I used to be every week into my journey to the Peloponnese, in south-west Greece, and my chook checklist had stagnated on 40 species. So at some point, looking for new birds, I drove from my base at Agios Nickolas, south of Kalamata, to the Gialova Lagoon, on the west coast. Described as “one of the crucial essential wetlands within the Balkans and southern stop-over station for migratory birds”, it boasts an eBird checklist of some 236 species. Although fewer than 70 miles, the drive, primarily on tortuous, winding roads, took over two hours. Discovering the lagoon was straightforward, although I used to be saddened to see that the one chook cover was derelict and not protected to make use of. (There may be additionally an commentary tower which I didn’t attempt).
The derelict chook cover at Gialova Lagoon, an IBA
Gialova Lagoon, not as chook wealthy as I had hoped
As for the birds, nicely, there weren’t lots. I anticipated to see Larger Flamingoes, and wasn’t upset. There have been a number of teams of them, numbering a minimum of 100 people, however they have been all very distant. There have been a dozen or extra Gray Herons, too, together with a minimum of 30 Little Egrets, whereas I used to be delighted to choose up quite a few Kingfishers as I scoped the realm – I will need to have seen a minimum of a dozen. However there have been no grebes or geese, solely a few gulls (each Yellow-legged), and never lots else.
There have been round 30 Little Egrets at Gialova
Kentish Plover, a year-round resident at Gialova
Some exhausting work with the scope ultimately produced 10 Kentish Plovers, three Greenshanks and two Little Stints, all of which have been good to see, however I hoped for extra. After I ultimately logged my eBird checklist it numbered a mere 19 species. I’m certain that Gialova will be nice in the precise season (spring? maybe early September?) but it surely actually wasn’t in early October. Nonetheless, it’s a lovely space, and the adjoining Voidokillia Seaside is just gorgeous. I used to be happy that I had visited the realm, unproductive although it proved. It’s a protected space and an IBA (Necessary Hen Space), however I doubt whether or not it will get the safety and administration it deserves.
Widespread Buzzard, by far the most common raptor I encountered
Birding the cliffs at Agios Nickloas – exhausting work on the neck
Again at my base at Agios Nickoloas, I used to be drawn again to the dramatic cliffs and the Rock Nuthatches, with the latter providing an actual problem to my digicam. I solely ever discovered the nuthatches within the morning, when the west-facing cliffs have been nonetheless in shadow. Night visits, when the sunshine would have been good for taking photos, by no means produced a single sighting of a nuthatch. One morning the Nuthatches did co-operate, even perching on prickly pear to have their images taken, although at lengthy vary (see final week’s publish, Birding the Peloponnese I). It was some days later that I lastly managed to get a passable shot of 1 in sunshine.
Hooded Crows have been seen day by day, however solely in small numbers
One morning on the cliffs I witnessed a profitable Peregrine hunt. As I acquired out my automotive I noticed a pair of sparrows flying by. A fraction of a second later a stooping tiercel (male Peregrine) appeared, efficiently grabbing one of many sparrows. The Peregrine flew again to the highest of the cliff together with his small prize, the place he was greeted noisily by the falcon (feminine Peregrine), a noticeably greater chook. Her crop was full, so she a lot have already fed. I later managed to search out one of many pair perched on a prickly pear, excessive on the cliff prime, surveying its territory (beneath). By the way, it’s fairly regular, for a pair of Peregrines to stay collectively on their breeding territory all year long. I noticed the birds a number of extra instances, however didn’t witness any extra searching.
Looking Peregrine, excessive above the cliffs
The Peregrine surveying his territory
Look fastidiously and you will notice that these are Spanish Sparrows. They have been very shy
The identification of the sparrow the Peregrine caught was debatable. It was most probably a Spanish Sparrow, as small events of those birds have been usually to be seen flying alongside the bottom of the cliffs in tight teams, behaviour which is so attribute of Passer hispaniolensis. They have been shy and barely sat lengthy sufficient to be recognized, not to mention photographed. I did seize a single shot (above) which was enough to substantiate their identification.
Crag Martins are altitudinal migrants
On a number of night visits I noticed Crag Martins, however curiously they by no means appeared within the mornings. These chunky martins are altitudinal migrants, transferring down from the mountains to winter alongside the coast. They exceedingly uncommon vagrants to the UK, so, for an Englishman, they’re at all times pleasing to see.
Plain Tigers, or African Monarchs, have been by far probably the most quite a few butterflies alongside the coast
When the birds fail to carry out, I flip to butterflies. The autumn isn’t, in fact, a good time to see them, however there have been enough to maintain me . By far the most common species was the Plain Tiger, often known as the African Monarch due to its similarity to the American Monarch. It’s a giant, good-looking species that I do know nicely from Africa, the place it’s common and broadly distributed, however I’d solely encountered it a few instances earlier than in Europe, as soon as in Sardinia, and as soon as in Kefalonia. These butterflies are highly effective migrants, and it appears probably that the people I used to be seeing have been migrants from North Africa. Nonetheless, I did observe mating pairs, and it’s fairly doable that these good-looking butterflies might have colonized this southern a part of the Peloponnese.
Geranium Bronze, an launched species from South Africa that has solely not too long ago colonised Greece
I used to be additionally to see Geranium Bronze butterflies, tiny bugs which can be straightforward to miss. Just like the Plain Tiger, they’re an African species. They have been first launched by chance to the Balearic island of Majorca within the late Eighties, arriving with imported geraniums (Pelargoniums), the caterpillar’s meals plant. Since then they’ve unfold quickly, and may now be discovered throughout the Mediterranean. My butterfly checklist simply topped 20 species and included one lifer, the diminutive Pygmy Skipper.
Pygmy Skipper, one among Europe’s tiniest butterflies, and a lifer for me
Aside from a single Pink Fox and loads of bats that I did not determine, I didn’t see any mammals. However most nights the native Golden Jackals placed on a terrific efficiency, their fantastic combination of howls, yaps and yowling barks carrying far throughout the hillside. Every efficiency solely lasted for a few minutes, however added a contact of mystique to the nice and cozy, starry nights. In 14 days I discovered simply 52 species of birds. Just a little disappointing maybe, however I’d had enjoyable wanting, and the surroundings is terrific.
Concluded
Autor David T
