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1st
Aug. On the coast. We found a barn owl run over on the
road. Then we saw 2 turtle doves; 3 little ringed plovers; 3 juvenile
ringed plovers; and a weasel ran across the road in front of us. Highlight
of this trip, of the year and probably of my lifetime were fantastic close
up and long views of a superb slender billed curlew!!! A mega twitch for
those so inclined - but this was all to myself – my right hand man was
cavorting in the sea so missed all the action. One of the true mystery
birds of the Palearctic region whose breeding grounds are subject to
intense debate, whose population size is totally unknown and whose
migratory patterns are so variable as to confuse everyone. The plumage was
pristine so identification was straightforward as I watched it trying to
feed in a field only 30 metres away for ten minutes before it flew up
calling loudly with a non curlew like alarm call before circling six times
just overhead, before flying strongly away towards the south east. That
really did call for a long cold beer in the nearby cantina to celebrate!
At Neo Chorio. Two eleonoras falcons in the evening failed to
elicit much exuberance after the earlier excitement!
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2nd
Aug. At a nearly dried up estuary. Were 2 adult and a juvenile
ringed plovers, while a light phase eleonoras falcon hunted overhead.
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3rd
Aug. At Neo Chorio. We heard a flock of bee-eaters, but as is
usual with autumn migration they were too high up to see. We just heard
them.
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4th
Aug. At Loukomeheliana. We managed to see 23 bee-eaters and then
5 golden orioles. Further along at Pontikiana were another 4+ bee-eaters.
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5th
Aug. At Neo Chorio. Our famous cat (called toffee) managed to
get into these pages again when he tried to ambush a scops owl in one of
our mulberry trees, but all he succeeded in doing was to annoy it and fall
out of the tree along with lots of dead leaves and a mass of spiders webs!
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6th
Aug. At Neo Chorio. Sitting on our patio enjoying a delicious
wild boar sausage, a present from the daughter in law, a buzzard swooped
down so low I was convinced it wanted to grab a share. I hung on tight and
it sheared off in search of easier prey thank goodness.
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8th
Aug. At Neo Chorio. A short toed eagle circled.
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9th
Aug. At Neo Chorio. Another, or perhaps the same short toed
eagle and later a male sparrow hawk.
On the coast we found some high bee-eaters, 2 temmincks
stints, a squacco heron, 3 wood sandpipers and a marsh harrier.
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11th
Aug. At the coast. We were able to watch small flocks of swallows on
migration coming in from the sea and immediately setting about foraging
for insects. There were also 2 little stints and out to sea a raft of 50+
garganey were waiting for darkness before coming in to feed.
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13th
Aug. At Neo Chorio. A short toed eagle is still about.
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14th
Aug. At Neo Chorio. The short toed eagle is still here while:-
On the coast. Were 1 squacco heron; 2 little ringed plovers;
and more migrating swallows coming in off the sea.
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15th
Aug. Again on the coast. 2 little ringed plovers; 1 wood sandpiper; 1
temmincks stint; a flock of 7 ruff; flocks of 49 and 11 glossy ibis; 1
hoopoe; and yet more swallows coming in from the sea on their migration.
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16th
Aug. At a river estuary. Were 2 little ringed plovers; 1 squacco
heron; a flock of 56 ruff; and a flock of 12 purple herons.
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17th
Aug. At Neo Chorio. Were a pair of long legged buzzards circling with
a common buzzard while:-
Over Sirili. A group of 3 honey buzzards drifted south.
At the coast.
We saw our first kingfisher of the autumn.
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20th
Aug. At Sirili. A roller - much less frequently seen in autumn than
spring.
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21st
Aug. On the coast. We saw the first of the returning yellow wagtails.
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23rd
Aug. On the coast. There was a flock of 83 glossy ibis; a flock of 19
little egrets; and then we had amazing views of a juvenile great spotted
eagle that flew in from the sea and immediately started hunting along one
of the estuaries. While difficult to identify at the usual great distances
that eagles are observed from, at 30 metres there could be no mistaking
this one.
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27th
Aug. At Polymarchi. Was a long legged buzzard and later a rough legged
buzzard while:-
At the coast. A booted eagle and a flock of 30+ teal.
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28th
Aug. At Kastelli. Was an extraordinary sight – a cow standing in a
field! A very rare sight indeed on
Crete
, we know people to have driven miles to show their children one!
On one of the peninsulas. We found very few birds - a
wheatear; a few woodlarks; a blue rock thrush; a single lanner falcon; and
1 griffon vulture. On the way back home we saw a nightjar and then another
rough legged buzzard.
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30th
Aug. On the coast. Were flock of 34 glossy ibis; 3 pintail; a pair of
marsh harriers; 2 bar tailed godwits; and later a single glossy ibis.
At Sirili.
Were a golden oriole and 2 crag martins.
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31st
Aug. At Neo Chorio. Were 3 honey buzzards.
At the
coast. Was a lovely male marsh harrier; a flock of 25 little egrets; 1
wood sandpiper; and probably the same 2 bar tailed godwits as yesterday.
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