Trip Report: Crete (Greece), April 14-21, 2000

General

A family vacation with birding mainly in early mornings (all but one, 18/4) and only in the western part of the island. Hotel in Platanias, some 15 km west of Chania. Arrived at Chania airport 14/4 at 11.30, departed 22/4 at 00.15. Rented a car (Hyundai Accent) by Avis - functional. Nice weather with light clouds and sunshine 14-17/4, cloudy and some rain the remaining period, especially 21/4, also with thunder. First light about 06.30 a.m.

Visited (Main) Sites

• Keridis River mouth and beach. 15/4 early morning and a short glimpse in the afternoon, 20/4 in the morning.
• Agia/Ayia Reservoir. 15/4 afternoon (dam side), 16/4 early morning (pumping station and dam side), 17/4 (dam) in the morning, 18/4 (dam) a short visit in the afternoon, 19/4 (dam) late morning, 21/4 (dam) early morning.
• Skoutelonas River (River Spiliakos). 20/4 in the morning.
• Tavronítis River. 16/4 a short visit at noon, 17/4 in the morning, 20/4 in the morning.
• Falásarna. 16/4 in the afternoon, 20/4 in the morning.
• Omalos Plateau. 18/4 mid and late morning, 19/4 early morning.

Also some birding and/or brief visits at Platanias beach, Afráta, Chania harbour and Agia Irini.

Annotated species list

1. Little Grebe. Tachybaptus r. ruficollis. Seen every visit at Agia, at most c. 25 16/4. Many of them in pairs, displaying and obviously territorial.
2. Great Cormorant. Phalacrocorax carbo subsp. 6 fishing at sea off Plataniás 15/4. 7 off Geráni 16/4. Probably all of them were P. c. sinensis.
3. European Shag. Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii. 1 ad. off Chania harbour 19/4.
4. Black-crowned Night Heron. Nycticorax n. nycticorax. 1 ad. roosting at Agia 16/4.
5. Squacco Heron. Ardeola ralloides. 1 adult at a small pond (looked more like a flooded golf-green) in the southern part of the Omalos plateau 19/4. 1 at Keridis 20/4.
6. Little Egret. Egretta g. garzetta. 10 roosting at Keridis 15/4. 1 at upstream Keridis River 17/4. 1 at Keridis 18/4 and 19/4.
7. Grey Heron. Ardea c. cinerea. 1 at Tavronitis 20/4. 1 at Agia 21/4.
8. Glossy Ibis. Plegadis f. falcinellus. 2 adults at Keridis 15/4.
9. Mallard. Anas p. platyrhynchos. Only seen at Agia, at most 4 (1 female) 16/4 and 17/4. 7 males there 19/4.
10. Garganey. Anas querquedula. 2 males and 1 female at Agia 16/4. 1 male at Tavronitis 17/4. 1 pair at Agia 21/4.
11. Black Kite. Milvus m. migrans. 1 at Agia 15/4 and 18/4.
12. Lammergeier. Gypaetus barbatus aureus. 1 adult at Xylóskalo 18/4.
13. Eurasian Griffon Vulture. Gyps f. fulvus. A total of 5 (1 at the time) at Omalos and Xylóskalo 18/4. 1 at Tourli 19/4.
14. Western Marsh Harrier. Circus ae. aeruginosus. Only females and/or 2nd year birds seen: 1 adult female at Keridis 15/4. 1 at Agia 15/4, 16/4 and 18/4. 1 2nd year heading north at A fráta 17/4. 1 at Tavronitis 20/4. 2 at Agia 21/4.
15. Montagu's Harrier. Circus pygargus. 1 male west of Kissámos 20/4.
16. Common Buzzard. Buteo b. buteo. Commonly seen, at least the first three days.
17. Common Kestrel. Falco t. tinnunculus. 1 at Afráta 17/4. 1 at upstream Keridis River 17/4. 2 at Omalos 18/4. 1 at Falásarna 20/4.
18. Chukar. Alectoris chukar cypriotes. Heard at Omalos 18/4.
19. Water Rail. Rallus a. aquaticus. 1 at Agia 21/4.
20. Little Crake. Porzana parva. Agia: 1 female 15/4; 4 males and 5 females 16/4; 3 males and 2 females 18/4; 1 male and 3 females 19/4; 7 males and 12 females 21/4. Tavronitis: 2 males 17/4; 1 male 20/4.
21. Common Moorhen Gallinula ch. chloropus. 15 at Keridis 15/4. Seen every visit at Agia, at most c. 75 16/4. A few at Tavronitis 17/4.
22. Eurasian Coot. Fulica a. atra. 1 at Keridis 15/4. Seen every visit at Agia, at most 50 19/4. One seemed to be brooding at nest 16/4.
23. Black-winged Stilt. Himantopus h. himantopus. 1 at Agia 15/4, 16/4, 19/4 and 21/4.
24. Little Ringed Plover. Charadrius dubius curonicus. 3 at Keridis 15/4. 1 at Skoutelonas 20/4. 1 at Tavronitis 20/4. 1 at Keridis 20/4.
25. Common Greenshank. Tringa nebularia. 1 at Skoutelonas 20/4. 2 at Keridis 20/4.
26. Wood Sandpiper. Tringa glareola. 1 at Agia 18/4. 2 at a small pond in the southern part of the Omalos plateau 19/4. 4 at Agia 19/4. 12 at Skoutelonas 20/4. 2 at Tavronitis 20/4. 3 at Keridis 20/4. 10 at Agia 21/4.
27. Common Sandpiper. Actitis hypoleucos. 9 at Keridis 15/4. 2 at Agia 15/4 and 16/4. 1 at Tavronitis 17/4. 1 at Keridis 20/4. 5 at Agia 21/4.
28. Slender-billed Gull. Larus genei. 1 2nd year at Keridis 15/4.
29. Yellow-legged Gull. Larus cachinnans michahellis. Common, both at sea and elsewhere, e.g. 50 at Agia 15/4, mostly adults. 1 caught a moorhen at Agia 16/4.
30. Rock Dove. Columba l. livia. 4 at Apopigádi 19/4.
31. Common Wood Pigeon. Columba p. palumbus. 1 singing at Agia 16/4.
32. Eurasian Collared Dove. Streptopelia d. decaocto. 1 singing in Platanias 19/4 and 21/4.
33. Common Swift. Apus a. apus. Not common, but seen in small numbers almost everywhere.
34. Alpine Swift. Apus m. melba. 1 at Keridis 15/4. 1 at Agia 16/4.
35. Crested Lark. Galerida cristata meridionalis. Common.
36. Wood Lark. Lullula arborea pallida. Some 15 singing at Omalos 18/4 and 19/4.
37. Sand Martin. Riparia r. riparia. Marked increase in number during the week; a few at Agia 16/4, c. 100 at Agia 18/4, c. 600 at Agia 19/4.
38. Eurasian Crag Martin. Ptyonoprogne rupestris. Some 10 at Omalos and Xylóskalo 18/4.
39. Barn Swallow. Hirundo r. rustica. Marked increase in number during the week; c. 500 at Agia 18/4.
40. Red-rumped Swallow. Hirundo daurica rufula. 1 at Agia 16/4, together with Barn Swallows, resting on a wire.
41. Common House Martin. Delichon u. urbica. Seen in rather small numbers along with Sand Martins and Barn Swallows, mainly at Agia.
42. Tree Pipit. Anthus t. trivialis. 3 at Omalos 18/4. Several heard at Falásarna 20/4.
43. Red-throated Pipit. Anthus cervinus. 1 at Tavronitis 17/4.
44. Yellow Wagtail. Motacilla flava. M. f. flava: 1 male at Keridis 15/4. Many males at Agia 16/4. 1 male at Falásarna 20/4. M. f. feldegg: Many at Agia 16/4; 10 males at Tavronitis 17/4. 1 male and 1 female at Falásarna 20/4. M. f. "superciliaris": 1 male at Tavronitis 20/4.
45. White Wagtail. Motacilla a. alba. Seen and/or heard every day, at most localities.
46. Winter Wren. Troglodytes troglodytes cypriotes. Common, and heard throughout. At least 25 singing at Omalos and surrounding areas18/4.
47. Common Nightingale. Luscinia m. megarhynchos. 1 singing at Agia 15/4, 16/4, 18/4, 19/4 and 21/4. 1 singing at Omalos 18/4.
48. Whinchat. Saxicola rubetra. 5 at Tavronitis 16/4 and 1 there 17/4. 1 at Falásarna 20/4.
49. Common Stonechat. Saxicola torquata rubicola. Common, e.g. at least 20 at Omalos 18/4.
50. Northern Wheatear. Oenanthe oenanthe libanotica. At least 10 at Omalos 18/4.
51. Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica melanoleuca. 2 singing near Omalos 19/4 - both were black-throated.
52. Blue Rock Thrush. Monticola s. solitarius. 1 male and 1 female at Falásarna 16/4. 1 at Afráta 17/4. 1 male at Falásarna 20/4.
53. Common Blackbird. Turdus merula aterrimus. Common.
54. Cetti's Warbler. Cettia c. cetti. 5 singing at Keridis 15/4. Commonly heard, almost everywhere, even in apparently dry habitats!
55. Sedge Warbler. Acrocephalus schoenobaenus. Common, e.g. seen every visit at Agia and Keridis respectively.
56. European Reed Warbler. Acrocephalus s. scirpaceus. 1 at Agia 16/4.
57. Great Reed Warbler. Acrocephalus a. arundinaceus. 1 singing at Keridis 15/4. 1 singing at Agia 16/4, 19/4 and 21/4. 1 singing upstream Keridis River 17/4.
58. Sardinian Warbler. Sylvia m. melanocephala. Common.
59. Common Whitethroat. Sylvia communis subsp. 1 at Afráta 17/4. 1 at Falásarna 20/4.
60. Blackcap. Sylvia a. atricapilla. 2 singing near Orthouni 19/4.
61. Wood Warbler. Phylloscopus sibilatrix. Several at Agia 16/4, one or two even singing.
62. Willow Warbler. Phylloscopus trochilus subsp. 1 at Falásarna 20/4, probably Ph. t. acredula.
63. European Pied Flycatcher. Ficedula h. hypoleuca. 2 at Omalos 19/4. 1 male at Falásarna 20/4.
64. Blue Tit. Parus caeruleus calamensis. Common.
65. Great Tit. Parus major niethammeri. Common.
66. Eurasian Golden Oriole. Oriolus o. oriolus. 1 singing at Agia 21/4.
67. Woodchat Shrike. Lanius s. senator. Rather common and seen at all the main localities, e.g. 4 at Omalos 18/4.
68. Carrion Crow. Corvus corone sharpii. Common.
69. Common Raven. Corvus corax laurencei. 4, perhaps 2 pairs, at Omalos 18/4. 2+1 at Falásarna 20/4.
70. House Sparrow. Passer domesticus subsp. Common.
71. Common Chaffinch. Fringilla c. coelebs. Common.
72. European Serin. Serinus serinus. 1 singing near Agia 15/4. 1 singing upstream Keridis River 17/4. 1 singing at Agia Irini 19/4. 2 singing at Orthouni 19/4.
73. European Greenfinch. Carduelis chloris muehlei. Common.
74. European Goldfinch. Carduelis carduelis balcanica. Common.
75. Common Linnet. Carduelis cannabina mediterranea. Common.
76. Cirl Bunting. Emberiza cirlus. 2 singing at Omalos 18/4. At least 4 singing at Omalos 19/4.
77. Corn Bunting. Miliaria c. calandra. 1 singing at Falásarna 16/4. 2 singing at Afráta 17/4. 3 singing at Omalos 18/4 and 19/4. 2 singing at Falásarna 20/4.

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