23rd October
Alan had a day out generally exploring the north coast between Maleme and Kolymbari. The area was dry everywhere, but a few good sightings of grey heron, starlings, sparrowhawk, marsh harrier and a surprise cuckoo - a juvenile. All these birds presented well enough for photos, so some images below. Later at Agia it was quiet, though the booted eagle did put in an appearance, and, after meeting Nikos, two Eleanoras' showed .
Seven images by and copyright Alan Hargrave
Marsh Harrier....Circus aeruginosus
Cuckoo....Cuculus canorus
Starling....Sturnus vulgaris
Sparrowhawk....Accipiter nisus
Booted Eagle....Aquila pennata
21st October
Weather 0900....21.0°C...Sea , calm....Vis 20+ miles....Cloud 1%....Wind E 2m/s 1023mb
Kaliviani species....Robin...Hooded Crow....Kestrel....Stonechat....Blue Tit.....Great Tit.... Blackbird.... Blue Rock Thrush....Common Buzzard....Rock Dove....Sardinian Warbler....Sparrowhawk....Raven....Stonechat....Crested Lark.
A weasel hunted in our courtyard garden
20th October
Weather 0900....21.7°C...Sea , light chop....Vis 20+ miles....Cloud 40%....Wind E 4m/s ....1023mb
Well the days just get quieter and quieter, we think all the birds have travelled to the centre and east of Crete, they are certainly not around here. The quietest we have known it. Only 7 species today !!!!
Kaliviani Species....Goldfinch....Hooded Crow....Sparrowhawk....Common Buzzard Kestrel....Raven....Robin..
At Bramiana Lake, White Stork, Spotted Eagle and Great White Egret.
19th October
Weather 0900....22.8°C...Sea , calm....Vis 20+ miles....Cloud 5%....Wind E 0.5m/s 1018mb
Kaliviani Species....Great Tit....Hooded Crow....Robin....Linnet....Goldfinch....Grey Heron 3. Sparrowhawk....Crested Lark.... Common Buzzard....Kestrel....Greenfinch....Rock Dove....Woodlark.... Griffon Vulture .... Raven ....Little Egret....Raven
Nikos went in search of Kites ,found many..... Recent sightings of Red kite from the eastern half of the island had him driving over 400km today... Red Kite seen along with about 50 Black Kite, Marsh Harrier, Griffons, Buzzards, Peregrine, Eleonora's falcons etc... The making of new freshwater reservoirs across Crete has benefits not just for coots and grebes, but Blue Rock Thrush
Image by and copyright nikos Samaritakis
Black Kite....Milvus migrans
18th October
Weather 0900....23.6°C....Sea , calm....Vis 20+ miles....Cloud 1%....Wind N 3m/s 1010 mb
Still very quiet hardly anything about.....
Species Kaliviani,....Woodark....Hooded Crow....Robin....Goldfinch....Rock Dove....Sardinian Warbler Collared Dove.... Blackbird....Greenfinch....Griffon Vulture....Common Buzzard
Image by and copyright Alan Hargrave
Icterine Warbler....Hippolais icterina
17th October
Weather 0900....23.7°C...Sea, choppy...Vis 12+ miles....Cloud, 90%....Wind,NW gusting 14m/s... 1005mb. rained in the night, sunny intervals
We watched three Sparrowhawk chasing around the area , pursued by Hooded crows , one landed in a tree behind the house sitting hiding from the crows when one of the other sparrowhawks dived in talons first , hitting the other nisus hard , both birds flew off in opposite directions, have never seen this species take on another when its perched !!
16th October
Weather 0900....24.2°C...Sea, rippled...Vis 20+ miles....Cloud, 80%....Wind W4m/s ... 1013mb Wind increased later Very high in the late evening and from the South temp at 2100hrs 28.1°C.
Kaliviani Species....Sardinian Warbler....Hooded Crow....Chaffinch....Goldfinch....Greenfinch.... Robin Collared Dove.... Rock Dove....Marsh Harrier.... Kestrel....Yellow-legged Gull....Kingfisher.... White Wagtail.....Short-toed Lark
We had to go into Chania today and decided to call into Agyia lake..... Eleonora's Falcon.... Sparrowhawk....Kestrel....Hooded Crow....Cetti's Warbler.... Teal 50+ Sardinian Warbler....Mute Swan.... Collared Dove.... Pintail 2....Garganey 1.... Shoveler 6....Ferruginous Duck 6 .... Pochard 1. Coot....Moorhen.... Kingfisher 6+ Sedge Warbler 1....Robin....Goldfinch....Italian Sparrow....Barn Swallow...Starling House Martin.... .... Blackbird.... Cuckoo....Common Buzzard 3.... Marsh Harrier 2 Grey Heron 4....Purple Heron 1.... Little Egret 2.... Snipe 1....Common Sandpiper 1 Mallard 7.... Little Grebe
Highlights were , a cuckoo , rather late in the year ! but came straight into four of us and we never got a picture , only spotted it as it flew a few metres to the right of us and went into the trees !!!
Also a Grey Heron that likes to swim and fish, trying to copy an Osprey....images below !!!!
Eleonora's Falcon, still coming to the lake to hunt but will soon be moving off south
Eleonora's falcon....Falco eleonorae
Pintail....Anas acuta
Garganey....Anas querquedula
Grey Heron....Ardea cinerea, over sleeping ferruginous Duck
Grey Heron....Ardea cinerea Swimming in Lake Agyia !!!!
Grey Heron....Ardea cinerea
In a similar style to an Osprey this bird has taken to plunging into the water after the fish instead of the usual stealth method
Little Grebe....Tachybaptus ruficollis
Teal....Anas crecca
Purple Heron....Ardea purpurea
Marsh Harrier....Circus aeruginosus
15th October
Weather 0900....25.0°C...Sea, calm...Vis 12+ miles....Cloud, 0%....Wind,0... 1020mb
Not many birds around today we manage only 14 species !!!!
Species list kaliviani.... Great Tit....Hooded Crow....Blue Rock Thrush 2.... Starling 3.... Collared Dove.... Sardinian Warbler....Stonechat....Crested Lark....Blackbird....Robin....Rock Dove....Peregrine Falcon.... Eleonora's Falcon... Sparrowhawk
14th October
Weather 0900....23.5°C...Sea, calm...Vis 10 miles....Cloud, 0....Wind E4m/s ... 1020mb Wind increased later
Highlights of the day.... Two Golden Eagle visited the area with the afternoon bird hunting a few hundred metres behind the house , both were chased off by Ravens.
Also our first seasonal sighting of Song Thrush. Lots of Eleonora's Falcon, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel today too.
A good sized flock of 30+ pure Rock Dove were constantly harassed by both sparrowhawk and eleonora's falcon throughout the day. A tight flock were moving from the rocks near the house to high into the Gramvousa hills, usually seen in smaller numbers this group were spotted trying to outwit the falcons on several occasions.
Species list Kaliviani....Hooded Crow....Robin at least 6....Sardinian Warbler 3.... Kestrel 4.... Common Buzzard 3.... Sparrowhawk 3.... Goldfinch, flocks 50+.... Eleonora's Falcon 11....Greenfinch....Chaffinch.... Great Tit 2....Blackbird 2.... Woodlark 2.... Rock Dove 30+....Griffon Vulture 4.... Song Thrush 1....Crested Lark Raven 8.... Booted Eagle 1 pale morph....Golden Eagle 2....Blue Rock Thrush.... Yellow-legged Gull 2.... Stonechat 6....Spotted Flycatcher 1.
On the coast....Willow Warbler 2....White Wagtail 4....Little Ringed Plover 1.... Yellow-legged Gull 4....Stonechat...Kingfisher 2....Crested Lark
Eleonora's Falcon....Falco Eleonorae
Spotted Flycatcher....Muscicapa striata
Golden Eagle....Aquila chrysaetos The morning individual
The afternoon individual
Sparrowhawk....Accipiter nisus
Kestrel....Falco tinnunculus
Willow Warbler....Phylloscopus trochilus
Rock Dove....Columbia livia
13th October
Weather 0900....25.6°C...Sea, rippled...Vis 12- miles....Cloud, 2%....Wind N2-4m/s 1020mb
We have been hearing Robin calling the last few days, Sue sighted several this morning. Also a dark morph Booted Eagle showed well for a few minutes.
Kaliviani Species ...Sardinian Warbler....Robin....Hooded Crow....Goldfinch.... Common Buzzard 3.... Greenfinch....Italian Sparrow.... Raven 4....Great Tit.... Blackbird....Crested Lark....Booted Eagle 1....Eleonora's Falcon....Peregrine Falcon 2 Sparrowhawk 1....Woodlark....Stonechat....Yellow-legged Gull.
Two White Stork spotted at Bramiana reservoir.
12th October
A hot day with temps into the high twenties a light wind from the NNW.
We head to Agyia to meet up with Nikos and take a trip up to the mountains and the back road to Kalergi hut.
Not too bad a day with 58 species seen.
Species early from Kaliviani....Great Tit.... Grey Heron 1.... Sardinian Warbler.... Hooded Crow.... Greenfinch.... Chaffinch....Goldfinch....Crested Lark.... Common Buzzard....White Wagtail....Stonechat.... Little Ringed Plover 2.... Kingfisher 1
A quick look into Agyia then up to the White Mountains via Lakki a short distance on and we took the "very" rough track left and took in some spectacular scenery. Birding was poor along here with at least twenty 4X4's parked on route belonging to hunters! After lunch at kalergi we went to the entrance to Samaria Gorge , around Omalos Plateau and then returned to Agyia where we had our highlight of the day.... A Spotted Eagle...sat in a tree at the track entrance to the lake, as we turned in, it flew and landed in another tree before being chased by hooded crows and a couple of Common Buzzard.
The days species list....Common Buzzard....Booted Eagle....Pintail....Shoveler.... Coot.... Moorhen.... Little Grebe.... Mute Swan.... Teal....Little Egret....Grey Heron Marsh Harrier 2.... Sparrowhawk 4.... Kestrel 3.... Griffon Vulture 9....Black Kite 3 sightings , may have been same bird !....Goldfinch.... Linnet.... Kingfisher 3+.... Sedge Warbler.... Chaffinch.... Eleonora's Falcon 5.... Northern Wheatear 1.... Raven 10.... Hooded Crow.... Crag Martin.... Chough 4.... Stonechat .... Wren.... Great Tit....Blue Tit....Greenfinch.... Blackcap.... Blue Rock Thrush 3.... Mallard 8.... Spotted Eagle 1....Purple Heron 1.... Garganey 2....White Wagtail 3.... Cirl Bunting 1 heard.... Sand Martin....Barn Swallow....House Martin....Snipe 2....Whitethroat 1 Ferruginous Duck 6.... Italian Sparrow....Redstart....Starling....Blackbird.... Yellow-legged Gull....Pochard....Woodlark....Jay.... Spotted Flycatcher....Cetti's Warbler.
Seen but not by us..... at Agyia, a single Bittern.
Grey Heron....Ardea cinerea At Agyia
Stonechat....Saxicola torquata At Agyia
Eleonora's Falcon ....Falco eleonorae At Kalergi hut
Black Kite....milvus migrans At kalergi hut
Griffon Vulture....Gyps fulvus From kalergi Hut track
( Greater )Spotted Eagle....Aquila clanga At Agyia
Colchicum cretense
Picnomon acarna
Many flocks of Linnet and Goldfinch feeding on these dead seed heads
11th October
Weather 0900....25.6°C...Sea, mirror calm....Vis 12+ miles....Cloud, 0....Wind 0... 1020mb
Another fairly quiet day with not much about. We heard our first Robin of the season. Ten Grey Heron along the coast
Kaliviani Species....Great Tit.... Common Buzzard....Crested Lark....Barn Swallow....Hooded Crow.... Sardinian Warbler.... Greenfinch....Goldfinch.... Blue Rock Thrush.... Grey Heron 10....Stonechat.... Woodlark....Kestrel....Eleonora's Falcon....Rock Dove.... Collared Dove....Willow Warbler.... Starling 1 Yellow-legged Gull....Chaffinch....Raven
10th October
Weather 0900....23.9°C...Sea, calm....Vis 12+ miles....Cloud, 0....Wind 0... 1020mb
A quiet day with not much about at all....
Kaliviani species....Hooded Crow.... Great Tit....Blackbird....Goldfinch....Common Buzzard.... Kestrel 2.... Blue Rock Thrush....Griffon Vulture 1.... Sardinian Warbler Eleonora's Falcon 1....Sparrowhawk 1.
9th October
No weather report for today. We left the house early and headed for Imbros Gorge , Chora Sfakion and Aradena Gorge area. it was a very hot day in the end, with little wind .
Arriving at Imbros gorge near the kafenion , we had only been there a couple of minutes when a pair of Bonelli's Eagle appeared and did us a favour in circling overhead for about five minutes. Onwards to the kafenion where we had a coffee and bus loads of tourists !!! However we were pleased to get a good but brief view of a Merlin as it flew into the gorge , background defeated me again as the camera insisted on focusing on the far side of the gorge. On the way to Aradena we stopped to watch the vultures heading in and out of their roost. Next highlight was a close but brief glimpse of a bearded Vulture ! whilst watching the griffons it sneaked in behind us, as we turned it went off east, over the road and out of sight ....another photo missed.
We had 26 species over the day , the list is... Common Buzzard 6....Bonelli's Eagle 2... Blackbird... Griffon Vulture 45....Raven 20+....Goldfinch 5.... Jay 3....Great Tit 2.... Hooded Crow 10+ Kestrel 3.... Blue Tit 1.... Rock Dove 19....Yellow-legged Gull 5.... Collared Dove 12+...Greenfinch 9.... Merlin 1.... Italian Sparrow 4.... Crested Lark 6 Stonechat 1.... Sparrowhawk 4....Blue Rock Thrush 4...Woodlark...Bearded Vulture 1 Red-backed Shrike 2.... Spotted Flycatcher 6
Bonelli's Eagle...Aquila fasciata
Blue Rock Thrush....Monticola solitarius
Sparrowhawk....Accipiter nisus
Griffon Vulture....Gyps fulvus
Colchicum macrophyllum
8th October
Weather...0900....20.4°C....Sea, rippled....Vis -20 +miles....Cloud 80%... Wind NE 1-2m/s.... 1021mb Cloud cleared Mostly sunny
Nothing special today , a very dark buteo came through, seen off by our local pair, do not think I have seen such a strongly marked common here , a very wide black tail bar and very dark belly. Several hundred Goldfinch busy feeding and hiding when the falcons came through !!
Kaliviani species....Greenfinch....Hooded Crow....Chaffinch....Sardinian Warbler....Common Buzzard 4. Barn Swallow 20+ ....Crested lark....Blue Rock Thrush.... Goldfinch 300+....Kestrel 1.... Woodlark.... Griffon Vulture 11.... Sparrowhawk 1....Peregrine Falcon 1.... Great Tit 2....Eleonora's Falcon 1
Common Buzzard....Buteo buteo
Goldfinch....Carduelis carduelis
7th October
Weather...0900....20.1°C....Sea choppy....Vis -20 miles....Cloud 50%... Wind E 3-4m/s .... 1022mb sunny
The Booted Eagle is still hunting locally , three days of good views !!!
Kaliviani species....Hooded Crow....Goldfinch....Blue Rock Thrush... Rock Dove....Common Buzzard 3.... Booted Eagle 1....Kestrel 2....Raven 4.... Griffon Vulture 8....Barn Swallow....Crested lark.... Eleonora's Falcon.... Collared Dove....Sardinian Warbler....Blackbird 1
Silver-washed Fritillary.... Argynnis paphia
Booted Eagle....Aquila pennata
In the afternoon a walk along the seashore at Falasarna.... Our highlight there was a single Dunlin that flew in from the sea and landed a few metres away from us. Lots of White Wagtail c50 seen south of the small fishing harbour.
Downside was that the freshwater medponds and marsh areas are all being dumped on, with nylon string from the greenhouses and builders rubble all infilling these natural areas, we believe that as soon as its all levelled more plastic greenhouses will be built , a shame there is no local council willing to put a stop to this, maybe someone reading this will get something done . We have reported it to a WWF representative on Crete, our Greek friends will maybe also get the ball rolling, we hope so, it will be a shame to lose these areas at Falasarna.
Falasarna species....Collared Dove 4....Common Buzzard 2....Raven 2.... Yellow-legged Gull 1.... Dunlin 1 White Wagtail 50+.... Little Ringed Plover 2 Sardinian Warbler....Blackbird 2.... Barn Swallow....Stonechat 1....Hooded Crow.... Kestrel....Crested Lark....Chaffinch.
Dunlin....Calidris alpina
Little Ringed Plover....Charadrius dubius
From Alan.....Trip to Aradena area via Imbros. Griffon Vulture, Bearded Vulture, pair of Bonelli's Eagle, Eleanora's Falcon, large flocks of Alpine Swift, single Redstart, Red-backed Shrike, Spotted Flycatcher and Northern Wheatear. Onreturn via Georgioupoli Lake, Pygmy Cormorant, Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, White Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail and first flock of starlings (about 80).
6th October
Weather...0900....18.9°C....Sea, choppy....Vis -20 miles....Cloud 60%... Wind E 4-6m/s.... 1021mb Mostly sunny
Another quiet day for birding , lots of goldfinch flocks noisily feeding and being disturbed by the falcons !! Peregrine, kestrel, eleonora's, sparrowhawk, all put in an appearance along with yesterdays booted eagle, vultures flew high overhead and other small species were thin on the ground.
Kaliviani species ...Griffon Vulture 9....Raven 6....Hooded Crow 30+....Blackbird 1 Italian Sparrow 5.. Crested Lark 3....Kestrel 3.... Great Tit 1...Common Buzzard 3 Peregrine Falcon 1.... Goldfinch 50+ Booted Eagle pale morph 1...Sparrowhawk 1 Eleonora's Falcon 1.... Barn Swallow 1.... Greenfinch 1... Yellow-legged Gull 3
Peregrine Falcon....Falco peregrinus
stooping....
Kestrel....Falco tinnunculus
Booted Eagle....Aquila pennata
Sparrowhawk....Accipiter nisus
? Buzzard ...Buteo
5th October
Weather...0900....17.1°C....Sea rough....Vis -20 miles....Cloud 100%... Wind E 7m/s shifting to NE later.... 1022mb mostly cloudy occasional sunshine
Temperatures have certainly plummeted in the last few days, hopefully birding will improve !!!
Not sure if the leucistic swallow is still at Georgioupolis lake, hopefully Alan will have picked up on it,not sure if it's a Red-rumped or Barn . There are lots of Barn Swallow and House Martin in the area with many resting along the beaches.
At Kamares Bearded Vulture and Griffon Vulture are showing well today along with Alpine Swift and Red-rumped Swallow.
Nikos took a trip to Sfakia area... Griffon Vulture, wheatears, Spotted Flycatcher, Swift and swallows seen, many crag and house martins, barn and red-rumped swallows... a short stop at Agyia... Many sand martins and the usual species , Grey Wagtail and juvenile Pintail..
One image by and copyright Nikos Samaritakis
Pintail....Anus acuta
Highlights... A nice Golden Eagle came over, not as they usually do, flying with a purpose, this one came over drifting slowly into the wind and giving great fairly close views, although the day was bad for photography with very poor light as can be seen on the pics posted .
A sparrowhawk came along and took on a pale morph Booted Eagle that was hunting nearby, three kestrels stayed around all day making a din as two tried to shoo one off ! and a couple of Eleonora's Falcon also came through hunting on the ridge above. With all these raptors about its no wonder lots of the small birds stayed hidden and we had a very poor days count .
Kaliviani species....Griffon Vulture 4+2+8+3+2....Eleonora's Falcon 2....Goldfinch Blue Rock Thrush....Hooded Crow 30+...Common Buzzard 2.... Golden Eagle 1.... Kestrel 3....Barn Swallow....Sparrowhawk 1.... Raven 4....Booted Eagle 1 pale morph.... Sand Martin
Golden Eagle....Aquila chrysaetos
Booted Eagle ....Aquila pennata
Kestrel(s)....Falco tinnunculus
Griffon Vulture....Gyps fulvus
Sparrowhawk....Accipiter nisus and Booted Eagle...Aquila pennata
4th October
Weather...0900....19.5oC....Sea rough....Vis -20 miles....Cloud 100%... Wind E 1-8 m/s.... 1020mb mostly cloudy
Todays highlight a pale morph Booted Eagle along with singles of Sparrowhawk, Peregrine Falcon and Eleonora's Falcon. A pair of Kestrel were later seen mobbing the booted eagle
Kaliviani species....Blackbird....Barn Swallow....Crested Lark....Hooded Crow 30+.... Peregrine Falcon 1 Common Buzzard 2....Goldfinch.... Griffon Vulture 9....Raven.... Booted Eagle 1....Sparrowhawk 1.... Little Egret 6.... White Wagtail.... Collared Dove....Italian Sparrow....Stonechat.... Greenfinch.... Eleonora's Falcon.
Booted Eagle....Aquila pennata
Thanks to Nicky for this bit of news.........
At 4.30pm - Have just had fantastic views of a white swallow at the reservoir at Georgioupolis - probably not full albino as no pink eyes.
3rd October
Weather...0900....23.6oC....Sea choppy....Vis -15 miles....Cloud 90%... Wind E 1 m/s.... 1014mb Sunny early on then showers am clearing, mostly cloudy
Species Kaliviani ....Woodlark....Goldfinch....Greenfinch....Blue Rock Thrush.... Blackbird.... Great Tit.... Hooded Crow.... Barn Swallow....Common Buzzard 2.... Peregrine Falcon 2....Sand Martin....Raven 4.... Griffon Vulture 6....Kingfisher Northern Wheatear.... White Wagtail ...Sardinian Warbler... Collared Dove.... Crested Lark
2nd October
Weather...0900....27.2oC....Sea choppy....Vis -20 miles....Cloud 40%...Wind NW 2-6 m/s.... 1006mb Sunny am, mostly cloudy pm.
A group of 9 little egret and 2 grey heron circled the bay in the morning and headed south, at 6pm another group of 12 did the same. We spotted high over the house a Marsh harrier which was joined by an adult Bonelli's Eagle.
Kaliviani species.....Italian Sparrow....Hooded Crow....Common Buzzard 3.... Goldfinch....Barn Swallow....Sand Martin....Blackbird....Great Tit.... Stonechat.... Crested Lark....Sardinian Warbler....Little Egret 9+12....Grey Heron 2....Raven 3.. Cormorant 1....Marsh Harrier 1....Bonelli's Eagle 1....Spotted Flycatcher.... Greenfinch.... Bonelli's Eagle....Aquila fasciata
Spotted Flycatcher....Muscicapa striata
1st October
Weather...0900....28.2oC....Sea choppy....Vis -20 miles....Cloud 100%...Wind S 6-13 m/s.... 1003mb A large drop on the barometer overnight, strengthened southerly winds brought some light rain 1030 and thunder, cleared by noon
To start the month , a few early morning Eleonora's Falcon hunted nearby, we expect them to be on the move south soon. For an hour and a half from 1130 we had a good number of marsh harrier and kestrel come through, a couple of adult males amongst the juveniles and adult female harriers.
Kaliviani list ....Blue Rock Thrush....Griffon Vulture 3....Eleonora's Falcon 3.... Goldfinch,... Hooded Crow....Collared Dove....Sparrowhawk 1....Kestrel 5... Marsh Harrier 10.... Greenfinch....Great Tit....Crested Lark....Sardinian Warbler Common Buzzard....Sand Martin....Barn Swallow
Some images of a few of the harriers that passed by this morning
Marsh Harrier ....Circus aeruginosus
Kestrel ....Falco tinnunculus
