Honey-buzzard and other birds and wildlife on Crete April 2022
A trip was made to Crete from 04/04/2022 to 18/04/2022, staying at Kolimvarion in the extreme W of Crete, about 30km W of Chania.
Results in summaries:
Birds: 67 species from 264 records, 14 complete lists, 12 places. 13 species of raptor, 75 birds: Common Buzzard 30, Common Kestrel 13, Griffon Vulture 8, Black Kite 6, Peregrine 4, Honey-buzzard 3, Bonelli’s Eagle 2, Sparrowhawk 2, Long-legged Buzzard 2, Lesser Kestrel 2, Steppe Eagle 1, Red-footed Falcon 1, Barn Owl 1. Full records in bird report.
Butterflies: 10 days of recording, 10 species, 154 insects: Small White 80, Speckled Wood 23, Holly Blue 16, Common Blue 10, Clouded Yellow 10, Swallowtail 6, Large White 5, Cretan Festoon 2, Small Copper 1, Painted Lady 1. Full records in butterfly report.
Migration:
An active lookout was made for migrants, particularly in the second week 11/4-18/4 and on 5/4, with hirundines particularly prominent. Observation of visible migration, to N (unless stated), was as follows:
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea 1 15/4;
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida 1 17/4;
Bee-eater Merops apiaster 5 15/4, 10 17/4;
Common Swift Apus apus 5 11/4, 7 17/4; Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba 1 18/4;
Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus 2 to W 17/4; Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis 1 to E 7/4; Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni 1 5/4; Black Kite Milvus migrans 2 5/4; Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus 1 17/4;
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 28 5/4, 12 11/4, 1 12/4, 2 13/4, 3 14/4, 3 15/4, 21 17/4; House Martin Delichon urbicum 16 11/4, 1 12/4, 28 17/4; Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica 8 11/4;
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava 1 16/4; White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba 2 17/4;
Details of raptor migrant records:
Black Kite Milvus migrans – Platanias 4/4 two singles present around 13:30; Kolimvarion 5/4, 2 N from 12:35-12:41 1 2; 1 at Agia Triada on 9/4 1; Argoulides 18/4, one gliding low-down over countryside at 10:50.
Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis – Kolimvarion 7/4 1 E – At 10:45 spotted a Steppe Eagle moving slowly E at sea off headland on which the Academy stands. Then appeared to be turning SE. Quite a sight! Weather: maximum 24C, minimum 13C, light W breeze, bright morning, cloudier later with moderate breeze, warm.
Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus – Kolimvarion 17/4 2 W – Better weather for seeing migrants, including main start of Honey-buzzard season with a female and male coming off the sea from E at 12:33 and 12:43 respectively and flying towards southern base of the Rodopou Peninsula, presumably to feed in the more fertile land there, before continuing to N. The female was dark with long tail and wings, very sturdy flyer, male was much paler and a little slimmer. Great to see them again. Spotted them while having late breakfast in seaside cafe Mylos Taverna. Crete is about 300km from the NE coast of Libya in Africa and 300km from the Greek mainland to N so could conceivably be used for island-hopping the Mediterranean by raptors though Israel/Gibraltar safer. The female Honey-buzzard (or another) was indeed rediscovered later at 15:32 in Koumouli at the base of the Rodopou Peninsula floating over the wooded hillside 1 (12001b) but no sign of the male. Weather: maximum 22C, minimum 12C, moderate NW breeze, sunny and muggy, no rain yet but a fall of Sahara dust and by evening stormy and a little rain with the sea looking more like Atlantic breakers. Here’s piccies of the male Honey-buzzard at Crete on 17/4 at 12:44: 1 2 3 4 (12001). Here’s the weather summary at Chania on 17/4 from the Met Office 1 2 3 and forecast charts from the Met Office at 00:00 17/4 4 12:00 17/4 5, 00:00 18/4 6. Low pressure centred on Crete would assist passage from Libya; the isobars are running from the north-east Libyan coast at midday on 17/4. Also earlier a male N at Agia Triada at 15:56 on 9/4 1 (12001a).
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni – Kolimvarion 5/4 1 N – a male flew N at 16:00.
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus – Koumouli 17/4 1 N – an adult female flew N at 15:30 1 2
Resident Raptors:
Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus – Kolimvarion, singles N on 14/4 and 16/4; Kolimvarionou Afraton, 2 N on 14/4 1 2; Orthodox Academy Crete 1 N on 13/4; Skoutelonas, 3 N on 13/4 1
Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus Kolimvarion, single agitated male on 5/4 at 11:20; Orthodox Academy Crete, single agitated female on 12/4 at 12:00.
Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata – Skoutelonas, one displaying on 9/4 at 10:00 and on 13/4 at 11:20; Agia Triada, one displaying on 9/4 at 15:10 1 2 3 4.
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo – highest counts were 8 at Kolimvarion 1 2 3 4, 7 at Platanias, 4 at Koumouli, 4 at Agia Triada, 3 at Skoutelonas, 2 at Orthodox Academy Crete, and singles at Korakies, Chania Airport.
Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus – Kolimvarion, 16/4 12:29-12:39: very good views of a first-summer Long-legged Buzzard. This one was over the crags just W of the street holding the restaurants Argentina and Diktina and of course the quayside; this bird showed very obvious translucent bases to the inner primaries as well as mostly unmarked long ruddy tail with a few faint bars near the terminus, dark carpal and trousers, dark covets, indistinct trailing edge and imposing appearance, bigger than a nearby Common Buzzard from which it kept apart 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22. Koumouli 17/4 -- a Long-legged Buzzard was seen here as well: large, heavy size, rufous tinge almost eagle-like, unbarred tail, in moult, adult 1 2 3 4 5.
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus – highest counts were 4 at Kolimvarion 1 2 3, 4 at Orthodox Academy Crete, 2 at Skoutelonas and singles at Agia Triada, Kolymvariou Afraton and Koumouli.
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni – one at Agia Triada on 9/4;
Peregrine Falco peregrinus – Kolimvarion 5/4 one agitated male at 11:20, 14/4 one male in territory at 11:00; Kalathas 9/4 one male in territory at 16:10; Platanias 18/4 one female in territory at 10:20. All adults.
Barn Owl Tyto alba – Kolimvarion 14/4 at 23:00 had a Barn Owl, hunting over the town near the apartment.
Some Breeding Specialities photographed:
Mediterranean Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis michahellis – 32 (31 adult, 1 first-summer) were at Kolimvarion on 5/4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 and 50 at Chania harbour on 9/4.
Hoopoe Upupa epops – 3 at Skoutelonas 13/4 1
Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator – singles at Kolimvarion 13/4, Skoutelonas 13/4 1, Koumouli 15/4 1 2 3, Skoutelonas 16/4 1
Raven Corvus corax – noted (mainly pairs) at Kolimvarion 1, Koumouli, Skoutelonas, Orthodox Academy, Korakies
Hooded Crow Corvus cornix – common with 12-13 at Kolimvarion 1, Agia Triad, Skoutelonas.
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica – 8-11 were seen settling into breed at Kolimvarion 1
Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephalus 2 on 16/4 at Kolimvarion 1 2
Eastern Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe melanoleuca Kolymvariou Afraton 14/4 1
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata 2 at Koumouli 15/4 1 2
Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis – up to 21 at Kolimvarion during stay 1 2 3 4 5 (females associating with males)
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs – up to 7 at Kolimvarion during stay 1
Greenfinch Carduelis chloris – up to 3 at Koumouli during stay 1 2
Some Other Birds photographed:
Mute Swan Cygnus olor -- Kolimvarion 12/4, on sea, possible migrant 1
Little Egret Egretta garzetta -- Kolymvariou Afraton 14/4 1
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra -- Koumouli 7 on 15/4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca – 1 female at Koumouli 17/4 1
Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis – 2 (male, female) at Koumouli 15/4 male 1 2 3
Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva – 1 Koumouli 15/4 1
Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis -- Koumouli 15/4 1
Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis -- Kolimvarion 12/4, in back yard, possible migrant 1
Butterflies Photographed:
Small White, Kolimvarion 5/4 1 2, Skoutelonas 13/4 3; Specked Wood, Kolimvarion 5/4 1, 12/4 2 ; Common Blue, Orthodox Academy 11/4 1, Kolimvarion 12/4 2, Skoutelonas 13/4 3 ; Clouded Yellow, Kolimvarion 12/4 1 2; Small Copper, Kolimvarion 12/4 1; Holly Blue, Kolimvarion 12/4 1, Koumouli 15/4 2, Skoutelonas 13/4 3; Painted Lady, Kolimvarion 14/4 1; Swallowtail, Kolimvarion 14/4 1; Cretan Festoon, Koumouli 15/4 1, Kolimvarion 16/4 1;
Flowers: unclassified
Kolimvarion 5/4 1 2 3 4 5 6; Orthodox Academy 11/4 1 2;
Other Animals:
Goat, Kolimvarion 5/4 1
Lizard, Kolimvarion 12/4 1 (brown)
Frog tadpoles, many in a culvert at Koumouli 1
Culture and Scenery:
Conference venue for Universal Logic 2022 6/4-11/4 Orthodox Academy, alongside Gonia Odigitria Monastery, on edge of town Kolymvari at base of Rodopos Peninsula map, with stunning views over Lefka Ori mountains, covered in snow, highest point Pachnes 2453m asl.
Here’s further shots of mountains 1 2 3 with views around Kolimvarion including crags 1 2 3 4 5, beach 1 2, harbour 1, olive groves to S 1 2, Greek Orthodox Cemetery 1 2; Kolimvarion from Orthodox Academy 1; Kolimvarionou Afraton 1 2 3; Battle of Crete sign 1; area with my flat in Kolimvarion 1; Koumouli staked field (perches for flycatchers) 1 ; Koumouli hillside 1 2; Koumouli marsh 1; Skoutelonas olive groves 1 2 3
Conference trip 9/4 to Agia Triada monastery 1 and Chania harbour with Venetian harbour walls 1. From Kalathas: Chania 1 2 3 4 5, delegates 6 and mountains 7.
Nick Rossiter 2022
