Pbirdarc0507

MY BIRDWATCHING HIGHLIGHTS FOR MAY 2007

	1^stMay. At Neo Chorio. We watched as thousands of swallows and house martins streamed by rushing northwards, a very strong migratory pulse.
	2^nd May. At Neo Chorio. A hoopoe sang to us nearly all day.
	3^rdMay. At Neo Chorio. A male golden oriole and a hunting eleonoras falcon.

	4^thMay. At Neo Chorio. While slowly waking up in the morning, a cheerful swallow came into our bedroom and twittered away to us as it circled, probably looking for a nest site. Outside in the garden some spotted flycatchers fed for a while before moving on.
	5^thMay. Kolymbari. A cormorant was fishing just out to sea as a white winged black tern sped by on its way to somewhere. Later a sandwich tern showed up, as did a little egret. Several crested larks were singing on the beach.
	6^thMay. At Anovos. Were two honey buzzards; and a pied flycatcher, At Spilia. A hoopoe; and Near Episkopi. 2 spotted flycatchers; 2 golden orioles; and a cuckoo. At the nearby gorge. 7 griffon vultures circled and a couple resting on the nesting ledges. Further on were a pair of lanner falcons and in the dense undergrowth in the gorge were masses of blue and great tits; chaffinches; blackbirds; spotted flycatchers; and goldfinches. Along the coast. On the way back we spotted a red footed falcon; and in a dwindling river bed were 2 common sandpipers; a terek sandpiper; plus a pair of little ringed plovers. On a newly ploughed small field immediately inland from the beach we were amazed to find a spur winged plover quietly feeding and resting despite the large number of vehicles going by - as well as lots of strolling half tanned tourists. The spur winged plover is a very rare bird on Crete. Again, I was amazed by its tameness and exquisitely immaculate plumage. So many of the rare birds seem to dress themselves up before venturing here to show themselves off. Reminds me of the youngsters of the species Homo Sapiens venturing onto the summer beaches in an attempt to lure something interesting to their beauty!
	7^thMay. At Neo Chorio. There was a hoopoe. And, Down on the coast. Several crested larks; a few more spotted flycatchers; an eleonoras falcon; and a flock of 12 bee-eaters which flew by very low down and noisily.
	8^thMay. At Neo Chorio. A golden oriole fed quietly before moving on.
	9^thMay. At Neo Chorio. On the national road we were very surprised to see a dead yellow legged gull lying as if run down by a car. Seems hardly likely, as we have never seen any others like this.
	10^thMay. A trip out onto a peninsula. This time we saw a cormorant; a pair of lanner falcons; 2 pairs of bonellis eagles - and with one pair was a newly fledged juvenile; an eleonoras falcon; and then lots of crested larks; wrens; crag martins; alpine swifts; swifts; swallows; house martins; spotted flycatchers; a pair of short toed larks; a wheatear; and a kestrel.
	11^th May. At Neo Chorio. In our garden we had a sub alpine warbler feeding and occasionally singing.
	12^thMay. On the coast. Were 3 little ringed plovers; a singing great reed warbler; a little egret; a white wagtail; a pair of red rumped swallows; and a very late flock of 50+ meadow pipits.
	13^thMay. At Neo Chorio. Over our house we heard a flock of bee-eaters, but they were too high up to count.
	14^thMay. At Neo Chorio. A swallow came indoors again, this time into our lounge, and flew round a few times while outside a hoopoe was calling. Down on the coast. Lots of singing crested larks; while a very young and inexperienced shag was trying to fish. On one of the nearly dry river beds a moorhen was fussing. We see a pair here so regularly that they must be breeding, though we have found no nest or fledglings.
	18^thMay. At Tavronitis. A single male red footed falcon. It was still there two days later, though this time a grey heron lurked in the reeds and a female kestrel was hunting overhead.
	22^ndMay. At Maleme. We stopped off at a taverna for a chilled beer. While we sat watching the children playing in the children’s play area we were amazed to see a little bittern flop down amongst them. It squatted obviously exhausted for a couple of minutes and then found the energy to flutter off into cover to recuperate. At Neo Chorio. A short toed eagle circled and called.
	23^rdMay. At Maleme. We saw a short toed eagle, possibly the same one we saw yesterday. Also a flock of about 30 house martins flew by and several golden orioles were dashing in and out of the olive groves.
	24^thMay. At Sirili. A very late booted eagle circled, and At the base of one of the peninsulas. We saw 2 lanner falcons; a wheatear; several crested larks; a male kestrel; a male stonechat; a whinchat; and very welcome was an energetic fan tailed warbler that sang and dashed about to proclaim that they are not quite extinct along this stretch of coast.
	28^th May. At the base of one of the peninsulas. A return visit to confirm the fan tailed warbler was no fluke, it was still dashing about and giving its “tick – tick” call. Back at home. An eleonoras falcon and a pair of ravens flew over.
	30^thApr. On the coast. Were a little stint; a little egret; and a red footed falcon. Back at home. A raven went by “kronking” like mad.

A few final words for May.

A month when the number and variety of birds dwindled with the rapid drying out of stream and river beds. It has to be admitted that this is the worst year we have experienced for the number of spring migrants. The dry winter did not help, but the problem has been much aggravated by the enormous amount of drainage work that has gone on between Chania and Kolymbari - to facilitate the vast increase in building work that is still going on despite the tourist season being well under way now. We feel sorry for anyone holidaying between Kolymbari and Platanias as it looks more like the Spanish building sites of the ‘60s where tourists would be arriving through the front door while concrete was being delivered at the back!

Of the eighteen sites that I have visited - every few days for the last seven years - at least ten of them have been destroyed by building work and drainage over the last winter, so it is no wonder that favourites like the purple herons and glossy ibis did not stop this year. They must have just kept going in the hope they were strong enough to make the Mediterranean crossing in one long hop instead of two shorter ones. Return migration in the Autumn will tell us something about the long term effects of what is going on, but as happens everywhere when there is conflict between wildlife and commercial gain there is only one winner.

Like the birds I am going to have to change my habits. June is the quietest month for birds anyway, so perhaps I will get chance to evaluate options – perhaps the high peaks will figure more though given my health who knows. All that matters is to make the most of what is available. I will still be looking in those dry river beds and around the next corner – never be satisfied!

Until next month, good watching. Paul Smith.