10 May - Rosy Starlings are comin!


My last day and I'd like to thank all those who have shared their bird news with and contributed to these daily updates. 

Thanks too the Pasiphae Hotel staff for their usual warm hospitality and providing me with a home from home again for my stay. I'd also like to thank all the tavernas who have catered for my groups over the last three weeks - Dionysos (Skala Kallonis), Australia (Sigri), Soulatsou (Skala Eresou) and Achille's Well (Petri), and to Tsalis rentals for looking after me so well.

See you all again next spring!

BIRD NEWS
An overcast day with some light rain in places and the first Rose-coloured Starlings were seen today out west. No sign of the robins or the Griffon Vulture today

Petrified Forest
WHITE-THROATED ROBIN
No news today.

We now have confirmation that we have two males and a female robin in the park. The males are holding territory close to one another and a female has been seen with the male near the concrete building. We are now treating this as a breeding attempt. Please therefore view only from the road and not from within the park to avoid disturbing them.

I've been told that the police are aware of misbehaviour here, including the use of recordings (illegal here) and are now going to be making patrols of the area, especially when the park is closed, to ensure that no one is using recordings or harassing the birds now they are presumed to be breeding. Please be sure to pass this message around.

It also means they are expected to hang around! Which is good news to those arriving today and next week.

Skala Eresou
Rose-coloured Starling 3 (they're coming!)

Kallon Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands
Caspian Tern 1
Slender-billed Gull 1
Little Gull 1
Gull-billed Tern 4
White-winged Tern 55
Whiskered Tern 11
Eurasian Curlew 2
Grey Plover 3
Zitting Cisticola 3

Potamia
Olive-tree Warbler 6
Levant Sparrowhawk 3
Eleanora's Falcon 1

Kalami Marsh
Squacco Heron 6
Spotted Redshank 1
Water Rail 1
Purple Heron 1

Petrified Forest
Red-footed Falcon fem

Meladia Valley
Red-footed Falcon 1
Lesser Grey Shrike 1
Bee-eater 2

Metochi Lake
Little Crake fem (at north end)
Little Bittern 3
Night-heron 26

Tsiknias River
Little Bittern 3
Squacco Heron 6
Whiskered Tern 1
Temminck's Stint 2
Bee-eater 20

Alikoudi Pool
White-tinged Tern 2
Whiskered Tern 1
Temminck's Stint 2

Limnos Monastery
Middle Spotted Woodpecker - pair nesting near the taverna. Park by the taverna and look back up the access road and on the right there is a double telegraph post. The nest is low down in the left hand post (the one with all the wires) facing the taverna. Adults feedings young. Please view/photo from the park car area and don't stand in the middle of the road expecting the parents to ignore you!

Achalderi
Kruper's Nuthatch - birds now feeding recently hatched young

Kavaki
Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana
Scops Owl 
Long-eared Owl - the young have left the nest, no sign of them or adults

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'
Scops Owl. Please do not harass the birds!