Back To The Future

Yes, it’s true. Following public demand Another Bird Blog is back. Click the Pics. You know the drill.

Four months later and following a number of stuttering, lethargic attempts I hit the keyboard to bring an update on the trials and tribulations of an ageing ringer, birder and photographer. 

It all began in December last with arthritis of a dodgy ankle that kicked in during a brutal morning at Oakenclough, unsavoury conditions that continued into 2024 with the wild and windy weather of January to May inclusive. Weather “experts” paid to promote dodgy data told us that May was “dry and very warm” but high energy bills and nearby flooded fields advised otherwise. 

Seeing again our Greek friends and experiencing Philoxenia in early May became Priority Number One. The pain, hurt and sheer torment of TUI and Terminal Two of Manchester Airport is not something to recommend but the thought of two weeks of Greek hospitality, Greek food and Ouzo saw us through the anguish as we finally landed at JSI, Greece some seven hours after leaving FY6. 

TUI

Our Jimny awaited whereby a detour from the airport to Slaventis Supermarket provided the essentials for the first afternoon and evening in Skiathos - orange juice, 6-pack water, ouzo and Metaxa, not necessarily in that order. 

Slaventis, Skiathos

Slaventis' Ouzos

Room Number 4 at Dream House was ready as our hosts the charming Efie and dad Kostas poured us a glass of ice-cold Fix, a brew that tasted like beer, not gnat piss. We swapped hugs and kisses then unpacked for tomorrow. 

Efie and Kostas

Fix

Dream House (Spiti Oneiro)

It was early May, when many migrant birds have already passed though Greece on their way to Northernmost Europe. March and April is the peak but as in Britain some linger while waifs, strays and residents entertain the few birders in evidence - one whole and a partly reluctant sun-loving Sue in our case. 

The list is not huge but included a number of mouth watering possibilities for birders struggling back in wet and windy UK – Bee Eaters, Hobby, Marsh Warbler, Red-rumped and Common Swallows, Nightingale, Scops Owl, Little Owl, Little Bittern, Night Heron, Tawny Pipit, Red-backed Shrike, Yellow Wagtails, Wheatears and Spot Flys etc, etc. 

Bee Eater

Black-crowned Night Heron

The travelling laptop tells a mixed tale of sunny, lazy days and recalcitrant birds. Not in any particular order but a taste, a feel of Skiathos.

Skiathos Town

Skiathos Town

The Greek flag together with symbols of Greece its culture and history are widespread. To mock Greece is to invite public opprobrium and worse.  "Philoxenia" - φῐλοξενῐ́ᾱ meaning "friend to a stranger” is about much more than a warm welcome; it is a complex moral code with deep roots in Greek culture and Greek daily life. 

Meanwhile in Western Europe and seemingly also in the US, there is an epidemic of cultural dementia coupled with a desire to obliterate our history and values. The Greek people don’t fall for such communist inspired claptrap. 

Mylos Taverna

A quiet coffee morning in Papadiamantis Street

 

Early May at The Bourtzi 

Feeding ducks

The Bourtzi

From The Boatyard

The Boatyard

The Boatyard

Mylos Taverna

From Mylos

Sleeping in Skiathos

European Shag

Grey Heron

Yellow-legged Gulls

Out and About

Out and About

Red-backed Shrike

Red-rumped Swallow

Whinchat

Night Heron and Little Bittern

Night Heron

It was three weeks later when deleting rubbish photos that I found the two herons just yards apart. I caught up with secretive Little Bitterns at other locations.

Little Bittern

Yellow Wagtail

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Local goat. The source of creamy feta cheese.

Morning Flight

Skiathos Town

Skiathos Town

Street Art Greek Honey Bees

Ferry Arrivals, foot passengers first.

Ferry Arrivals, cars and wagons.

Queue Here

Skiathos Cat - Yuk

We arrived back in the UK mid May and found the weather had improved, even warming up, but not yet up  to Greek temperatures.

A little birding, a spot of ringing became more appealing - after tidying the garden and catching up with family and friends.

Back soon. Maybe.

The Port

Weekends are for birding but with builders in the house, there was the inevitable aftermath of the clearing up. Sunday I got stuck into the clear up operation so had to give birding a miss and now on Monday I'm painting,

So for today I’m posting pictures of the recent holiday to Menorca with a morning trip to Es Grau, the tiny fishing village on the north-east coast.  "Es Grau" is not Spanish but Catalan and means "The Port"

Es Grau is home to the well-known nature reserve of S’albufera where there’s a rich variety of bird life. Sand dunes, wetlands and scrubland make up one of Menorca’s most beautiful and peaceful locations. The reserve stretches 8km north along the coast from Cap de Favaritx and contains over 100 species of birds and animals living in their natural habitat. It’s fairly important to arrive here early with a large bottle of water for the hours ahead, not to mention beating the procession of visitors, often school parties learning about their environment.

On the way there and up on roadside wires we spotted a European Roller, the only one of the two week holiday and a much sought after species. It was just a shame that the bird was above a particularly fast piece of road with no stopping places. Despite turning the car around in a gateway and looking afresh, there was nowhere to pull in for a closer look or a picture.

So we headed for the entrance gate from where around the edges of the pool and by searching hard we found 6 or more Black-crowned Night Herons, a few feeding on the tree-lined perimeter, the others just roosting in the higher branches. Here we also found a couple of Little Egrets, Black-winged Stilts, Audouin’s Gulls and Yellow-legged Gulls.

Black-crowned Night Heron

Not far from the visitor centre and watching from screen hides found many distant waterbirds, more gulls, hundreds of Coot, dozens of Little Grebe, a dozen or more Great Crested Grebe and even two Greater Flamingos. Unfortunately most of the birds remain distant on the huge expanse of water, both open and reed fringed but it’s a peaceful and relaxed environment in which to spend a morning or longer.

Hide at Es Grau

Little Grebe

Black-winged Stilt

The usual raptors were in evidence – Red Kites, Booted Eagles, Marsh Harriers and Kestrels plus a bonus in the shape of a dashing Peregrine Falcon. Peregrines aren’t numerous in Menorca but they do nest around the often rocky and remote coastline.

Along the paths we heard the purring of Turtle Doves without actually getting any really exciting or prolonged views. Similalry the Nightingales, Cetti's Warblers and Sardinian Warblers stay out of sight while proclaiming their prescence.

Turtle Dove

Purple Herons mostly remain hidden from sight as they sneak through the reeds hoping to catch unwary prey. That’s a mighty big dagger of a bill than can easily despatch a good sized Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe or an unsuspecting frog or lizard.

Purple Heron

We encountered good numbers of Spotted Flycatchers here, not unreasonable since it is a common resident of Menorca whereby by mid to late May it’s fairly certain that migrants heading for northern Europe are long gone.

The local Spotted Flycatchers Muscicapa striata balearica are smaller, noticeably paler, and less streaked than their northern counterparts as can be seen from the pictures below, my Menorca photos from early May. For comparison, the third image is the type  of Spotted Flycatcher that we see in the UK. Dutch birders are currently working on the idea that Mediterranean Spotted Flycatchers should be treated as a full and separate species, one differing from Muscicapa striata in morphology, migration and mitochondrial and nuclear DNA.

Spotted Flycatcher - Muscicapa striata balearica 

Spotted Flycatcher - Muscicapa striata balearica

Spotted Flycatcher - Muscicapa striata - Photo credit- Ian N. White via / CC BY-NC-SA

Moorish Gecko was a first for me. It’s native to the Western Mediterranean region of Europe and North Africa and widely introduced to America and Asia. It is commonly observed on walls in urban environments, mainly in warm coastal areas, though it can spread inland - especially in Spain 

Moorish Gecko

S'albufera

I hope everyone enjoyed the morning in Menorca. Come evening time we decided to try a glass of Cava and a few chocolates brought all the way from Belgium by two friends and blog fans, Ivan and Jeni. 

Belgian treats

Thanks guys. the chocs sustained a little superficial damage on their long journey but after close inspection they were just fine. A lovely ending to a perfect Menorcan day.

Linking today to World Bird Wednesday .