[monkir]

We are going to Kos next week and are wondering about the Tingaki saltpans and if they will be productive or dry. Any other advice on sites would be most welcome. Thanks in advance.

[WACCOE]

I’m going tomorrow for a week staying in Tingaki, might see you around.
Sending you a PM of the birds I saw in 2010.

Dave.

[monkir]

Thanks for that Dave. We are staying in Kefalos but hiring a car so will be up at the saltpans a few times. Not been to Kos before. Hoping for some good birds although I know it would have been better to go a bit earlier. Safe journey,

John

[WACCOE]

Early morning and evenings will be best for visiting the salt pans, there's also a reedy lake at Paslidi SW of the town near the Sun Place hotel if still there, on the main road to Agios Forkas, which can be good for Herons.

Cheers Dave.

[MikeJenx]

Originally Posted by monkir

We are going to Kos next week and are wondering about the Tingaki saltpans and if they will be productive or dry. Any other advice on sites would be most welcome. Thanks in advance.

Just got back today after 10 days in Tingaki. I struggled to get a lengthy list of species and doubt whether I topped 40. However, I seemed to pick up 1 or 2 new species each day. Zitting cisticolla, house sparrows, crested lark, turtle dove and hooded crows were the commonest birds I encountered of their respective sizes. Swallows and house martins were ever present (No red rumped). I also saw common, alpine and pallid swift over Tingaki.

There were just 2 flamingos present on 6th and 7th June and these seemed to have left after these dates (unless they returned to roost as I didn't bird the lake in the evenings). Ruddy shelduck were prominent with an estimate of 20 birds on the lake.

The hi-light for me were at least one pair (I saw 3 birds together) of showy spur winged plover who attacked anything which flew over or landed nearby. They appeared to be engaged in a constant battle with the very common black winged stilts. It was unusual to see the stilts dominated by another wader as in my experiece they are usually the agressors. The plovers attacks extended to a spoonbill which put in a brief appearance at the lake on 8th. A glossy ibis was seen on the 7th but not seen again.

I found waders rather thin on the ground with a few pairs of avocets and 3 wood sandpipers completing the list. Warblers were represented by reed, cettis, olivaceous and sardinian. Black headed bunting was seen on two occasions in fields on the outskirts of Tingaki and Marmari. Common kestrel was the only raptor I was able to identify in Tingaki and common tern the only tern. A young tern perched on a post in the lake was fed by a hovering adult.

Although my list was not extensive, I still found the lake to be an enchanting place. There are not many spots like this in Europe which are so easily accessable on a package holiday.

On the 13th I had the great idea of cycling from Tingaki to the castle at old Pylie to look for Bonneli's eagle that I was destined not to see. The journey became more of a test of physical endurance than a birding outing. I had to push my bike up hill for about 4 km after leaving the outskirts of Marmari.

As I reached higher altitude, I noticed hooded crow was replaced by Jackdaw and I saw my only magpie, blackbird and great tit of the holiday.

After arriving exhausted, the hike up to the top of the castle nearly finished me off. I saw 2 large raptors which could have been Bonelli's from the castle but I couldn't be sure as they didn't hang about. I later identified a long legged buzzard and the other two birds could have also been of this species - my ID skills were insufficient to be sure. The views from the castle and the achievement of actually getting there made the journey worth while.

[WACCOE]

Some of the birds seen by myself Included a Spoonbill on the 5th along with one Cretzscmar’s Bunting one Roller and a solitary Stone Curlew. Lesser Kestrels seen daily over the Hotel a few Kms from Tingaki, and seen around the salt pans and at Pyli, didn’t see any Common Kestrels at all myself.
Had Short-toed Eagle at Pyli on the 6th along with two Ravens, also a few Serins knocking about below the car park.
Eleonora’s Falcon two hunting at dusk over the hotel on the 3rd and one bird seen at the salt pans on the morning of the 5th with six birds feeding there on the evening of the 7th.
Good numbers of Ruddy Shelducks some with young the Flamingos ever present and the Spur-winged Plover seen on ever visit. Pallid, Common and Alpine Swifts seen most days.

Would love visit Kos in April could give Lesbos a run for its money.

[monkir]

Just back from a week (8-14th June) on Kos based in Kefalos. This is too late for birding as migrants and breeding had finished but I ended up with 41 species. Alykes Lake had Spur winged Plover, Black Winged Stilts, 1 Spoonbill, Little Egret and Ruddy Shelduck.No FLamingo. In the scrub around the lake were Cettis, Sardinian and Reed Warbler and a single juvenile Black headed Bunting.
Plaka Forest was very quiet with Great Tit, Turtle Dove and one Sub-alpine Warbler.The minor road between Tingaki and Marmari produced a few Rollers and Common Kestrels I didn't identify any Lesser Kestrels. The only other raptor was a Bonellis Eagle above Mount Dikeo.
The road to Cape Psalidi had Black eared Wheatear and a Coot the one bird on the small lake along the road.
Other birds seen whilst driving around included Red rumped Swallows, Barn Swallows, House Martins, Common Swift, Collared Dove, Magpies, Serin and Greenfinch.
We heard a Scops Owl close to our hotel in Kefalos.
The trip to Nissyros island had Corys and Yalkoun Shearwaters and Shag, but very little on the island.
Agree that Kos has potential for good birding but needs to be visited April or May.

[MikeJenx]

I'm glad to hear that you both had succesful holidays and a bit jealous that you both had roller.

I have attached a few wildlife shots which I took whilst at Tingaki.

[monkir]

Great photos Mike. Especially the Spoonbill. Thanks for sharing. I didn't take my camera this time. Restricted hand luggage weight meant a choice between scope and camera and scope won.

[Mick Sway]

Originally Posted by monkir

Just back from a week (8-14th June) on Kos based in Kefalos. This is too late for birding as migrants and breeding had finished but I ended up with 41 species. Alykes Lake had Spur winged Plover, Black Winged Stilts, 1 Spoonbill, Little Egret and Ruddy Shelduck.No FLamingo. In the scrub around the lake were Cettis, Sardinian and Reed Warbler and a single juvenile Black headed Bunting.
Plaka Forest was very quiet with Great Tit, Turtle Dove and one Sub-alpine Warbler.The minor road between Tingaki and Marmari produced a few Rollers and Common Kestrels I didn't identify any Lesser Kestrels. The only other raptor was a Bonellis Eagle above Mount Dikeo.
The road to Cape Psalidi had Black eared Wheatear and a Coot the one bird on the small lake along the road.
Other birds seen whilst driving around included Red rumped Swallows, Barn Swallows, House Martins, Common Swift, Collared Dove, Magpies, Serin and Greenfinch.
We heard a Scops Owl close to our hotel in Kefalos.
The trip to Nissyros island had Corys and Yalkoun Shearwaters and Shag, but very little on the island.
Agree that Kos has potential for good birding but needs to be visited April or May.

Always nice to see a report from a Greek Island.
tfs
Mick