Pbirdarc0407

MY BIRDWATCHING HIGHLIGHTS FOR APRIL 2007

	1^stApr. At Neo Chorio. A flock of 6 honey buzzards while small flocks of swallows and swifts circled. Two pairs of collared doves are nesting nearby. At Nembros. There were two hoopoes and, down On the coast. We found a booted eagle; a garden warbler; dozens of yellow wagtails; two common sandpipers; 4 red throated pipits; and a little egret.
	2^ndApr. At Neo Chorio. Among the dozens of swallows and swifts going by were 2 alpine swifts and 30+ pallid swifts.
	3^rdApr. At Tavronitis. Were a booted eagle; a pair of black kites; and a marsh harrier; while further along were a marsh harrier; a juvenile lesser spotted eagle; and a steppe buzzard. Out on one of the peninsulas. 2 griffon vultures; a pair of bonellis eagles; a blue rock thrush; plenty of crested larks; a pair of rock doves; a corn bunting; and a redstart. The highlight was seeing the bearded vulture that has taken up residence. It appears at least four years old so if it survives another couple of years it will be looking for a mate. We wish it every success!

	4^thApr. At Tavronitis. A very poorly and badly oiled cormorant was struggling to stay alive, but looked like losing the battle. Yes, even here the occasional oil spill occurs.
	6^thApr. At Neo Chorio. A booted eagle and a flock of 30+ pallid swifts went by. Later, down On the coast. We found a black winged stilt; 6 little ringed plovers; a moorhen; several sandpipers; and one of the resident marsh harriers. The white wagtails, stonechats, whinchats, crested larks and yellow wagtails need not be listed at this time of year they are so common - though it is strange that crested larks can seem to vanish outside the breeding season and then be so prominent now they are driven by their hormones!
	9^thApr. At Neo Chorio. A single golden oriole went by.
	12^th Apr. On the coast. An isabelline wheatear strutted around wanting to be counted while a single little egret foraged in a rapidly drying and shrinking muddy patch. Two black winged stilts and two squacco herons huddled at the margins of a small river.
	13^th Apr. On the coast. A few more alpine swifts were drinking from one of the rivers and another isabelline wheatear, miles away from the one we saw yesterday, was also stamping around. Common and wood sandpipers are regulars but the odd marsh sandpiper, little stint and even the migratory moorhens make life more interesting.
	13^thApr. At Neo Chorio. A single eleonoras falcon.
	14^thApr. At Neo Chorio. We saw a pair of ravens; an eleonoras falcon; and dozens of swifts.
	15^th Apr. On the coast. A lesser whitethroat; 3 woodchat shrikes; a black winged stilt; a spotted flycatcher; and 3 red throated pipits added to the usual mix of wagtails and sandpipers along the coast.
	16^thApr. At Neo Chorio. Many thousands of mixed swallows and house martins streamed by all day.
	17^thApr. At Sirili. A single linnet was unusual, but the 1,000+ house martins streaming north were not. The occasional eleonoras falcon indicates that they are back, while the resident kestrels are well into their breeding cycle. Wood sandpipers and yellow wagtails are still passing through along with the odd moorhen and there are more little stints about now. At Tavronitis. Two red rumped swallows appeared briefly but soon moved on. A single ring tailed harrier and a booted eagle showed that the raptors are still on the move. At Kamisiana. A single hoopoe was a delight. They look more like huge gaudy moths than birds as thy flit about. There are more spotted flycatchers and woodchat shrikes around now.
	21^stApr. On the coast. A hobby; 2 collared flycatchers; 4 crag martins; and a red rumped swallow added interest to the usual smattering of sandpipers, wagtails and chats that are on the coast. At Neo Chorio. A turtle dove sang for hours.
	24^thApr. At Sirili. A late flock of 4 honey buzzards circled, whilst On the coast. 9 red throated pipits; a marsh sandpiper; a greenshank; and more little stints.
	20^thApr. At Neo Chorio. A single eleonoras falcon.
	25^thApr. At Neo Chorio. A local buzzard was lazily circling his territory when a pair of eleonoras falcons and a pair of beautiful greater spotted eagles decided to invade his air space. The buzzard was overwhelmed and after a few shrieks of protest - and a half hearted barrel roll at the eagles - he gave up the fight and left the sky to them. At Kamisiana. There was still a moorhen present; and a flock of 12+ red throated pipits.
	26^thApr. At Kolimbari. A single white winged black tern quartered the sea just off the beach.
	24^th Apr. At Neo Chorio. My right hand man caught sight of a rough legged buzzard trying to sneak by. They stand no chance now she has her eye in. Were they literate she would invite them in to sign our visitors book!
	28^thApr. Again along the coast. A pair of white winged black terns fished just offshore while a little crake tried to hide from our prying eyes but we got his number. A lovely terek sandpiper in full breeding plumage and 2+ short toed larks had made a shopping trip worthwhile!
	30^thApr. A trip out on one of the peninsulas. With friends John and Patty was well rewarded with a female marmoras warbler - so close at times the binoculars could not be focused as it frantically foraged in roadside vegetation for insects. Overhead in a tree at least 2 melodious warblers were also feeding and a red breasted flycatcher flew repeatedly from a perch and gave us lovely views. Two rock sparrows; 9 griffon vultures; a rock thrush; a bonellis eagle; a pair of lanner falcons; a rock thrush; a lesser kestrel; 15+ black eared wheatears; 20+ wheatears; a flock of 30+ rock doves; and another of 20+ stock doves; plus 4 cretzschmars buntings; and a long legged buzzard; added to the fun of the large numbers of woodlarks; stonechats; whinchats; crested larks; chaffinches; and even blackbirds that were all busily feeding up in their various ways. Almost as an afterthought a calandra lark popped into view briefly before diving back into cover, safe from the raptors.