for a long time before eventually swallowing its prey and then dropping out of the tree and out of view.

A male Subalpine Warbler performs brilliantly during the hour, often sitting right out in the open so we can all enjoy prolonged views of this cracking little Sylvia warbler. Cirl Bunting, Black-eared Wheatear and Blue Rock Thrush all add to an excellent hour.

We wind our way back to the hotel. Driving past the saltpans flamingos, Avocets and Little Tern are noted for the day list. We arrive back at the hotel. Some view the White Storks nest, some head for the pools while others head for their rooms to rest before dinner.

Day 6. Most of us gather at 0645h for a pre-breakfast sojourn down to the East River. It is bright and calm as we arrive at the rivermouth we immediately pick up a first-summer Mediterranean Gull on the bar. The whole area is busy with hirundines. Bee-eaters wheel around the ford and just beyond the overhead wires are lined with hirundines – Barn and Red-rumped Swallows, Sand and House Martins. Mark spots the first of two Lesser Grey Shrikes which pose beautifully on the wires. The Bee-eaters are stunning, decorating the trees all around us, the sun bringing their rainbow colours to life. Most are sat in pairs, shoulder to shoulder, and a couple of pairs are excavating nest holes. The first of several Black-headed Buntings are found and further along, our third Lesser Grey Shrike and a male Red-backed Shrike are seen sharing the same fence line. The river is full of the usual of the usual waders, wagtails and herons as we reach the main road and head back to the hotel.

By the time we finish breakfast, a strong, cool northerly wind has picked up as we head off westwards. We make a brief stop at Perivolis Monastery where we see a several Golden Orioles and a couple of Pied Flycatchers. The usual lay-by below Ipsilou is occupied by another group, so we head up the road a little and are soon watching an Isabelline Wheatear. The bird is feeding in between the rocks and shows well before heading off up the slope to resume singing. ‘Rock Sparrow!’ Mark and Steve shout simultaneously. They train their scopes on to this stripy sparrow and begin to get people on to it, but the spadger drops off the rock and down the slope.

We see the other group pass us, so we head back down to the main lay-by. An Isabelline Wheatear is singing on the slope above us. Mark casually lines his scope up and he suggests we to look down it while he lines some other scopes up. ‘Roller!’ blurts Val. Excitement grips the group as directions are given and followed. ‘Got it. By Jove, what a beauty’ says Ray. Although the wind by now has really picked up and has forced out fleeces, windproofs and gloves, we all feverishly watch the Roller as it remains sat in its lofty tree top position in the valley below us. Then a collective ‘wow!’ when it takes flight, swoops down and flies up in to another tree. Male and female Red-backed Shrikes, a single Woodchat are seen and a Linnet flies over when it begins to rain and we retreat to the vans and head for Ipsilou.

At Ipsilou, Mark and Steve drop the group at the bottom while they run the vans up to the top, leaving the lunches at the monastery before coming down in one of the vans and joining the group. The group have already begun their walk up the south side. Two Golden Orioles are just a starter. Pied Flycatchers are swooping from many trees on the slope above. A Cinereous Bunting begins singing and is soon located and scopes are soon staring down at it. A second bird is found, singing from the top of a tree above us. The light is fantastic on this bird, the lemon yellow head gleaming in the sun, and the its neat little wing bars set against its drab grey plumage. We continue up the slope and soon come across an area bustling with birds. ‘Wood Warbler’ Steve points out in a nearby oak. ‘No there’s two in there’ he adds. The oak is alive with insects and the two Wood Warblers are in a near frenzy feasting on the bugs. They work their way along the tiny twigs and on reaching the end, swoop out and hover to pick the insects off the outermost leaves. They are absolutely dazzling with their lemon faces and throats and soft white bellies. Pied and Spotted Flycatchers are seemingly everywhere. ‘Three Blackcaps in this little bush’ says Steve. But on closer inspection there is actually seven! A Willow Warbler is next up, first heard singing but eventually found in this profusion of insectivorous birds. Its just as busy in the air as well. Huge numbers of Swallows and House Martins are zipping around everywhere we look, peppered with the off Red-rumped Swallow and Sand Martin. But no swifts. The rest of the walk up to the monastery is more of the same – flycatchers, warblers and hirundines.

We collect our lunches and head up to the sheltered southern side of the monastery. The wind is ripping through this isolated hill top refuge from the north-west, but the southern side, sheltered by the monastery building, is peaceful and calm. We walk straight on to a Little Owl sat out on a rock below our lunching spot, but it objects to the noisy intrusion and makes a hasty exit. It is however, surprisingly quiet. The large numbers of small birds seen on the way up isn’t mirrored here, with only a Pied Fly and a Wood Warbler for company. The sky is empty. A noisy Rock Sparrow is therefore a timely and welcome introduction, as it sings from just outside its nest hole, it’s tiny yellow throat spot clearly visible. The sky begins to fill up with swallows and martins again. Mark particularly enjoys a couple of Red-rumped Swallows wheeling around below us, their pinkie rumps glowing and their glossy uppers gleaming. Its great to watch all the hirundines from above for a change.

Val, Lesley, Dorothy and Mary are all studying and discussing a bird and are overheard by Mark and Steve. They hear snippets. ‘No wing bar’. ‘Very plain’. ‘Not a Chiffchaff’. Their curiosity aroused, they ask for directions and hit on the bird. They look at each other and both mouth ‘Bonelli’s’. They grab their scopes and both instantly proclaim ‘Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler!’ The rest of the group (and a few bystanders) are put on to the bird when it flies to a nearer tree. It flits around the near tree which it shares with a Wood Warbler and a Chiffchaff for comparison. It is a soft, pale grey around the head and mantle, with a gleaming bright olive green rump between its long wings. The face is very plain with an indistinct supercillium (eyebrow) and an almost spectacled look thanks to a broad paler crescent below the eye which give the face a very open look. ‘This is amazing’ adds Steve to the running commentary he is providing to everyone to keep up with the birds movements. We all get brilliant views of this most unexpected find, which is not only a Lesbos tick for Mark and Steve, but a lifer for them both too!

The drive south to Skala Erossou is a happy one. We’ve already seen a hat load of goodies already, and Skala Erossou being a south facing river mouth promises more gems. On arrival things seem quiet. A few Wood Sands, Ruff, Little Stints, Little Ringed Plovers, Common Sand. No wagtails, no more unusual waders. A Little Bittern adds interest, as does a couple of Lesser Grey Shrikes – making it five for the day. A Whinchat is seen bathing in a still part of the river. The air though is an aerial soup of hirundines and swifts. House Martins in particularly are everywhere. Steve picks up a swift with a white rump in the distance. He gives directions but is unable to get anyone else on to it, and it disappears north as fast as it arrived. Steve confirms that with its small size and square tail it was a Little Swift (first for Lesbos) and is frustrated he was unable to get anyone else to see it. During the search for it, frustration is compounded when the Alpine Swifts Steve points out can’t be seen by the others either! We move along the river when Mark radios that he has got a Citrine Wagtail. All out of the vans and there is not one, but three Citrines! Of the 12 seen on the island in the last week, Mark and Steve have now found nine of them! There is a male and two females (one bright, one dull). The male is by far the best we’ve seen, with his clean black collar and bright yellow head. While we are enjoying them, Steve picks up some Alpine Swifts. Everyone eventually gets on to them, but although significantly closer than the previous birds, they still aren’t close. Some watch the wagtails, some the swifts when Steve points out three Alpines right over our heads. ‘Now that’s more like it’ comments Alan.

Everything on the river suddenly jumps up. ‘Snake!’ yells Mark. Its obvious where it is, as the Wood Sands and the three Citrine Wagtails are mobbing a Grass Snake as it crosses the river. The Citrine Wags show how bold small birds can be, with all three hovering over the snake, landing right next to it calling and flapping their wings furiously. The snake slides into the grass and after a few seconds the danger passes. The birds don’t stand down from high alert though for a couple of minutes – with most birds sat on prominent rocks, looking round and giving he occasional call before eventually deciding the danger has truly passed and they resume feeding.

With time pressing we head for the ford which is very quiet. We walk down to the beach and looking at the sea, the first thing we notice is the huge number of hirundines coming in off the sea. Over the sea Yelkouan Shearwaters can be seen in all directions and at all distances. ‘Cory’s Shearwater close in going right!’ yells Mark. We all fix on a point over a dead tree trunk and sure enough, a fine Cory’s Shearwater ‘shears’ in to view, wheeling high and sweeping low over the sea, banking from side to side so we can all see the key features. The sea is alive and we are all alive with anticipation. A few more Cory’s are shouted, but all a rather distant until a couple more a bit neared come through, including one which flies west, does a huge sweeping arc then returns east. Fantastic!

Time flies and before we know it we are running late, so we have to drive straight back to the hotel skipping the last stop (Devil’s Bridge), but no one minds. We have had a fantastic day of land and pelagic migration and at dinner and after the checklist, we discuss plans for what we hope will be a repeat performance tomorrow.

Day 7. Our last day, so we all meet up at 0645h for another pre-breakfast visit to the lower East River. It is a glorious morning – bright, warm and perfectly still. At the rivermouth, yesterday’s first-summer Mediterranean Gull has been replaced with two fine second-summer birds with full, black hoods. In the bushes along the beach there is both Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrikes. Although distant, they are lit up by the morning sun brilliantly. We head to the ford which is even more alive with birds than yesterday. The meter of air above the water is like a swarming mass as hundreds of swallows and martins feed in a frenzy of activity. In the bright sun and over the still river it is mesmerising to watch them. The wires are lined with birds fresh from battle, enjoying the warm sun and repairing feathers with good preen before resuming the attack on the flies. Yesterday’s two Lesser Grey Shrikes are still present and a female Little Bittern skulks in the reeds. The increase in hirundines is mirrored by the increase in Black-Headed Buntings. They seem to be dotted around everywhere, with five in one bush, another four on wires nearby, and more behind us. Stunning! It’s immediately obvious that Temminck’s Stints are also up, with seven by the ford, and in the drive along the river, we pick out over 20 birds! Ten Squacco Herons is also our biggest number for any day. The Bee-eaters are even more stunning than yesterday. There is more of them and they are hanging from every tree, bush and wire like rainbow decorations. A couple more Red-backed Shrikes, Great Reed and Olivaceous Warblers, Nightingale and several Curlew Sandpipers complete a cracking early morning.

After breakfast we head to Parakila Marsh, but it doesn’t take us long to see that it is dead with only a couple of Moorhens and Black-winged Stilts in residence. Devil’s Bridge is also quiet on arrival. A Golden Oriole is heard singing from above us and is eventually pinned down. On the walk up to the chapel, a male Cirl Bunting carrying food is perched in a dead bush. At the chapel we scan the slopes and bushes for anything, but apart from a displaying Greenfinch and a pair of Blue Tits, nothing. The sky begins to get busy with a steady flow of hirundines and Common Swifts. Steve points out the first of a dozen or so Alpine Swifts to pass over. All the Common Swifts are checked carefully, but still no joy at turning one of them into a Pallid! Single Eleanor’s Falcon, Hobby and Long-legged Buzzard at least provide us with some raptor activity briefly. ‘Sombre Tit!’ shouts Mark pointing to a small bird flying across the slope. It flies straight across us and lands nearby and for a couple of minutes performs brilliantly and we all get good views, including Dorothy and Lynn who missed the bird earlier in the week.

We head up the Potamia Valley. The sky is darkening and the temperature dropping. Potamia is very quiet and after the excitement of the East River and the Sombre Tit, is disappointing. On the reservoir there is a pair of Little Grebes, and there is a steady stream of hirundines moving upstream, but the olive groves are largely deserted with only a handful of birds to show for our efforts – Masked, Woodchat and Red-backed Shrikes and a single Spotted Flycatcher. Raptor-wise we see only a Peregrine and a Long-legged Buzzard. We return to the vans for lunch for half-hour or so by a largely bird-free dam. Woodchat and Masked Shrikes, frogs and damselflies keep us amused.

We move on down to the eastern end of the Kalloni Saltpans where a White Wagtail greets us. The first of what builds up to be a flock of 29 White-winged Black Terns is over the nearest pan, and Mark picks up nine Gull-billed Terns which do a splendid fly-past within meters of us.

We head on round to the western side of the pans where there are large numbers of Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stints and a single Marsh Sandpiper. At the southern end of the pans we pull up to one of those ‘wow!’ moments. On the overhead wires running away from us are 16 Red-footed Falcons! All together now ‘Wow!’. There is a mix of slate blue adult males, rusty females and a couple of first-summer males – a few brown feathers showing in their blue coat. The birds are strung out along the wires, each surveying the ground below and nearby airspace for prey. There is a constant procession of birds launching themselves off the wires to either dive straight to the ground or to sweep elegantly over the field, either hovering before a plunge to the floor, or catching insects on the wing, before returning to the wires. If the Red-foots weren’t enough, half a dozen Collared Pratincoles begin hawking around the same field. Their hunting approach starts from the ground, with birds lifting, hawking low over the ground, twisting and turning to catch their prey on the wing, or occasionally running around plover style after insects. The sight of these two aerial feeders together is superb and occupies us for quite some time. Even a couple of Bee-eaters can’t detract us from the show. Short-toed Lark, Marsh Harrier and Spanish Sparrow are also seen. A Lesser Grey Shrike eventually gets a look in, and Mark pulls Purple Heron out of the bag when he spies one flapping along the shore towards east river. All but Ray, who was still busy photographing the Red-foots, get on to it before it drops into the marsh out of view.

We eventually continue down to the saltworks where we check the field pools and the pans. All the waders are checked just in case something is lurking, but nothing new is found. A Swallowtail butterfly gives very good views.

We head towards the East River when a ring-tail harrier stops us in our tracks. With seemingly mixed features we debate whether it is a Montagu’s or a Pallid, but in the end Mark and Steve pronounce it as a Monties. Schucks! At the East River we are treated to another aerial frenzy of feeding swallows and martins over the ford. Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers feed together. There is no sign of all the Temminck’s Stint from the morning – an obvious sign of birds arriving overnight/early morning and moving off during the day.

At the rivermouth we pick up the Monties again circling high above us. Val notices another bird circling with it. Its very high but eventually scopes are trained to the near vertical to identify it as a female Sparrowhawk. Both birds gain height and drift north – more migration in action. The hoped for relocation of the Purple Heron doesn’t happen but four Squacco Herons feed from the floating mats of weed in the middle of the river.

Offered an early return for packing or more birding the response from everyone is unanimous! We jump in the vans and make our way to north of Kalloni. We’ve been here before, and the group’s excitement about returning is very obvious. We quietly make our way along the track and are soon looking up into an eucalyptus tree at the two Scops Owls we made friends with earlier in the week. They seem relaxed. One bird is all plumped up, while the other is more sleek and upright, with ear tufts raised, and a slight kink of the neck – doing a very convincing impersonation of a broken stump. The ‘stump’ bird looks fast asleep, but the plump one has one eye just open – we are being watched!

‘What a fitting end to a superb week’ says Lesley as we retreat to the vans and make a subdued return to the hotel for packing, dinner and the last checklist of the week.

Over dinner we are soon recounting some of the weeks many highlights. After the checklist Bee-eater (and what views we had) is voted species of the trip. East River (with its clouds of hirundines and numerous migrants) takes place of the trip and the two Scops Owls sweep the magic moment title.

Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Cory’s Shearwater
Yelkouan Mediterranean Shearwater
Cormorant
Shag
Little Bittern
Night Heron
Squacco Heron
Little Egret
Great White Egret
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
Black Stork
White Stork
Glossy Ibis
Greater Flamingo
Ruddy Shelduck
Common Shelduck
Shoveler
Pintail
Garganey
Short-toed Eagle
Marsh Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Sparrowhawk
Common Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Lesser Kestrel
Common Kestrel
Red-footed Falcon
Hobby
Eleanora’s Falcon
Peregrine
Water Rail
Little Crake
Moorhen
Coot
Black-winged Stilt
Avocet
Stone-curlew
Collared Pratincole
Little Ringed Plover
Kentish Plover
Ringed Plover
Little Stint
Temminck's Stint
Curlew Sandpiper
Ruff
Common Snipe
Curlew
Common Redshank
Marsh Sandpiper
Greenshank
Green Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Mediterranean Gull
Black-headed Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Sandwich Tern
Gull-billed Tern
Common Tern
Little Tern
Whiskered Tern
White-winged Black Tern
Rock Dove
Collared Dove
Turtle Dove
Cuckoo
Scops Owl
Little Owl
Common Swift
Alpine Swift
European Bee-eater
Roller
Hoopoe
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Short-toed Lark
Crested Lark
Sand Martin
Crag Martin
Barn Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
House Martin
Tawny Pipit
Tree Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
'Blue-headed' Yellow Wagtail
‘Grey-headed’ Yellow Wagtail
'Black-headed' Yellow Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail
White Wagtail
Nightingale
Common Redstart
Whinchat
Stonechat
Isabelline Wheatear
Northern Wheatear
Black-eared Wheatear
Blue Rock Thrush
Blackbird
Mistle Thrush
Cetti's Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warbler
Great Reed Warbler
Olivaceous Warbler
Subalpine Warbler
Rüppell's Warbler
Orphean Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Common Whitethroat
Blackcap
Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler
Wood Warbler
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Spotted Flycatcher
Collared Flycatcher
Pied Flycatcher
Sombre Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Krüper's Nuthatch
Rock Nuthatch
Short-toed Treecreeper
Golden Oriole
Red-backed Shrike
Lesser Grey Shrike
Woodchat Shrike
Masked Shrike
Jay
Jackdaw
Hooded Crow
Raven
House Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow
Rock Sparrow
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Cirl Bunting
Cinereous Bunting
Ortolan Bunting
Cretzschmar's Bunting
Black-headed Bunting
Corn Bunting

Marsh Frog
Balkan Wall Lizard
Stripe-necked Terrapin
Grass Snake
Glass Snake
Agama Lizard
Snake-eyed Skink

Persian Squirrel
Eastern Hedgehog (deceased)
Beech Marten (deceased)

Dung Beetle
Carpenter Bee
Ladybird
Cardinal Beetle

Lesser Emperor
Caliaeschna microstigma
White-legged Damselfly

Scarce Swallowtail
Swallowtail
Small White
Large White
Wall Brown
Large Wall Brown
Small Heath
Orange Tip
Eastern Festoon
Clouded Yellow
Painted Lady
Green-underside Blue
Small Copper
Red Admiral
Painted Lady
Brown Argus

Humming-bird Hawk-moth

Lesvos spring 2007

2007-05-12T12:21:00.000Z

Trip list for 26 April - 10 May 2007

26 April - 3 May with Speyside Widlife group
3 - 10 May holiday with wife Liz (* additional to previous week)

Little Grebe
Yelkouan Shearwater
Scopoli’s Shearwater
Cormorant
Shag
Little Bittern
Night Heron
Squacco Heron
Little Egret
Great White Egret
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
Black Stork
White Stork
Glossy Ibis
Greater Flamingo
Ruddy Shelduck
Common Shelduck
Honey-buzzard
Short-toed Eagle
Booted Eagle *
Marsh Harrier
Hen Harrier *
Black Kite *
Goshawk
Sparrowhawk
Common Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Lesser Kestrel
Red-footed Falcon
Hobby
Eleanora’s Falcon
Peregrine
Chukar
Quail
Spotted Crake
Little Crake
Baillon’sCrake
Moorhen
Coot
Black-winged Stilt
Avocet
Stone-curlew
Collared Pratincole
Little Ringed Plover
Kentish Plover
Grey Plover
Little Stint
Temminck's Stint
Curlew Sandpiper
Dunlin
Knot
Ruff
Black-tailed Godwit
Spotted Redshank
Common Redshank
Greenshank
Marsh Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Mediterranean Gull *
Slender-billed Gull *
Audouin’s Gull *
Yellow-legged Gull
Gull-billed Tern *
Common Tern
Little Tern
Whiskered Tern
White-winged Black Tern
Woodpigeon *
Rock Dove
Collared Dove
Turtle Dove
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Cuckoo
Scops Owl
Little Owl
Long-eared Owl (heard only)*
Barn Owl (heard only)*
Pallid Swift *
Common Swift
Alpine Swift
European Bee-eater
Roller
Hoopoe
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Short-toed Lark
Crested Lark
Woodlark
Sand Martin
Crag Martin
Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
House Martin
Tree Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
'Blue-headed' Yellow Wagtail
‘Grey-headed’ Yellow Wagtail
'Black-headed' Yellow Wagtail
White Wagtail
Wren (heard only)
Robin
Nightingale
Rufous Bush Robin *
Whinchat
Stonechat
Isabelline Wheatear
Black-eared Wheatear
Blue Rock Thrush
Blackbird
Mistle Thrush
Song Thrush *
Cetti's Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warbler
Great Reed Warbler
River Warbler (heard only)
Olivaceous Warbler
Olive-tree Warbler
Icterine Warbler *
Subalpine Warbler
Rüppell’s Warbler
Orphean Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Common Whitethroat
Blackcap *
Wood Warbler
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler
Spotted Flycatcher
Collared Flycatcher
Pied Flycatcher
Sombre Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Wood Nutchatch
Krüper’s Nuthatch
Rock Nuthatch
Short-toed Treecreeper
Golden Oriole
Red-backed Shrike
Lesser Grey Shrike
Woodchat Shrike
Masked Shrike
Jay
Jackdaw
Hooded Crow
Raven
House Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow
Rock Sparrow *
Chaffinch
Serin
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Cirl Bunting
Cinereous Bunting
Ortolan Bunting
Cretzschmar’s Bunting
Black-headed Bunting
Corn Bunting

162 species

Amphibians and Reptiles
Marsh Frog
Balkan Green Lizard
Balkan Wall Lizard
Agama Lizard
Turkish Gecko
Glass Snake (deceased)
Stripe-necked Terrapin
European Pond Terrapin (Tortoise)
Spur-thighed Tortoise

Mammals
Persian Squirrel
Red Fox
Eastern Hedgehog (deceased)
Beech Marten (deceased)

Insects
Egyptian Grasshopper
Dung Beetle
Small Skimmer
Broad-bodied Chaser
Small Pincertail
Scarce Swallowtail
Swallowtail
Black-veined White
Green-veined White
Small White
Large White
Wall Brown
Large Wall Brown
Small Heath
Orange Tip
Clouded Yellow
Painted Lady
False Apollo
Gatekeeper
Red Admiral
Small Copper
Orbed Red Underwing Skipper
Mallow Skipper
Wall
Meadow Brown
Woodland Grayling
Rock Grayling
Giant Peacock Moth
Thread Lacewing

Farcet Fen List

2006-12-28T17:39:00.000Z

1, Little Grebe
2, Great Crested Grebe
3, Cormorant
4, Eurasian Bittern
5, Little Egret
6, Grey Heron
7, Mute Swan
8, Whooper Swan
9, Pink-footed Goose
10, European White-fronted Goose
11, Greylag Goose
12, Canada Goose
13, Barnacle Goose
14, Egyptian Goose
15, Shelduck
16, Eurasian Wigeon
17, Gadwall
18, European Teal
19, Mallard
20, Northern Pintail
21, Garganey
22, Northern Shoveler
23, Northern Pochard
24, Tufted Duck
25, Goldeneye
26, Ruddy Duck
27, Honey-buzzard
28, Red Kite
29, Marsh Harrier
30, Hen Harrier
31, Goshawk
32, Sparrowhawk
33, Buzzard
34, Osprey
35, Kestrel
36, Merlin
37, Hobby
38, Peregrine
39, Red-legged Partridge
40, Grey Partridge
41, Quail
42, Pheasant
43, Water Rail
44, Moorhen
45, Coot
46, Oystercatcher
47, Dotterel
48, American Golden Plover
49, European Golden Plover
50, Lapwing
51, Jack Snipe
52, Common Snipe
53, Woodcock
54, Whimbrel
55, Curlew
56, Redshank
57, Greenshank
58, Green Sandpiper
59, Common Sandpiper
60, Mediterranean Gull
61, Black-headed Gull
62, Common Gull
63, Herring Gull
64, Lesser Black-backed Gull
65, Great Black-backed Gull
66, Common Tern
67, Black Tern
68, Rock Dove
69, Stock Dove
70, Woodpigeon
71, Collared Dove
72, Turtle Dove
73, Ring-necked Parakeet
74, Cuckoo
75, Barn Owl
76, Little Owl
77, Tawny Owl
78, Long-eared Owl
79, Short-eared Owl
80, Swift
81, Kingfisher
82, Green Woodpecker
83, Great Spotted Woodpecker
84, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
85, Skylark
86, Sand Martin
87, Swallow
88, House Martin
89, Tree Pipit
90, Meadow Pipit
91, Yellow Wagtail
92, Grey Wagtail
93, Pied Wagtail
94, Wren
95, Dunnock
96, Robin
97, Whinchat
98, Stonechat
99, Northern Wheatear
100, Ring Ouzel
101, Blackbird
102, Fieldfare
103, Song Thrush
104, Redwing
105, Mistle Thrush
106, Grasshopper Warbler
107, Sedge Warbler
108, Reed Warbler
109, Lesser Whitethroat
110, Common Whitethroat
111, Garden Warbler
112, Blackcap
113, Chiffchaff
114, Willow Warbler
115, Goldcrest
116, Spotted Flycatcher
117, Pied Flycatcher
118, Long-tailed Tit
119, Blue Tit
120, Great Tit
121, Jay
122, Magpie
123, Jackdaw
124, Rook
125, Carrion Crow
126, Starling
127, House Sparrow
128, Tree Sparrow
129, Chaffinch
130, Brambling
131, Greenfinch
132, Goldfinch
133, Eurasian Siskin
134, Linnet
135, Twite
136, Common Crossbill
137, Bullfinch
138, Yellowhammer
139, Reed Bunting
140, Corn Bunting

Garden moth list

2006-06-13T09:25:00.005Z

1. 15, Orange Swift, Hepialus sylvina, 10/08/2005
2. 17, Common Swift, Hepialus lupulinus, 10/06/2005
3. 294, Aspilapteryx tringipennella, 02/08/2005
4. 424, Bird Cherry Ermine, Yponomeuta evonymella, 15/07/2005
5. 427, Spindle Ermine, Yponomeuta cagnagella, 10/08/2005
6. 566, Coleophora sternipennella, 10/08/2005
7. 609, Elachista maculicerusella, 10/06/2005
8. 647, Brown House Moth, Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 02/07/2005
9. 648, White-shouldered House Moth, Endrosis sarcitrella, 10/06/2005
10. 672, Parsnip Moth, Depressaria pastinacella, 14/09/2005
11. 695, Agonopterix alstromeriana, 16/07/2005
12. 779, Bryotropha affinis, 15/06/2005
13. 870, Oegoconia quadripuncta, 20/07/2005
14. 871, Oegoconia deauratella, 15/07/2005
15. 874, Blastobasis decolorella, 09/10/2005
16. 898, Limnaecia phragmitella, 11/08/2005
17. 925, Phtheochroa rugosana, 08/06/2005
18. 937, Agapeta hamana, 10/06/2005
19. 947, Aethes smeathmanniana, 29/07/2005
20. 965, Cochylis hybridella, 10/08/2005
21. 972, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix, Pandemis heparana, 12/07/2005
22. 974, Argyrotaenia ljungiana, 10/08/2005
23. 977, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix, Archips podana, 20/07/2005
24. 985, Carnation Tortrix, Cacoecimorpha pronubana, 20/07/2005
25. 989, Timothy Tortrix, Aphelia paleana, 06/07/2005
26. 994, Clepsis consimilana, 30/06/2005
27. 1010, Red-barred Tortrix, Ditula angustiorana, 13/07/2005
28. 1016, Cnephasia longana, 12/07/2005
29. 1020, Grey Tortrix, Cnephasia stephensiana, 30/06/2005
30. 1021, Flax Tortrix, Cnephasia asseclana, 30/06/2005
31. 1022, Cnephasia pasiuana, 12/07/2005
32. 1023, Cnephasia genitalana, 29/07/2005
33. 1036, Acleris forsskaleana, 29/07/2005
34. 1041, Acleris sparsana, 09/10/2005
35. 1042, Rhomboid Tortrix, Acleris rhombana, 14/09/2005
36. 1063, Celypha striana, 15/06/2005
37. 1076, Celypha lacunana, 03/06/2005
38. 1097, Endothenia gentianaeana, 14/09/2005
39. 1104, Endothenia quadrimaculana, 17/06/2005
40. 1108, Lobesia abscisana, 12/07/2005
41. 1110, Bactra furfurana, 10/06/2005
42. 1183, Epiblema foenella, 11/08/2005
43. 1197, Eucosma campoliliana, 02/07/2005
44. 1201, Eucosma cana, 15/07/2005
45. 1205, Bud Moth, Spilonota ocellana, 10/08/2005
46. 1261, Codling Moth, Cydia pomonella, 29/07/2005
47. 1290, Chilo phragmitella, 08/06/2005
48. 1292, Calamotropha paludella, 02/07/2005
49. 1293, Garden Grass-veneer, Chrysoteuchia culmella, 30/06/2005
50. 1302, Crambus perlella, 30/06/2005
51. 1303, Agriphila selasella, 11/08/2005
52. 1304, Agriphila straminella, 08/08/2005
53. 1309, Agriphila geniculea, 16/08/2005
54. 1313, Catoptria pinella, 11/08/2005
55. 1316, Catoptria falsella, 11/08/2005
56. 1328, Schoenobius gigantella, 04/07/2005
57. 1329, Donacaula forficella, 04/07/2005
58. 1332, Scoparia subfusca, 04/07/2005
59. 1340, Eudonia truncicolella, 06/07/2005
60. 1345, Brown China Mark, Elophila nymphaeata, 15/07/2005
61. 1348, Ringed China Mark, Parapoynx stratiotata, 20/07/2005
62. 1356, Garden Pebble, Evergestis forficalis, 27/08/2005
63. 1371, Sitochroa verticalis, 01/07/2005
64. 1375, European Corn Borer, Ostrinia nubilalis, 22/07/2005
65. 1376, Small Magpie, Eurrhypara hortulata, 03/06/2005
66. 1380, Phlyctaenia perlucidalis, 30/06/2005
67. 1388, Udea lutealis, 20/07/2005
68. 1405, Mother of Pearl, Pleuroptya ruralis, 02/07/2005
69. 1413, Gold Triangle, Hypsopygia costalis, 30/06/2005
70. 1415, Orthopygia glaucinalis, 17/07/2005
71. 1417, Meal Moth, Pyralis farinalis, 17/07/2005
72. 1421, Large Tabby, Aglossa pinguinalis, 17/07/2005
73. 1424, Endotricha flammealis, 04/07/2005
74. 1425, Wax Moth, Galleria mellonella, 29/07/2005
75. 1428, Bee Moth, Aphomia sociella, 02/07/2005
76. 1439, Trachycera advenella, 11/08/2005
77. 1458, Thistle Ermine, Myelois circumvoluta, 15/06/2005
78. 1470, Euzophera pinguis, 15/07/2005
79. 1504, Platyptilia pallidactyla, 04/07/2005
80. 1513, White Plume Moth, Pterophorus pentadactyla, 30/06/2005
81. 1524, Emmelina monodactyla, 02/08/2005
82. 1632, Pale Mottled Rustic, Trichiura crataegi, 30/05/2005
83. 1640, Drinker, Euthrix potatoria, 13/07/2005
84. 1651, Chinese Character, Cilix glaucata, 16/07/2005
85. 1653, Buff Arches, Habrosyne pyritoides, 02/07/2005
86. 1654, Figure of Eighty, Tethea ocularis octogesimea, 27/05/2006
87. 1682, Blood-vein, Timandra comae, 22/07/2005
88. 1690, Small Blood-vein, Scopula imitaria, 20/07/2005
89. 1692, Lesser Cream Wave, Scopula immutata, 04/07/2005
90. 1693, Cream Wave, Scopula floslactata, 02/07/2005
91. 1705, Dwarf Cream Wave, Idaea fuscovenosa, 02/07/2005
92. 1707, Small Dusty Wave, Idaea seriata, 13/07/2005
93. 1708, Single-dotted Wave, Idaea dimidiata, 03/07/2005
94. 1713, Riband Wave, Idaea aversata, 30/06/2005
95. 1724, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Xanthorhoe spadicearia, 16/07/2005
96. 1725, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Xanthorhoe ferrugata, 12/07/2005
97. 1727, Silver-ground Carpet, Xanthorhoe montanata, 29/05/2005
98. 1728, Garden Carpet, Xanthorhoe fluctuata fluctuata, 16/07/2005
99. 1738, Common Carpet, Epirrhoe alternata, 04/07/2005
100. 1742, Yellow Shell, Camptogramma bilineata, 02/07/2005
101. 1749, Dark Spinich, Pelurga comitata, 30/06/2005
102. 1758, Barred Straw, Eulithis pyraliata, 30/06/2005
103. 1776, Green Carpet, Colostygia pectinataria, 16/05/2005
104. 1777, July Highflyer, Hydriomena furcata, 29/07/2005
105. 1803, Small Rivulet, Perizoma alchemillata, 03/07/2005
106. 1808, Sandy Carpet, Perizoma flavofasciata, 14/06/2005
107. 1825, Lime Speck Pug, Eupithecia centaureata, 02/07/2005
108. 1827, Freyer's Pug, Eupithecia intricata, 14/06/2006
109. 1830, Wormwood Pug, Eupithecia absinthiata, 13/07/2005
110. 1834, Common Pug, Eupithecia vulgata, 08/07/2005
111. 1837, Grey Pug, Eupithecia subfuscata, 30/06/2005
112. 1839, Bordered Pug, Eupithecia succenturiata, 20/07/2005
113. 1851, Golden-rod Pug, Eupithecia virgaureata, 13/07/2005
114. 1860, Green Pug, Pasiphila rectangulata, 14/06/2005
115. 1862, Double-striped Pug, Gymnoscelis rufifasciata, 30/08/2005
116. 1867, Treble Bar, Aplocera plagiata, 01/09/2005
117. 1887, Clouded Border, Lomaspilis marginata, 04/07/2005
118. 1893, Tawny-barred Angle, Macaria liturata, 06/07/3006
119. 1894, Latticed Heath, Chiasmia clathrata, 31/08/2005
120. 1906, Brimstone Moth, Opisthograptis luteolata, 16/05/2005
121. 1917, Early Thorn, Selenia dentaria, 15/07/2005
122. 1919, Purple Thorn, Selenia tetralunaria, 17/07/2005
123. 1921, Scalloped Oak, Crocallis elinguaria, 20/07/2005
124. 1922, Swallow-tailed Moth, Ourapteryx sambucaria, 04/07/2005
125. 1931, Peppered Moth, Biston betularia, 02/07/2005
126. 1937, Willow Beauty, Peribatodes rhomboidaria, 10/06/2005
127. 1941, Mottled Beauty, Alcis repandata, 16/08/2005
128. 1947, Engrailed, Ectropis bistortata, 06/09/2005
129. 1956, Common Wave, Cabera exanthemata, 13/06/2006
130. 1961, Light Emerald, Campaea margaritata, 30/08/2005
131. 1976, Privet Hawk-moth, Sphinx ligustri, 15/06/2005
132. 1979, Lime Hawk-moth, Mimas tiliae, 05/06/2005
133. 1980, Eyed Hawk-moth, Smerinthus ocellata, 07/06/2004
134. 1981, Poplar Hawk-moth, Laothoe populi, 08/06/2005
135. 1984, Humming-bird Hawk-moth, Macroglossum stellatarum, 29/08/2005
136. 1991, Elephant Hawk-moth, Deilephila elpenor, 05/06/2005
137. 1994, Buff-tip, Phalera bucephala, 14/06/2006
138. 1995, Puss Moth, Cerura vinula, 16/05/2005
139. 1997, Sallow Kitten, Furcula furcula, 17/07/2005
140. 2000, Iron Prominent, Notodonta dromedarius, 29/07/2005
141. 2003, Pebble Prominent, Notodonta ziczac, 16/05/2005
142. 2007, Swallow Prominent, Pheosia tremula, 16/05/2005
143. 2009, Maple Prominent, Ptilodontella cucullina, 02/07/2006
144. 2011, Pale Prominent, Pterostoma palpina, 16/05/2005
145. 2028, Pale Tussock, Calliteara pudibunda, 29/05/2006
146. 2030, Yellow-tail, Euproctis similis, 13/07/2005
147. 2031, White Satin Moth, Leucoma salicis, 13/07/2005
148. 2044, Dingy Footman, Eilema griseola, 08/07/2005
149. 2047, Scarce Footman, Eilema complana, 11/07/2005
150. 2049, Buff Footman, Eilema depressa, 15/07/2005
151. 2050, Common Footman, Eilema lurideola, 30/06/2005
152. 2060, White Ermine, Spilosoma lubricipeda, 16/05/2005
153. 2061, Buff Ermine, Spilosoma luteum, 29/05/2005
154. 2063, Muslin Moth, Diaphora mendica, 16/05/2005
155. 2064, Ruby Tiger, Phragmatobia fuliginosa, 15/07/2005
156. 2069, Cinnabar, Tyria jacobaeae, 30/05/2005
157. 2077, Short-cloaked Moth, Nola cucullatella, 08/07/2005
158. 2087, Turnip Moth, Agrotis segetum, 30/05/2005
159. 2088, Heart and Club, Agrotis clavis, 29/05/2006
160. 2089, Heart and Dart, Agrotis exclamationis, 03/06/2005
161. 2092, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Agrotis puta, 29/05/2005
162. 2098, Flame, Axylia putris, 03/06/2005
163. 2102, Flame Shoulder, Ochropleura plecta, 29/05/2005
164. 2107, Large Yellow Underwing, Noctua pronuba, 30/06/2005
165. 2109, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Noctua comes, 08/07/2005
166. 2110, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Noctua fimbriata, 13/07/2005
167. 2111, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Noctua janthe, 29/07/2005
168. 2112, Least Yellow Underwing, Noctua interjecta caliginosa, 20/07/2005
169. 2123, Small Square-spot, Diarsia rubi, 10/08/2005
170. 2126, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Xestia c-nigrum, 29/05/2005
171. 2127, Triple-spotted Clay, Xestia ditrapezium, 08/07/2005
172. 2128, Double Square-spot, Xestia triangulum, 02/07/2005
173. 2134, Square-spot Rustic, Xestia xanthographa, 06/08/2005
174. 2136, Gothic, Naenia typica, 03/07/2005
175. 2145, Nutmeg, Discestra trifolii, 05/06/2005
176. 2154, Cabbage Moth, Mamestra brassicae, 21/07/2005
177. 2155, Dot Moth, Melanchra persicariae, 30/06/2005
178. 2158, Pale-shouldered Brocade, Lacanobia thalassina, 01/06/2005
179. 2159, Dog's Tooth, Lacanobia suasa, 05/06/2005
180. 2160, Bright-line Brown-eye, Lacanobia oleracea, 29/05/2005
181. 2164, Broad-barred White, Hecatera bicolorata, 12/07/2005
182. 2173, Lychnis, Hadena bicruris, 17/06/2005
183. 2193, Clay, Mythimna ferrago, 08/07/2005
184. 2198, Smoky Wainscot, Mythimna impura, 03/07/2005
185. 2199, Common Wainscot, Mythimna pallens, 16/05/2005
186. 2216, Shark, Cucullia umbratica, 13/07/2005
187. 2231, Deep Brown Dart, Aporophyla lutulenta, 09/10/2005
188. 2269, Centre-barred Sallow, Atethmia centrago, 30/08/2005
189. 2270, Lunar Underwing, Omphaloscelis lunosa, 20/09/2005
190. 2273, Pink-barred Sallow, Xanthia togata, 21/09/2005
191. 2278, Poplar Grey, Acronicta megacephala, 30/06/2005
192. 2281, Alder Moth, Acronicta alni, 29/05/2005
193. 2284, Grey Dagger, Acronicta psi, 03/07/2005
194. 2289, Knot Grass, Acronicta rumicis, 08/08/2005
195. 2293, Marbled Beauty, Cryphia domestica, 15/07/2005
196. 2297, Copper Underwing, Amphipyra pyramidea, 10/08/2005
197. 2299, Mouse Moth, Amphipyra tragopoginis, 28/07/2005
198. 2301, Birds Wing, Dypterygia scabriuscula, 06/07/2005
199. 2302, Brown Rustic, Rusina ferruginea, 10/06/2005
200. 2303, Straw Underwing, Thalpophila matura, 08/08/2005
201. 2306, Angle Shades, Phlogophora meticulosa, 16/05/2005
202. 2314, Dingy Shears, Parastichtis ypsillon, 04/07/2006
203. 2317, White-spotted Pinion, Cosmia diffinis, 12/08/2005
204. 2318, Dun-bar, Cosmia trapezina, 17/07/2005
205. 2321, Dark Arches, Apamea monoglypha, 17/06/2005
206. 2322, Light Arches, Apamea lithoxylaea, 02/07/2005
207. 2331, Small Clouded Brindle, Apamea unanimis, 05/06/2005
208. 2333, Large Nutmeg, Apamea anceps, 29/05/2005
209. 2334, Rustic Shoulder-knot, Apamea sordens, 16/05/2005
210. 2336, Double Lobed, Apamea ophiogramma, 19/07/2006
211. 2337, Marbled Minor, Oligia strigilis, 29/05/2005
212. 2338, Rufous Minor, Oligia versicolor, 29/05/2005
213. 2339, Tawny Marbled Minor, Oligia latruncula, 03/06/2005
214. 2340, Middle-barred Minor, Oligia fasciuncula, 10/06/2005
215. 2341, Cloaked Minor, Mesoligia furuncula, 17/07/2005
216. 2343, Common Rustic, Mesapamea secalis, 11/08/2005
217. 2349, Mere Wainscot, Chortodes fluxa, 15/07/2005
218. 2352, Dusky Sallow, Eremobia ochroleuca, 12/07/2005
219. 2353, Flounced Rustic, Luperina testacea, 04/08/2005
220. 2361, Rosy Rustic, Hydraecia micacea, 12/08/2005
221. 2364, Frosted Orange, Gortyna flavago, 14/09/2005
222. 2368, Crescent, Celaena leucostigma, 02/08/2005
223. 2369, Bulrush Wainscot, Nonagria typhae, 01/09/2005
224. 2370, Twin-spotted Wainscot, Archanara geminipuncta, 08/08/2005
225. 2373, Webb's Wainscot, Archanara sparganii, 30/08/2005
226. 2377, Fen Wainscot, Arenostola phragmitidis, 30/06/2005
227. 2380, Treble Lines, Charanyca trigrammica, 13/06/2006
228. 2381, Uncertain, Hoplodrina alsines, 30/06/2005
229. 2382, Rustic, Hoplodrina blanda, 30/06/2005
230. 2384, Vine's Rustic, Hoplodrina ambigua, 14/06/2005
231. 2385, Spodoptera exigua, Small Mottled Willow, 28/07/2006
232. 2387, Mottled Rustic, Caradrina morpheus, 30/06/2005
233. 2418, Cream-bordered Green Pea, Earias clorana, 17/06/2005
234. 2422, Green Silver Lines, Pseudoips prasinana britannica, 12/06/2006
235. 2434, Burnished Brass, Diachrysia chrysitis, 10/06/2005
236. 2441, Silver Y, Autographa gamma, 30/05/2005
237. 2450, Spectacle, Abrostola tripartita, 01/06/2005
238. 2452, Red Underwing, Catocala nupta, 08/08/2005
239. 2469, Herald, Scoliopteryx libatrix, 01/08/2005
240. 2474, Straw Dot, Rivula sericealis, 10/06/2005
241. 2477, Snout, Hypena proboscidalis, 30/06/2005
242. 2480, Buttoned Snout, Hypena rostralis, 05/06/2005
243. 2489, Fan-foot, Zanclognatha tarsipennalis, 02/07/2005
244. 2336, Double Lobed, Apamea ophiogramma, 19/07/2006
245. 2385, Small Mottled Willow, Spodoptera exigua, 28/07/2006
246. 2137, Great Brocade, Eurois occulta, 04/08/2006
247. 0464, Diamond-back Moth, Plutella xylostella, 11/09/2006
248. 1716, Vestal, Rhodometra sacraria, 13/09/2006
249. 2243, Early Grey, Xylocampa areola, 05/04/2007
250. 2188, Clouded Drab, Orthosia incerta, 05/04/2007
251. 2186, Powdered Quaker, Orthosia gracilis, 05/04/2007
252. 2180, Hebrew Character, Orthosia gothica, 05/04/2007
253. 2182, Small Qauker, Orthosia cruda, 05/04/2007
254. 2187, Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi, 05/04/2007
255. 2139, Red Chestnut, Cerastis rubricosa, 05/04/2007
256. 2081, White-line Dart, Euxoa tritici, 02/08/2007
257. 2035, Round-winged Muslin, Thumatha senex, 06/07/2008
259. 2192, Brown-line Bright Eye, Mythimna conigera, 13/07/2008
260. 2345, Small Dotted Buff, Photedes minima, 14/07/2008
261. 1910, Lilac Beauty, Apeira syringaria, 14/07/2008
262. 1648, Pebble Hook-tip, Drepana falcataria, 06/08/2008
263. 1913, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Ennomos alniaria, 06/08/2008
264. 1978, Pine Hawk-moth, Hyloicus pinastri, 06/08/2008
265. 1835, White-spotted Pug, Eupithecia tripunctaria, 14/08/2008
266. 2019, Chocolate-tip, Clostera curtula, 23/08/2008
267. 1919, Purple Thorn, Selenia tetralunaria, 05/04/2009
268. 1747, Streamer, Anticlea derivata, 13/04/2009
269. 1934, Dotted Border, Agriopis marginaria, 15/04/2009
270. 2280, Miller, Acronicta leporina, 05/07/2009
271. 1699, Least Carpet, Idaea rusticata, 07/07/2009
272, 1702, Small Fan-footed Wave, Idaea biselata, 09/07/2009
273, 1385, Ebulea crocealis, 11/07/2009,
274, 2379, Small Rufous, Coenobia rufa, 11/07/2009
275, 1288, Twenty-plume Moth, Alucita hexadactyla, 11/07/2009
276, 1816, Toadflax Pug, Eupithecia linariata, 19/07/2009
277, 1497, Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, 22/07/2009
278, 1354, Small China-mark, Cataclysta lemnata, 22/07/2009

279, 2008, Coxcomb Prominent, Ptilodon capucina, 01/08/2009

280, 2439, Gold Spot, PLusia festucae, 11/08/2009

Garden List

2006-04-04T14:56:00.000Z

119 Egyptian Goose 15/05/2006
118 Black Tern 05/05/2006
117 Whimbrel 04/04/2006
116 Siskin 21/03/2006
115 Goshawk 03/10/2005
114 Jay 03/10/2005
113 Tree Pipit 22/09/2005
112 Spotted Flycatcher 16/08/2005
111 Lesser Whitethroat 21/07/2005
110 Common Crossbill 17/07/2005
109 Shoveler 16/07/2005
108 Ring-necked Parakeet 12/07/2005
107 Coot 11/04/2005
106 Pochard 31/03/2005
105 Shelduck 26/02/2005
104 Mediterranean Gull 01/02/2005
103 Pink-footed Goose 07/11/2004
102 Reed Warbler 10/08/2004
101 Grey Wagtail 10/08/2004
100 Pied Flycatcher 09/08/2004
99 Red Kite 05/08/2004
98 Quail 13/06/2004
97 Little Grebe 13/04/2004
96 Oystercatcher 12/04/2004
95 Great Crested Grebe 17/03/2004
94 Curlew 05/03/2004
93 Little Egret 16/02/2004
92 Peregrine 19/11/2003
91 Blackcap 11/11/2003
90 Whooper Swan 09/11/2003
89 Redshank 30/10/2003
88 Short-eared Owl 30/10/2003
87 Common Buzzard 23/10/2003
86 Greylag Goose 10/10/2003
85 Hobby 04/09/2003
84 Green Woodpecker 20/08/2003
83 Greenshank 18/08/2003
82 Willow Warbler 06/08/2003
81 Marsh Harrier 01/08/2003
80 Common Sandpiper 30/07/2003
79 Sand Martin 18/07/2003
78 Canada Goose 08/06/2003
77 Moorhen 06/06/2003
76 Sedge Warbler 28/05/2003
75 Osprey 28/05/2003
74 Swift 18/05/2003
73 Cuckoo 15/05/2003
72 Whitethroat 08/05/2003
71 Tufted Duck 08/05/2003
70 House Martin 07/05/2003
69 Common Tern 07/05/2003
68 Turtle Dove 22/04/2003
67 Swallow 14/04/2003
66 Yellow Wagtail 07/04/2003
65 Bullfinch 22/03/2003
64 Barn Owl 19/03/2003
63 Grey Partridge 16/03/2003
62 Snipe 21/02/2003
61 Merlin 16/02/2003
60 European White-fronted Goose 15/02/2003
59 Tawny Owl 13/02/2003
58 Gadwall 12/02/2003
57 Brambling 08/02/2003
56 Goldeneye 07/02/2003
55 Reed Bunting 21/01/2003
54 Tree Sparrow 08/01/2003
53 Yellowhammer 06/01/2003
52 Chiffchaff 01/01/2003
51 Cormorant 01/01/2003
50 Little Owl 30/12/2002
49 Corn Bunting 24/12/2002
48 Green Sandpiper 24/12/2002
47 Mute Swan 24/12/2002
46 Linnet 09/12/2002
45 Goldcrest 09/12/2002
44 Stonechat 09/12/2002
43 Golden Plover 09/12/2002
42 Teal 09/12/2002
41 Grey Heron 09/12/2002
40 Great Spotted Woodpecker 05/12/2002
39 Goldfinch 02/12/2002
38 Herring Gull 02/12/2002
37 Feral Pigeon 30/11/2002
36 Sparrowhawk 30/11/2002
35 Wigeon 30/11/2002
34 Wren 30/11/2002
33 Meadow Pipit 30/11/2002
32 Great Black-backed Gull 30/11/2002
31 Rook 30/11/2002
30 Woodpigeon 30/11/2002
28 Redwing 23/11/2002
27 Dunnock 23/11/2002
27 Fieldfare 23/11/2002
26 Lapwing 23/11/2002
25 Mallard 23/11/2002
24 Long-tailed Tit 30/11/2002
23 Lesser-black Backed Gull 30/11/2002
22 Common Gull 30/11/2002
21 Black-headed Gull 30/11/2002
20 Red-legged Partridge 30/11/2002
19 Greenfinch 30/11/2002
18 Chaffinch 30/11/2002
17 House Sparrow 30/11/2002
16 Starling 30/11/2002
15 Carrion Crow 30/11/2002
14 Jackdaw 30/11/2002
13 Magpie 30/11/2002
12 Great Tit 30/11/2002
11 Blue Tit 30/11/2002
10 Mistle Thrush 30/11/2002
9 Song Thrush 30/11/2002
8 Blackbird 30/11/2002
7 Robin 30/11/2002
6 Pied Wagtail 30/11/2002
5 Skylark 30/11/2002
4 Collared Dove 30/11/2002
3 Stock Dove 30/11/2002
2 Pheasant 30/11/2002
1 Kestrel 30/11/2002

EXOTICS
Zebra Finch 09-16/08/2004
Sudan Golden Sparrow 09/08/2005 - 15/10/2004

Garden List

2006-03-21T13:35:00.000Z

116 Siskin 21/03/2006
115 Goshawk 03/10/2005
114 Jay 03/10/2005
113 Tree Pipit 22/09/2005
112 Spotted Flycatcher 16/08/2005
111 Lesser Whitethroat 21/07/2005
110 Common Crossbill 17/07/2005
109 Shoveler 16/07/2005
108 Ring-necked Parakeet 12/07/2005
107 Coot 11/04/2005
106 Pochard 31/03/2005
105 Shelduck 26/02/2005
104 Mediterranean Gull 01/02/2005
103 Pink-footed Goose 07/11/2004
102 Reed Warbler 10/08/2004
101 Grey Wagtail 10/08/2004
100 Pied Flycatcher 09/08/2004
99 Red Kite 05/08/2004
98 Quail 13/06/2004
97 Little Grebe 13/04/2004
96 Oystercatcher 12/04/2004
95 Great Crested Grebe 17/03/2004
94 Curlew 05/03/2004
93 Little Egret 16/02/2004
92 Peregrine 19/11/2003
91 Blackcap 11/11/2003
90 Whooper Swan 09/11/2003
89 Redshank 30/10/2003
88 Short-eared Owl 30/10/2003
87 Common Buzzard 23/10/2003
86 Greylag Goose 10/10/2003
85 Hobby 04/09/2003
84 Green Woodpecker 20/08/2003
83 Greenshank 18/08/2003
82 Willow Warbler 06/08/2003
81 Marsh Harrier 01/08/2003
80 Common Sandpiper 30/07/2003
79 Sand Martin 18/07/2003
78 Canada Goose 08/06/2003
77 Moorhen 06/06/2003
76 Sedge Warbler 28/05/2003
75 Osprey 28/05/2003
74 Swift 18/05/2003
73 Cuckoo 15/05/2003
72 Whitethroat 08/05/2003
71 Tufted Duck 08/05/2003
70 House Martin 07/05/2003
69 Common Tern 07/05/2003
68 Turtle Dove 22/04/2003
67 Swallow 14/04/2003
66 Yellow Wagtail 07/04/2003
65 Bullfinch 22/03/2003
64 Barn Owl 19/03/2003
63 Grey Partridge 16/03/2003
62 Snipe 21/02/2003
61 Merlin 16/02/2003
60 European White-fronted Goose 15/02/2003
59 Tawny Owl 13/02/2003
58 Gadwall 12/02/2003
57 Brambling 08/02/2003
56 Goldeneye 07/02/2003
55 Reed Bunting 21/01/2003
54 Tree Sparrow 08/01/2003
53 Yellowhammer 06/01/2003
52 Chiffchaff 01/01/2003
51 Cormorant 01/01/2003
50 Little Owl 30/12/2002
49 Corn Bunting 24/12/2002
48 Green Sandpiper 24/12/2002
47 Mute Swan 24/12/2002
46 Linnet 09/12/2002
45 Goldcrest 09/12/2002
44 Stonechat 09/12/2002
43 Golden Plover 09/12/2002
42 Teal 09/12/2002
41 Grey Heron 09/12/2002
40 Great Spotted Woodpecker 05/12/2002
39 Goldfinch 02/12/2002
38 Herring Gull 02/12/2002
37 Feral Pigeon 30/11/2002
36 Sparrowhawk 30/11/2002
35 Wigeon 30/11/2002
34 Wren 30/11/2002
33 Meadow Pipit 30/11/2002
32 Great Black-backed Gull 30/11/2002
31 Rook 30/11/2002
30 Woodpigeon 30/11/2002
28 Redwing 23/11/2002
27 Dunnock 23/11/2002
27 Fieldfare 23/11/2002
26 Lapwing 23/11/2002
25 Mallard 23/11/2002
24 Long-tailed Tit 30/11/2002
23 Lesser-black Backed Gull 30/11/2002
22 Common Gull 30/11/2002
21 Black-headed Gull 30/11/2002
20 Red-legged Partridge 30/11/2002
19 Greenfinch 30/11/2002
18 Chaffinch 30/11/2002
17 House Sparrow 30/11/2002
16 Starling 30/11/2002
15 Carrion Crow 30/11/2002
14 Jackdaw 30/11/2002
13 Magpie 30/11/2002
12 Great Tit 30/11/2002
11 Blue Tit 30/11/2002
10 Mistle Thrush 30/11/2002
9 Song Thrush 30/11/2002
8 Blackbird 30/11/2002
7 Robin 30/11/2002
6 Pied Wagtail 30/11/2002
5 Skylark 30/11/2002
4 Collared Dove 30/11/2002
3 Stock Dove 30/11/2002
2 Pheasant 30/11/2002
1 Kestrel 30/11/2002

EXOTICS
Zebra Finch 09-16/08/2004
Sudan Golden Sparrow 09/08/2005 - 15/10/2004

The Gambia, 18 Nov - 2 Dec 2005

2005-12-05T16:51:00.001Z

I have visited The Gambia on many occasions. This is the itinerary and species list for our two week stay in The Gambia using Hidden Gambia.

Our guide - Kebba Sosseh. Pace - very relaxed!

For some photos from this trip click here.

I regularly lead wildlife holidys to The Gambia (and elsewhere) for Speyside Wildlife.

Birding locations and times birding at each site given.

Day 1 Fri, 18 Nov
Arrive Safari Garden Hotel, Fajara c.16.30h.
Fajara Golf Course 17.00h - 18.30h
Overnight at Safari Garden Hotel, Fajara

Day 2 Sat, 19 Nov
Abuko 08.00h - 13.00h
Lamin Lodge (lunch) 13.15h - 15.00h
Brufut Woods 15.45h - 18.15h
Overnight at Safari Garden Hotel, Fajara

Day 3 Sun, 20 Nov
Brufut Woods 07.00h - 11.00h
Safari Garden Hotel (lunch)
Bakau, Fajara (Atlantic Rd gardens) 15.30h - 18.00h
Overnight at Safari Garden Hotel, Fajara

Day 4 Mon, 21 Nov
Abuko 08.00h – 18.00h
Overnight at Safari Garden Hotel, Fajara

Day 5 Tues, 22 Nov
Marakissa 08.00h – 13.00h
Marakissa River Camp (lunch) 13.00h – 15.00h
Tujering 15.30h – 16.00h
Tanji Beach 16.30h – 18.00h
Overnight at Safari Garden Hotel, Fajara

Day 6 Wed, 23 Nov
Pirang 07.00h – 08.00h
River Gambia, Bintang to Tendaba (boat) 10.00h – 15.30h
Kisi and Tunku Bolons creek crawl 16.30h – 18.30h
Overnight at Tendaba Camp

Day 7 Thu, 24 Nov
River Gambia, Tendaba to Farafenni (boat) 07.00h – 09.30h
Kau-ur Wetlands 11.00h – 12.15h
River Gambia, Kuntuar to McCarthy Island (boat) 14.00h – 17.00h
Bird Safari Camp, McCarthy Island 17.30h – 18.30h
Overnight at Bird Safari Camp, Janajanbureh, McCarthy Island

Day 8 Fri, 25 Nov
Bird Safari Camp, McCarthy Island 07.00h – 18.30h
Overnight at Bird Safari Camp, Janajanbureh, McCarthy Island

Day 9 Sat, 26 Nov
Janjanbureh (waiting for ferry) 07.45h – 08-00h
North Bank east of Bani 08.30h – 12.30h
Bird Safari Camp, McCarthy Island 13.30h – 15.00h
Bansang Quarry 16.30h – 17.45h
McCarthy Island south bank ferry paddies 18.30h – 19.00h
Bird Safari Camp (nightjar search) 19.15h – 19.30h
Overnight at Bird Safari Camp, Janajanbureh, McCarthy Island

Day 10 Sun, 27 Nov
River Gambia, McCarthy Island boat trip 07.00h – 09.45h
Bird Safari Camp, McCarthy Island 11.00h – 14.30h
Jakhaly wetlands 16.30h – 18.00h
Overnight at Bird Safari Camp, Janajanbureh, McCarthy Island

Day 11 Mon, 28 Nov
Prufu Swamp (Basse) 08.30h – 11.00h
Basse (lunch) 11.00h – 15.00h
Bansang Quarry 16.45h – 18.00h
Overnight at Bird Safari Camp, Janajanbureh, McCarthy Island

Day 12 Tues, 29 Nov
Bird Safari Camp, McCarthy Island 08.00h – 16.45h
North Bank east of Bani 15.30h – 18.00h
Overnight at Bird Safari Camp, Janajanbureh, McCarthy Island

Day 13 Wed, 30 Nov
River Gambia, McCarthy Island to Kuntuar (boat) 07.00h – 10.00h
Kau-ur Wetlands 11.15h – 13.30h
River Gambia, Farafenni to Tendaba (boat) 16.00h – 18.30h
Overnight at Tendaba Camp

Day 14 Thu, 1 Dec
Tendaba airport 07.30h – 12.00h
River Gambia, Tendaba to Bintang (boat) 12.30h – 17.00h
Overnight at Safari Garden Hotel, Fajara

Day 15 Fri, 2 Dec
Brufut Woods 07.00h – 10.00h
Return to UK

Species list – 280 species

Little Grebe 1 Kau-ur Wetlands 30/11
Long-tailed Cormorant Marakissa 22/11, daily along River Gambia 23/11 – 1/12
African Darter Abuko 19/11 & 21/11, Marakissa 22/11, daily along River Gambia 23/11 – 1/12
Great White Pelican Bintang Bolon and River Gambia 23/11
Pink-backed Pelican Tanji 22/11, daily along River Gambia 23/11 – 1/12, Tendaba airport 1/12
Black-crowned Night-Heron Abuko 19/11 & 21/11, daily along River Gambia 23/11 – 1/12
White-backed Night-Heron 1 Abuko 19/11
Squacco Heron Abuko 19/11 & 21/11, Marakissa 22/11, daily along River Gambia 23/11 – 1/12, Tendaba airport 1/12
Cattle Egret Recorded daily at most waterbodies
Striated Heron Abuko 19/11 & 21/11, Marakissa 22/11, daily along River Gambia 23/11 – 1/12
Black Egret 11 Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11, 7 from boat along River Gambia between McCarthy Is and Kuntaur 30/11
Western Reef Heron Recorded daily at most waterbodies
Little Egret Recorded daily at most waterbodies
Intermediate Egret Recorded daily at most waterbodies
Great White Egret Recorded daily at most waterbodies
Grey Heron Recorded daily at most waterbodies
Black-headed Heron Recorded at Abuko, along river at McCarthy Is and Basse, and at Kau-ur Wetlands.
Goliath Heron 2 Bintang Bolon 23/11, 1 BSC 27/11, 2 Bintang Bolon 1/12
Hamerkop Recorded daily inc. Abuko, along River Gambia, BSC, Tendaba
Yellow-billed Stork 1 Pirang 23/11, 1 Bintang Bolon 1/12
Woolly-necked Stork 8+ Tunku & Kisi Bolons 23/11, 1 Tendaba 1/12
Marabou Stork Daily up river 24/11 – 1/12. Max. 16+ River Gambia around McCarthy Island 24/11
Glossy Ibis 3 Pirang 23/11
Hadada Ibis 3 BSC 24/11, 4 BSC 27/11, 5 River Gambia 30/11
Sacred Ibis 2-3 from boat along River Gambia 23/11 and 1/12
African Spoonbill Along River Gambia 23/11 (120+) & 24/11, 2 Tendaba 1/12
Greater Flamingo Along River Gambia 23/11 & 2/12
White-faced Whistling-Duck Flocks at Pirang 23/11, Kau-ur Wetlands 24/11 & 30/11, Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11, Prufu Swamp 28/11, Tendaba 1/12
Spur-winged Goose Small numbers (max. 9) Recorded at Kisi & Tunku Bolons, along River Gambia, McCarthy Island, Jakhaly Wetlands.
Knob-billed Duck 2 Kau-ur Wetlands 24/11 & 30/11, 2 Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
African Pygmy Goose 3 Kau-ur Wetlands 24/11, 2 Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
Northern Pintail 11 Kau-ur Wetlands 24/11
Northern Shoveler 1 Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
Black-shouldered Kite Singles Abuko 19/11, Marakissa 22/11, Prufu Swamp 28/11, nr Bintang 1/12
Black Kite Recorded daily
African Fish-Eagle Daily along River Gambia 23/11 – 1/12. Max. 6 24/11 from boat between Tendaba and Farafenni
Palm-nut Vulture Recorded daily
Hooded Vulture Recorded daily
White-backed Vulture Daily up river 23/11 – 1/12
Rüppell’s Griffon Vulture Daily up river 23/11 – 1/12
European Griffon Vulture 2 between Kau-ur Wetlands and Kuntaur 24/11, 4 BSC 29/11
White-headed Vulture 1 BSC 29/11
Short-toed Eagle 1 BSC 29/11
Beaudouin’s Snake Eagle BSC 25/11 (up to 4), 26/11 (1), 29/11 (3), 1 Kau-ur Wetlands 30/11, 1 Tendaba 1/12
Brown Snake-Eagle Singles Bani (North Bank) 26/11 & 29/11, Basse 29/11, along River Gambia 30/11, Kau-ur Wetlands 30/11, Tendaba 1/12
Western Banded Snake Eagle 1 Bani (North Bank) 26/11
Bateleur Female Tendaba airport 1/12
African Harrier-Hawk Recorded daily
Montagu's Harrier Singles Kau-ur Wetlands 24/11 (ring-tail) & 30/11 (male)
Eurasian Marsh Harrier Recorded daily
Gabar Goshawk 1 Bani (North Bank) 26/11
Dark Chanting Goshawk Singles Abuko 19/11, Pirang 23/11, Bani (North Bank) 26/11 & 29/11, Tendaba 1/12
Shikra Recorded daily
Grasshopper Buzzard 1 River Gambia 23/11, 2 Bani (North Bank) 26/11, 2 Prufu Swamp 28/11, 4+ BSC 29/11
Lizard Buzzard Recorded daily
Red-necked Buzzard 1 Basse 28/11
Tawny Eagle Recorded daily
Wahlberg's Eagle Singles Abuko 21/11, Marakissa 22/11 & BSC 25/11, 3 BSC 29/11, 2 Tendaba 1/12
African Hawk Eagle 2 Bani (North Bank) 26/11, 1 BSC 29/11
Crested Hawk Eagle 1 River Gambia nr Kuntaur 30/11, 1 Tendaba 1/12, 1 nr Bintang 1/12
Crowned Eagle 1 over BSC 25/11
Martial Eagle 1 over BSC 24/11 & 25/11
Osprey See daily
Lesser Kestrel 5 over BSC 25/11
Grey Kestrel Recorded daily
African Hobby Singles Brufut Woods 19/11 & 20/11, Kisi & Tnku Bolons 23/11, River Gambia ne Farafenni 24/11, Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11, BSC 29/11, River Gambia nr Kuntaur 30/11
Lanner Falcon Singles Abuko 19/11, Marakissa 22/11, River Gambia nr Tendaba 24/11, BSC 25/11 & 29/11
Peregrine Falcon Singles River Gambia nr Tendaba 24/11, 1 Tendaba 1/12
Stone Partridge Heard Abuko 19/11, daily BSC 24/11 – 30/11, 2 Brufut Woods 2/12
Ahanta Francolin 1+ Abuko 19/11
Double-spurred Francolin Recorded daily
Spotted Crake 1 Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
Black Crake Abuko 19/11 (1) & 21 (2+), many heard and several Recorded Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
Lesser Moorhen 2 north bank of River Gambia opposite BSC 27/11, 1 Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
Black Crowned-Crane 2 Pirang 23/11
African Finfoot 1 River Gambia nr BSC 27/11
African Jacana 1 Abuko 19/11 & 21/11, 3 Marakissa 22/11, several Kau-ur Wetlands 23/11 & 30/11, 100+ Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
Greater Painted Snipe Male Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
Eurasian Oystercatcher 2 Tanji beach 22/11
Black-winged Stilt Kisi & Tunku Bolons 23/11, Kau-ur Wetlands 24/11 & 30/11, McCarthy Is 26/11, Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11, Tendaba 1/12
Pied Avocet Kisi & Tunku Bolons 23/11, Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
Senegal Thick-knee Recorded daily
Spotted Thick-knee 1 Bani (North Bank) 26/11 & 29/11
Egyptian Plover 8+ Kau-ur Wetlands 24/11 & 30/11, 4 Basse 28/11
Little Ringed Plover Kau-ur Wetlands 24/11 & 30/11, Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
Common Ringed Plover Kau-ur Wetlands 24/11 & 30/11, Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
Kittlitz’s Plover Kau-ur Wetlands 24/11 (3+) & 30/11 (11+)
Grey Plover Tanji 22/11
Wattled Plover Recorded daily
Black-headed Plover Fajara Golf Course 18/11, BSC 24/11, Prufu 28/11
Spur-winged Plover Recorded daily
Sanderling Tanji 22/11
Curlew Sandpiper 1 Kau-ur Wetlands 24/11
White-rumped Sandpiper 1 Kau-ur Wetlands 24/11 - first record for The Gambia
Ruff Kisi & Tunku Bolons 23/11, Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11, Kau-ur Wetlands 30/11
Common Snipe McCarthy Island 25/11 & 26/11, Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
Black-tailed Godwit Pirang 23/11
Bar-tailed Godwit 2 Tanji 22/11
Whimbrel Recorded daily
Eurasian Curlew 1 Bintang Bolon 23/11
Common Redshank Lamin Lodge 19/11 & 2/12, River Gambia 23/11, Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
Marsh Sandpiper 1 Kau-ur Wetlands 30/11
Common Greenshank Recorded daily
Green Sandpiper McCarthy Island 26/11, Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
Wood Sandpiper McCarthy Island 26/11, Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
Common Sandpiper Recorded daily
Ruddy Turnstone Tanji 22/11, River Gambia 23/11
Pomerine Skua 1 Tanji 22/11
Grey-headed Gull Fajara fish quay 20/11, Tanji 22/11
Black-headed Gull Fajara fish quay 20/11, Pirang 23/11, Bintang Point 1/12
Slender-billed Gull Tanji 22/11, Pirang 23/11
Lesser Black-backed Gull Tanji 22/11, Pirang 23/11, Bintang Point 1/12
Gull-billed Tern Fajara fish quay 20/11, Pirang 23/11, River Gambia 23/11 & 1/12
Caspian Tern Fajara fish quay 20/11, Tanji 22/11, River Gambia 23/11, 30/11 & 1/12, BSC 24/11
Royal Tern Tanji 22/11, River Gambia 23/11 & 30/11
Lesser-crested Tern Tanji 22/11, River Gambia 23/11 & 30/11
Sandwich Tern Lamin Lodge 19/11, Fajara fish quay 20/11, Tanji 22/11, River Gambia 23/11 & 30/11
Common Tern Fajara fish quay 20/11
Four-banded Sandgrouse BSC 24/11 (3), 25/11 (2) & 29/11 (1), 9 McCarthy Island 26/11, Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11, 12+ Bansang 28/11
African Green-Pigeon 4+ Marakissa 23/11
Bruce’s Green-Pigeon Bintang 23/11, BSC 24/11, 25/11, 26/11 & 27/11, Bansang 28/11, Tendaba 1/12
Blue-spotted Wood-Dove Recorded daily at many sites
Black-billed Wood Dove Recorded daily at many sites
Namaqua Dove Recorded daily at many sites
Speckled Pigeon Recorded daily at many sites
Feral Pigeon Recorded most days at many sites
Red-eyed Dove Recorded daily at many sites
African Mourning Dove Recorded daily at many sites
Vinaceous Dove Recorded daily at many sites
African Collared Dove Recorded daily at many sites
European Turtle Dove 1 BSC 25/11
Laughing Dove Recorded daily at many sites
Senegal Parrot Recorded daily at many sites
Rose-ringed Parakeet Recorded daily at many sites
Green Turaco 1 Abuko 19/11 & 21/11, 1 Marakissa 22/11
Violet Turaco Seen at Abuko, Fajara gardens, Brufut Woods, Marakissa, BSC, along River Gambia
Western Grey Plantain-eater Recorded daily at many sites
Levaillant’s Cuckoo 3 BSC 26/11, 1 North Bank of McCarthy Is 26/11, nr Kuntaur 30/11
Great Spotted Cuckoo 1 Prufu Swamp 28/11, 1 River Gambia nr Kuntaur 30/11
Klaas’s Cuckoo Brufut Woods male seen 19/11 and two males 20/11
Deiderick Cuckoo Brufut Woods female seen 20/11
Senegal Coucal Recorded daily at many sites
Barn Owl 1 roosting in bamboo over pool terrace at Safari Garden Hotel, Fajara 2/12
African Scops Owl Heard nightly at Tendaba and BSC, several seen BSC 29/11
White-faced Scops Owl 1 Lamin 2/12
Verreaux’s Eagle Owl Pair at nest site in Abuko 21/11, 1 BSC calling most days and seen at roost 29/11
Pearl-spotted Owlet 1 Fajara Golf Course 18/11, 2 Tenjuring 22/11, heard nightly at BSC
Long-tailed Nightjar Singles BSC 26/11 & 29/11
Mottled Spinetail Marikissa 22/11, daily up river 24/11 – 30/11
African Palm Swift Recorded daily at many sites
Little Swift Recorded daily at many sites
Grey-headed Kingfisher 1 Kisi & Tunku Bolons 23/11, several River Gambia between Kuntaur and BSC 24/11 & 30/11, 2 BSC boat trip 27/11
Blue-breasted Kingfisher Recorded daily at many sites
Woodland Kingfisher 1 Brufut Woods 20/11, 1 Marakissa 22/11, River Gambia between Kuntaur and BSC 24/11 & 30/11, BSC boat trip 27/11
Striped Kingfisher 1 Bani 26/11, 1 Tendaba 1/12
African Pygmy Kingfisher Recorded from Abuko, Brufut Woods, Jakhaly Wetlands, BSC
Malachite Kingfisher 5+ on Kisi & Tunku Bolons creek crawl 23/11, River Gambia between Kuntaur and BSC 24/11 & 30/11, BSC boat trip 27/11
Giant Kingfisher 2 Abuko 21/11, 2 Marakissa 23/11, 1 River Gambia nr BSC 30/11
Pied Kingfisher Recorded daily at many wetland sites
Little Bee-eater Seen daily at many sites
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater Recorded from Abuko, Brufut Woods, Marakissa, Fajara, Kisi & Tunko Bolons, River Gambia up to Farafenni
Red-throated Bee-eater 6+ BSC 24/11, 150-200 Bansang Quarry 25/11 & 28/11
White-throated Bee-eater 4+ Kisi & Tunku Bolons 23/11
Little Green Bee-eater Bani 26/11 (2) & 29/11 (24)
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Abuko 19/11 & 21/11
European Bee-eater 1 Abuko 19/11, 120+ Kisi & Tunku Bolons 23/11, 10+ Tendaba 1/12
Northern Carmine Bee-eater 13+ Prufu Swamp 28/11
Rufous-crowned Roller 1 Kisi & Tunku Bolons 23/11, Bani 26/11 (4+) & 29/11 (1), 1 Prufu Swamp 28/11, 1 River Gambia nr Kuntaur 30/11
Blue-bellied Roller Recorded from Abuko, Brufut Woods, Fajara, Marakissa, Kisi & Tunku Bolons, BSC, Bani
Abyssinian Roller 1 Marakissa 22/11 then daily up rover 23/11 – 1/12
Broad-billed Roller Recorded daily. Impressive numbers along the River Gambia with a max. count of 37 hawking at dusk at BSC 25/
Green Wood Hoopoe Recorded daily at many sites
Black Wood Hoopoe 6+ Brufut Woods 19/11
Red-billed Hornbill Recorded daily
African Pied Hornbill 1-2 Abuko, 2 Marakissa, 1-2 along River Gambia, 2 Tendaba 1/12
African Grey Hornbill Recorded daily at many sites
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Recorded from Abuko, Brufut Woods, Fajara, BSC, Prufu Swamp and Tendaba
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird 1 Brufut Woods 2/12
Vieillot’s Barbet 1 Brufut Woods 19/11, 1 Tanji 22/11
Bearded Barbet Recorded from Abuko, BSC, Brufut Woods
Greater Honeyguide Male BSC29/11, family party Tendaba 1/12
Lesser Honeyguide 1 Abuko 19/11
Fine-spotted Woodpecker 1 Brufut Woods 20/11, BSC 24/11 (1) & 29/11 (2)
Grey Woodpecker Recorded most days at many sites
Cardinal Woodpecker 1 BSC 27/11
Crested Lark 1 Pirang 23/11
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-lark Seen most days up country including Bani, Bansang Quarry, Kau-ur Wetlands
Fanti Saw-wing Recorded from Abuko, Brufut Woods, Marakissa, Bani
Sand Martin Marakissa 22/11, BSC 26/11, Bani 26/11
Plain Martin BSC 25/11 (8+) & 26/11 (14+), Bani 26/11 (12+)
Rufous-chested Swallow 6+ Bani 26/11
Mosque Swallow 1 nr Farafenni 24/11, 3 Bansang Quarry 28/11
Red-rumped Swallow Recorded from BSC, Bani, Jakhaly, Bansang Quarry, Tendaba
Wire-tailed Swallow Recorded from Abuko, Marakissa, Pirang, BSC, Bani
Red-chested Swallow Recorded from Marakissa, Tendaba, Bani, BSC, Basse
Barn Swallow 2 Bansang Quarry 28/11, 2 Kau-ur Wetlands 30/11
House Martin 8+ Bani 26/11
Yellow Wagtail Kau-ur Wetlands 24/11 & 30/11, Jakhaly Wetlands 27/11
White Wagtail Recorded from Fajara fish quay, Kisi & Tunku Bolons, Kau-ur Wetlands
Plain-backed Pipit 4+ Tendaba 1/12
Little Greenbul Several seen and heard in Abuko 19/11 & 21/11
Yellow-throated Leaflove 1-2 Abuko 19/11, 2 MArakissa 22/11 and along River Gambia daily 24/11 – 29/11
Common Bulbul Recorded daily
Common Nightingale 1 Abuko 21/11
Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat 3-4 Abuko 19/11 & 21/11
White-crowned Robin-Chat 2-3 BSC 25/11 – 29/11, 1 Janjanbureh 26/11
Northern Anteater Chat 2 nr Kuntaur 24/11, 1 Bani 26/11
African Thrush Recorded from Abuko, Fajara and Brufut Woods
Savi’s Warbler 1 Brufut Woods 20/11
Olivaceous Warbler Singles Lamin Lodge 19/11, Tanji 22/11, BSC 25/11, Basse 28/11
Melodious Warbler Singles Brufut Woods 20/11, Marakissa 22/11, 2 Kisi & Tunku Bolons 23/11, 1 BSC 26/11 & 29/11
Singing Cisticola Recorded from Abuko, Brufut Woods, Abuko, Tenjuring, Pirang, BSC
Whistling Cisticola Recorded from Abuko, Brufut Woods
Zitting Cisticola Recorded only at Marakissa
Tawny-flanked Prinia Recorded from Abuko, Brufut Woods, Marakissa, Tenjuring, BSC, Prufu Swamp, Tendaba
Red-winged Warbler Abuko 21/11
Yellow-breasted Apalis Abuko 19/11 & 21/11, BSC 25/11 – 29/11
Grey-backed Camaroptera Abuko 19/11 & 21/11, BSC 25/11 – 29/11
Green-backed Eremomela Abuko 19/11 & 21/11, BSC 25/11 – 29/11
Green Crombec 1 in feeding alongside two Grene Hylias in Abuko (by post no 25) 21/11
Northern Crombec 1-2 Abuko, 1 BSC 29/11, 3-4 Brufut Woods 2/12
Oriole Warbler Recorded daily along River Gambia 24/11 – 30/11
Green Hylia Several heard in Abuko 19/11 and two seen and others heard 21/11
Willow Warbler 2 Abuko 19/11
Chiffchaff 1-2 along River Gambia around BSC/McCarthy Island 26/11 – 30/11
Blackcap 1 Abuko 21/11
Subalpine Warbler 1 BSC 25/11
Northern Black Flycatcher Recorded from Abuko, Brufut Woods, Marakissa, BSC
Swamp Flycatcher Daily along River Gambia around BSC/McCarthy Island 24/11 – 30/11
Senegal Batis 1 Brufut Woods 2/12
Common Wattle-eye Recorded from Abuko, Kisi & Tunku Bolons, BSC, River Gambia
Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher 2-4 Abuko 19/11 & 21/11
African Paradise Flycatcher 2-3 BSC 25/11 – 29/11
Brown Babbler Recorded daily at many sites
Blackcap Babbler Recorded daily at many sites
Mouse-brown Sunbird 1 River Gambia 24/11
Pygmy Sunbird 2 north bank by McCarthy Island ferry 26/11, 2 Bani 29/11
Scarlet-chested Sunbird 4 Prufu Swamp 28/11
Variable Sunbird Recorded from Abuko, Brufut Woods, Fajara, Marakissa, BSC
Copper Sinbird 2 Marakissa 22/11
Splendid Sunbird 2-4 Brufut Woods 19/11 & 20/11
Beautiful Sunbird Recorded daily at many sites
African Golden Oriole Recorded from Fajara, Kisi & Tunku Bolons, BSC
Yellow-billed Shrike Recorded daily at many sites
Northern Puffback Pair Abuko 19/11, fem Marakissa 22/11, 1-4 BSC 24/11 – 29/11
Black-crowned Tchagra 1 nr Kau-ur Wetlands 30/11, 4+ Brufut Woods 2/12
Yellow-crowned Gonolek Recorded daily at many sites
Sulpher-breasted Bush Shrike 2 Brufut Woods 19/11 & 2/12
Grey-headed Bush Shrike Pr feeding 1+ young Marakissa 22/11
White-crested Helmet Shrike 2 Brufut Woods 20/11, 8+ around nest with 2+ chicks Marakissa 22/11
Fork-tailed Drongo Recorded daily at many sites
Piapiac Recorded daily 18/11 – 22/11 at many sites
Pied Crow Daily between coast and Farafenni 18/11 – 24/11 and Basse 28/11
Purple Glossy Starling Recorded most days at many sites
Bronze-tailed Glossy Starling 2+ Tendaba 1/12
Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling Recorded from Brufut Woods, BSC, Bani, Tendaba
Lesser Blue-eared Glossy Starling Recorded daily at many sites
Splendid Glossy Starling 1 Fajara Botanical Gardens 19/11
Long-tailed Glossy Starling Recorded daily at many sites
Yellow-billed Oxpecker 2 nr north bank ferry terminal 26/11, 2 nr Bintang 1/12
House Sparrow Recorded only at Fajara and Tendaba
Grey-headed Sparrow Recorded daily at many sites
Bush Petronia Recorded daily up river at many sites
White-billed Buffalo-Weaver Recorded daily including some tending nest sites
Black-necked Weaver Recorded daily around coast 18/11 – 22/11
Village Weaver Recorded daily at many sites
Yellow-backed Weaver Recorded daily up river 24/11 – 30/11
Red-billed Quelea 1-2 recorded at Bansand Quarry, Jakhaly Wetlands, Kau-ur Wetlands
Black-winged Red Bishop 1 Marakissa 22/11, 1 nr Pirang 23/11
Northern Red Bishop Recorded along roadsides nr Serrakunda, Marakissa, Prufu Swamp, Bansang Quarry and Jakhaly Wetlands
Western Bluebill 1 Abuko 19/11
Red-billed Firefinch Recorded daily at many sites
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu Recorded daily at many sites
Lavender Waxbill Recorded daily at many sites
Orange-cheeked Waxbill Recorded only from Brufut Woods and Fajara
Black-rumped Waxbill Recorded daily up river 25/11 – 30/11 at many sites
Bronze Mannikin Recorded most days from many sites
Cut-throat Finch Bani 26/11 (6+) & 29/11 (4+), 3+ Bansang Quarry 28/11, 2+ nr Kau-ur Wetlands 30/11
Village Indigobird Recorded from Brufut Woods, BSC, Prufu Swamp
Exclamatory Paradise Whydah Daily up river around standing water 25/11 – 29/11 including Bani, Bansang Quarry, Jakhaly Wetlands, nr Kau-ur Wetlands
Yellow-fronted Canary Daily up river around standing water 25/11 – 29/11 including Bani, Bansang Quarry, Jakhaly Wetlands, nr Kau-ur Wetlands and Tendaba
Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting 1-3 recorded from Bansang Quarry, Kau-ur Wetlands (male on territory) and waterhole nr Kau-ur Wetlands

Nile Crocodile Seen at Abuko
Monitor Lizard Many seen including some large animals at Abuko, along River Gambia, BSC
Hippopotamus Near McCarthy Island 24/11 (3 inc calf) and 30/11 (6)
Baboon In palms along River Gambia 24/11 & 30/11
Red Colobus Good numbers in Abuko and along River Gambia
Calathrix Good numbers in Abuko and along River Gambia
Chameleon 1 on road between Farafenni and Kau-ur Wetlands 24/11

Lesbos, 29/09 - 01/10

2005-10-03T20:40:00.000Z

BIRDS – 110 species
Little Grebe
Cory’s Shearwater
White Pelican
Cormorant
Shag
Little Egret
Great White Egret
Grey Heron
Black Stork
White Stork
Greater Flamingo
Teal
Pintail
Honey Buzzard
Short-toed Eagle
Marsh Harrier
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Levant Sparrowhawk
Goshawk
Common Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Common Kestrel
Lesser Kestrel
Hobby
Eleonora’s Falcon
Peregrine
Quail
Chukar
Coot
Black-winged Stilt
Avocet
Little Ringed Plover
Ringed Plover
Kentish Plover
Grey Plover
Little Stint
Dunlin
Curlew Sandpiper
Ruff
Common Snipe
Black-tailed Godwit
Curlew
Common Redshank
Spotted Redshank
Greenshank
Green Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Mediterranean Gull
Black-headed Gull
Slender-billed Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Sandwich Tern
Collared Dove
Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon
Little Owl
Scop’s Owl (heard only)
Common Swift
Alpine Swift
Kingfisher
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Crested Lark
Woodlark
Sand Martin
Crag Martin
Barn Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
House Martin
Tawny Pipit
Tree Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
‘Blue-headed’ Yellow Wagtail
‘Black-headed’ Yellow Wagtail
White Wagtail
Wren
Robin
Common Redstart
Whinchat
Stonechat
Northern Wheatear
Blue Rock Thrush
Blackbird
Cetti’s Warbler
Zitting Cisticola (heard only)
Olivaceous Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Blackcap
Wood Warbler
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Spotted Flycatcher
Sombre Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Krüper’s Nuthatch
Western Rock Nuthatch
Wood Nuthatch
Short-toed Treecreeper
Red-backed Shrike
Jay
Jackdaw
Hooded Crow
Raven
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Serin
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Cirl Bunting
Ortolan Bunting
Corn Bunting

MAMMALS
Persian Squirrel
Beech Martin
Red Fox

REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS
Agama Lizard
Balkan Wall Lizard
Balkan Green Lizard
Turkish Gecko
Stripe-necked Terrapin
European Pond Terrapin
Marsh Frog

BUTTERFLIES
Woodland Grayling
Freyer’s Grayling
Rock Grayling
Great Banded Grayling
Meadow Brown
Wall Brown
Swallowtail
Large White
Small White
Cleopatra
Clouded Yellow
Small Copper
Common Blue
Lang’s Short-tailed Blue
Red Admiral
Comma
Painted Lady
Cardinal
Marbled Skipper

MOTHS
Hummingbird Hawkmoth
Oleander Hawkmoth
Shuttle-shaped Dart
Dark Sword-grass
Vestal
Vine’s Rustic
Silver Y
Heart and Dart
Grass Eggar

DRAGONFLIES
Marshland Darter (S. meridionale)
Red-veined Darter (S. fonscolombei)
Ruddy Darter (S. sanguinium)
Southern Skimmer
Lesser Emperor
Emperor
Southern Emerald Damselfly

OTHER INSECTS
Blue Carpenter Bee
Migratory Locust
Praying Mantis
Iris oratoria (green mantid)
Ameles discolour (small brown mantid)
Oedipoda germanic (blue-winged grasshopper)
Oedipoda caerulans (red-winged grasshopper)
Acrida ungarica (stick grasshopper)
Dung Beetle

Garden bird list

2005-10-03T20:32:00.000Z

115 Goshawk 03/10/2005
114 Jay 03/10/2005
113 Tree Pipit 22/09/2005
112 Spotted Flycatcher 16/08/2005
111 Lesser Whitethroat 21/07/2005
110 Common Crossbill 17/07/2005
109 Shoveler 16/07/2005
108 Ring-necked Parakeet 12/07/2005
107 Coot 11/04/2005
106 Pochard 31/03/2005
105 Shelduck 26/02/2005
104 Mediterranean Gull 01/02/2005
103 Pink-footed Goose 07/11/2004
102 Reed Warbler 10/08/2004
101 Grey Wagtail 10/08/2004
100 Pied Flycatcher 09/08/2004
99 Red Kite 05/08/2004
98 Quail 13/06/2004
97 Little Grebe 13/04/2004
96 Oystercatcher 12/04/2004
95 Great Crested Grebe 17/03/2004
94 Curlew 05/03/2004
93 Little Egret 16/02/2004
92 Peregrine 19/11/2003
91 Blackcap 11/11/2003
90 Whooper Swan 09/11/2003
89 Redshank 30/10/2003
88 Short-eared Owl 30/10/2003
87 Common Buzzard 23/10/2003
86 Greylag Goose 10/10/2003
85 Hobby 04/09/2003
84 Green Woodpecker 20/08/2003
83 Greenshank 18/08/2003
82 Willow Warbler 06/08/2003
81 Marsh Harrier 01/08/2003
80 Common Sandpiper 30/07/2003
79 Sand Martin 18/07/2003
78 Canada Goose 08/06/2003
77 Moorhen 06/06/2003
76 Sedge Warbler 28/05/2003
75 Osprey 28/05/2003
74 Swift 18/05/2003
73 Cuckoo 15/05/2003
72 Whitethroat 08/05/2003
71 Tufted Duck 08/05/2003
70 House Martin 07/05/2003
69 Common Tern 07/05/2003
68 Turtle Dove 22/04/2003
67 Swallow 14/04/2003
66 Yellow Wagtail 07/04/2003
65 Bullfinch 22/03/2003
64 Barn Owl 19/03/2003
63 Grey Partridge 16/03/2003
62 Snipe 21/02/2003
61 Merlin 16/02/2003
60 European White-fronted Goose 15/02/2003
59 Tawny Owl 13/02/2003
58 Gadwall 12/02/2003
57 Brambling 08/02/2003
56 Goldeneye 07/02/2003
55 Reed Bunting 21/01/2003
54 Tree Sparrow 08/01/2003
53 Yellowhammer 06/01/2003
52 Chiffchaff 01/01/2003
51 Cormorant 01/01/2003
50 Little Owl 30/12/2002
49 Corn Bunting 24/12/2002
48 Green Sandpiper 24/12/2002
47 Mute Swan 24/12/2002
46 Linnet 09/12/2002
45 Goldcrest 09/12/2002
44 Stonechat 09/12/2002
43 Golden Plover 09/12/2002
42 Teal 09/12/2002
41 Grey Heron 09/12/2002
40 Great Spotted Woodpecker 05/12/2002
39 Goldfinch 02/12/2002
38 Herring Gull 02/12/2002
37 Feral Pigeon 30/11/2002
36 Sparrowhawk 30/11/2002
35 Wigeon 30/11/2002
34 Wren 30/11/2002
33 Meadow Pipit 30/11/2002
32 Great Black-backed Gull 30/11/2002
31 Rook 30/11/2002
30 Woodpigeon 30/11/2002
28 Redwing 23/11/2002
27 Dunnock 23/11/2002
27 Fieldfare 23/11/2002
26 Lapwing 23/11/2002
25 Mallard 23/11/2002
24 Long-tailed Tit 30/11/2002
23 Lesser-black Backed Gull 30/11/2002
22 Common Gull 30/11/2002
21 Black-headed Gull 30/11/2002
20 Red-legged Partridge 30/11/2002
19 Greenfinch 30/11/2002
18 Chaffinch 30/11/2002
17 House Sparrow 30/11/2002
16 Starling 30/11/2002
15 Carrion Crow 30/11/2002
14 Jackdaw 30/11/2002
13 Magpie 30/11/2002
12 Great Tit 30/11/2002
11 Blue Tit 30/11/2002
10 Mistle Thrush 30/11/2002
9 Song Thrush 30/11/2002
8 Blackbird 30/11/2002
7 Robin 30/11/2002
6 Pied Wagtail 30/11/2002
5 Skylark 30/11/2002
4 Collared Dove 30/11/2002
3 Stock Dove 30/11/2002
2 Pheasant 30/11/2002
1 Kestrel 30/11/2002

EXOTICS
Zebra Finch 09-16/08/2004
Sudan Golden Sparrow 09/08/2005 - 15/10/2004

Garden bird list

2005-09-22T16:45:00.000Z

113 Tree Pipit 22/09/2005
112 Spotted Flycatcher 16/08/2005
111 Lesser Whitethroat 21/07/2005
110 Common Crossbill 17/07/2005
109 Shoveler 16/07/2005
108 Ring-necked Parakeet 12/07/2005
107 Coot 11/04/2005
106 Pochard 31/03/2005
105 Shelduck 26/02/2005
104 Mediterranean Gull 01/02/2005
103 Pink-footed Goose 07/11/2004
102 Reed Warbler 10/08/2004
101 Grey Wagtail 10/08/2004
100 Pied Flycatcher 09/08/2004
99 Red Kite 05/08/2004
98 Quail 13/06/2004
97 Little Grebe 13/04/2004
96 Oystercatcher 12/04/2004
95 Great Crested Grebe 17/03/2004
94 Curlew 05/03/2004
93 Little Egret 16/02/2004
92 Peregrine 19/11/2003
91 Blackcap 11/11/2003
90 Whooper Swan 09/11/2003
89 Redshank 30/10/2003
88 Short-eared Owl 30/10/2003
87 Common Buzzard 23/10/2003
86 Greylag Goose 10/10/2003
85 Hobby 04/09/2003
84 Green Woodpecker 20/08/2003
83 Greenshank 18/08/2003
82 Willow Warbler 06/08/2003
81 Marsh Harrier 01/08/2003
80 Common Sandpiper 30/07/2003
79 Sand Martin 18/07/2003
78 Canada Goose 08/06/2003
77 Moorhen 06/06/2003
76 Sedge Warbler 28/05/2003
75 Osprey 28/05/2003
74 Swift 18/05/2003
73 Cuckoo 15/05/2003
72 Whitethroat 08/05/2003
71 Tufted Duck 08/05/2003
70 House Martin 07/05/2003
69 Common Tern 07/05/2003
68 Turtle Dove 22/04/2003
67 Swallow 14/04/2003
66 Yellow Wagtail 07/04/2003
65 Bullfinch 22/03/2003
64 Barn Owl 19/03/2003
63 Grey Partridge 16/03/2003
62 Snipe 21/02/2003
61 Merlin 16/02/2003
60 European White-fronted Goose 15/02/2003
59 Tawny Owl 13/02/2003
58 Gadwall 12/02/2003
57 Brambling 08/02/2003
56 Goldeneye 07/02/2003
55 Reed Bunting 21/01/2003
54 Tree Sparrow 08/01/2003
53 Yellowhammer 06/01/2003
52 Chiffchaff 01/01/2003
51 Cormorant 01/01/2003
50 Little Owl 30/12/2002
49 Corn Bunting 24/12/2002
48 Green Sandpiper 24/12/2002
47 Mute Swan 24/12/2002
46 Linnet 09/12/2002
45 Goldcrest 09/12/2002
44 Stonechat 09/12/2002
43 Golden Plover 09/12/2002
42 Teal 09/12/2002
41 Grey Heron 09/12/2002
40 Great Spotted Woodpecker 05/12/2002
39 Goldfinch 02/12/2002
38 Herring Gull 02/12/2002
37 Feral Pigeon 30/11/2002
36 Sparrowhawk 30/11/2002
35 Wigeon 30/11/2002
34 Wren 30/11/2002
33 Meadow Pipit 30/11/2002
32 Great Black-backed Gull 30/11/2002
31 Rook 30/11/2002
30 Woodpigeon 30/11/2002
28 Redwing 23/11/2002
27 Dunnock 23/11/2002
27 Fieldfare 23/11/2002
26 Lapwing 23/11/2002
25 Mallard 23/11/2002
24 Long-tailed Tit 30/11/2002
23 Lesser-black Backed Gull 30/11/2002
22 Common Gull 30/11/2002
21 Black-headed Gull 30/11/2002
20 Red-legged Partridge 30/11/2002
19 Greenfinch 30/11/2002
18 Chaffinch 30/11/2002
17 House Sparrow 30/11/2002
16 Starling 30/11/2002
15 Carrion Crow 30/11/2002
14 Jackdaw 30/11/2002
13 Magpie 30/11/2002
12 Great Tit 30/11/2002
11 Blue Tit 30/11/2002
10 Mistle Thrush 30/11/2002
9 Song Thrush 30/11/2002
8 Blackbird 30/11/2002
7 Robin 30/11/2002
6 Pied Wagtail 30/11/2002
5 Skylark 30/11/2002
4 Collared Dove 30/11/2002
3 Stock Dove 30/11/2002
2 Pheasant 30/11/2002
1 Kestrel 30/11/2002

EXOTICS
Zebra Finch 09-16/08/2004
Sudan Golden Sparrow 09/08/2005 - 15/10/2004

Garden moth list

2005-09-01T19:07:00.000Z

191, Webb's Wainscot, 30/08/2005
190, Beautiful China-mark, 30/08/2005
189, Double-striped Pub, 30/08/2005
188, Centre-barred Sallow, 30/08/2005
187, Rosy Rustic, 12/08/2005
186, White-spotted Pinion, 12/08/2005
185, Orange Swift, 10/08/2005
184, Small Square-spot, 10/08/2005
183, Red Underwing, 08/08/2005
182, Twin-spotted Wainscot, 08/08/2005
181, Knot Grass, 08/08/2005
180, Straw Underwing, 08/08/2005
179, July Highflyer, 29/07/2005
178, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 29/07/2005
177, The Herald, 26/07/2005
176, European Corn-borer, 22/07/2005
175, Small Blood-vein, 20/07/2005
174, Short-cloaked Moth, 18/07/2005
173, Tissue, 17/07/2005
172, Sallow Kitten, 17/07/2005
171, Purple Thorn, 17/07/2005
170, Orthopygia glaucinalis, 17/07/2005
169, Meal Moth, 17/07/2005
168, Large Tabby, 17/07/2005
167, Dun-bar, 17/07/2005
166, Cloaked Minor, 17/07/2005
165, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 16/07/2005
164, Chinese Character, 16/07/2005
163, Scarce Footman, 15/07/2005
162, Ruby Tiger, 15/07/2005
161, Early Thorn, 15/07/2005
160, Bird Cherry Ermine, 15/07/2005
159, Yellowtail, 13/07/2005
158, Wormwood Pug, 13/07/2005
157, White Satin Moth, 13/07/2005
156, Shark, 13/07/2005
155, Drinker, 13/07/2005
154, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 12/07/2005
153, Broad-barred White, 12/07/2005
152, Triple-spotted Clay, 08/07/2005
151, Dingy Footman, 08/07/2005
150, Clay, 08/07/2005
149, Lesser Cream Wave, 04/07/2005
148, Common Rustic, 04/07/2005
147, Small Rivulet, 03/07/2005
146, Grey Dagger, 03/07/2005
145, Gothic, 03/07/2005
144, Peppered Moth, 02/07/2005
143, Fan-foot, 02/07/2005
142, Dusky Cream Wave, 02/07/2005
141, Double Square Spot, 02/07/2005
140, Cream Wave, 02/07/2005
139, Buff Arches, 02/07/2005
138, Sitochroa verticalis, 01/07/2005
137, Fen Wainscot, 30/06/2005
136, Dark Spinich, 30/06/2005
135, Sandy Carpet, 14/06/2005
134, Green Pug, 14/06/2005
133, Brown Rustic, 10/06/2005
132, Lime Hawkmoth, 05/06/2005
131, Elephant Hawkmoth, 05/06/2005
130, Buttoned Snout, 03/06/2005
129, Spectacle, 01/06/2005
128, Pale-shouldered Brocade, 01/06/2005
127, Turnip Moth, 30/05/2005
126, Pale Mottled Willow, 30/05/2005
125, Silver Ground Garpet, 29/05/2005
124, Rufous Minor, 29/05/2005
123, Alder Moth, 29/05/2005
122, Puss Moth, 16/05/2005
121, Square-spot Rustic, 28/08/2004
120, Flounced Rustic, 28/08/2004
119, Dark Sword Grass, 28/08/2004
118, Common Pug, 24/08/2004
117, Light Emerald, 24/08/2004
116, Scalloped Oak, 17/07/2004
115, Swallow-tailed Moth, 13/07/2004
114, Garden Tiger, 13/07/2004
113, The Snout, 28/06/2004
112, The Clay, 28/06/2004
111, Dot Moth, 28/06/2004
110, Birds Wing, 28/06/2004
109, Uncertain, 21/06/2004
108, Cinnabar, 21/06/2004
107, Brimstone, 21/06/2004
106, Barred Yellow, 21/06/2004
105, Willow Beauty, 18/06/2004
104, Small Magpie, 18/06/2004
103, Rustic, 18/06/2004
102, Gold Triangle, 18/06/2004
101, Freyer's Pug, 18/06/2004
100, Cream-bordered Green Pea, 18/06/2004
99, White Plume, 16/06/2004
98, Riband Wave, 14/06/2004
97, Broom Moth, 14/06/2004
96, Bordered Pug, 14/06/2004
95, Mottled Rustic, 12/06/2004
94, Light Arches, 12/06/2004
93, Common Pug, 12/06/2004
92, Common Footman, 12/06/2004
91, The Lychnis, 09/06/2004
90, Tawny Marbled Minor, 09/06/2004
89, Striped Lynchis, 09/06/2004
88, Single Dotted Wave, 09/06/2004
87, Common Swift, 09/06/2004
86, Thistle Ermine, 07/06/2004
85, The Flame, 07/06/2004
84, Privet Hawkmoth, 07/06/2004
83, Poplar Grey, 07/06/2004
82, Eyed Hawkmoth, 07/06/2004
81, Clouded Border, 07/06/2004
80, Small Waved Umber, 05/06/2004
79, Small Dotted Wave, 05/06/2004
78, Marbled Minor, 05/06/2004
77, Buff Ermine, 05/06/2004
76, White Ermine, 03/06/2004
75, Vines Rustic, 03/06/2004
74, Small Clouded Brindle, 03/06/2004
73, Rustic Shoulder Knot, 03/06/2004
72, Poplar Hawkmoth, 03/06/2004
71, Middle Barred Minor, 03/06/2004
70, Large Nutmeg, 03/06/2004
69, Heart and Club, 03/06/2004
68, Pale Prominent, 03/05/2004
67, Muslin Moth, 03/05/2004
66, Black Rustic, 14/10/2003
65, The Mallow, 12/10/2003
64, Red-line Quaker, 12/10/2003
63, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 12/10/2003
62, Large Wainscot, 12/10/2003
61, Beaded Chestnut, 12/10/2003
60, Garden Pebble, 25/08/2003
59, Donacaula forficella, 25/08/2003
58, Agriphila straminella, 25/08/2003
57, Scrobipalpa acuminatella, 23/08/2003
56, Rosy Rustic, 23/08/2003
55, Green Carpet, 23/08/2003
54, Garden Carpet, 23/08/2003
53, Eudonia truncicolella, 23/08/2003
52, Caloptilia stigmatella, 23/08/2003
51, Cabbage, 23/08/2003
50, Burnished Brass, 23/08/2003
49, Brown House Moth, 23/08/2003
48, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 23/08/2003
47, Blood-vein, 23/08/2003
46, Agriphila geniculea, 23/08/2003
45, Yellow Shell, 09/08/2003
44, Spectacled, 09/08/2003
43, Mottled Beauty, 09/08/2003
42, Least Yellow underwing, 09/08/2003
41, Lunar Yellow Underwing, 09/08/2003
40, Heart and Dart, 09/08/2003
39, Figure of Eighty, 09/08/2003
38, Dog's Tooth, 09/08/2003
37, Dark Arches, 09/08/2003
36, Angle Shades, 09/08/2003
35, Straw Dot, 08/08/2003
34, Scoparia subfusca, 08/08/2003
33, Rush Veneer, 08/08/2003
32, Emmelina monodactyla, 08/08/2003
31, Cnephasia pasiuana, 08/08/2003
30, Cnephasia genitalana, 08/08/2003
29, Brown China-mark, 08/08/2003
28, Agriphila tristella, 08/08/2003
27, Agriphila selasella, 08/08/2003
26, Agapeta hamana, 08/08/2003
25, Swallow Prominent, 02/08/2003
24, Silver Y, 02/08/2003
23, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 02/08/2003
22, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 02/08/2003
21, Marbled Beauty, 02/08/2003
20, Lime-speck Plug, 02/08/2003
19, Flame Shoulder, 02/08/2003
18, Dusky Sallow, 02/08/2003
17, Common Wainscot, 02/08/2003
16, Common Carpet, 02/08/2003
15, Bright Line Brown Eye, 02/08/2003
14, Beautiful Golden Y, 02/08/2003
13, Nutmeg, 01/08/2003
12, Common Rustic, 01/08/2003
11, Cnephasia longana, 01/08/2003
10, Calamotropha paludella, 01/08/2003
9, Agriphila straminella, 01/08/2003
8, Smokey Wainscot, 20/07/2003
7, Pebble Prominent, 20/07/2003
6, Mouse Moth, 20/07/2003
5, Mother of Pearl, 20/07/2003
4, Large Yellow Underwing, 20/07/2003
3, Ingrailed Clay, 20/07/2003
2, Dwarf Cream Wave, 20/07/2003
1, Barred Straw, 20/07/2003

Garden bird list

2005-08-16T19:40:00.000Z

112 Spotted Flycatcher 16/08/2005
111 Lesser Whitethroat 21/07/2005
110 Common Crossbill 17/07/2005
109 Shoveler 16/07/2005
108 Ring-necked Parakeet 12/07/2005
107 Coot 11/04/2005
106 Pochard 31/03/2005
105 Shelduck 26/02/2005
104 Mediterranean Gull 01/02/2005
103 Pink-footed Goose 07/11/2004
102 Reed Warbler 10/08/2004
101 Grey Wagtail 10/08/2004
100 Pied Flycatcher 09/08/2004
99 Red Kite 05/08/2004
98 Quail 13/06/2004
97 Little Grebe 13/04/2004
96 Oystercatcher 12/04/2004
95 Great Crested Grebe 17/03/2004
94 Curlew 05/03/2004
93 Little Egret 16/02/2004
92 Peregrine 19/11/2003
91 Blackcap 11/11/2003
90 Whooper Swan 09/11/2003
89 Redshank 30/10/2003
88 Short-eared Owl 30/10/2003
87 Common Buzzard 23/10/2003
86 Greylag Goose 10/10/2003
85 Hobby 04/09/2003
84 Green Woodpecker 20/08/2003
83 Greenshank 18/08/2003
82 Willow Warbler 06/08/2003
81 Marsh Harrier 01/08/2003
80 Common Sandpiper 30/07/2003
79 Sand Martin 18/07/2003
78 Canada Goose 08/06/2003
77 Moorhen 06/06/2003
76 Sedge Warbler 28/05/2003
75 Osprey 28/05/2003
74 Swift 18/05/2003
73 Cuckoo 15/05/2003
72 Whitethroat 08/05/2003
71 Tufted Duck 08/05/2003
70 House Martin 07/05/2003
69 Common Tern 07/05/2003
68 Turtle Dove 22/04/2003
67 Swallow 14/04/2003
66 Yellow Wagtail 07/04/2003
65 Bullfinch 22/03/2003
64 Barn Owl 19/03/2003
63 Grey Partridge 16/03/2003
62 Snipe 21/02/2003
61 Merlin 16/02/2003
60 European White-fronted Goose 15/02/2003
59 Tawny Owl 13/02/2003
58 Gadwall 12/02/2003
57 Brambling 08/02/2003
56 Goldeneye 07/02/2003
55 Reed Bunting 21/01/2003
54 Tree Sparrow 08/01/2003
53 Yellowhammer 06/01/2003
52 Chiffchaff 01/01/2003
51 Cormorant 01/01/2003
50 Little Owl 30/12/2002
49 Corn Bunting 24/12/2002
48 Green Sandpiper 24/12/2002
47 Mute Swan 24/12/2002
46 Linnet 09/12/2002
45 Goldcrest 09/12/2002
44 Stonechat 09/12/2002
43 Golden Plover 09/12/2002
42 Teal 09/12/2002
41 Grey Heron 09/12/2002
40 Great Spotted Woodpecker 05/12/2002
39 Goldfinch 02/12/2002
38 Herring Gull 02/12/2002
37 Feral Pigeon 30/11/2002
36 Sparrowhawk 30/11/2002
35 Wigeon 30/11/2002
34 Wren 30/11/2002
33 Meadow Pipit 30/11/2002
32 Great Black-backed Gull 30/11/2002
31 Rook 30/11/2002
30 Woodpigeon 30/11/2002
28 Redwing 23/11/2002
27 Dunnock 23/11/2002
27 Fieldfare 23/11/2002
26 Lapwing 23/11/2002
25 Mallard 23/11/2002
24 Long-tailed Tit 30/11/2002
23 Lesser-black Backed Gull 30/11/2002
22 Common Gull 30/11/2002
21 Black-headed Gull 30/11/2002
20 Red-legged Partridge 30/11/2002
19 Greenfinch 30/11/2002
18 Chaffinch 30/11/2002
17 House Sparrow 30/11/2002
16 Starling 30/11/2002
15 Carrion Crow 30/11/2002
14 Jackdaw 30/11/2002
13 Magpie 30/11/2002
12 Great Tit 30/11/2002
11 Blue Tit 30/11/2002
10 Mistle Thrush 30/11/2002
9 Song Thrush 30/11/2002
8 Blackbird 30/11/2002
7 Robin 30/11/2002
6 Pied Wagtail 30/11/2002
5 Skylark 30/11/2002
4 Collared Dove 30/11/2002
3 Stock Dove 30/11/2002
2 Pheasant 30/11/2002
1 Kestrel 30/11/2002

EXOTICS
Zebra Finch 09-16/08/2004
Sudan Golden Sparrow 09/08/2005 - 15/10/2004

Garden moth list

2005-08-08T08:15:00.000Z

185, Orange Swift, 10/08/2005
184, Small Square-spot, 10/08/2005
183, Red Underwing, 08/08/2005
182, Twin-spotted Wainscot, 08/08/2005
181, Knot Grass, 08/08/2005
180, Straw Underwing, 08/08/2005
179, July Highflyer, 29/07/2005
178, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 29/07/2005
177, The Herald, 26/07/2005
176, European Corn-borer, 22/07/2005
175, Small Blood-vein, 20/07/2005
174, Short-cloaked Moth, 18/07/2005
173, Tissue, 17/07/2005
172, Sallow Kitten, 17/07/2005
171, Purple Thorn, 17/07/2005
170, Orthopygia glaucinalis, 17/07/2005
169, Meal Moth, 17/07/2005
168, Large Tabby, 17/07/2005
167, Dun-bar, 17/07/2005
166, Cloaked Minor, 17/07/2005
165, Red Twin-spot Carpet, 16/07/2005
164, Chinese Character, 16/07/2005
163, Scarce Footman, 15/07/2005
162, Ruby Tiger, 15/07/2005
161, Early Thorn, 15/07/2005
160, Bird Cherry Ermine, 15/07/2005
159, Yellowtail, 13/07/2005
158, Wormwood Pug, 13/07/2005
157, White Satin Moth, 13/07/2005
156, Shark, 13/07/2005
155, Drinker, 13/07/2005
154, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 12/07/2005
153, Broad-barred White, 12/07/2005
152, Triple-spotted Clay, 08/07/2005
151, Dingy Footman, 08/07/2005
150, Clay, 08/07/2005
149, Lesser Cream Wave, 04/07/2005
148, Common Rustic, 04/07/2005
147, Small Rivulet, 03/07/2005
146, Grey Dagger, 03/07/2005
145, Gothic, 03/07/2005
144, Peppered Moth, 02/07/2005
143, Fan-foot, 02/07/2005
142, Dusky Cream Wave, 02/07/2005
141, Double Square Spot, 02/07/2005
140, Cream Wave, 02/07/2005
139, Buff Arches, 02/07/2005
138, Sitochroa verticalis, 01/07/2005
137, Fen Wainscot, 30/06/2005
136, Dark Spinich, 30/06/2005
135, Sandy Carpet, 14/06/2005
134, Green Pug, 14/06/2005
133, Brown Rustic, 10/06/2005
132, Lime Hawkmoth, 05/06/2005
131, Elephant Hawkmoth, 05/06/2005
130, Buttoned Snout, 03/06/2005
129, Spectacle, 01/06/2005
128, Pale-shouldered Brocade, 01/06/2005
127, Turnip Moth, 30/05/2005
126, Pale Mottled Willow, 30/05/2005
125, Silver Ground Garpet, 29/05/2005
124, Rufous Minor, 29/05/2005
123, Alder Moth, 29/05/2005
122, Puss Moth, 16/05/2005
121, Square-spot Rustic, 28/08/2004
120, Flounced Rustic, 28/08/2004
119, Dark Sword Grass, 28/08/2004
118, Common Pug, 24/08/2004
117, Light Emerald, 24/08/2004
116, Scalloped Oak, 17/07/2004
115, Swallow-tailed Moth, 13/07/2004
114, Garden Tiger, 13/07/2004
113, The Snout, 28/06/2004
112, The Clay, 28/06/2004
111, Dot Moth, 28/06/2004
110, Birds Wing, 28/06/2004
109, Uncertain, 21/06/2004
108, Cinnabar, 21/06/2004
107, Brimstone, 21/06/2004
106, Barred Yellow, 21/06/2004
105, Willow Beauty, 18/06/2004
104, Small Magpie, 18/06/2004
103, Rustic, 18/06/2004
102, Gold Triangle, 18/06/2004
101, Freyer's Pug, 18/06/2004
100, Cream-bordered Green Pea, 18/06/2004
99, White Plume, 16/06/2004
98, Riband Wave, 14/06/2004
97, Broom Moth, 14/06/2004
96, Bordered Pug, 14/06/2004
95, Mottled Rustic, 12/06/2004
94, Light Arches, 12/06/2004
93, Common Pug, 12/06/2004
92, Common Footman, 12/06/2004
91, The Lychnis, 09/06/2004
90, Tawny Marbled Minor, 09/06/2004
89, Striped Lynchis, 09/06/2004
88, Single Dotted Wave, 09/06/2004
87, Common Swift, 09/06/2004
86, Thistle Ermine, 07/06/2004
85, The Flame, 07/06/2004
84, Privet Hawkmoth, 07/06/2004
83, Poplar Grey, 07/06/2004
82, Eyed Hawkmoth, 07/06/2004
81, Clouded Border, 07/06/2004
80, Small Waved Umber, 05/06/2004
79, Small Dotted Wave, 05/06/2004
78, Marbled Minor, 05/06/2004
77, Buff Ermine, 05/06/2004
76, White Ermine, 03/06/2004
75, Vines Rustic, 03/06/2004
74, Small Clouded Brindle, 03/06/2004
73, Rustic Shoulder Knot, 03/06/2004
72, Poplar Hawkmoth, 03/06/2004
71, Middle Barred Minor, 03/06/2004
70, Large Nutmeg, 03/06/2004
69, Heart and Club, 03/06/2004
68, Pale Prominent, 03/05/2004
67, Muslin Moth, 03/05/2004
66, Black Rustic, 14/10/2003
65, The Mallow, 12/10/2003
64, Red-line Quaker, 12/10/2003
63, Lesser Yellow Underwing, 12/10/2003
62, Large Wainscot, 12/10/2003
61, Beaded Chestnut, 12/10/2003
60, Garden Pebble, 25/08/2003
59, Donacaula forficella, 25/08/2003
58, Agriphila straminella, 25/08/2003
57, Scrobipalpa acuminatella, 23/08/2003
56, Rosy Rustic, 23/08/2003
55, Green Carpet, 23/08/2003
54, Garden Carpet, 23/08/2003
53, Eudonia truncicolella, 23/08/2003
52, Caloptilia stigmatella, 23/08/2003
51, Cabbage, 23/08/2003
50, Burnished Brass, 23/08/2003
49, Brown House Moth, 23/08/2003
48, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 23/08/2003
47, Blood-vein, 23/08/2003
46, Agriphila geniculea, 23/08/2003
45, Yellow Shell, 09/08/2003
44, Spectacled, 09/08/2003
43, Mottled Beauty, 09/08/2003
42, Least Yellow underwing, 09/08/2003
41, Lunar Yellow Underwing, 09/08/2003
40, Heart and Dart, 09/08/2003
39, Figure of Eighty, 09/08/2003
38, Dog's Tooth, 09/08/2003
37, Dark Arches, 09/08/2003
36, Angle Shades, 09/08/2003
35, Straw Dot, 08/08/2003
34, Scoparia subfusca, 08/08/2003
33, Rush Veneer, 08/08/2003
32, Emmelina monodactyla, 08/08/2003
31, Cnephasia pasiuana, 08/08/2003
30, Cnephasia genitalana, 08/08/2003
29, Brown China-mark, 08/08/2003
28, Agriphila tristella, 08/08/2003
27, Agriphila selasella, 08/08/2003
26, Agapeta hamana, 08/08/2003
25, Swallow Prominent, 02/08/2003
24, Silver Y, 02/08/2003
23, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 02/08/2003
22, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 02/08/2003
21, Marbled Beauty, 02/08/2003
20, Lime-speck Plug, 02/08/2003
19, Flame Shoulder, 02/08/2003
18, Dusky Sallow, 02/08/2003
17, Common Wainscot, 02/08/2003
16, Common Carpet, 02/08/2003
15, Bright Line Brown Eye, 02/08/2003
14, Beautiful Golden Y, 02/08/2003
13, Nutmeg, 01/08/2003
12, Common Rustic, 01/08/2003
11, Cnephasia longana, 01/08/2003
10, Calamotropha paludella, 01/08/2003
9, Agriphila straminella, 01/08/2003
8, Smokey Wainscot, 20/07/2003
7, Pebble Prominent, 20/07/2003
6, Mouse Moth, 20/07/2003
5, Mother of Pearl, 20/07/2003
4, Large Yellow Underwing, 20/07/2003
3, Ingrailed Clay, 20/07/2003
2, Dwarf Cream Wave, 20/07/2003
1, Barred Straw, 20/07/2003

Garden bird list

2005-07-22T16:00:00.000Z

111 Lesser Whitethroat 21/07/2005
110 Common Crossbill 17/07/2005
109 Shoveler 16/07/2005
108 Ring-necked Parakeet 12/07/2005
107 Coot 11/04/2005
106 Pochard 31/03/2005
105 Shelduck 26/02/2005
104 Mediterranean Gull 01/02/2005
103 Pink-footed Goose 07/11/2004
102 Reed Warbler 10/08/2004
101 Grey Wagtail 10/08/2004
100 Pied Flycatcher 09/08/2004
99 Red Kite 05/08/2004
98 Quail 13/06/2004
97 Little Grebe 13/04/2004
96 Oystercatcher 12/04/2004
95 Great Crested Grebe 17/03/2004
94 Curlew 05/03/2004
93 Little Egret 16/02/2004
92 Peregrine 19/11/2003
91 Blackcap 11/11/2003
90 Whooper Swan 09/11/2003
89 Redshank 30/10/2003
88 Short-eared Owl 30/10/2003
87 Common Buzzard 23/10/2003
86 Greylag Goose 10/10/2003
85 Hobby 04/09/2003
84 Green Woodpecker 20/08/2003
83 Greenshank 18/08/2003
82 Willow Warbler 06/08/2003
81 Marsh Harrier 01/08/2003
80 Common Sandpiper 30/07/2003
79 Sand Martin 18/07/2003
78 Canada Goose 08/06/2003
77 Moorhen 06/06/2003
76 Sedge Warbler 28/05/2003
75 Osprey 28/05/2003
74 Swift 18/05/2003
73 Cuckoo 15/05/2003
72 Whitethroat 08/05/2003
71 Tufted Duck 08/05/2003
70 House Martin 07/05/2003
69 Common Tern 07/05/2003
68 Turtle Dove 22/04/2003
67 Swallow 14/04/2003
66 Yellow Wagtail 07/04/2003
65 Bullfinch 22/03/2003
64 Barn Owl 19/03/2003
63 Grey Partridge 16/03/2003
62 Snipe 21/02/2003
61 Merlin 16/02/2003
60 European White-fronted Goose 15/02/2003
59 Tawny Owl 13/02/2003
58 Gadwall 12/02/2003
57 Brambling 08/02/2003
56 Goldeneye 07/02/2003
55 Reed Bunting 21/01/2003
54 Tree Sparrow 08/01/2003
53 Yellowhammer 06/01/2003
52 Chiffchaff 01/01/2003
51 Cormorant 01/01/2003
50 Little Owl 30/12/2002
49 Corn Bunting 24/12/2002
48 Green Sandpiper 24/12/2002
47 Mute Swan 24/12/2002
46 Linnet 09/12/2002
45 Goldcrest 09/12/2002
44 Stonechat 09/12/2002
43 Golden Plover 09/12/2002
42 Teal 09/12/2002
41 Grey Heron 09/12/2002
40 Great Spotted Woodpecker 05/12/2002
39 Goldfinch 02/12/2002
38 Herring Gull 02/12/2002
37 Feral Pigeon 30/11/2002
36 Sparrowhawk 30/11/2002
35 Wigeon 30/11/2002
34 Wren 30/11/2002
33 Meadow Pipit 30/11/2002
32 Great Black-backed Gull 30/11/2002
31 Rook 30/11/2002
30 Woodpigeon 30/11/2002
28 Redwing 23/11/2002
27 Dunnock 23/11/2002
27 Fieldfare 23/11/2002
26 Lapwing 23/11/2002
25 Mallard 23/11/2002
24 Long-tailed Tit 30/11/2002
23 Lesser-black Backed Gull 30/11/2002
22 Common Gull 30/11/2002
21 Black-headed Gull 30/11/2002
20 Red-legged Partridge 30/11/2002
19 Greenfinch 30/11/2002
18 Chaffinch 30/11/2002
17 House Sparrow 30/11/2002
16 Starling 30/11/2002
15 Carrion Crow 30/11/2002
14 Jackdaw 30/11/2002
13 Magpie 30/11/2002
12 Great Tit 30/11/2002
11 Blue Tit 30/11/2002
10 Mistle Thrush 30/11/2002
9 Song Thrush 30/11/2002
8 Blackbird 30/11/2002
7 Robin 30/11/2002
6 Pied Wagtail 30/11/2002
5 Skylark 30/11/2002
4 Collared Dove 30/11/2002
3 Stock Dove 30/11/2002
2 Pheasant 30/11/2002
1 Kestrel 30/11/2002

EXOTICS
Zebra Finch 09-16/08/2004
Sudan Golden Sparrow 09/08/2005 - 15/10/2004