MY BIRDWATCHING HIGHLIGHTS FOR JANUARY 2003

3^rd Jan.  Near Chania.  Over the motorway near Chania an Eleonoras falcon was circling.

4^th Jan.  At Neo Chorio. At home a short toed eagle quartered the valley looking for a meal. A very white adult in perfect plumage Then a raven and a male kestrel. Later a flock of 4 honey buzzards drifted northwards and were joined by our local trio of common buzzards for a while. They all circled, warily eying each other up before the honey buzzards moved out of the locals’ territory. At dusk 90+ hooded crows gathered in a very noisy flock before going off to roost. Another birthday for me. Do the years get shorter as one gets older? Birthdays seem to come round quicker and quicker now!

6^th Jan.  At Neo Chorio. At home at dusk 60+ hooded crows again formed a very noisy flock.

7^th Jan.  At Chania.  In the central park in Chania a chiffchaff was in full song, like us enjoying some warm sunshine.

19^th Jan.  On the coast.  A pair of common buzzards were hunting right down at the beach, usually they stay further inland. A pair of whinchats, probably early migrants were busy feeding among some dumped rubble.

26^th Jan.  At Neo Chorio.  At night a pair of barn owls were making a terrific din with their eerie shrieking just outside our windows. They were hopping from our pergola up onto the roof and back, hissing, snoring and shrieking all the time.

29^th Jan.  At Neo Chorio.  A female sparrow hawk ignored heavy rain and perched in a walnut tree on the lookout for an obviously much needed meal.
                 On the coast.   The pair of buzzards were again right down by the sea. They may well be setting up a territory in an area normally dominated by the marsh harriers but which may well have been frightened off by the continued building work as yet more hotels are built along the coast. Buzzards are more tolerant of disturbance than marsh harriers and seem to be exploiting a chance to move in. At Sirilli a lone swallow was hawking for insects along the road as we drove home.

30^th Jan.  On the coast.  A single short-toed lark was singing lustily despite strong winds and frequent heavy showers. Further along a white wagtail foraged beside a load of builders rubble at one of the new hotels being built and a female kestrel was dashing about in search of food.

31^st Jan.  At home another short toed eagle circled for what seemed ages watching us prune our bougainvillea.  For over an hour it was there every time I looked up, making the chore much more interesting. Several swallows flitted by and in the distance a flock of 20+ swifts slowly moved north. It was too far to tell whether they were common or pallid swifts. At night the barn owls are always here now disturbing our slumbers with their shrieking.