Return to the Alps - 5th to 13th September 2020

After leaving the Ile de Re we headed across France and back to my brother Mike's house at Morillon in the French Alps.

As a regular but infrequent visitor to the Haute Giffre area of the French Alps it not always easy to establish the distribution of individual species. One species pair I have struggled with are the Marsh and Willow Tits so when one of the pair took to visiting his garden feeders I was keen to see which species it was.

Marsh Tit - nominate race palustris

The lack of pale edges to the secondaries and white cheek fading to brown at the rear plus the long outer tail feather looking equal in length to the central feathers are all features of Marsh Tit. It's not very clear on this photo but the cutting edge of the bill has a pale edge towards its base which is another feature of Marsh Tit. Although I have seen Willow Tit in the valley bottom I come across them more regularly at higher altitude in the coniferous woodlands but can't recall having seen Marsh Tit in this habitat.

Marsh Tit - giving a better view of the pale edged bill and again the brown rear cheek

Willow Tit - race montanus with dark edged bill and pale secondary edges but showing some brown on the rear cheek and shorter outer tail feathers

Of course if you can hear the birds calling or singing that is a big help.

I always visit the Lac de Flerier and was placed to see a pair of juvenile Black Terns which are scarce passage migrants here.

Black Tern - juvenile

On the 11th September I walked up to the Col de la Golese a migration watch point just a few km SW of the more well known Col de Bretolet.

A Golden Eagle circling high overhead was a good start and was briefly joined by a Common Buzzard which made a good size comparison.

Golden Eagle immature with Buzzard (lower photo)

As I approached the col I could see several Griffon Vulture in the distance at the northern end of the Col de Cou, although they were about 3km away they could be readily identified and after some time a group drifted towards me. I counted 22 but I think there were quite a few more as some were landing on the peak. It's the most I've ever recorded in the area.

Griffon Vultures

Stood on the col I could hear Black Grouse calling in the distance as well as at least 2 Black Woodpecker plus several Great Spotted and Green. A few Coal Tit were also crossing the col, I counted 18, along with 4 Crested Tit  and I saw a large group of what appeared to be mainly House Martin flying south which I estimated at 600 birds. On the ground I saw several Northern Wheatear and Black Redstart and at least three Citril Finch. 

The highlight though was a group of European Bee-eater, a species I have not previously recorded in the valley. I counted 15 as they flew rapidly south over the col calling. They were almost impossible to photograph but I managed one shot that is just about identifiable as a bee-eater.

European Bee-eater

Mike told me of several Bearded Vultures that were being seen regularly at the Col de Cenise in the Bargy mountains. I've seen them many times on the other side of the mountains at the Col de Colombiere but the Col de Cenise was a new area for me.

Interestingly this is where the Bearded Vulture that visited the UK in 2020 was born so it had travelled a long way as a youngster and was perhaps now back in this area.

We walked up the col on 12th September with no sign of any vultures. Eventually my brother and his wife, Christine separated from us to try a different area. We had barely been separated for 5 minutes when Pam and I picked up a Bearded Vulture gaining height from below the rock face in the mountains. It was a long way off but was coming a bit closer when an adult appeared very close and crossed the col giving fantastic views. Whilst watching this bird the second bird, an immature also came over us. I couldn't believe our luck. It shows how easily these birds can pass by unnoticed when we met up with my brother again and they had seen nothing.

Bearded Vulture - adult

Bearded Vulture - immature perhaps 3rd calendar year with two ages of flight feathers

Bearded Vulture - the immature rising out of the valley

Bargy Mountains from the Col de Cenise

On our last couple of days I drove up to Samoens 1600 where the star bird was a Spotted Nutcracker a bird which I see on most visits but usually just one or two birds.

Spotted Nutcracker

Lake Kerkini - Part 1

I'm writing this in Thessaloniki Airport, waiting for Pam who is joining me for a week at Lake Kerkini where we are staying in a beautiful hotel in Korifoudi, just outside the town of Kerkini.
I left Rohzen in the southern Bulgarian hills at around 07:30 on 17th April for the short journey to the Kulata crossing, as usual there were long queues of lorries but cars sailed straight through. No checks on the Bulgarian side and when I told the Greek customs official I was heading for Kerkini I got the strong impression that he would have liked to have gone with me as he waved me through.
It was only about a 45 mins drive to Kerkini from the border so it was still reasonably early when I arrived. My first stop was Mandraki Harbour, which has been my home for the last four days. 

Mandraki Harbour

The view from the harbour is stunning with hundreds of herons around the lake, scattered groups of pelicans, both White and Dalmatian and huge fishing parties of cormorants, both Great and Pygmy.
The first bird to greet me on my arrival was the Great Reed Warbler, with several birds singing in the Phragmites beds, next to where I parked. In the mornings they climb the reed stems to sing so give fantastic views whereas later in the day, although they are still vocal they tend to sing lower down.

Great Reed Warbler

Another new bird for the trip was Squacco Heron, there were 20-30 feeding around the edge of the harbour and on the large lilly pads, beautiful birds in the evening sunlight.

Squacco Heron

There are two birds in particular that Kerkini is deservedly famous for, both are globally scarce and Kerkini is a very important lake for them; Dalmatian Pelican and Pygmy Cormorant. When you visit some sites for specific species they can still  be difficult to see, like the Dupont's Lark, but not so with the pelican and cormorant, it would be impossible to visit and miss them. 

Dalmatian Pelican

Pygmy Cormorant - up close they look like they have eye make-up on, little white lines above the eye

Getting good photos is another matter however and I will be doing at least one boat trip with Pam during her stay.
The combination of pelicans and cormorants creates one of the great spectacles of the lake the mass feeding frenzy.

Cormorants and pelicans - feeding

Spring is well underway here, Nightingales are singing from almost every bush, or so it sounds, Golden Orioles can be heard around the lake and the calling of both Hoopoe and Bee-eaters is a constant reminder that this is the Med, if one were needed.

Hoopoe

Bee-eater - living up to its name!

There are fewer duck and waders then I had expected, I've seen 4 Ferruginous and just one pair of Garganey. Wood Sandpipers can be seen in groups around the grassy margins and there are probably hundreds but they are difficult to see unless they fly. I've also seen Oystercatcher, 8 Black-winged Stilt, 5 Ruff and several parties of Common Sandpiper but no stints, so far.

Wood Sandpipers - with single Dunlin at the front

Birds of prey are also scarce but I've been compensated by good views of what I have seen. Single Lesser Spotted Eagle, female Montagu's Harrier, a very close Short-toed Eagle, a few Marsh Harriers and single female Red-footed Falcon plus several Kestrel.

Lesser Spotted Eagle - adult, quite long p7 but definately had pale iris so not Spotted

Montagu's Harrier - adult female

Short-toed Eagle

Most evening up to 5 Black Storks have come to feed on the marsh at Mandraki Harbour where there is also a single Cattle Egret.

Shrikes are also in short supply but I got very good views of Masked, which is one of the reasons I came so far south in to Greece on my 'trip north', fantastic birds which put on a great show the male passing food to the female. I've probably seen four or five Woodchats but that's it so far.

Masked Shrike - female

Masked Shrike - male

I hadn't met any other bird watchers since France and thought there would be plenty at Kerkini but I only met two other English birding couples Steve and Marion Holmes from Cheshire and a couple from Kings Lynn, both spending a week at Kerkini. It was very helpful to meet up with them to see what they had been seeing and I met Steve and Marion most evenings to share notes. Steve had 40 raptors one day on the south side of the lake including Eastern Imperial Eagle which I completely missed.
So plenty of birds seen, but plenty still to arrive. I haven't seen any 'marsh' terns, the only buntings has been Corn and Cirl and few warblers and flycatchers, only one Spotted Flycatcher a few Whitethroats and odd Eastern Olivaceous (Steve had one Olive-tree). So I'm hoping to see some new arrivals during my next week at Kerkini.

Sunset - Mandraki Harbour