Volunteering at Antikythira

 The wind saw strong from early mooring so we did not manage to open the nets at all. This is the first time the last 6 years we are not able to ringing for two day in May!

The Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, Σχοινοποταμίδα) that was trapped on April 11 with a Finish ring was initially ringed in Espoo on the August 23, 2010. This information was brought to us by our former volunteer, Raimo and we thank him for that.

The strong winds did not allow us to ring more than a couple of net rounds. Nevertheless though the vest winds brought us some birds.

Species trapped today:

Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin, Κηποτσιροβάκος), Whitethroat (Sylvia communis, Θαμνοτσιροβάκος), Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina, Κιτρινοστριτσίδα), Sand Martin (Riparia riparia, Οχθοχελίδονο), Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis, Χωραφοσπουργίτης), Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata, Σταχτομυγοχάφτης), Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla, Μαυροσκούφης), Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus, Καλαμοποταμίδα), Marsh Warbler (Acrocephalus palustris, Βαλτοποταμίδα), Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator, Κοκκινοκεφαλάς)

The migration is slowly fading down here in Antikythira, nevertheless some interesting birds are still passing. During the last net round we even trapped some Yellow Wagtails (Motacilla flava, Κιτρινοσουσουράδα), birds we do not trap often.

Other species trapped today:

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica, Σταβλοχελίδονο), Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin, Κηποτσιροβάκος), Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus, Συκοφάγος), Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus, Τσιχλοποταμίδα), Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina, Κιτρινοστριτσίδα), Sand Martin (Riparia riparia, Οχθοχελίδονο), Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis, Χωραφοσπουργίτης), Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata, Σταχτομυγοχάφτης), Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris, Φλώρος), Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs, Σπίνος), Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla, Μαυροσκούφης)

South winds today so we had significantly less birds. The Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus, Συκοφάγος) and the European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster, Μελισσοφάγος) while the Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin, Κηποτσιροβάκος) is still the most abundant species while the  Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata, Σταχτομυγοχάφτης) is also abundant.

Other species trapped today:

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica, Σταβλοχελίδονο), Common House Martin (Delichon urbicum, Λευκοχελίδονο), Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus, Τσιχλοποταμίδα), Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina, Κιτρινοστριτσίδα), Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca, Μαυρομυγοχάφτης), Sand Martin (Riparia riparia, Οχθοχελίδονο), Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis, Χωραφοσπουργίτης, Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis, Δεντροκελάδα), Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Δασοφυλλοσκόπος), Wryneck (Jynx torquilla, Στραβολαίμης)

Up to now we did not have as many Golden Orioles (Oriolus oriolus, Συκοφάγος) as expected, even though we had them regularly.  Today we trapped close to 30 individuals and 22 of them during the first net round! The most abundant species though were the Sand Martin (Riparia riparia, Οχθοχελίδονο) while the Common House Martins (Delichon urbicum, Λευκοχελίδονο) and Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica, Σταβλοχελίδονο) were more than usual.

Other species trapped today:

Wryneck (Jynx torquilla, Στραβολαίμης), Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis, Δεντροκελάδα), Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, Σχοινοποταμίδα), Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus, Τσιχλοποταμίδα), Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (Hippolais pallida, Ωχροστριτσίδα), Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina, Κιτρινοστριτσίδα), Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin, Κηποτσιροβάκος), Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Δασοφυλλοσκόπος), Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus, Θαμνοφυλλοσκόπος), Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata, Σταχτομυγοχάφτης), Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicolis, Κρικομυγοχάφτης), Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca, Μαυρομυγοχάφτης)

A male & and a female Black-headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala, Αμπελουργός) were trapped today. They had been around for some days but the north winds and the clouds made more to land. The same weather conditions drove the second for this season Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus, Καλαμόκιρκος) to our nets.  The Eastern Olivaceous Warblers (Hippolais pallida, Ωχροστριτσίδα) are also arounds so we trapped three more today.  The Garden Warblers (Sylvia borin, Κηποτσιροβάκος) were not so many today so the most common species trapped today were the Sand Martin (Riparia riparia, Οχθοχελίδονο)

Other species trapped today:

Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur, Τρυγόνι), European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster, Μελισσοφάγος), Common House Martin (Delichon urbicum, Λευκοχελίδονο), Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, Σχοινοποταμίδα), Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus, Τσιχλοποταμίδα), Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina, Κιτρινοστριτσίδα), Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Δασοφυλλοσκόπος), Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus, Θαμνοφυλλοσκόπος), Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata, Σταχτομυγοχάφτης), Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca, Μαυρομυγοχάφτης), Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus, Συκοφάγος), Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator, Κοκκινοκεφαλάς),  Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis, Χωραφοσπουργίτης)

The second Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (Hippolais pallida, Ωχροστριτσίδα) was trapped today. Up to now we should have trapped more but nothing can be planed! Even though we had north winds we did not have the amount of birds expected (we trapped around 80 toady).

Other species trapped today:

Sand Martin (Riparia riparia, Οχθοχελίδονο), , Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus, Τσιχλοποταμίδα), Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina, Κιτρινοστριτσίδα), Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin, Κηποτσιροβάκος), Whitethroat (Sylvia communis, Θαμνοτσιροβάκος), Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Δασοφυλλοσκόπος), Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata, Σταχτομυγοχάφτης), Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca, Μαυρομυγοχάφτης), Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus, Συκοφάγος), Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis, Χωραφοσπουργίτης), Common House Martin (Delichon urbicum, Λευκοχελίδονο), , Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos, Αηδόνι), Common House Martin (Delichon urbicum, Λευκοχελίδονο), Wryneck (Jynx torquilla, Στραβολαίμης), Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus, Θαμνοφυλλοσκόπος), Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs, Σπίνος), Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, Σχοινοποταμίδα)

The weather was not exactly as we expected it to de, so we did not have yesterdays numbers but exactly the half (more than 100) which is still good.  As usually around this time of the year the most common bird was the Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin, Κηποτσιροβάκος) followed by the Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata, Σταχτομυγοχάφτης). Golden Orioles  (Oriolus oriolus, Συκοφάγος) are still around (today we trapped 10) as the Spanish Sparrows (Passer hispaniolensis, Χωραφοσπουργίτης) which has come to breed in the island.

Other species trapped today:

Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos, Αηδόνι), Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla, Μαυροσκούφης), Sand Martin (Riparia riparia, Οχθοχελίδονο), Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus, Φοινίκουρος),Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus, Τσιχλοποταμίδα), Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina, Κιτρινοστριτσίδα), Whitethroat (Sylvia communis, Θαμνοτσιροβάκος), Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Δασοφυλλοσκόπος), Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca, Μαυρομυγοχάφτης), Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicolis, Κρικομυγοχάφτης), Common House Martin (Delichon urbicum, Λευκοχελίδονο), Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis, Χωραφοσπουργίτης)

Some low clouds after Antikythira made quite a few birds to land on the island and increased our trappings figures to 200 birds today. The most abundant species is still Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin, Κηποτσιροβάκος) with 69 birds today but there were some new waves of Woodchat Shrikes (Lanius senator, Κοκκινοκεφαλάς), Great Reed Warblers (Acrocephalus arundinaceus, Τσιχλοποταμίδα) and a smaller one of Whitethroats (Sylvia communis, Θαμνοτσιροβάκος).

Other species trapped today:

Sand Martin (Riparia riparia, Οχθοχελίδονο), Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis, Δεντροκελάδα), Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus, Φοινίκουρος), Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina, Κιτρινοστριτσίδα), Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Δασοφυλλοσκόπος), Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita, Δεντροφυλλοσκόπος), Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus, Θαμνοφυλλοσκόπος), Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata, Σταχτομυγοχάφτης), Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca, Μαυρομυγοχάφτης), Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus, Συκοφάγος), Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis, Χωραφοσπουργίτης), Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur, Τρυγόνι), Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicolis, Κρικομυγοχάφτης), Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus, Καλαμοποταμίδα), Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, Σχοινοποταμίδα)