Volunteering at Antikythira

 Today, 28 september, has been a full day of birds, 75! The most numerous specie has been the Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) with 19 individuals, then the Willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) with 14, Spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) with 13. The other birds are 4 Collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis), 5 Red-breasted flycatcher (Ficedula parva), 6 Hicterine warbler (Hippolais icterina), […]

Today, 26 september, we have ringed the first Thrush nightingale (Luscinia luscinia)! A very similar bird to more common Nightngale (Luscinia megarhynchos). It is more dark and it has the more long wing than nightngale. The last autumn only 2 individuals have been catched. A beautiful bird after a day with few birds. Giovanni Cumbo

Today moderate wind from South, doesn’t good for the migration of passerines. We have ringed 2 Marsh warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), 2 Red-breasted flycatcher (Ficedula parva), 2 Hicterine warbler (Hippolais icterine), 1 Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), 6 Spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata), 2 Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus), 1 Willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), 1 Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix), 1 Blackcap […]

Today the wind has been quiet. We have ringed 19 birds and 5 retraps. One of these was a Garden warbles that has been ringed in the 5th september, therefore has stayed in the island 19 days! The birds of the day is, instead, a male of Sardinian warbler (Sylvia melanocephala), a nice local specie few […]

Today, 23 september, we have opened the nets only in the afternoon when the wind was less strong. Few birds but a new species for this autumn, the first Robin (Erithacus rubecula)! This bird is tipically of autumn migration and we hope that he has brought on the island the other birds!:-) Another nice species has been […]

Today the strong wind from N-NE doesnt’t allow us to ringing, and therefore after two hours we have closed the nets. We have catched only 6 birds (4 retraps of last two days, Spotted flycatcher and Redstart). We hope that the birds, stopped by this wind, arrive when the weather will be better. Giovanni Cumbo

Today a windy morning (wind from NE). We have ringed the first Great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)! Then very few birds: 3 Blackcap, 1 Nightingale, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Redstart, 1 Spotted flycatcher, 1 Red-breasted flycatcher, 1 Wood warbler, 1 Tree pipit and 1 Red-backed shrike. Giovanni Cumbo 

Today, 20 september, in a windy day with very few birds, we have ringed 2 very beautiful birds, 2 Common crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) !!!! This specie is partial migratory. The two exemplaries, trapping together  in the same net, was 2 juvenile male. This two birds have done happy the volunteers, forgotting the few birds ringed […]

Today, 18 september, other new volunteers come from Slovacchia!  In these days very few birds in the island, the wind is strong and the nets are swollen. Yet Sylvia borin, Muscicapa striata, Phylloscopus trochilus and other 6 Ficedula parva! Yesterday, 17 september, the spanish volunteers leave us:-( We are very sad, they have been very nice and […]

Today, 16 september, other two new volunteers coming from England, John and Vicky, two good ringers! Yesterday few birds ringed, after the record of 109 traps of two days ago, the birds have left the island because very full of fat accumulated before to come into Antikythira. Today about 40 birds ringed, not so many.  One […]