Might has lengthy been my favorite month of the yr. The times are longer and hotter, plants fill the meadows, and the birds are again. True, maximum of our migrant breeding birds get started to go back in April, however in Will also the past due arrivals – Turtle Doves, Swifts, Noticed Flycatchers and Nightjars – in any case seem. Because the ultimate 4 are amongst my favorite birds their reappearance is at all times one thing to stay up for. Unfortunately, regardless that I’ve observed all 4 this yr, I haven’t controlled to search out an English Noticed Flycatcher nor Turtle Dove. I haven’t observed a Nightjar, both, however I’ve heard a number of.
A Kerkini Turtle Dove. They have got nearly disappeared as breeding birds from England
Each Turtle Doves and Noticed Flycatchers had been as soon as not unusual summer season birds right here in Suffolk, however have suffered critical declines, such a lot so that they have got turn out to be very scarce and hard to search out. There haven’t been any reviews of Turtle Doves in the community this yr, which isn’t in point of fact unexpected as this species has declined by means of a staggering 97% within the ultimate two decades, and it’s eventual loss as a breeding species in the United Kingdom is a definite risk.
I used to be lucky sufficient to spend the primary 10 days of this month in Northern Greece, staying within the pleasant village of Ano Poroia, overlooking Lake Kerkini. Since my first consult with to this nook of Greece in 2008 I’ve been an ordinary customer, drawn again by means of the abundance and number of birds. This yr didn’t disappoint: the elements was once nice, the birds as sensible as ever. Early Might is migration time, and one morning, after in a single day rain, the lake was once alive with Black Terns, and a sprinkling of Little Gulls, whilst overhead the sky was once full of hundreds of Swallows and Space Martins.
There was once a notable passage of waders, too, the similar day. Most likely maximum impressive of all had been two nice Gray Plovers in complete breeding finery, dwelling as much as their American title of Black-bellied Plover. Even though I see those birds regularly within the wintry weather, their plumage is as gray as their title suggests. But if they gain their breeding plumage they’re, like such a lot of waders, birds reworked, with the black abdominal contrasting with the silver-spangled again. Alas, they had been too far away to {photograph}. Those good-looking plovers nest at the top Arctic tundra, so nonetheless had a few thousand miles to fly ahead of achieving their breeding grounds.
The plovers had been accompanied by means of two or 3 Turnstones, shopping shocking of their sharp black-white-and-orange breeding plumage. Just like the Gray Plover, those are acquainted birds in the United Kingdom in wintry weather, when their plumage provides them nice camouflage, however in summer season plumage they’re birds reworked. Feeding with the Plovers and Turnstones had been an collection of different waders, all heading north, together with Ruffs, Picket Sandpipers, Ringed Plovers, Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stints. Not one of the Ruffs had been but exhibiting the ruffs from which they take their title, however the Curlew Sandpipers had already got their good-looking brick-red summer season plumage.
Spot the doves. There have been 14 Turtle Doves on this tree
It was once tricky to know the way lots of the Turtle Doves I noticed had been migrants: they will have all been birds that had been going to spend the summer season across the lake. My easiest rely was once 14 in a single tree, however there have been many particular person encounters, too. Bee-eaters (underneath) had been a lot of, such a lot in order that I suspected that many had been migrants, pausing to refuel on their means north.
Scarce Swallowtail butterfly: good-looking however not unusual
Northern Greece abounds with fascinating bugs. This hanging lacewing doesn’t have an English title, however is scientifically Nemoptera sinulata
The abundance of insect round Kerkini is maximum hanging, particularly in comparison to my house in England, and the grasshoppers and crickets, beetles and butterflies supply wealthy feeding for the various insectivorous birds. There aren’t many puts in Europe the place you’ll see 4 species of shrikes in at some point, however that is certainly one of them. Pink-backed Shrikes semed specifically not unusual this yr, and we did see Woodchats, Lesser Greys and Masked Shrikes.
Cock Woodchat Shrike: an eye-catchingly handsome hen
A feminine Pink-backed Shrike, a well-known breeding hen at Kerkini, and (underneath) a cock
Frustratingly, I didn’t discover a making a song Olive-tree Warbler, an area particular, however Jap Olivaceous Warblers had been not unusual, whilst I had a ideal view of an Jap Orphean Warbler whilst looking at a making a song Ortolan Bunting. The previous got here out to preen immediately underneath the bunting, which I used to be looking at via my scope. Jap Subalpine Warblers are not unusual within the hills right here. Taxonomically, Subalpine, Orphean and Olivaceous Warblers have all been cut up in recent times into Jap and Western paperwork, and are thought to be complete species, however the variations between japanese and western birds are delicate. By the way, what we used to name Olivaceous Warbler in Spain has now turn out to be Isabelline Warbler. All very complicated.
A making a song Jap Olivaceous Warbler, a up to date taxonomic cut up from the renamed Isabelline Warbler of Western Europe
I best controlled to search out the only Ortolan Bunting, which is rarely a not unusual hen right here, however I overjoyed in a lot of encounters with the massive and unmissable Black-headed Bunting, an actual Balkan particular. This Bunting’s easy, far-carrying name is likely one of the commonest sounds of a Kerkini spring morning, together with unseen Nightingales, one of the vital not unusual breeding birds.
The cushy, repetitive music of the Black-headed Bunting is a well-known sound in Northern Greece in spring
Feminine Levant Sparrohawk. The densely barred underparts are function
A male Levant Sparrowhawk. Regardless of the title, they like lizards to sparrows
Levant Sparrowhawks are some other particular hen of the world, and are past due to go back. My first sighting, of a exhibiting pair, was once on 6 Might, and I’m positive that that they had best simply arrived. Carefully associated with the Shikra, a not unusual hawk in each Africa and India, the Levant Sparrowhawk is misnamed, because it prefers to consume lizards and bugs moderately than birds. Alternatively, that doesn’t forestall it being mobbed mercilessly by means of anything else from Swallows to Hooded Crows.
In fact, Lake Kerkini is in point of fact easiest identified for its water birds – herons and pelicans, cormorants and grebes – which I will be able to write about subsequent week.