Spring arrivals 2021

SHEARWATERS

Yelkounan Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan) - Feb 20, 1300+ ind. in the Kalloni Gulf off-shore Achladeri and Skala Polichnitos | Apr 6, 3500+ ind. in the Kalloni Gulf off-shore Messa | Apr 7, 500 ind. offshore Molivos (Aris Christidis, as traveling by boat) | Apr 12, 1000+, Kalloni Gulf N parts (just in front of Kantri) (| Apr 14, 1800+ Kalloni Gulf N parts (just in front of the Kalloni Pans)

Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) - Mar 12, 5 ind. flying south, off-shore Mitilini's airport | Apr 7, 150 ind., sea NNA Mitilini (Aris Christidis, as traveling by boat)

STORKS, HERONS, IBISES, PELICANS

White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) - Feb 27, 1 ind., Papiana village nest (Nora Karathanasi) | Mar 13, 1 bird at the Dafia nest - first occupied in 2020 (Apostolos Zolkou) | Mar 19, 2 birds by the Agia Paraskevi village nest (old olive factory) | Mar 25, 2 birds at the Kalloni square nest (Thekla Koukourouvli) | Feb 28, second birds at Dafia nest (Apostolos Zolkou) | Apr 3, 2 birds at the Polichnitos nest

Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) - Mar 26, 1 ind., Kalloni Pans west fields as flying towards Tsiknias River | Apr 3, 1 ind. KAlloni Pans south fields (Eleftheria Pavli) | Apr 6, 2 ind. Psaropotamos, Skala Eressos river (Steve Bird) | Απρ 18, 1 ind by a small pond near Apothika (Makis Axiotis)

Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) - Apr 6, 1 ind. Psaropotamos, Skala Eressos river (Steve Bird)

Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) - Apr 10, 2 ind., Messa (Valerie Triboulot)  & 2 ind., Ennia Kamares (Eleftheria Pavli) | Apr 14, 1 ind. Messa & 5 ind. Kalloni Pans south fields | Apr 15, 8 ind. Kalloni Pans south fields

Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) - Apr 2, 1 ind. Kalloni Pans (Mirsini Kladogeni) | Apr 24, 1 ind. Kalloni Pans (Valerie Triboulot)

Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) - Apr 30, 3 ind., Faneromeni river, Sigri

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) - Apr 3, 15 ind. Messa wetland (morning) & 30 ind. Kalloni Pans south fields (Valerie Triboulot and Eleftheria Pavli) | Apr 4, 45+ ind. Kalloni Pans south fields | Apr 5, 1 ind., Pamfila marsh (Pantelis Thomaidis) | Apr 9, 80+, Kalloni Pans south fields & 15, Skala Kallonis pool (Thekla Koukourouvli) | Apr 13, 45 ind., Kalloni Pans south fields | Apr 14, 28 ind., Messa (Kalami marsh) & 6 ind., Kalloni Pans south fields | Apr 15, 2 ind., Kalloni Pans south fields | Apr 30, 1 ind., Faneromeni river, Sigri

Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) - May 10, over Perama - Gera Gulf (Makis Axiotis)

BIRDS OF PREY

Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus) - Mar 13, 1 foraging by the hill NE of the Kalloni Pans | Mar 28, 1 ind. over Filia (Efterpi Marmarou) | Mar 29, 1 ind. foraging by the Kalloni Pans S fields & a pair flying over Skala Loutron (Vangelis Spatharis) | Apr 3, a pair flying together (for an hour!), Kalloni Pans NE hills & 1 ind. by Ntipi-Larssos main road cliffs | Apr 14, 1 ind. foraging, Messa

Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) - Mar 29, 1 outside Polichnitos (south Kalloni Gulf)

Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus) - Mar 26, 1 male foraging by the Kalloni Pans S fields | April 3, 1 ringtail, Mikri Limni & 1 ringtail by Polichnitos Salt Pans

Montague's Harrier (Circus pygargus) - April 21, 1 immature male by the Petrified Forest Park

Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae) - April 21, 8 birds foraging by the Ipsilou Monastery

RAILS

Little Crake (Zapornia parva) - Apr 10, 1 ind., Perama marsh - Gera Gulf (Valerie Triboulot)

WADERS

Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) - Mar 26, 5 ind., Kalloni Pans coast | still present on the 28th

Black-winged Stilt - Mar 21, 10 ind. Polichnitos Salt Pans (Petros Tskamakis) | Mar 25 & 26, 7 ind. Kalloni Pans SW fields | Apr 3, 14 ind. Kalloni Pans & 7 ind. Polichnitos Salt Pans | April 14, 28 ind., Kalloni Pans west side

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) - Mar 24, 1 ind., Ennia Kamares -Skala Kallonis (Efterpi Marmarou) | Mar 28, 1 ind. Kalloni Pans canal & a pair  at Makara estuary | Apr 9, 3 ind., Kalloni Pans

Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus) - Mar 25, 2 ind., Kalloni Pans SW fields (Petros Tsakmakis), still present on Mar 26 | Apr 22, 1 ind. Apothika (Fanis Theofanopoulos) | Apr 23, 1 ind. Messa

Little Stint (Calidris minuta) - Apr 14, 11 ind., Kalloni Pans west side | May 5, 3 ind., Kalloni Pans (Valerie Triboulot) | May 6, 7 find., Kalloni Pans (Steve Bird)

Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii) - May 5, 1 ind., Kalloni Pans (Valerie Triboulot)

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) - Apr 14, 1 ind., Kalloni Pans west side

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) - Mar 13, 3 ind. in the south fields of the Kalloni Salt Pans SW temporary med ponds | Apr 13, 50+ ind., Kalloni Pans south fields | Apr 14, 30+ individuals, Kalloni Pans | Apr 15, 25+ ind. Kalloni Pans & 15 ind., Tsiknias river ford

Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) - Mar 6, 2 ind. Messa | Apr 13, 2 ind. Kalloni Pans south fields

Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis) - Mar 28, 1 ind. Kalloni Salt Pans  | April 3, 15 ind. Polichnitos Salt Pans | Apr 14, 27 ind., Kalloni Pans west parts

Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus) - Mar 28, 1 ind. Kalloni Pans canal | Apr 24, 1 ind., Kalloni Pans canal (Myrsini Kladogeni)

Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) - Mar 6, 22 ind. Kalloni Salt Pans SW parts | Apr 14, 1 ind. Kalloni Pans west parts

Ruff (Calidris pugnax) -  Mar 6, 45 ind. Kalloni Salt Pans SW parts | present ever since by the Kalloni Pans (pans and south fields) in small numbers 30-60 | Apr 3, 13 ind. Polichnitos Salt Pans | Apr 14, 140+ ind. Kalloni Pans SW corner pan

TERNS

Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) - Apr 9, 14 ind., Kalloni Pans and west fields

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) - Apr 14, 1 exhausted bird taken to a local vet (Mirsini Tourvali) | Apr 17, 2 ind. Kalloni Salt Pans

Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) - April 23, 2 ind., Kalloni Salt Pans

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus) - May 12, 5 ind., Kalloni Salt Pans

White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) - May 5, 2 ind. Kalloni Pans (Valerie Triboulot) | May12, 120 ind., Kalloni Salt Pans

OTHER NON-PASSERINES

Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) - Apr 17, 1 ind. outside Antissa | Apr 18, 4 ind. Skala Eressos (Steve Bird) | Note: Apr 17 was the date they were also first reported in Greece (Thrace, Dimitris Kokkinidis)

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Glamator glandarius) - Apr 15, 2 ind., Kampos area (Agia Paraskevi, north of the Kalloni Pans)

Hoopoe (Upupa epops)  - Mar 13, single bird, Kalloni Salt Pans SW parts (Stelios Zannetos) | Mar 26, 7 ind. by Kalloni Pans S fields 

Common Swift (Apus apus) - Mar 18, 2 ind. over Pamfilla village - north of Mitilini (Eleftheria Pavli) | Mar 19, 3 ind. over Mitilini | Mar 26, 1 ind. Kalloni Pans S fields 

Alpine Swift (Apus melba) - Mar 23, 5-6 birds over Skala Eressos (Steve Bird) | Mar 28, 4 birds over Eressos, 2 at Tsichliontas river valley | Apr 3, 150+ ind. Messa wetland (flying low, drinking water!)

Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) - Apr 23, 1 ind. Charamida marsh (Valerie Triboulot)

Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) - Apr 28, 2 ind. Skala Eressos (Steve Bird) | May 1, 25+ find., Faneromeni- Sigri

SWALLOWS & MARTINS

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) - Mar 5, 2 ind. Charadima (Elpa Spathari) | Mar 13, 2 ind. by the Kalloni Pans | Mar 18, 3 ind. by Charamida marsh | Mar 24, 180+ ind. by Charadima marsh | Mar 25, 150+ ind. Kalloni Pans S fields, at dusk 

House Martins (Delichon urbicum) - Feb 13, 5 ind. over Perama - Gera gulf | Mar 18, 10+ ind. by Charamida marsh | Mar 24, 300+ ind. by Charadima marsh | Mar 25, 150+ ind. Kalloni Pans S fields, at dusk 

Red-rumped Swallows (Cecropsis daurica) - Mar 24, 100+ ind. by Charamida marsh | Mar 25, 50+ ind. Kalloni Pans S fields, at dusk 

Sand Martin (Riparia riparia) - Mar 24, 100+ ind. by Charamida marsh | Mar 25, 50+ ind. Kalloni Pans S fields, at dusk 

Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris) - present all winter in small numbers around wetlands | Mar 29, 3 ind, Tsichliontas river (between Sigri and Eressos)| Apr 4, 8 ind. Tsichliontas river

WAGTAILS & PIPITS

Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola)- Apr 23, 1 ind. Messa

Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava feldegg) - Mar 13, 3 male ind. by the Kalloni Pans SW temporary ponds | Mar 23, 4 ind. Charamida marsh | Mar 25, 5 ind. Kalloni Pans S fields, at dusk | present in small numbers around every wetland from the beginning of April

Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus) - Apr 11, 1 ind., Kalloni Salt Pans south fields (Giannis Karatzas) | Apr 17, 1 ind., Kalloni Salt Pans south fields (Eleftheria Pavli)

Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis) - Apr 11, Tsichliontas river valley (between Eressos and Sigri)

Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris) - May 13, Skale Eressos (Steve Bird).

WARBLERS

Sub-alpine Warbler (Sylvia cantillans) - Mar 13, a male, Eftalou - Molivos (Christos Samaras) | Mar 28, a male, Kalloni Pans | Apr 15, 1 singing male, Agia Paraskevi

Whitethroat (Sylvia communis) - Mar 26, Kalloni Pans SE fields | Apr 3, 1 singing male near Agios Pavlos (Achladeri) & 1 ind. Kalloni Pans south fields | Apr 14 &15, 1 singing male, Agia Paraskevi

Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) - Mar 28, 1 ind. Tsichliontas river | Apr 11, 5+ ind., Tsichliontas river | Apr 14, 3+ ind. Agia Paraskevi | Apr 15, 3 ind. Agia Paraskevi

Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) - Apr 11, 10+ ind. Tsichliontas river 

Eastern Orphean Warbler (Sylvia crassirostris) - Mar 28, 1 singing male near Parakila | Apr 4, 2 singing males, Tsichliontas river (between Sigri and Eressos) | Apr 14, 2 singing males, Agia Paraskevi

Barred Warbler (Sylvia nisoria) - Apr 22, 1 ind., Ipsilou Monastery (Fanis Theofanopoulos)

Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) - Mar 26, Kalloni Pans SW fields | Mar 28, 2 ind. Tsichliontas river 

Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) - Mar 28, Kalloni Pans | Apr 15, 1 ind., Agia Paraskevi 9north of the Kalloni Pans)

Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) - Mar 28, 1 ind. Tsichliontas river | Apr 23, 1 ind. Metochi lake

Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna pallida) - Apr 14, 2 singing males on Tamariscs, west side of Kalloni Pans

Olive-tree Warbler (Hippolais olivetorum) - May 3, 1 singing male and 1 other kind., outside Agia Paraskevi | May 4, 4 singing males, Lisvori (Loukia & Petros Triantafyllis)

THRUSHES

Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) - Mar 24, 2 males, Charamida | 28 Mar, 1 male, Tsichliontas river | Apr 17, 1 female, petrified Forest Park

Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) - Apr 3, 4 ind. Kalloni Pans south fields & 1 ind. Messa wetland | widespread passage since then

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) - Mar 26, 2 males, Mitilini (Valerie Tribulot), 2 males, Kalloni Pans S fields, 1 male, Pamfila (Eleftheria Pavli) | Mar 28, 2 males near Makara

Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) - Mar 28, a pair at Makara, 2 ind. near Agra | Apr 4, 2 displaying males, Agra | Apr 11, 4+ males, Agra & 2 males, Tsichliontas valley | Apr 14 & 15, 1 pair just outside Agia Paraskevi

Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina) - Apr 4, 1 displaying male, Agra

Hooded Wheatear (Oenanthe monacha) - Apr 17, a single 2CY male, Ipsilou Monastery

Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) - Apr 11, 1 singing male, Chrousos river by the main road & 1 ind. Tsichliontas river | Apr 15, 2 singing males by Tsiknias river | Apr 24, 1 singing male, Psaropotamos, Skala Eressos (Steve Bird)

Rufous Bush Robin (Cercotrichas galactotes) - May 4, Skala Eressos (Steve Bird) | May 5, Kalloni Pans (Loukia & Petros Triantafyllis)

FLYCATCHERS

Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) - Apr 4, at least 1 male at Tsichliontas river (between Sigri and Eressos) | Apr 6, 1 male, Skala Eressos (Steve Bird) | Apr 11, 2 males, 1 female, Tsichliontas river

Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) - Apr 27, 1 ind., Potamia valley (Myrsini Kladogeni)

Red-breasted Flycatcher (Ficedula parva) - Apr 30, 1 ind. Skala Eressos (Steve Bird) | May 1, 1 ind. Skala Eressos (Steve Bird)

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) - May 6, 1 ind., Skala Eressos (Steve Bird)

SHRIKES

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator) - Mar 24, 1 ind., Charamida | Apr 3, 1 ind. Kalloni Pans south fields | Apr 4, 1 ind. Agra | Apr. 9, 1 ind., Loutra, south of Mitilini (Eleftheria Pavli)

Masked Shrike (Lanius nubicus) - Apr. 9, 1 ind., Loutra, south of Mitilini (Eleftheria Pavli) | Apr 15, 3 males (1 singing) & 1 female, Agia Paraskevi 

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) - Apr 22, several ind., Eressos area (Fanis Theodoropoulos) | Apr 30, 1 ind., Achladeri (Myrsini Kladogeni)

Lesser Grey Shrike (Lanius collurio) - Apr 22, 1 ind., Eressos area (Fanis Theodoropoulos)

BUNTINGS

Cretzschmar's Bunting (Emberiza caesia) - Mar 24, 3+ males, 1 female, Charamida | Mar 28, 3+ males near Agra, 6+ males and 1 female Eressos to Tsichliontas river 

Ortolan Bunting (Emberiza hortulana) - Apr 18, 1 female, Charamida (Eleftheria Pavli)

Cinereous Bunting (Emberiza cineracea) - Apr 4, 3+ males, 1 female, outside Agra & 1 male Eressos to Tsichliontas river (extremely windy that day)

Black-headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala) - Apr 21, 1 male, Tsichliontas River (Fanis Theofanopoulos) | Apr 23, 3 ind. Polichnitos Salt Pans | Apr 29, 2 ind., Faneromeni-Sigri (Michael Bakas)

Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) - Apr 14, 1 young male, Kalloni Pans west parts

ORIOLES

Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus) - Apr 14, 3 males, Agia Paraskevi (north of the Kalloni Pans)

SPARROWS

Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis) - Apr. 10, 10 ind., Kalloni Pans | Apr 15, 25 ind., Kalloni Pans south fields

Photos arranged by date taken: