Crete Bird Report Travelling Naturalist Tour  17^th April – 24^th April 2007

BIRDS:

Little Grebe 25 Agia  reservoir 18th April, reduced to  6+ on 21^st April.

Cory’s Shearwater   6+ off Europa Beach on 23 and 24.4.

Shag  4+ off Chania and 1 in Souda Bay 22.4.

Grey Heron Singles at Souda Bay and Georgioupolis on 22.4 & 23.4.

Little Egret   1^st record on 19.4. Then recorded daily but no large flocks.

Squacco  Heron 1^st record from 21.4. 3 at Agia reservoir on 22.4. Then 2 daily on 23^rd & 24^th April.

Black Crowned Night Heron One at Agia  on 18^th  & 22^nd and at Aposelemis river on 24^th                                                                      

Glossy Ibis 1+ over  Hotel Adelais, Tavronitis on 18^th April.

Garganey 1 female at the long pool at Aposelemis delta 23^rd & 24^th April.

Northern Shoveler 4+ at Agia reservoir on 18^th April.

Ferruginous Duck 6+ at Agia reservoir and 4 there 22^nd April.

Wigeon 10+ at Agia reservoir on 18.4.

Pochard  1 at Agia reservoir on 22^ndApril.

Griffon Vulture 13+ glimpsed while travelling near Fodele on 17^th.  10 flying over central valley 19.4. 10+ flying into cliffs in Kourtaliotiko Gorge 19.4.  2 on journey back to Iraklion 23.4. 10+ with young at nests in Selinari Gorge 24.4.

Bearded Vulture 2 in Kourtaliotoko Gorge 19.4.

Montagu’s Harrier  3 over Akrotiri 20.4.

Marsh Harrier  1-2  seen at Agia reservoir between 18.-22 April.

Buzzard  Common 1-2 seen everyday.

Booted  Eagle  3 on migration 20^th April over Akrotiri.

Bonelli’s Eagle 2 over Kourtaliotiko Gorge 19.4.

Kestrel  Common, singles seen daily. Nesting in Afrata Gorge.

Little Crake Up to 1-2  at Agia Reservoir 18.-22.4.

Moorhen Common, 1-2  on wet areas and small pools.

Coot 10 + Georgioupolis 17.4.  40 at Agia on 18^th, 40+ on 19^th at Georgioupolis.

Black-winged Stilt 3  over Agia on 21^st April and 1 there 22^nd April.

Little Ringed Plover  Common on beaches and river mouths, usually in pairs holding territories.

Marsh Sandpiper  Single at Moronis river on 22^nd April & 2 at Aposelemis delta Long pool on 24^th April.

Greenshank  2 at Moronis river 22.4. Singles Aposelemis on 23rd and 24^thApril.

Green Sandpiper  One at Aposelemis delta 23rd April.

Wood Sandpiper 1-3 at  Agia Reservoir and 10+ Aposelemis river.

Common  Sandpiper 1-2 on shores and at rivers, and Agia reservoir.

Little Stint 2+ at Agia reservoir and a single at Skoutelonas river mouth 18.4. 2 at Agia on 22.4. 9 at Moronis river 22.4. and 2 at Aposelemis long pool 23/24^th.

Curlew Sandpiper  Three at Aposelemis long pool 23^rd & 24^th  April. One in breeding plumage.

Ruff Single at Agia on 18^th April and 6 at Moronis river and 6 at Aposelemis delta on 24^th.

Yellow-legged Gull Singles and small numbers seen daily. Large flock seen over a rubbish tip near Fodele.

Rock Dove Common, as Feral Pigeon. Some true forms in the Gorges.

Wood Pigeon  2+ Kotsifos Gorge 19.4.

Collared Dove Common in towns and villages.

Cuckoo  heard on 20^th at Ag Triada, and 21.4. at Agia and seen at Knossos on 23.4.

Scops Owl  Heard at Afrata 18.4. and Ag Triada Monastery 20.4..

Alpine  Swift One seen on 18th April and 1+ 21^st April over the gorges.

Common Swift Seen in small flocks almost daily.

Kingfisher  1 at Agia reservoir amd 1 at Aposelemis river pool..

Hoopoe One seen well at El Venezelou Graves Park on 20.4. and 1 at Knossos 23.4.

Crested Lark  Small numbers on morning walks at Tavronitis. Common at Aposelemis delta.

Woodlark  Heard and seen at Spili ‘Bumps’ and on the Omalos Plateau.

Sand  Martin Common in small flocks  over Agia Reservoir.

Crag  Martin  Small numbers in the Kourtaliotiko and Samaria Gorges.

Swallow Common.

Red-rumped  Swallow Only one at Tavronitis river 18.4.

House Martin  Small flocks 17^th/18^th and 21^st/23^rd.

Yellow  Wagtail   Small flocks between 3-20 daily from 18.4. with several races in the flocks.

White Wagtail  2 seen on 18.4. and 6+ on island off Chania on 20.4.

Tree Pipit 2 on the  morning walk at Hotel Adelais, Tavronitis on 22.4.

Red –throated  Pipit  Small flocks of 1-3 on morning walks, and 20+ on 21.4.

Woodchat  Shrike Singles from 18.4.

Wren Heard  in gorges and seen at Kotsiphos and Ag Irini Gorges.

Blue Rock Thrush  Singles 17^th-19^th and at Selinari Gorge 24.4.

Blackbird  Common recorded daily.

Nightingale Heard at Agia reservoir.

Whinchat  Passage migrant. Common up to 10 recorded daily from 18^th April.

Stonechat  Resident breeding. Pairs recorded almost daily.

Northern  Wheatear Only seen on 20.4. Akrotiri and Omalos 21. 4.

Black-eared Wheatear Two seen on Akrotiri 20.4.

Cetti’s Warbler  Heard everywhere except Omalos Plateau.

Reed Warbler   Heard and seen 20^th-22^nd on morning walks and at Agia in reeds.

Great Reed Warbler  One seen at Skoutelonas river mouth on 18.4.

Wood Warbler 4+ at Afrata 18.4. and 1+ at Ag. Irini 21.4.

Blackcap   10+ singing at Ag Irini 21.4.

Whitethroat   2 on Akrotiri on 20^th and seen on morning walk on 21^st

Lesser Whitethroat One on 22^nd April at Therisso Gorge, and a possible on the morning walk on the same day.

Sardinian Warbler  Common in pairs daily.

Spotted  Flycatcher   Seen at Afrata on 18.4 and several at Ag. Irini Gorge and  Therisso Gorge.

Pied Flycatcher   Seen at Afrata  on 18.4. and Ag. Irini 21.4.

Collared Flycatcher   3+ on 20.4. at Akrotiri.

Great Tit  Common.

Blue Tit  Seen in the mountains and gorges.

Jay Only one seen in the mountains.

Jackdaw  10+ on 19.4. in  Kotsiphos Gorge

A few in Gorge behind Rethymnon on 23.4.

Hooded Crow Common seen daily throughout.

Raven  Common in singles and pairs in the mountains. 3 seen at Selinari Gorge.

Golden  Oriole   Singles on 20^th and 21^st and 3 on 23^rd.

Corn Bunting Heard at Spili fields on 19th April.

Cirl Bunting  1+ at Spili fields and on the Omalos Plateau.

Chaffinch   Common breeding bird.

Serin  Seen at Ag Triada, Akrotiri  and Ag Irini Gorge.

Goldfinch   Common.

Greenfinch   Common

Linnet  Small flock seen in the mountains on the way to Omalos Plateau.

Italian  Sparrow  Common, nesting around villages, houses and in the countryside.

MAMMALS:

Eastern Hedgehog Erinaceus concolor  Sadly seen dead on the road on 23^rd.

Beech Marten another road kill on 19^th.

Badger  One dead at Ag Irini gorge 21.4.

Rabbits  2 escapes at Aposelemis delta.24.4.

AMPHIBIANS:

Green Toad Bufo viridis  Seen on 23^rd.

Common Tree Frog Seen at Agia on 21^st and 22^nd.

Cretan Frog Rana cretensis  The only frog on Crete seen and heard at all wet areas.

REPTILES:

Erhard’s Wall Lizard Podarcis erhardii Seen on 19^th  and 22nd

Balkan Green Lizard Lacerta trilineata Common

Balkan Terrapin Mauremys caspica Seen at Skoutelonas and Agia, Georgioupolis and Aposelemis.

Dice Snake Natrix tessellata 1+ on 18^th

BUTTERFLIES:

Swallowtail Papilio machaon Common  on  22^nd and 23rd.

Eastern festoon Zerynthia cerisyi Seen on 18th

Small White Artogeia rapae Common

Clouded Yellow Colias croceus  Seen on 18.4. and 22^nd and 23^rd..

Small Blue Cupido minimus Seen on 24^th April.

Common Blue Polyommatus icarus  Common.

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta Seen on 18^th, 20^th and 23^rd and 24^th.

Painted Lady Cynthia cardui  Common from 18^th April.

Southern Speckled Wood Parage aegeria aegeria Seen from 23rd.

Wall Brown Lasiommata megera Common from 22^nd April.

Skipper sp.  Seen on 23^rd April.

MOTHS

Pine Processionary Moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa Caterpillars in nests, daily.

DRAGONFLIES

Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans Seen from 23^rd-24^th.

Darters and hawkers  seen but incompletely identified.

OTHER INSECTS:

Egyptian Grasshopper Anacridium aegyptium Seen regularly.

Hungarian Grasshopper Acrida ungarica Seen on plants on Aposelemis delta.

Paper Wasp Polistes gallicus  One on 22^nd April.

Violet Carpenter Bee Xylocopa violacea Common.

Honey Bee Apis mellifera Common.

Pharoah’s Ant Monomorium pharaonis Recorded on 19^th and 24th.

7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata Common

Cretan Soldier Beetle Lygaeus saxtilis Only seen on 24th

Green Tiger Beetle Cicindela campestris Only seen on 21st.

Pollen Beetle Oxythyrea funestra Seen on 18^th and 23^rd April.

Brassica Bug Eurydema dominlulus  Seen on 18^th & 19^th April.

Dor Beetle  Geotrupes stercorarius  Seen on 20^th April 

Mediterranean Rove Beetle Creophilus maxillosus Seen on 19^th April.

Large Ground Beetle Carabus coriaceus Seen on 21^st April.

OTHER TAXA:

Millepede sp.  20^th April.

Pill Woodlouse Armadillidium vulgare Only seen on 22^nd.

Cretan Door Snail Albinaria inflata Common in Gorges and on cliffs.

Mediterranean White Snail Albea candidissima Common aestivating from 24^th.

Garden Snail Helix aspersa  Common.

Roman Snail Helix pomatia  Seen at Knossos.