MY BIRDWATCHING HIGHLIGHTS FOR SEPTEMBER 2005

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1st Sept.  At Chania.  While awaiting treatment at Chania hospital I was able to see a pair of ravens; a pair of long legged buzzards; a honey buzzard; and a griffon vulture that cast a beady eye at me as if to suggest I would make a tasty snack.

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2nd Sept.  Down on the coast.  were three flocks of purple herons numbering 56, 36 and 28. A flock of 17 green sandpipers was a good sighting as were the 48 squacco herons, 21 little egrets and a variety of other waders including two bar tailed godwits.

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3rd Sept.  At Neo Chorio. A flock of 30+ bee-eaters went over. Then at the coast were a variety of sandpipers, two little stints, two little ringed plovers, a few yellow wagtails and a lovely citrine wagtail, again a first year bird so showing no yellow at all.

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5th Sept.  At Kolymbari.  A pair of long legged buzzards circled lazily as they drifted south. Just east of there a male lesser kestrel was dashing about in search of food so the whinchats and yellow wagtails sensibly kept a low profile.

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6th Sept.  On the coast.  Another lesser kestrel, some yellow wagtails, spotted flycatchers, a little ringed plover and another long legged buzzard.

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7th SeptAlong the coast. Were two lesser kestrels, three fan-tailed warblers, some more yellow wagtails and spotted flycatchers.

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8th SeptA good trip up into the mountains.  Was rewarded with some fantastic views.  On the way the first steppe buzzard of this autumn hinted that some good birds were about.  We duly found two separate golden eagles, both juveniles with one in third year plumage and the other in fourth year plumage. Interesting to spot the differences! Could you?  We also found a total of 7 griffon vultures; a lanner falcon; an alpine accentor; and then my beloved bearded vultures – four of them in all, a pair of adults, a third year immature and the juvenile that hatched this year.  On the top of the mountain viewing perch we also found a chaffinch and a great tit.  At the summit the wind was so strong that my right hand man was  picked up off her feet and dashed against a big radar reflector.  I admired the way she kept the blood from her head wound out of our packed lunch that she had gone to fetch!  Luckily she soon recovered before the vultures realized there was some potential food about...  On the way home we found 6 honey buzzards; and a flock of bee-eaters.

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9th SeptAt Neo Chorio.  Hundreds of house martins flew by in small flocks while high overhead several flocks of bee-eaters went south, most were too high to see though their calls carried down to us. On the coast were a roller, a broad billed sandpiper, a greenshank and a flock of 150+ purple herons.

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10th SeptAt Neo Chorio.  The first wren for ages was spotted and again bee-eaters were moving south very high up.

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11th SeptAt Neo Chorio. 13 honey buzzards flew south.  Later 2 wheatears and 4 yellow wagtails were seen.

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12th SeptOn the coast.  Were a black eared wheatear; 2 red backed shrikes; a bee-eater; some crested larks; some stonechats; then a flock of 200+ yellow wagtails; and another of several hundred sparrows, but these shot off so quickly that the exact species is uncertain.
                   At Afrata.  Were 3 ravens; 4 blue rock thrushes; a kestrel; some spotted flycatchers; and a flock of 25 little egrets.  Back along the coast were some whinchats; more yellow wagtails; a common sandpiper; a lesser grey shrike; and another flock of sparrows, this time about 100.
                 
At Neo Chorio.  A late flock of bee-eaters went over.
 

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13th Sept.  Over Platanias.  A single long legged buzzard was circling, while along the coast were yet more yellow wagtails; a pair of ravens; a common sandpiper; and 3 purple herons.
 

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14th SeptAt Neo Chorio.  A steppe buzzard drifted south and yet more bee-eaters did their high altitude dash south.  An eleonoras falcon hunted for food for ages over our area.
                  Along the coast.  Were 5 turtle doves; 2 little ringed plovers; a serin; and a flock of 58 little egrets.

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15th SeptAt Neo Chorio.  The bee-eater exodus continued.
                  On the coast.  Were a single fan-tailed warbler; and then a flock of 13 grey herons; a flock of 134 purple herons; a flock of 19 caspian terns; and around and between them all were thousands of swallows.

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16th SeptAt Neo Chorio.  The first of the wintering rough legged buzzards showed up while mixed flocks of swallows and house martins streamed by, probably tens of thousands in all.  A booted eagle even put in a appearance for a while.  The single red backed shrike; single little egret; single yellow wagtail; and the flock of only 22 purple herons on the coast seemed very tame in comparison to the mad migration scramble at home.

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17th SeptAt Neo Chorio. The hirundines passage continued unchecked, while,
                   On the coast.  There are still red backed shrikes; whinchats; and spotted flycatchers about.
 

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18th SeptAt Neo Chorio.  Another booted eagle and hundreds of house martins.
                  Along the coast.  Were yet another red backed shrike; a lovely red kite; and a single collared pratincole.

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20th SeptAt Neo Chorio. A single eleonoras falcon.
                  On the coast. Were a hoopoe; a flock of 52 little egrets; and flocks of grey heron totaling 186, 17, 57, 5 - and yet more flocks too distant to count.
 

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23rd SeptAt Neo Chorio.  The first of the wintering blackcaps arrived and sang.
                  Near Stalos.  A harrier swept by but was not identified.
                  On the coast.  A fan-tailed warbler showed briefly; and then a lovely isabelline wheatear turned up.
 

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24th Sept.  At Neo Chorio.  The first swift for ages circled.
                   On the coast.  Heron migration continued with flocks of 54 and 38 grey herons.
 

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25th/26th. At Neo Chorio. Single booted eagles were recorded.

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27th SeptOff the coast.  Near Maleme, was a flock of 27 little egrets.

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29th Sept.  At Neo Chorio. The first wintering robin showed up at home and kept well hidden as a lovely greater spotted eagle hunted along our valley in either second or third year plumage.
                   Along the coast.  Was a flock of 33 purple herons; 2 blue rock thrushes showed well.
                   At Afrata.  Another blue rock thrush was seen, along with a kingfisher; a kestrel; some whinchats; and some crested larks.

And a few final words for September.....  A good month with lots to see and record. These notes are only the more interesting of my records. The outstanding highlight must have been the sheer numbers of swallows and house martins that streamed by, far too many to count.

Now I am getting better after my operation I am more mobile so can get out more. It gives me even greater satisfaction than usual to be able to look at and see yet more of the wonderful bird life that still exists on Crete, despite all the development and pollution. Having had such a close shave with the dreaded reaper makes me more determined than ever to really enjoy my remaining time studying the birds as much as possible.

Just to bring me down to earth with a deflated ego, I was sitting in a taverna with some bird watching friends the other day for lunch when I thought I heard the rasping, grating calls of approaching terns. Grabbing binoculars I dashed out in search of a flock only to find the sounds were coming from a rusty child’s swing as it swung back and forth to occupy some tourist's offspring while they too had lunch. Ah well, no-one is perfect!   

September is going to bring lots more waders and soon we will be up in the mountains looking for the eagles and other raptors that are now streaming south for winter. Lots to look forward to, we will keep you posted as we perambulate around our chosen Mediterranean retreat and then monthly share with you some of our findings.

Wherever you are we hope you too will enjoy autumn migration.

Until next month, Good Birding!  Paul Smith.

Paul's Diary highlights commenced at the end of August 2001.  The current diary is moved to the diary archive at the end of each month - if you are considering a bird watching trip to NW Crete, the previous highlights may well help you decide the best month for your visit - your link to the diary archive is below.

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