Date: Fri, 13 Oct 1995 15:09:00

From: Walsh Chris (cawalsh_at_croydon01.datasci.co.uk)

Here is a brief trip report of my sojourn in Porto Heli on the Greek mainland near Spetse, between 26th September and 10th October 1995.

Weather was overcast and cloudy the first week with some sunny spells. It was warm with temperatures remaining in the mid 20's centigrade, despite the cloud.
There was a fair bit of rain around with one very wet day. This week was the most fruitful regarding numbers of birds, maybe down to the low clouds and lack of thermals?

The second week was cloudless with no respite from the sunshine apart from a breeze in the afternoons.

• A SARDINIAN WARBLER was the first tick of the trip. Very common, literally a bird or two in every patch of scrub incuding a male which had taken up residence on our balcony, which was covered in stephanotis and other luxuriant creepers.
• WOODLARK were resident and singing most afternoons above the scrub and pine surrounding the hotel complex.
• Mid-afternoon on the first day 25 NIGHT HERON flew over after being disturbed by Greek "sportsman". They were shortly followed by
• 4 WHITE STORK, taking advantage of a break in the cloud to gain some height to cross the sea south. Dusk fell with the NIGHT HERONS again putting in a vociferous appearance, shortly followed by
• SCOPS OWL, "pinging" like crazy and not letting up all night! Just to complete the day a
• NIGHTJAR flew over as night fell.

• RED-BACKED and
• WOODCHAT SHRIKE.
• CIRL BUNTINGS were a common sight and surprisingly confiding! A few breaks in the cloud resulted in huge flocks of hirundines descending on the hotel complex to have a snack before continuing on their journey.
  The main numbers were made up of
• BARN SWALLOWS with smaller numbers of
• RED-RUMPED SWALLOW,
• SAND &
• HOUSE MARTINS.
• The numbers of BARN SWALLOWS peaked at 8,000+ on the Thursday with numbers of 2,000+ each day.
  Raptors were seen all week including
• HONEY &
• COMMON BUZZARDS plus several unidentified.

• RED FOOTED FALCON, which could have picked off the front cover of Jonnsen's field guide! Winds offshore produced some large flocks of
• YELKOUAN SHEARWATERS.

• HOUSE SPARROW,
• GREAT TIT,
• CHIFF-CHAFF,
• BLACKBIRD,
• SPOTTED FLYCATCHER,
• SWIFT,
• WHITE WAGTAIL,
• REDSTART,
• TURTLE DOVE,
• YELLOW LEGGED GULL (Michaelis),
• GOLDFINCH,
• GREENFINCH,
• JAY,
• COLLARED DOVE,
• COAL TIT,
• WHINCHAT,
• CRESTED LARK,
• WHITETHROAT,
• GREY WAGTAIL,
• a possible GOSHAWK,
• ROBIN,
• HOODED
• CROW and finally a very shy and elusive
• MAGPIE!