MY BIRDWATCHING HIGHLIGHTS FOR FEBRUARY 2006
| 2nd Feb.
At Kolimbari. A flock of 5 griffon
vultures.
|
| 3rd Feb. At Neo Chorio.
A group of 3 rough legged buzzards drifted north against an angry sky.
Along the coast were a marsh harrier, 3 linnets, a dead male shoveller
that had been shot; a grey wagtail; and a flock of 12+ tawny pipits. Almost
everywhere the songs of greenfinches and goldfinches fill the air.
|
| 8th Feb. Along the coast.
A memorable prolonged study of lots of those
little brown jobs along the coast - as a big mixed flock kept us occupied
for ages sorting out what was present. The 3 corn buntings; the 12+
tawny pipits; and the 6 ortolan buntings did not slow us down much, but
separating the rest did. There were at least 120+ meadow pipits in all
stages of plumage, so all needed a good look at and that left us with what
turned out to be 50+ pechoras pipits. I have never spent so long
studying a mixed flock like this one and it took an awful lot of research
to confirm the identity of the pechoras pipits. Scapular stripes had
to be studied along with primary projections, heavy body streaking, the
short tail and very prominent was the skulking way they moved, refusing to
be flushed and instead sneaking from one tussock of grass to the
next. On many of them the white wing bars were very worn and had to
be looked for very carefully. Presumably these will soon moult into
breeding plumage. A poor white wagtail was noted, but only as an
afterthought! Further on a single skylark was coming into song.
|
| 11th Feb. At
Neradzia.
A steppe buzzard was circling.
On the coast. Were several whinchats; a cygnet; and a
magnificent male montagues harrier.
At Neo Chorio.
A booted eagle and a pair of rough legged buzzards.
|
| 13th Feb. At Galatas.
A single short toed eagle and then, further on, 3 separate booted eagles
and a single steppe buzzard.
|
| 14th Feb. At Neo
Chorio.
It
is much colder now as was underlined when 6 crag martins turned up.
|
| 21st
Feb. At
Galatas. After a week of atrocious
weather we got out for a while. We found a marsh harrier; a
whinchat; a great white egret; and a flock of 5 honey buzzards.
|
| 22nd
Feb. At Neo Chorio.
Lovely views of a juvenile lesser spotted eagle; and later a flock
of 5 honey buzzards.
|
| 24th Feb.
Along the Coast. The great
white egret is still present and has been seen by lots of
people.
|
| 25th Feb. At Neo
Chorio.
A pair of short toed eagles circled for a long time over our
valley, their calling always attracts us to go out and look for
them.
|
| 27th Feb.
At Neo
Chorio.
Nearby a booted eagle and 2 honey buzzards headed north.
|
|
28th Feb.
Near the coast. Another short toed eagle, while,
At Tavronitis. A flock of 10 cirl buntings were
busy feeding in the giant reeds.
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