Kalispera

Good Afternoon. Sorry I haven’t been posting much but Sue and I are not at home. We are still in Greece, staying on the island of Skiathos to be precise. 

This is mainly a sun holiday for Sue and I although regular readers of this blog will know that binoculars and camera always go on holiday with us. 

Skopelos

I’m home in a day or two and will post news and pictures of our trip, birds and views of the beautiful Sporades islands of Skiathos and Skopelos. In the meantime here are a few photographs from the same place in 2014 and 2015. It’s so good we decided to return. 

Flying Cat at Alonissos 

One of the highlights of our stay is day exploring Kastro in the north of Skiathos where Eleanora’s Falcons are guaranteed during the month of September, a time when the falcons feed on the millions of small birds migrating through the Greek islands. It’s a fair old bumpy journey to get to Kastro and then a trek over the rocks to reach the Greek flagged promontory. It’s well worth the effort to watch the magical and acrobatic Eleanoras in action. 

Eleanora's Falcon

Jimny

  

Kastro, Skiathos

There are lots of Alpine Swifts here and in fact all over the island where they tear across the sky at breakneck speed. There’s a good number of Bee Eaters around too and they often feed up high in amongst swifts, swallows and martins.

Alpine Swift

Bee Eater

Skiathos

We’re staying on the south coast where there’s often scrubby habitat, reeds and remnants of pine forest just yards from the tourist beaches. They make good spots for shrikes, wagtails, pipits and chats.

Red-backed Shrike

Woodchat Shrike

That's all for now, it's time to head off for our evening meal.

Taverna - Skiathos

I'm not blogging for a day or two so apologies if I don't catch up with everyone.  We are back home soon and I promise to do so then. 

Log in later for more news, views and photographs from Another Bird Blog in Greece.

Sad For Swallows

Does anyone else consider that our precious Swallows are down in numbers again this year? 

The BTO tell us the UK Swallow population is stable but I’m not wholly convinced. I can see that our local population is well down on the levels of ten, even twenty years, and certainly thirty years ago with birds absent from regular and familiar spots. I’m just not seeing any Swallows around buildings and farms that I pass on an almost daily basis, places where I normally expect to see more than one or two Swallows on the wing. 

I live in a part of coastal Lancashire where traditional methods of farming have declined and where agricultural intensification has taken hold with a corresponding decline in the wildlife associated with a farmed environment. Hedge laying, rotational and diverse cropping, seasonal grazing, and leaving winter stubble and field margins are just some of the farming methods that have become less common in recent years, despite having many benefits for wildlife, the environment and food production. Many barns have been converted into dwellings or “horsey” environments where entrances have been blocked and where Swallows are no longer able to make their homes. If the Swallows do find a way in they are often made unwelcome and so fail to return in subsequent years. I believe that many horse owners dislike Swallows as the birds’ constant to-and-fro “spook” the horses, or their owners dislike the temporary untidiness that nesting Swallows inevitably bring.

In addition to localised problems there is a pattern in recent years of poor weather during the Swallows’ migration through North Africa and Southern Europe. At the same time there has been a succession of cool, even cold and wet springs in the UK at the exact time that Swallows need to establish territories, build nests and produce their early broods. Over a succession of such years the Swallow as a species struggles to recruit youngsters to sustain the necessary population levels to survive.

Swallow nestlings

I found an interesting site on the Internet where the trials and tribulation of just some of our Swallows have been documented during the early part of 2016. It makes for interesting and thought provoking reading. Here are some extracts from intuitive people who clearly take a great interest and pride in their Swallows. 

15th April 2016 – Brittany, France – 11th April I woke up to a frost, it was 2c. My single male Swallow was not on his perch (light cable in the old stable) I have not seen him for 3 days. The weather has been really mixed. Many cold nights, often no insects. I wonder what temperatures they can tolerate? Today rain and miserable. Have not seen a Swallow all day. Even my main pair, recently arrived moved into the eaves in the boiler room at night for extra warmth, they are not around. This weekend the forecast is 2c both nights, I wonder if they have gone down to the south or the coast. 

Swallow

29th April 2016 – UK – To echo other contributions, we had a very poor April for weather and this week has been particularly cold. There has been frost several nights this week and even some snow, it is actually colder than it was during some of the Winter. I have been concerned for the early arriving Swallows, Martins and Swifts and our single male Swallow who has been around for nearly a month has only made fleeting visits to the nest site so far. There seem to be more arrivals on a daily basis but insects must be in short supply and I am sure this weather has delayed the start of nesting. It looks as if it will return to at least near to average temperatures next week and I hope that will allow our birds to start pairing up to breed. 

April 2016 – France – Just to let you know how the Swallows are doing in Brittany. It has been a difficult month for them as it is so cold. They arrived and have left again several times for up to a week each time. They came back on the promise of a sunny day only to be plunged into freezing cold nights. Most nights have been 3c, slight frosts. Not much food around. Mornings staying very cold so they left yet again. Yesterday cold northerly winds arrived, freezing nights all week ahead. All due to change on 1st May when jet stream moves, so I expect to see them back then. Only my main pair stayed this last time as they live in the boiler room and it’s quite warm in there. 

Swallow

 

30th April 2016 – Yorkshire, UK – To update you on some rather unseasonable weather. This is what greeted us this morning on the 29th April, with just over 6 weeks to midsummer. 

Spring in Yorkshire

Swallows in barn have not been seen all day. I imagine the conversation is going something like this from son to father. “Dad tell me again why we left Durban 30c to fly 8800 miles to sit in a Barn at 1c on our own in Yorkshire?” Weather is to stay cold, but no more snow, until early next week, then rain and westerly winds forecast, so hopefully weather will improve. 

11th May 2016 – Latest news from Brittany, France. After leaving 3 times in April due to freezing nights and no insects, the Swallows finally came back 3rd May the very day the weather changed for the better, very warm easterly winds. Not just my Swallows but all around the area. My pair by the way just laid their eggs on 10th May, 10 days earlier than last year, probably because they decided to use last year’s nest, saving them precious time. Just as I think all is wonderful the farmer comes along and starts to spray the fields with pesticides…grim reality. 

Swallow

23rd May 2016 – Yorkshire – UK – Just a quick update on our, and our neighbours returnees. We had 4 returns in April and our closer neighbour had one. The lone Swallow sat on the wires singing day in day out, and we were all getting concerned that his family group had perished on their Trek back, however his patience was rewarded this weekend when 5 Swallows arrived, and we have had a further two. 

I was talking to a colleague on route to Hong Kong last week who had been to Africa recently. She said that they had some strong easterly winds in the Sahara on route south, and that these had extended down close to ground level and had subsequently heard there had been something in the press about this taking a toll on northbound migrants. I have not seen or heard of this, but it is not unusual to get these types of winds at this time of year as the desert heats up, and I am sure they take a steady toll on migrants. 

Swallows

27 May 2016 – France – Oh my poor Swallows….Monday 23rd the first egg hatched, the next day the other 2 hatched. I could see the shells on the floor. Tuesday night we had a very cold night of 3c, for the end of May that is very unusual. She has been sitting on them for a couple of days, but I thought something was wrong because they were not flying in and out feeding them. Today the nest was empty for quite some time so I went in and looked in the nest. It was empty. Due to the location of the nest I do not think it was predators. They started their eggs earlier than normal this year and obviously it did not pay off. 

29th May 2016 – UK – I just wanted to bring you the latest Swallow news from Wherwell. After the cold weather in April, our male Swallow was around for a few days and then disappeared before returning again. This pattern repeated throughout May and I was getting worried that he had perhaps moved territory (there are a number of farms in the vicinity with sizeable Swallow colonies and we only ever have one or two pairs with us) and we were going to be without breeding Swallows this year. Happily last Thursday the male reappeared again with female in tow. 

Swallow

13th June 2016 – France – Swallows arrived slowly at the beginning of April on a sunny day. Unfortunately most of April was freezing cold with over 10 nights at near freezing point. Most mornings were so cold and the insects did not come out until the afternoons at about 3pm. During these cold periods most of the Swallows left the area. They came back when the weather was better only to be hit by further cold spells. Even in the month of May, we had 2 evenings at 3c and nearly every morning was heavy wet mist which did not clear until after lunch. Again no insects. There are not many wild flowers this year, no butterflies. Now there are hardly any Swallows. 

My main pair bred and have 3 young almost ready to leave the nest but I normally have about 20 adults roosting on the electric line every lunchtime, this year there is just 1 Swallow. I have been asking everyone in the area what there Swallow situation is and they say the same thing. There are no Swallows. The skies are empty in the evenings, the telephone lines are empty. The month of June has improved greatly for the weather but there are still no Swallows around. I hope other areas/countries have done better. 

10th June 2016 – Ireland – Barn Swallow numbers are well below normal, first chicks hatched out on 5th June and one nest in the barn this year where we had four last year. 

Swallow

 

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Linking today to Anni's Texas Birds. 

One Of These Days

Conder Green was pretty good this morning by way of an excellent selection of waders which included another Wood Sandpiper to follow the one I found here on August 7th, the day after one at Pilling on 6th August. Three Wood Sandpipers is a mighty big August count in this neck of the woods. 

I started at Lane Ends, Pilling with a look for the Little Egret roost which breaks up soon after dawn as the birds head off in all directions from the tall trees on the island. The egrets were there with some already leaving the roost but none daring to fly over the car as it headed into the car park. There was a count of 23 and less than thirty seconds later a big zero as the egrets flew mainly west and north. Later I was to walk to Pilling Water where I counted just 2 Little Egret! 

Little Egret

Conder Green looked and felt pretty bleak this morning, hat and coat for me, an autumnal nip in the air and apparently not much doing on the birding front. Thankfully and with the usual perseverance both the temperature and the birding picked up somewhat. 

There’s a Kingfisher here which isn’t too obliging as it flies off at the first hint of a human being. Today it appeared at the edge of the nearest island, flew to the sluice gate, took a look around and then promptly flew off over the pool towards the canal - its behavioural pattern of late. One of these days….. 

Kingfisher

At the back of the pool below the dividing bank was the head of a sandpiper, clearly a Green or a Wood, and when it came into full view the scope confirmed it as a Wood Sandpiper. It fed around the margins for 10 or 15 minutes, even surviving the close appearance of three loudly calling Greenshank before it flew off in a south easterly direction. I did get a shot of sorts of the 3 Greenshank but the smaller sandpiper was even more distant and partially hidden too. One of these days…. 

Greenshanks

Five Little Grebe and 7 Teal continues their respective autumnal build-up, unlike the 2 Wigeon which have been resident all summer. Just 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Cormorant this morning. There were a good number of wagtails about the margins of the pool and the islands with a count of 12+ Pied Wagtails, a few distant and hidden ones becoming “albas”. 

The tide was on the run and moving a number of birds around the creek with an impressive party of 7 Goosander fishing the slight bore of the incoming tide. In the wader stakes I saw 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Snipe, 6 Common Sandpiper, 4 Curlew, 24 Redshank, 2 Dunlin and 2 Oystercatcher. 

The Common Terns are now busy feeding their unseen but clearly hungry young with both parents arriving with food in quick succession. One of the adults made several trips to the marsh just beyond the railway bridge, returning to the island with small fish and then mercilessly chasing off a nearby Black-headed Gull; all the signs of good parenting. 

Glasson Dock was pretty uneventful unless you count the usual early morning gathering of 130 Swallows. Otherwise - 1 Swift, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 Grey Wagtail, 6 Pied Wagtail. As usual a few Swallows sat along the fence rail of the dock gates, a quick launch point towards the many insects feeding over the water.

Barn Swallow

There was time for a look at Pilling where there might be new Wheatears to catch. No such luck as when I found three together none were interested in my meal worms and then I spotted a ring on the right leg of one - a bird I ringed on Monday. Birds are quick learners. 

 Wheatear

 Just another day on Another Bird Blog. There will be more soon if you log in and look.

Linking today to Theresa's Texas Ranch.

Back To Basics

Some things never change - as in yet another accident on the A588 at Burned House Lane where Police cars blocked the road, necessitating a detour to get to Pilling. A biker and a Mini Cooper this morning, two or more people who didn’t arrive at work on time. 

After the high temperatures of Skiathos and its Mediterranean birds the sought after hot spots today were local birding haunts to reacquaint myself with mundane but nevertheless good-to-see UK regulars. After almost three weeks of absence a number of things struck me. Not least was the presence of good numbers of recently arrived Pink-footed Geese here for the winter, and the fact that there are still Barn Swallows lingering from the summer. Swallows were immediately obvious, at least a hundred over the wheat fields and on roadside wires at Fluke Hall Lane and then good numbers flying noticeably south and west throughout the morning at Conder Green and later at Lane Ends/Pilling Water. I must have counted several hundred Swallows in total, with just 2 House Martins noted at Pilling Water. 

Barn Swallows

Was there was plenty of rain while I was away? That was clear from flash pools here and there and the water levels at Conder Green where nothing much came my way save for a latish Common Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 1 Little Egret, 1 Cormorant, 6 Little Grebe and a Kingfisher. A quick look at Glasson gave 2 Grey Heron, 250+ Lapwing and 300 or more Redshank along the river, some wading as waders should, others picking over the muddy shore. 

Redshanks

Lane Ends beckoned. A single Jay and probably more called from the trees as a small group of Goldfinches dropped into the tree tops, but I didn’t linger and instead set off for Pilling Water. Grounded along the tideline were a single Wheatear, 4 Skylark and a small number of Meadow Pipits, all flying off on my approach, with the remainder wildfowl or waders at high tide time. 

What a difference three September weeks make to duck numbers, with today upwards of 400 Wigeon, 1100 Teal, 15 Pintail and 900+ Pink-footed Geese. Wader numbers were equally impressive if imprecise on a less than ideal tide height leaving many roosting on the higher marsh at Fluke Hall: 5 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Snipe, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 400+ Lapwing, 700+ Curlew, 40 Redshank and 4 Ringed Plover. No count of gulls, but a dozen Sandwich Terns were good to see so far into the bay. 

Wigeon

Sandwich Terns

That Greek holiday seems like a distant dream in a far off sunny spot but sometimes isn't it good to get back to basics on a local patch?

Heading Home - Skiathos

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Thursday's Tour

Conder Green enjoyed a purple patch of late with a superb selection of species which has kept birders entertained and then coming back for more. But a run of high tides and nights of rain has dramatically filled the pool to such a degree that this morning I struggled to see much bird life on or around its breezy and choppy waters; after all, “waders” pass their days picking through muddy margins or sandy shores, herons and egrets prefer to fish the unmoving shallows, and dabbling ducks favour a dip not a dive. 

The regulars were there, 4 Common Sandpipers, 1 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank and 4 Dunlin in the creek with tiny numbers of Oystercatcher and Lapwing on the pool, plus an overflying Black-tailed Godwit which landed in the field beyond where Curlews and Lapwings fed. Two Little Egret and 1 Grey Heron stayed mostly out of sight, not so the 2 Wigeon, 2 Little Grebe and single Goldeneye which although present, kept a distance away. 

Many Swifts appear to have left these shores in recent days, numbers this morning counted on one hand. As I watched Swallows and House Martins feeding across the marsh I saw some break off to pursue a Sparrowhawk that was cruising the hedgerow alongside the railway bridge; the hawk eventually disappeared out of sight into the trees above the car park. It's many weeks since spotting a Sparrowhawk and while they do go more than a little secretive in June and July, I get the feeling that Sparrowhawk numbers are low at present as they are absent from regular spots I know of. 

Sparrowhawk

Three noisy Ravens flew over, the trio heading together towards Glasson and beyond. Passerines consisted of 3 Tree Sparrow, 3 Pied Wagtail, 6 Greenfinch, 2 Linnet, 2 Whitethroat and a still singing Reed Bunting. 

A look at calmer Glasson revealed 1 Great Crested Grebe, 12 Tufted Duck, 15+ Swallows and 2 Swift. 

Tufted Duck

Barn Swallow

From the bowling green but looking directly into the sun and the backlit waders there were lots feeding at the incoming tide, approximately 450 Dunlin, 200 Redshank, 80 Lapwings and 2 Grey heron; later I would see most if not all of the Dunlin arrive at Cockersands after the tide filled the Conder sandbanks and stopped the waders from feeding. 

The full tide at Cockersands held the aforesaid Dunlin, 42 Eider, 3 Whimbrel, 25 Curlew, 2 Ringed Plover, 120 Oystercatcher and 7 Grey Heron. 

Dunlin

Whimbrel

It was good to see a flock of about 30 Linnets here feeding in the depths of the marsh grass where the seeds fall to the sand below. Come November the Linnets will be gone, replaced by their northern cousin the Twite. 

Just along the road I found a family party of 5 Whitethroats, a species which appears to have experienced a good breeding season. After a cold spring the season has been an average one for Tree Sparrows, so after their slow start it was good to find a flock of 50+ flitting between a ready to harvest field and the roadside hawthorns. 

Tree Sparrow

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Sunday Morning Sights

A bird wasn't the initial sighting this morning. Instead it was a hitch-hiker heading home from a Saturday night party. He didn't appear to be carrying bins and 'scope so I gave a cheery wave then stepped on the gas.

Next was a Roe Deer standing in a field alongside Head Dyke Lane, the main A588, where on a quiet Sunday morning I would normally expect to see a hunting Barn Owl. I slowed the car, wound the window down and reached for the camera but the deer had turned and already hi-tailed it towards a small copse. There was a Barn Owl near Cockerham but it too turned tail and disappeared over the fields before the camera could be readied. 

A good selection of waders awaited at Conder although it took some time to round them all up from the pool and the creeks. The Spotted Redshank of late continues to change its dusky coat into something more suited to blending with the greys of winter, the present mix of new and old feathers a study in wader moult. What a puzzle bird this could be for an inexperienced watcher without a field guide? Apologies for the poor picture, water reflections and digital cameras don't work well together.

Spotted Redshank

Common Sandpipers reached a round dozen today, most of them in the roadside creek where they vied for attention with 4 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, 50+ Redshank, 3 Curlew, 20 Lapwing and 6 Oystercatcher. 

Oystercatcher

The elusive Green Sandpiper reappeared briefly on the far side of the pool while 3 Snipe worked their way around the muddy edges. Two Little Egret and 2 Grey Heron were in residence with an increase to 8 Teal and the now ever present Goldeneye. 

Little Egret

There were 4 Stock Doves feeding at the roadside again this morning. The species is something of an early morning speciality here, unlike the closely related and commonplace Wood Pigeon and the less so Collared Dove, the two never making it into notebook entries for here. 

At Glasson village there seemed to be more Coot than of late, my count of 32 pointing to an autumnal and post breeding influx to a site which regularly holds 150+ of the species. I found some recently fledged Swallows, youngsters via the invisible-from-above nest lodged under the road bridge which crosses the keepered lock. Boats regulalrly pass to and fro between the yacht basin and the dock, eventually into the River Lune or Morecambe Bay beyond. 

The Swallows were so young I can only think they fledged from the nest this morning while sleepy Glasson slumbered.

Glasson Dock

 

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow

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Linking today to World Bird Wednesday.

Mainly Swallows

A bright and breezy morning coupled with an incoming tide meant a quick look at Knott End for me. The packed-like sardines Oystercatchers numbered about 1200 today, with a single Sanderling and 12 Knot for company. Just 8 Eider on the sea and several Swallows on the move. 

There was a Darvic ringed Greylag wandering about the jetty, the bird totally ignoring passers-by, and if a long time ago it was ringed as a free-flying wild goose it seems to have taken a shine to Knott End and doesn’t look like going anywhere soon. It had a BTO ring on the right leg, number 515221 if anyone wishes to claim ownership. I took the picture with my tiny Panasonic, that’s how tame the goose was. 

Greylag

At Fluke Hall lots of Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Lapwing were scattered along the shore, too distant to count. Through the woodland drive all I could muster were Kestrel, Great-spotted Woodpecker and Grey Heron. Lane Ends next where a male Sparrowhawk took exception to a Kestrel hovering over the plantation and after battling it out for a minute or two the tiny hawk let the Kestrel have the territory. On the pools, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron.

Sparrowhawk and Kestrel

At Pilling Water I found 80+ Goldfinch, 2 Pied Wagtail, 4 Linnet and 6 Wheatears. After jumping around the shore rockery for ten minutes or so the gang of Wheatears had vanished, heading off in an unknown direction as I took my eyes off them - it’s what’s known as visible migration, or perhaps in this case, invisible migration. The wildfowlers pools were very quiet with just 3 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Cormorant and a wary Greenshank. 

There were a number of Swallows about, hawking insects over Broadfleet then taking it in turns to rest up in their customary sheltered spot on the sluice gates. I spent 30 minutes or so taking photographs of Swallows, so no apologies for featuring a number of new pics here. After all the Swallow (Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica) is a special bird which will soon wing its way back south and we won’t see them for some months, so let’s take a good look now. 

 Swallow

Swallow

Swallow

Swallow

Swallow

Swallow

 Swallow

Swallow

Swallow

There’s more heavy downpours promised for tomorrow, but with luck there will be no rain so more news and pictures on Another Bird Blog. Today Another Bird Blog is linking up with World Bird Wednesday - see  here.