Regenerating hillsides below Pandroso, looking north to Mount Ambelos

www.ornithologiki.gr The Hellenic Ornithological Society’s website lists Mt Kerkis on Samos as an ‘important bird area’ for White-tailed Sea Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard, Golden Eagle, Eagle Owl and migrants.

Glyfada Wetland

Alyki Wetland

Marked on the map, most tourists are made aware of this wetland as the place to see migrating Flamingos. It is situated west of the popular sandy beach resort of Psili Amos in the southeast. This former salt works was abandoned in 1970. Full of water in May, it dries out completely by August. It’s a breeding site for Ruddy Shelduck and important for migrating waders. Shearwaters can be seen passing offshore and Turkey looks close enough to touch across the Eptastadio channel. Two kms to the west is a reedbed adjacent Mykali beach, though on my two quick visits the only bird of note was a Red-footed Falcon.

‘Honey-Pure Raptor Ridge’ Pirgos

Valley of the Nightingales/Aidona gorge Vourliotes

A tourist name for the valley of the river Kakorema situated between the villages of Manolates and Vourliotes on the north coast. The picturesque craggy steep-sided valley is well wooded with Planes (Platanus) and Walnuts (Juglans) largely following the many flowing watercourses, together with Holm Oak (Quercus ilex), Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) and Pines (Pinus) which ascend to just below the summit of Mt Karvounis. The whole area is popular with walkers who can usually be heard before being seen! A range of birds more typical of British woodland can be found together with a few Nightingales. I would imagine migrant passerines could be found anywhere, for example, a singing Marsh Warbler on the 11^th May was a pleasant surprise.

Mount Kerkis

Diary

The runway on Samos nestles between two lines of hills, which meant the approach required some positive manoeuvring from the pilot, the steep banking giving a chance to get an initial look at the island. The pilot was unusually reticent about the weather and after touching down on time we found out why. We were greeted with cloudy skies and a freezing cold strong northerly wind that was a shock after the balmy heat of Gloucestershire! Leaving the plane and walking across to the airport terminal I noted a very large brown raptor land on the flat lands to the south of the airport, but was unable to identify the bird, which may have been a Lesser-spotted Eagle - very frustrating, but showed the area had promise!

A pre-breakfast scramble up the hillside above the Eupalinus tunnel produced Hooded Crows, Jackdaws, Jays, Crested Larks, a Little Owl, Hobby, two Alpine Swifts, a Long-legged Buzzard in off the sea and higher up Sardinian Warblers, Black-eared Wheatears and Cretzschmar’s Buntings.

The Glyfada wetland above the road had Moorhen with young, Red-rumped Swallows, a Little Egret, and a Grey Heron – the only birds I ever saw on this pool. The salt marsh had another Little Owl, four Little Egrets, two Squacco Herons, four Wood and two Common Sandpipers, a Temminck’s Stint and a Black-Headed Wagtail. The adjacent fields had Corn and Black-headed Buntings, Cetti’s, Fan-tailed, Great Reed and a Grasshopper Warbler singing in the open from a wire fence, a Whinchat and a Lesser Grey Shrike hawking from the airport fence, and a heavy passage of Sand Martins and Swallows, with over flying Bee-eaters and two Short-toed Eagles hunting over the hillside – all this a few yards from my studio!

After breakfast the day was spent exploring the Potokaki area. A tamarisk in Potokaki held 40 male Black-headed Buntings – all singing! The river had one hawking Whiskered Tern and then I discovered the wonderful pools where I spent the rest of the day - later in the company of a Dutchman and first class birder Emo Klunder. The pools held four White-winged Black Terns, three Little Egrets, four Squacco Herons, White, Blue-headed and Black-headed Wagtails, a female Citrine Wagtail, a trilling Little Grebe and an immature Marsh Harrier quartered the fields behind. Waders included eight Black-winged Stilts, 20 Ruff, 15 Wood and 30 Curlew Sandpipers, 30 Little Stints, six Temminck’s Stints and a Ringed Plover. The beach had three Tawny Pipits and just as we were about to leave a ringtail Montagu’s Harrier arrived. Its relatively long narrow wings with clearly barred coverts and distinctive buoyant flight were diagnostic. Returning home via the Glyfada wetland two Hobbies passed overhead while a Kestrel worked the ridge above. A very satisfying first day!

After catching up with some much needed sleep we decided to walk to the Potokaki pools again. The Black-headed Buntings were still in their tamarisk tree but an unfamiliar, loud, fast warbling song was coming from some adjacent tamarisks. It turned out to be an Icterine Warbler and I identified mimicry of Goldfinch, Linnet, Sparrow, Sedge Warbler and Hobby together with the often-repeated ‘eedle-ee-ooh’ call. The trees also held ten Spanish Sparrows and a Little Owl was perched on a nearby post.

The pools had much the same birds as yesterday with the addition of a 1^st summer Mediterranean Gull, three Collared Pratincoles, a Sedge Warbler, a male Citrine Wagtail and close examination of the Blue-headed Wagtails revealed an Ashy-headed Wagtail (M.f. ‘cinereocapilla’) and (M.f. ‘dombrowskii’). The beach had a Lesser Grey and a Woodchat Shrike, six Short-toed Larks, and a pair of Whinchats. Two Purple Herons were flushed from the waterlogged track into the marsh and a female Little Bittern was fishing by the bridge. Walking into Pythagorio the first Olivaceous Warbler was heard and a pair of Red-footed Falcons were perched on a dead tree.

A pre-breakfast visit to Potokaki pools revealed new visitors in the form of (three English birders!), a Little-ringed Plover, a female Marsh Harrier, a female Red-footed Falcon and more Reed Warblers. Thirty Swifts with ten Alpine Swifts appeared over the pools and a constant stream of Swallows headed east avoiding the increasingly strong northerly wind.

Now we had a car I was keen to explore further. First stop was the reed bed behind the extensive Mykali beach. The only birds seen were loafing Yellow-legged Gulls and a female Red-footed Falcon struggling against the wind trying to hunt from cables. The Alyki wetland was rather disappointing with only a Mute Swan, three Garganeys, three Black-winged Stilts, four Squacco Herons, ten Little Egrets and 14 Ruddy Shelducks, with one pair protecting 20 ducklings from the attentions of Gulls. The northern end, perhaps with shallower water, had 47 Ruff, six Wood Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank. The scrub held singing Corn Buntings and a Lesser Grey Shrike, a pair of Chukar, a Long-Legged Buzzard drifted over the hillside and a Kestrel kept returning to the old buildings with food, presumably to feed young.

Returning to the Potokaki pools I met Bob and Frank who had watched two large, pale but unidentified raptors in off the sea. There were now five Collared Pratincoles and we saw an Eleonora's Falcon come slowly in off the sea while 14 distant White-winged Black Terns appeared to give up their struggle against the wind and slipped away to the west. Five male Red-Footed Falcons had now joined the lone female. A Scops Owl was heard on the edge of Pythagorio in the evening.

A quick pre-breakfast search of the hillside around the Spilianis Monastery turned up calling Chukar, a Red-footed Falcon, eight Jackdaws, a Black-eared Wheatear, a Whinchat, a Dunnock! and a singing Sardinian and Rüppell's Warbler. The heavy passage of Swallows continued.

The Potokaki pools had a female Citrine Wagtail and a Ruddy Shelduck circled but didn’t land. A flock of 100 Swifts including four Pallid Swifts dropped in and swooped around me their feathers rustling as they shot past – apparently the Pallid Swifts nest in Samos town. Two female and a male Red-footed Falcon hunted from the cables and I couldn’t resist snapping these wonderful birds. Fortunately the three English lads joined me just as a ringtail Harrier approached. Its flight was lower and heavier than the Montagu’s seen earlier and it lacked the dark band to the secondaries. When it banked in front of us it showed brown streaked light under parts, a pale neck ring, a broader wing with very sooty coverts and secondaries totally different to the Montagu’s. We were satisfied it was a female Pallid Harrier, a lifer for me and about time! As I left the site I was concerned to see a JCB on the beach unblocking the river mouth.

After breakfast we decided to explore south and called at the reconstructed ‘old’ bridge over the river Imvresos at the Myli junction on the Pythagorio – Pagondas road. It’s a known site for Roller and sure enough two birds were present but very wary (Frank and Bob had seen four birds here).

A pair of Long-legged Buzzards circled over Pagondas and at the start of the track down to the Evangelistrias Monastery 20 Alpine Swifts drifted around and Cretzschmar’s Buntings sang from the hillside (the English lads also recorded Ortolan Bunting here). We decided to descend to the Tsopela beach. The track hadn’t been graded since the winter and two wheels or 4x4 would have been easier. Though I had to concentrate on the track to avoid ‘bottoming out’, I was aware that the valley was scenically stunning. I did however err on the side of caution and we walked the last km. I’m glad we did because as we left the car I disturbed a female Rock Thrush, another lifer! I presume it was a passage bird and not breeding? Around the headland I found Turtle Dove, White Wagtails, Spotted Flycatchers, Black-eared Wheatear, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Woodchat and Masked Shrike, Sardinian and Subalpine Warblers and 20 Bee-eaters came in off the sea. The gorge at the end of the beach had two male Blue Rock Thrushes displaying to a female and a Raven and three Rock Doves flew over. Small numbers of Mediterranean Shearwaters passed offshore and two adults and a second summer Audouin’s Gull landed on the small islet. We bought one of Anna’s hand-painted Pythagoras’ cups and she explained most people arrived by boat. Her husband said the track was due to be graded next week but, as we had found, if one drove "slow, slow" there wasn’t a problem.

Roller Bridge near Myli                               Tsopela Cape and beach

The day was spent pottering around the southeast in warm settled weather. The only new bird at Potokaki was a Shag. A Ruddy Shelduck arrived but again didn’t land. A pair of Moorhens were on the river, which had dropped by over 30 cms, and terrapins were sunning themselves. The Alyki wetland had even fewer birds and I could only count 15 ducklings now. On the sea two Cory’s Shearwaters passed east. Beyond Psili Amos the track passes a rock outcrop where Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Blue Rock Thrush and Ruppell’s Warbler were all singing and an Eleonora's and two Red-footed Falcons drifted along the ridge. The first Red-backed Shrike was seen at Klima beach. An exploration of the pine covered headland at Posidonio beach turned up a pair of displaying Long-legged Buzzards, a pale Eleonora's Falcon, 20 Bee-eaters heading north, Spotted Flycatchers and lots of Great Tits and too many Chaffinches, all ending their song with an emphatic ‘wit’. Three Short-toed Eagles were soaring over Prof. Ilias near Paleokastro, back at Potokaki three Red-throated Pipits were new at the pools and during the night a Tawny Owl was calling at the apartments.

Most of the day was spent crossing Mt Karvounis. A couple of photo stops below Pandroso turned up Common Buzzard and the first singing Nightingale. We then managed to drive almost to the top of Karvounis and then down to the north coast via Vourliotes. The map shows the tracks as "unsurfaced road of good quality" – well, perhaps, after some grading. The winter rains had washed lots of loose material onto the track in places and away in others creating many gullies. As a forester I’m used to taking cars off-road but some sections were hair-raising even for me, though with a 4x4 or two wheels – ‘no problem’. A strong, cold westerly wind curtailed our visit and fresh flowers in the church dedicated to the prophet Ilias situated at the summit demonstrated the islander’s devotion to their religion. Birds seen included a juvenile Serin in the pines uttering its flight call ‘tirril-ill-it’, Black-eared Wheatears, a pair of Chukar, two singing Woodlarks on the eastern slope, 14 Bee-eaters heading north and that was it until a male Honey Buzzard came in off the sea at the Lemonakia beach just west of Kokkari.

Back at the Potokaki pools later there were four Ringed Plovers, two Collared Pratincoles, a Ruddy Shelduck on the ground, a different female Marsh Harrier and Citrine Wagtail, three Purple Herons and the English guys had seen a Quail on the beach in the morning.

Thursday 11^th May

A pre-breakfast visit to Potokaki pools showed two Red-throated Pipits (see left), a female Citrine Wagtail and wader numbers beginning to dwindle. Four adult Mediterranean Gulls headed west. Two male and a female Mallard were flushed from the track into the marsh, which was more accessible following the opening of the river mouth on the 8^th.

We called at the Alyki wetland to see the solitary Greater Flamingo that had been reported. Twelve Grey Herons also dropped in but the only waders present were two Black-winged Stilts and a Greenshank.

Next stop was the Valley of the Nightingales. I took a drive up the shady road from Konstandinos to Manolates with several stops to explore along streamside tracks. The mixed woodland had a very familiar sound to it with singing Blackbirds, Chaffinches, Great Tits, Wrens, Spotted flycatchers, Goldcrests, and several Robins. A heavily pruned olive grove had singing Woodchat Shrike, Olivaceous and Marsh Warbler. It was interesting that the Marsh Warbler favoured the dense re-growth of shoots on the olive trees, which I guess is a similar habitat to the withy beds in which the bird used to breed in Gloucestershire. In the car park at Manolates I saw my first Blue Tit and saw a Sparrow Hawk make a half-hearted attempt at a Swallow, while above a Long-legged Buzzard drifted along the ridge. Later at Lemonakia beach an Audouin's Gull drifted west.

Woke to cloud and rain, which cleared by 10.00 helped by a strong southerly breeze. Cloud over the hills postponed my exploration of Kerkis. The only waders at Potokaki pools were a Little Ringed Plover and three Little Stints together with two female Marsh Harriers and a male Little Bittern. Red-throated Pipits were still present along with Blue and Black-headed Wagtails (flava), (thunbergi), (beema), (feldegg) and a female Citrine Wagtail.

(feldegg)                                     female Citrine Wagtail

A visit to the Alyki wetland produced no waders and the 15 Ruddy Shelduck ducklings were still there! I checked the reed-fringed river at the western end of Mykali beach but found no birds. Things picked up when I explored the hillsides above Pythagorio. I followed the road to the east of the town signposted "old town walls" and parked by the small church on the left. A track through scrub leads up to the fortified walls of the ancient city of Samos. There was a singing Ruppell’s Warbler, Cretzschmar’s Buntings, Black-eared Wheatears, a single Isabelline Wheatear and a pair of Chukar. A Raven, two Short-toed Eagles and a Kestrel drifted along the ridge and near the church were a singing Woodchat Shrike, Turtle Dove and Orphean Warbler. As I descended back to Pythagorio two Rollers were perched on cables near the fountain with the huge plane tree.

Today a strong northerly wind postponed my visit to Kerkis. Potokaki pools held the same birds as yesterday with the addition of a Little Grebe on the river, two Wood Sandpipers, a Ruff and 14 Little Stints, one of which, unfortunately, was taken by a Hobby!

We decided to explore the west of the island and the first unplanned stop was just west of Pirgos at the "Honey Pure" honey stall where Frank and Bob were already onto something. The stiff northerly wind had perhaps held up raptors, but whatever the reason, the next hour turned up six Short-toed Eagles of varying size, two Long-legged Buzzards, a Honey Buzzard circling with a Steppe Buzzard (ssp vulpinus), an Eleonora's Falcon and a Kestrel. The site also had Cretzschmar’s and a pair of Cirl Buntings, two Blue Rock Thrushes and a Goldfinch, which I never got to see at all during the holiday!

At Ormos Koumeikon the beautiful Balos beach had Spanish Sparrows nesting in the tamarisks. The river at the western end had a Common Sandpiper and three Common Terns headed west. (Frank and Bob also recorded Little Bittern, Little Egret, Purple Heron and Spotted Flycatcher here). The hillside above the beach also had Sardinian Warbler, Cretzschmar’s and Black-headed Buntings, Red-backed Shrike, Blue Rock Thrush, Kestrel and Short-toed Eagles. We pushed on as far as Limnionas, which has a pleasant sandy beach and noted a Long-legged Buzzard.

A calm clear day allowed me to explore Mount Kerkis. A quick stop at the ‘Honey Pure’ raptor ridge produced only a Long-legged Buzzard plus Chukar, singing Sardinian and Subalpine Warblers, Red-backed Shrike, a distant Cuckoo and the pair of Cirl Buntings feeding young. I felt obliged to buy some honey as the stall was now opening for business!

At the western end of Votsalakia a right turning is sign-posted "Pythagoras Cave" and one km further a track to the left heads towards the Monastery Evangelistrias. I almost made it to the end of the track at 500m but a particularly steep section with loose material caused me to loose traction and I had to park up. I saved a long walk but of course missed out on any birds en route. Red paint dots mark the well-worn, almost vertical path to the convent. I started walking at 11.30 and wondered if I’d make it to the top. I passed a group of young Greek girls who had already visited the convent (starting out at 07.00!) and they assured me the route to Vigla was clear. I then passed a Greek family (including a granny and toddler!) who were also descending - home for lunch no doubt! A Long-legged Buzzard and a Raven passed below me whilst above, a flock of 16 Eleonora's Falcons and a Kestrel drifted around catching insects. The scrub and pine forest held Sardinian Warbler, Chaffinch, Blackbird, and Coal Tits. A punishing hours climb had me at the convent, which has the oldest church on the island dating from the tenth century. One has to climb the steps to the main door and pass around the rear of the building where the path continues through the pine forest.

On leaving the forest the path crosses loose scree where cairns mark the route. The open scrubby area had Cretzschmar’s and Black-headed Bunting, Black-eared Wheatear, Blackbirds, Blue Rock Thrush, a Ruppell’s Warbler holding territory and a singing Orphean Warbler was a surprise. I reached the chapel ‘Prophet Ilias’ about 15.00. The path above the chapel is not as shown on the map – it actually heads north in the col to the watershed where it then skirts around to the north of the peak shown as 1321m before approaching Vigla from the south. A leaking water tank in the col attracted passerines including a pair of Stonechat, a family group of Linnets, Black-eared Wheatear, Blackbirds and an Ortolan Bunting. Two pairs of Chukar and the first of four pairs of Northern Wheatears were also seen on the scree and boulders leading up to the summit. Two herds of goats numbering about 60 were just below the summit but quickly hid from view. Three peaks formed the summit and I couldn’t tell which was the highest so visited all of them to ensure I’d actually reached the top – it was 17.00. The descent took 2½ hours and I used one extended leg of my tripod as a walking stick, which was very useful!

The calm settled weather continued and we had a quiet (car-less) day walking to Ireo and back. The Potokaki pools were nearly dry but had three Ruff (one with a broken leg), four Wood Sandpipers, 26 Little Stints (38 in the afternoon) and four Short-toed Larks. The river Imvresos at Ireo was still flowing well and had Black-winged Stilt, Moorhen and 33 Sand Martins. A short walk upstream produced Sardinian and Olivaceous Warbler, Woodchat Shrike, a male Serin and a Golden Oriole. I wondered if an early morning visit would have revealed any Crakes, as there was abundant vegetation for cover. Frank and Bob had recorded a Night Heron here earlier. An odd looking lizard was found on the beach at Ireo and later identified as a Starry Agama (Laudakia stellio), and my legs were now aching!

We had to endure a strong northerly wind again (the meltemia). During a walk beyond the Spilianis Monastery to the ancient city walls my first Peregrine was seen perched on a rock watching a passing Eleonora’s Falcon and the Rüppell's Warbler was still on its territory. A large raptor appeared off the sea which I first thought was a Honey Buzzard but the wings weren’t right. It had a single broad dark terminal tail band, light inner primaries, which along with the secondaries were lightly barred and with a dark trailing edge, contrasting dark carpel patches, but pale underparts. I found the bird again when we climbed over the ridge only to watch it glide away on level wings and into trees below. It was a sub-adult Bonelli’s Eagle (2^nd year). The i/d was clinched when I found this picture, taken in Oman by W S Clark, which is very similar to my bird. The full size picture can be seen at www.mangoverde.com/wbg/spec/spec30-216.html. The Rollers were again by the large Plane tree on the road down to Pythagorio.

The last full day, and a strong meltemia again. I decided to try and photograph the Rollers by the old Plane tree on the road to the ‘ancient city walls’. As soon as I got within 100m of the tree a bird took off never to return! I investigated the old olive groves thoroughly and turned up Woodchat Shrike, a pair of Red-backed Shrikes, Orphean and Subalpine Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Eleonora's Falcon and singing together in an old olive tree were Olivaceous and Olive Tree Warbler - a great bird to end the holiday!

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis – breeding? Potokaki

Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea – 2 past Alyki Wetland, Eptastadio Channel

Mediterranean Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan – passing in small numbers, Cape Tsopela

Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis – 1 on sea, Potokaki, 1 in Kokkari bay (Frank and Bob)

Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutes – a pair breeding? Potokaki, Balos (Frank and Bob)

Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax – 1 by river, Ireo (Frank and Bob)

Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides – max 5 Potokaki, 2 Glyfada Wetland, 4 Alyki wetland

Little Egret Egretta garzetta – max 5 Potokaki, 5 Glyfada wetland, 10 Alyki wetland, Balos, Ireo

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea – max 2 Glyfada wetland, 12 Alyki wetland 11/05/06, Samos harbour

Purple Heron Ardea purpurea – max 3 Potokaki 10/05/06, 1 Balos (Frank and Bob)

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber – 1 Alyki wetland 11/05/06

Mute Swan Cygnus olor – 1 Alyki wetland 7/05/06

Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea – max 35 (Frank and Bob), 14 on 7/05/06 + 20 ducklings, Alyki wetland, max 1 Potokaki

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos – 3 Potokaki 11/05/06

Garganey Anas querquedula – 3 Alyki wetland 7/05/06

Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina – 1 possible Potokaki 4/05/06

Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus – 2 often above Pythagorio, 3 over Prof.Ilias in east 9/05/06, 2 above Balos 13/05/06, 6 N over Pirgos 13/05/06

Bonelli’s Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus – a 2^nd year bird over Pythagorio 16/05/06

Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus – juv. or fem. or male seen almost daily Potokaki max 2

Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus – female Potokaki 5/05/06

Pallid Harrier Circus macrours – female Potokaki 8/05/06

Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus – singles often over Pythagorio, 2 above Alyki 7/05/06, 2 over Pagondas 8/05/06, a pair displaying over Posidinio 9/05/06, 1 above Vourliotes 11/05/06, 2 Pirgos 13/05/06 and 1 on 14/05/06, 1 above Limnionas 13/05/06 and again 14/05/06

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo – below Pandroso 10/05/06,

Steppe Buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus – above Pirgos 13/05/06

Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus – male off sea Lemonakia, Kokkari 10/05/06, above Pirgos 13/05/06

Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus – 1 below Manolates 11/05/06

Kestrel Falco tinnunculus – often above Pythagorio and Alyki, Pirgos 13/05/06, above Balos 13/05/06, Kirkis 14/05/06

Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus – singles and groups along S coast until 9/05/06, max 6 Potokaki 7/06/06

Hobby Falco subbuteo – 1 above Pythagorio and 2 at Glyfada 5/05/06, 1 took a Little Stint at Potokaki pools 13/05/06

Eleonora’s Falcon Falco eleonorae – 1/2/3’s all along S coast, max 16 on Kirkis 14/05/06

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus – 1 above Pythagorio 16/05/06

Chukar Alectoris chukar – widespread, from coastal olive groves to Karvounis and Kirkis summit

Quail Coturnix coturnix – 1 Potokaki beach 10/05/06 (English lads)

Moorhen Gallinula chloropus – breeding Glyfada, also at Ireo

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus – max 8 Potokaki 5/05/06, 1 at Ireo 15/05/06, max 3 Alyki 7/05/06

Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola – max 5 Potokaki 7/05/06

Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius – 1 Potokaki 7/05/06

Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula – max 4 Potokaki 10/05/06

Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea – max 30 Potokaki 5/05/06

Temminck's Stint Calidris temminkii – 1 Glyfada, and max 6 Potokaki 5/05/06

Little Stint Calidris minuta – max 38 Potokaki 15/05/06, 3 Glyfada and 14 Alyki (Frank and Bob)

Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola max 4 Glyfada and max 15 Potokaki 5/05/06, max 6 Alyki 7/05/06

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos – max 2 Glyfada, 1 Potokaki 6/05/06, 1 Alyki 7/05/06, 1 Balos 13/05/06, 1 Myli (Frank and Bob)

Greenshank Tringa nebularia – 1 Alyki 7,11/05/06

Ruff Philomachus pugnax – max 20 Potokaki 5/05/06, max 47 Alyki 7/05/06

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus – max 4 Potokaki 11/05/06

Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans – max c 50 Alyki

Audouin’s Gull Larus audouinii – 3 Tsopela 8/05/06, 1 Kokkari 11/05/06

Common Tern Sterna hirundo – 3 off Balos 13/05/06

White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus – max 4 Potokaki 6/05/06 and 14 off shore 7/05/06

Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus – 1 Potokaki 5-7/05/06

Rock Dove Columba livia – 3 Tsopela 8/05/06, W of Kokkari (Frank and Bob)

Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus – Manolates (Frank and Bob)

Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto - common

Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur – Tsopela, Pythagorio, Neochori, Myli

Cuckoo Cuculus canorus – 1 heard above Pirgos 13/05/06

Tawny Owl Strix aluco – 2 heard near Pythagorio 9/05/06

Little Owl Athene noctua – c 3 pairs Glyfada – Potokaki and 1 at Ireo

Scops Owl Otus scops – 1 near Lemon Tree Taverna, Pythagorio

Swift Apus apus – visible passage, max 100 Potokaki 8/05/06

Pallid Swift Apus pallidus – max 4 Potokaki 8/05/06, many in Samos Town (Frank and Bob)

Alpine Swift Apus melba – widespread, max 20 Pagondas 8/05/06

Hoopoe Upupa epops – 1 Pythagorio (Frank and Bob)

Bee-eater Merops apiaster – small groups 10-20 flying north

Roller Coracias garrulous – Potokaki, max 4 at Myli bridge (Frank and Bob), pair Pythagorio, ancient walls road 12,16,17/05/06

Crested Lark Galerida cristata – common in open coastal sites in S

Woodlark Lullula arborea – 2 singing on E slope of Karvounis 10/05/06

Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla – max 6 Potokaki beach 6/05/06

Sand Martin Riparia riparia – visible passage, max 33 Ireo 15/05/06

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica – heavy passage until 10/05/06, widespread

Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica – widespread in small nos. collecting mud Potokaki

House Martin Delichon urbica – widespread breeders

Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris – max 3 Potokaki beach 6/05/06

Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus – max 3 Potokaki

White Wagtail Motacilla alba – widespread max 3 Tsopela

Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava – max c 10 Potokaki including, ‘dombrowskii’, cinereocapilla, thunbergi, and beema

Black-headed Wagtail Motacilla flava feldegg - Potokaki

Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola – Potokaki at least 5 individuals

Wren Troglodytes troglodytes – 1 above Pirgos 13/05/06 and Valley of the Nightingales

Dunnock Prunella modularis – 1 below Spilianis Monastery Pythagorio 8/05/06

Robin Erithacus rubecula – c 5 below Manolates

Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos – 1 below Pandroso, 2 Valley of the Nightingales

Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe – 4 pairs below summit of Kerkis 14/05/06

Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina – 1 above Pythagorio 12/05/06

Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe melanoleuca – widespread on stony hillsides

Whinchat Saxicola rubetra – Potokaki beach, Kerkis

Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata – a pair Kerkis 14/05/06

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius – widespread in rocky terrain

Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis – a female on hillside at Tsopela 8/05/06 migrant or breeder?

Blackbird Turdus merula – widespread, even up on Kerkis

Orphean Warbler Sylvia crassirostris – Pythagorio, Kerkis

Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala – widespread on scrubby hillsides

Ruppell’s Warbler Sylvia ruepelli – below Spilianis Monastery Pythagorio 8 and 16/05/06, ancient walls Pythagorio 12/05/06, E of Psili Amos 9/05/06, Kerkis 14/05/06

Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans – not as common as Sardinian

Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus – 1 Potokaki 6/05/06

Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis – Alyki, Glyfada, Potokaki

Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia – 1 Glyfada 5/05/06

Cetti’s warbler Cettia cetti – Glyfada, Potokaki, Ireo and streamside Pagondas

Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus - Potokaki

Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris – 1 below Manolates 11/05/06

Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus – Glyfada - Potokaki

Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina – Potokaki 6/05/06

Olive Tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum – 1 Ancient Walls road Pythagorio 17/05/06

Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida - widespread

Goldcrest Regulus regulus – Valley of the Nightingales 11/05/06

Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata – widespread

Great Tit Parus major – Common and widespread especially in woodlands

Coal Tit Parus ater – only seen in Pinus nigra at Monastery Evangelistrias Kerkis

Blue Tit Parus caeruleus – relatively scarce? 2 in Valley of the Nightingales, Myli bridge

Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio – widespread in S

Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator – widespread in S

Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus – 1 Tsopela 8/05/06 migrant or breeding?

Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor – Glyfada, Potokaki, Alyki

Jay Garrulus glandarius ‘atricapillus’ – widespread all over island

Jackdaw Corvus monedula – max 8 around Pythagorio

Hooded Crow Corvus corone cornix – too common everywhere

Raven Corvus corax – Tsopela 8/05/06, Pythagorio ancient walls 12/05/06, Kerkis 14/05/06

Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus – 1 by river Ireo

House Sparrow Passer domesticus – very common around settlements

Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis – 10 Potokaki 6/05/06, Ireo, nesting at Balos

Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs – common in woodlands

Linnet Carduelis cannabina – pair with young Kerkis 14/05/06

Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis – uncommon? Pirgos (Frank and Bob)

Greenfinch Carduelis chloris – widespread especially in lowlands

Serin Serinus serinus – juv Karvounis 10/05/06, male singing Ireo 15/05/06

Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana – Pagondas (English lads) singing on Kerkis 14/05/06

Cretzschmar’s Bunting Emberiza caesia – widespread on rocky hillsides

Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus – only 1 pair feeding young above Pirgos 13and14/05/06

Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala – widespread, 40 males Potokaki 5/05/06

Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra – widespread coastal lowland