Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
Just spent a, largely, non-birding 2 week holiday in Corfu. Below is a list of the birds and some of the other wildlife seen during the visit. The birding was generally quite hard work and even the areas with seemingly good habitats seemed relatively devoid of birds. Could be the time of year I guess.
Mallard - 1 at Chalkiopoulos lagoon on 07/09
Grey Heron - several seen at Chalkiopoulos lagoon on 07/09 and at Lefkimmi saltpans on 12/09
Purple Heron - 1 juvenile at Lefkimmi saltpans on 12/09
Little Egret - several seen at Chalkiopoulos lagoon on 07/09 and at Lefkimmi saltpans on 12/09
Short-toed Eagle - 2 circling and hovering over the hills north of Ipsos on 07/09 and 1 between Corfu town and Lefkimmi on 12/09
Common Buzzard - regular around Ipsos.
Black-headed Gull - several around Kassiopi on 05/09
Mediterranean Gull - an adult at Lefkimmi salt pans on 12/09
Yellow-legged Gull - seen at Kassiopi, Corfu Town, Paleokastritsa, Lefkimmi and regular around Ipsos.
Avocet - 1 (asleep) on the salt pans at Lefkimmi on 12/09.
Greenshank - 1 at Chalkiopoulos lagoon on 07/09 and another at Lefkimmi saltpans on 12/09.
Common Sandpiper - at least 1 at Chalkiopoulos lagoon on 07/09.
Hoopoe - 1 near Lefkimmi on 12/09
Bee-eater - a flock of c30 high over the hills south of Ipsos on the morning of 06/09, calling constantly - probably on migration.
Kingfisher - 1 at Ipsos on 14/09
Scops Owl - several birds calling in the evening all around Ipsos. Regularly heard from the hotels.
Collared Dove - Common around Ipsos and other areas.
Turtle Dove - 1 at the northern end of Ipsos on 11/09
Feral Pigeon - noted around Ipsos and Corfu Town.
Alpine Swift - flocks of 20+ noted around the hills of northern Ipsos from 03/09 and several times afterwards. Also around Kassiopi on 05/09 and Corfu town on 07/09 and 12/09.
White Wagtail - a few seen around Ipsos and Corfu town.
Flava Wagtail - flyover calling birds recorded at Ipsos on several dates and around Chalkiopoulos lagoon on 07/09
Tree Pipit - 1 in southern Ipsos on the morning of 06/09
Red-rumped Swallow - flocks regularly seen around Ipsos (sometimes outnumbering Barn Swallows). Flocks also seen around Kassiopi, Corfu Town, Lefkimmi and Paleokastritsa.
Barn Swallow - recorded at Ipsos, Kassiopi Corfu town and Lefkimmi.
House Martin - a few seen around Ipsos and Kassiopi.
Golden Oriole - 1 landed in a dead tree at the southern end of Ipsos on 04/09. A few others heard calling but not seen.
Blue Rock Thrush - 1 at Paleokastritsa on 09/09
Blackbird - several noted around Ipsos
Northern Wheatear - 1 at Lefkimmi saltpans on 12/09
Sardinian Warbler - common around Ipsos and regularly heard and seen around gardens / hotel grounds.
Eastern Subalpine Warbler - 1 seen well at Paleokastritsa on 09/09, with a probable second bird in the same olive tree.
Cetti's Warbler - a couple of birds present around the northern end of Ipsos.
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler - 1 in northern Ipsos on 10/09
Willow Warbler - A juvenile in northern Ipsos on 10/09
Spotted Flycatcher - regularly seen around Ipsos. Also recorded at Lefkimmi.
Woodchat Shrike - a juvenile present in a scrubby sheep field with scattered trees in the northern part of Ipsos on the mornings of 10/09 and 11/09
Great Tit - Commonly seen around Ipsos
Blue Tit - Commonly seen around Ipsos
Raven - noted around northern Ipsos on 11/09 and 15/09
Hooded Crow - surprisingly not very common. Singles seen around Ipsos on a number of dates plus others around Corfu town.
Jackdaw - several seen around Corfu town on 07/09 and 14/09
Jay - Common around Ipsos.
Magpie - Common around Ipsos.
Goldfinch - a flock of c20 at Ipsos on 10/09.
House Sparrow - Common
Swallowtail
Scarce Swallowtail
Cardinal
Southern White Admiral
Cicadas
Praying Mantis
House Gecko
Mallard - 1 at Chalkiopoulos lagoon on 07/09
Grey Heron - several seen at Chalkiopoulos lagoon on 07/09 and at Lefkimmi saltpans on 12/09
Purple Heron - 1 juvenile at Lefkimmi saltpans on 12/09
Little Egret - several seen at Chalkiopoulos lagoon on 07/09 and at Lefkimmi saltpans on 12/09
Short-toed Eagle - 2 circling and hovering over the hills north of Ipsos on 07/09 and 1 between Corfu town and Lefkimmi on 12/09
Common Buzzard - regular around Ipsos.
Black-headed Gull - several around Kassiopi on 05/09
Mediterranean Gull - an adult at Lefkimmi salt pans on 12/09
Yellow-legged Gull - seen at Kassiopi, Corfu Town, Paleokastritsa, Lefkimmi and regular around Ipsos.
Avocet - 1 (asleep) on the salt pans at Lefkimmi on 12/09.
Greenshank - 1 at Chalkiopoulos lagoon on 07/09 and another at Lefkimmi saltpans on 12/09.
Common Sandpiper - at least 1 at Chalkiopoulos lagoon on 07/09.
Hoopoe - 1 near Lefkimmi on 12/09
Bee-eater - a flock of c30 high over the hills south of Ipsos on the morning of 06/09, calling constantly - probably on migration.
Kingfisher - 1 at Ipsos on 14/09
Scops Owl - several birds calling in the evening all around Ipsos. Regularly heard from the hotels.
Collared Dove - Common around Ipsos and other areas.
Turtle Dove - 1 at the northern end of Ipsos on 11/09
Feral Pigeon - noted around Ipsos and Corfu Town.
Alpine Swift - flocks of 20+ noted around the hills of northern Ipsos from 03/09 and several times afterwards. Also around Kassiopi on 05/09 and Corfu town on 07/09 and 12/09.
White Wagtail - a few seen around Ipsos and Corfu town.
Flava Wagtail - flyover calling birds recorded at Ipsos on several dates and around Chalkiopoulos lagoon on 07/09
Tree Pipit - 1 in southern Ipsos on the morning of 06/09
Red-rumped Swallow - flocks regularly seen around Ipsos (sometimes outnumbering Barn Swallows). Flocks also seen around Kassiopi, Corfu Town, Lefkimmi and Paleokastritsa.
Barn Swallow - recorded at Ipsos, Kassiopi Corfu town and Lefkimmi.
House Martin - a few seen around Ipsos and Kassiopi.
Golden Oriole - 1 landed in a dead tree at the southern end of Ipsos on 04/09. A few others heard calling but not seen.
Blue Rock Thrush - 1 at Paleokastritsa on 09/09
Blackbird - several noted around Ipsos
Northern Wheatear - 1 at Lefkimmi saltpans on 12/09
Sardinian Warbler - common around Ipsos and regularly heard and seen around gardens / hotel grounds.
Eastern Subalpine Warbler - 1 seen well at Paleokastritsa on 09/09, with a probable second bird in the same olive tree.
Cetti's Warbler - a couple of birds present around the northern end of Ipsos.
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler - 1 in northern Ipsos on 10/09
Willow Warbler - A juvenile in northern Ipsos on 10/09
Spotted Flycatcher - regularly seen around Ipsos. Also recorded at Lefkimmi.
Woodchat Shrike - a juvenile present in a scrubby sheep field with scattered trees in the northern part of Ipsos on the mornings of 10/09 and 11/09
Great Tit - Commonly seen around Ipsos
Blue Tit - Commonly seen around Ipsos
Raven - noted around northern Ipsos on 11/09 and 15/09
Hooded Crow - surprisingly not very common. Singles seen around Ipsos on a number of dates plus others around Corfu town.
Jackdaw - several seen around Corfu town on 07/09 and 14/09
Jay - Common around Ipsos.
Magpie - Common around Ipsos.
Goldfinch - a flock of c20 at Ipsos on 10/09.
House Sparrow - Common
Swallowtail
Scarce Swallowtail
Cardinal
Southern White Admiral
Cicadas
Praying Mantis
House Gecko
