Eastern Crete, 17th Sept - 1st October 2024 (1 Viewer)

[Woodchat]

Just spent a very pleasant fortnight in sunny Crete. It was very relaxing and definitely not a full-on birding holiday so only managed a modest 52 species. The quality (especially raptors) was pretty decent though. If I get a chance, I'll post a few species accounts over the next few days but, for now, just a simple list of species seen is given below:

1. Scopoli's Shearwater
2. Shag
3. Night Heron
4. Little Egret
5. Chukar Partridge
6.Griffon Vulture
7. Golden Eagle
8. Bonelli's Eagle
9. Honey Buzzard
10. Black Kite
11. Common Buzzard
12. Marsh Harrier
13. Eleonora's Falcon
14. Red-footed Falcon
15. Peregrine
16. Common Kestrel
17. Moorhen
18. Coot
19. Yellow-legged Gull
20. Common Sandpiper
21. Dunlin
22. European Bee-eater
23. Hoopoe
24. Kingfisher
25. Collared Dove
26. Feral Pigeon
27. Crested Lark
28. Tree Pipit
29. Yellow Wagtail
30. White Wagtail
31. Swallow
32. Sand Martin
33. Blue Rock Thrush
34. Blackbird
35. Northern Wheatear
36.Whinchat
37. Stonechat
38. Sardinian Warbler
39. Eastern Subalpine Warbler
40. Common Whitethroat
41. Willow Warbler
42. Chiffchaff
43. Cetti's Warbler
44. Spotted Flycatcher
45. Hooded Crow
46. Raven
47. Red-backed Shrike
48. Great Tit
49. Chaffinch
50. Goldfinch
51. Linnet
52. House Sparrow

 

[Woodchat]

Species accounts for raptors seen on the trip:

Griffon Vulture - seen every day, in groups up to 11 birds - often along the ridge above our apartment near Koutouloufari. Also seen further west towards Piskopiano, Old Hersonissos, Analipsi and Gouves. Seen further east en-route to Agios Nikolaos.

Golden Eagle - seen a few times (singles and pairs) over the rocky ridge above and around where we were staying in Koutouloufari.

Bonelli's Eagle - 2 seen over the rocky pinnacles above Piskopiano on 20/09.

Honey Buzzard - one seen just west of Analipsi on 24/09.

Black Kite - one just east of Koutouloufari on 30/09.

Common Buzzard - regularly seen in various places.

Marsh Harrier - one seen just east of Koutouloufari on 20/09 and another in the same place on 25/09.

Eleonora's Falcon - seen most days around Koutouloufari and nearby villages - both pale and dark phase birds, where small groups of up to 4 birds could be seen. Occasionally seen perched on rocks but mostly in flight.

Red-footed Falcon - 2 (a male and a near-adult male) perched on wires between Hersonissos and Lyttos on 24/09. One remained perched while the other flew around a bit.

Peregrine - seen on a couple of dates around Koutouloufari.

Kestrel - regularly seen around the area we stayed and seen in a few other places.

Below is a view of the rocky pinnacles near Old Hersonissos and above our apartment at Koutouloufari.

 

[Woodchat]

A few more species accounts:

Bee-eaters - 2 seen high over Koutouloufari on 21/09 (others heard only), 10 seen low down on 22/09. Others heard only on a couple of other dates, including during the evenings after sunset.

Hoopoe - one over the apartment and landed nearby on 18/09. Possibly the same individual seen further up the ridge on 22/09

Red-backed Shrike - a female regularly seen in scrub around our apartment on several dates. A male seen further up the ridge on 22/09. Up to 4 seen at Analipsi on 24/09, 5 seen east of Malia on 25/09

 

[Woodchat]

Scopoli's Shearwater - several individuals seen just off the coast at Hersonissos, Analipsi and Stalida.

Shag - one off the coast of Gouves and another seen on rocks at Analipsi on 27/09.

Little Egret - one seen around Analipsi on 24/9 and 2 together on a small island off Malia on 25/09.

Night Heron - one heard flying around calling at night around Koutouloufari on 21/09 and one seen flying across Hersonissos bay on 23/09

Dunlin - one flushed from rocks at Gouves on 27/09.

Common Sandpiper - one near Stalida on 29/09

Chukar Partridge - just one seen on the rocky hillside adjacent to our apartment on 25/09

Crested Lark - pretty common around the Analipsi river area. Also recorded around Malia, just west of Old Hersonissos and between Koutouloufari and Stalis.

Yellow Wagtail - recorded around the Analipsi river and quite common in fields east of Malia. Flyovers also around Hersonissos / Koutouloufari on a couple of occasions.

Tree Pipit - just a couple of flyovers calling recorded.

Blue Rock Thrush - commonly encountered around the apartment area at Koutouloufari and other areas of suitable habitat (rocky areas with some scrub)

Whinchat - up to 2 seen in scrubby areas adjacent to our apartment on several dates. One also seen near Malia Marsh.

Stonechat - a pair present near our apartment, although only seen infrequently. Also seen east of Malia and between Koutouloufari and Stalis.

Northern Wheatear - 2 seen in fields east of Malia on 25/09

Eastern Subalpine Warbler - one in scrub near our apartment on 24/09.

Spotted Flycatcher - quite commonly seen in a number of places, including around our apartment. Seen most days.

Kingfisher - seen at Analipsi river, Gouves and east of Malia.

Sand Martin - one seen with Swallows at Malia marsh and 2 seen at Analipsi river.

Cetti's Warbler - recorded along the Analipsi river and in a scrubby area to the east of Koutouloufari.

Coot - up to 2 seen in the lagoon at the end of the Analipsi river. Moorhens also in the same area.

 

[Woodchat]

Common / Very Common Species:

Sardiniam Warbler - seemed to be everywhere in suitable habitat
House Sparrow - abundant
Blackbird
Great Tit
Hooded Crow
Collared Dove
Raven - very large flocks encountered
Yellow-legged Gulls in most coastal areas
Feral Pigeon

Willow Warblers seemed to be passing through in reasonable numbers but only one Chiffchaff seen.

A few Common Whitethroats seen around the apartment.

Goldfinches we're commonly seen.
A few Linnets in various places
Just one Chaffinch seen