MAY 2010

REPORT FROM KISSAMOS BAY AREA

We would like to thank everyone for visiting Roy’s site and reading our diary, unfortunately we will not be able to continue our reports for the foreseeable future, but we will return when we are able to.

Highlights of the month ….

1^st .. Our first sighting of a Steppe Eagle 2cy with a Greater

Spotted Eagle and Lesser Spotted Eagle circling together

2^nd .. The same Steppe Eagle shows again also Osprey, Booted

Eagle and Honey Buzzard. Lots of Eurasion Golden

Orioles

3^rd ..An Eastern Imperial Eagle 3cy ? Booted Eagle, several

Woodchat Shrike. Purple Heron

4^th .. Greater and Lesser Spotted Eagles and Black Kite,

several Honey Buzzard 48 species seen from home we

had hoped to get to that 50 figure.

5^th .. Lesser Spotted Eagle, 3 Honey Buzzard, the local pair

of Bonelli’s Eagles showed for a few minutes late

afternoon

6^th ..Another Eastern Imperial Eagle, 2 Bonelli’s Eagle, 3 pale

morph Booted Eagles.

7^th .. A summer plumaged Turnstone alighted briefly on Viglia

Beach, a Griffon Vulture flew off Gramvousa with very

heavy look to it and had difficulty getting any height, and

a pair of Woodchat Shrike have taken up residence

nearby and were seen on two occasions mating.

8^th .. An Eastern Imperial Eagle was chased from the peninsula

by one of the resident Bonelli’s Eagles, 2 pale morph

Booted Eagles were hunting nearby, a Marsh Harrier and

Honey Buzzard flew north. Lots of Bee-eaters about

today other migrants were few.

9^th .. Another male Honey Buzzard, Eleonora’s Falcon, many

Bee-eaters throughout the morning and our first Icterine

Warbler this year.

13^th.. We find four baby Sardinian Warblers in a nest close to

the house

15^th.. A Ringed Plover and a male Reed Bunting near Viglia

Beach

17^th.. A trip to Agia and Omalos/Samaria area

18^th.. Our Sardinian Warbler nest is we think predated, we

find the nest empty and no sign of the female, the male

starts to sing again in his territory.

21st ..Honey Buzzard and a couple of Marsh Harriers

22^nd.. A male Levant Sparrowhawk. A female Tawny Owl was

heard

23^rd.. A single Bonelli’s Eagle, 4 Marsh Harriers fly to the

lower field. Female Tawny Owl heard again and a

Weasel was spotted causing mayhem with the juvenile

birds as it hunted nearby.

25/26^th .. Good early evening views of Nightjar and a Barn Owl

Several Scops Owls and a Tawny Owl heard.

28^th .. A trip to Agia and Omalos good views Griffon Vulture,

Booted Eagle, Cirl Bunting Night Herron and Little

Bittern , 52 species seen through the day we dipped on

the Red-footed falcon at Agia

31^st .. Bee-eater still moving through and a pair of Balkan

Whip Snake were seen mating, we last saw a pair at the

same place on 20^th May 2008.

This months species list….105

Little Grebe, Shag, Little Bittern, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Ferruginous Duck, Lammergeier, Griffon Vulture, Osprey, Golden Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Booted Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Black Kite, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Honey Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Eleonora’s Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Moorhen, Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Turnstone, Little Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, Yellow-legged Gull, Whiskered Tern, Rock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, Tawny Owl, Barn Owl, Scops Owl, Nightjar, Swift, Pallid Swift, Alpine Swift, Hoopoe, European Bee-eater, Skylark, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Sand Martin, Crag Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, House Martin, Tawny Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Wren, Nightingale, Redstart, Northern Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Whinchat, Stonechat, Blue Rock Thrush, Blackbird, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Olivaceous Warbler, Wood Warbler, Chiffchaff, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Woodchat Shrike, Jay, Chough, Alpine Chough, Hooded Crow, Raven, Golden Oriole, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Serin, Reed Bunting, Cirl Bunting, Corn Bunting.

A selection of 54 images from the month all © C&S