Happy Holidays

Wednesday 15 September. Sue and I had jumped through hoops and clambered over obstacles to reach this point. There was no stopping us now as the jet finally climbed into the sky over Manchester Airport to leave England behind. We were on bang on time in our Boeing 737/800, along with 137 other hopeful holidaymakers on the way to Destination Skiathos.  

Three and a half hours later we arrived on the magical isle at 1355 local time to clear blue skies and 26 degrees. We trotted down the passenger staircase to waiting buses as the air crew wished us "Happy Holidays". We were set for 2 weeks in the sun, the crew to turn the plane around in an hour, fill it with fuel and more passengers, and then head back to Manchester. It's a hard life for some. 

We negotiated a few minor Greek hoops, (or maybe it seemed that way), grabbed our cases and quickly located Magda waiting at Arrivals with a Suzuki Jeep.  In high spirits if a little cramped by suitcases and photo gear, plus Sue's suntan creams & mossie sprays, we set off for Agia Paraskevi and Hotel Ostria, a 20 minute drive via Skiathos' Ring Road and the winding coastal route. 

 

Ostria Hotel

 

Agia Paraskevi is a tiny hamlet and tourist resort on the south coast of Skiathos at the start of the Platanias Valley, an unspoilt landscape that meanders inland through dusty unkempt tracks and scented pine clad hills to eventually reach the wild rocky north of Skiathos Island. That's for another day. 

The weather is hot, dry and sunny so not too good for birding or dropping migrants. The usual species crossed our path in small numbers – Red-backed Shrike, Yellow Wagtail, Whinchat, Little Owl, Chiffchaff and Red-rumped Swallow, Spotted Flycatcher.

Whinchat

Spotted Flycatcher

Red-backed Shrike

Aselinos

The highlight of Thursday was a a road runner, an Isabelline Wheatear at Aselinos beach. I call them road runners because of the characteristic way they run over the landscape in pursuit of prey rather than the wait and see feeding of Northern Wheatears. Unfortunately this one ran so fast that I couldn’t get a photo. 

Shopping and Skiathos Town today. Wish me luck.

 

Spotted Again

We have a further sighting of a Spotted Flycatcher we ringed at Oakenclough back on 7 September 2019. 

Thanks to the person who found Spotted Flycatcher AKE3299 as a breeding bird in May and June 2021 we have an unexpected and extraordinary record. I will quote from the BTO notification to us. Bold text is mine.

Species: Spotted Flycatcher

Ring Number: AKE3299

Finding date: 27 June 2021

Place: Washburn Valley, North Yorkshire

Sight Record by Non Ringer- Metal Ring Read In Field

Remarks: 4 chicks. Video footage available.      

Spotted Flycatchers from LeedsBirder on Vimeo.

I contacted Leeds Birder, Paul Wheatley and asked permission to use his super detailed video as above.  Paul clearly worked extremely hard, perhaps frame by frame of the footage to read the combination of letters and numbers on the ring so as to try and discover the origins of AKE3299.  A fine piece of detective work! 

I was able to point Paul to the Another Bird Blog post of 7 September 2019 and advise that AKE3299 was one of two Spotted Flycatchers caught that day, both juvenile birds of the year. 

https://anotherbirdblog.blogspot.com/2019/09/spotted-saturday.html

Spotted Flycatcher

The two flycatchers of that day were caught hours apart but may have arrived together that morning of 7 September during the window of fine weather that followed a week and more of September winds.  

Almost certainly AKE3299 was born in Yorkshire in the summer of 2019 and returned there to breed in the same area in 2020 and in 2021.  Its autumnal migrations in both years would take it across the Pennines on a south westerly path through England, France and Spain and then towards Africa where it would spend the winter. Spotted Flycatchers are late to return to the UK and it can be late May before they are seen back on territory. 

Spotted Flycatcher - Yorkshire to Lancashire

Spotted Flycatchers cross the Sahara Desert twice a year on their way to and from wintering areas in sub-Saharan Africa, where a loss of woodland may have reduced survival. Another explanation is that breeding success has fallen because of fewer insects, loss of habitat and because of increased predation by woodland predators such as grey squirrels.    

Spotted Flycatchers have declined substantially in recent years and are designated as a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species. They are popular birds as they frequently nest close to house walls or in hanging baskets. They fly from prominent perches to catch insects, and are an attractive sight in country villages.  Their numbers have declined by about 80% over the past three decades.

Thanks again to Leeds Birder for this brilliant record of a Spotted Flycatcher and for proving the value of reading ring numbers in the field. Paul and team have more videos on Vimeo that make for excellent viewing. 

News next time of our catch of Sand Martins on Tuesday morning.

The Old Ones (AreThe Best)

There’s little chance of birding or ringing until next week as an Atlantic storm heads this way towards us for the weekend. Friday looked a possibility but Sue and I have to go for our flu jabs at precisely 1012 on Friday morning. 

Instead and for this post I’m raiding the archives for pictures from Skiathos, Greece, this year and past years. Birds, landscapes, people. Enjoy and come back soon. Don’t forget to “click the pic” for best effect. 

The Bourtzi- Skiathos

Street Entertainer - The Bourtzi

 

The Bourtzi from the harbour

Near Xanemos

Spotted Flycatcher

Yellow Wagtail

Kanapitsa

 

Kechria, Skiathos

 

Notice Board - Skiathos Town

 

Eleonora's Falcon

 

Kastro - Eleonora's site

Great Egret at Strofilia

 

Little Egret at Strofilia

Skiathos Town

 

Xanemos

Hoopoe

 

Skiathos

European Shag

Skiathos Town

  

Lonely Seat - Skiathos

 

Red-backed Shrike

Whinchat

 

Souvlaki

Skiathos Town

Back soon. Don't go away.

Linking this post to Eileen's Blogspot and Anni's birding. 

Skiathos Blue

If the weather was kind to us in Skiathos, it has been very unfriendly since we arrived home. Going from wall-to-wall sunshine and 30 degrees and then back to the usual British rain, wind and 12 degrees is quite a shock to the system. 

Until I can get out birding or ringing I put together some pictures from 3 weeks in sunny Skiathos. There lots of pictures. “Click the pic” for a close-up. 

Skiathos from The Bourtzi

Skiathos 

Old Harbour Skiathos  

Skiathos 1907

Skiathos 2019 

 Skiathos 2019

Skiathos 1907

The Bourtzi - Skiathos 

Birding Skiathos is unremarkable in September when despite the summery weather, many local birds have left for Africa and migrant birds from further north have also flown south. Although Skiathos is just 15 km from the Pelion peninsula of mainland Greece, this tiny island does not appear to attract a huge variety of migrant birds. Perhaps migrant birds from Northern Europe continue on a southerly track through the Peloponnese rather than take an easterly turn across the waters just to visit Skiathos? 

Skiathos 

Of course there are always birds to see, albeit of a limited range of species. Our count was an unscientific approximation of around 40 species during our three weeks. As might be expected this included exotica like Scop’s Owl, Bee Eater, Eleonora’s Falcon, Blue Rock Thrush and Red-rumped Swallow, but also common species like Yellow Wagtail, Buzzard, Blackcap, Kingfisher and Raven. 

The most numerous migrant species were Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat, Willow Warbler/Chiffchaff, Red-backed Shrike, Wheatear and Barn Swallow with a constant almost daily turnover of individuals.

Red-rumped Swallow 

Yellow Wagtail 

Red-backed Shrike 

Spotted Flycatcher 

Blue Rock Thrush 

Whitethroat

Yellow-legged Gull 

Eleonora's Falcon

Whinchat 

There were thousands of butterflies this year with huge numbers of Swallowtails and Hummingbird Hawk Moths especially noticeable. 

Swallowtail 

Hummingbird Hawk Moth 

We had a jeep from local firm Mustang for 19 of our 21 days. Driving in Skiathos is a doddle; apart from Brits looking in the wrong direction while crossing the road, crazy quad riders, taxis on airport days, and the myriad of mopeds and motorbikes. Having a vehicle meant we could visit many parts of this beautiful island to enjoy the spectacular weather. 

At Hotel Ostria and also on our daily trips through this cosmopolitan island we met people from many European nations; Britain, Croatia, Romania, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Bulgaria, Germany, mainland Greece - Kalamata, where the world’s best olives are grown. All had come to experience the most picturesque and friendliest island in all of Greece where more than 60 beaches appeal to sun-seekers. 

In the mountains fire trucks are on permanent look out for fires that start in the tinder dry landscape of a Skiathos summer.

Fire Truck near Ligaries 

On the road to Ligaries 

Ligaries

Megali Aselinos Beach 

A cool start at Megali Aselinos

Megali Aselinos 

Megali Aselinos 

Road to Megali Aselinos

Xanemos

Xanemos 

Skiathos Town

Coffee Time - The Bourtzi 

The Boatyard Skiathos 

 Koukounaries beach

Koukounaries

That's all for now folks. Back soon with more pics and clicks on Another Bird Blog.

Linking this post to https://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com.