Volunteering at Antikythira

Today, we had great luck in ringing and it was a fantastic day in Antikythira. Manolia, the friendly coordinator of the project, came with a nice surprise: Victoria! Victoria also works for HOS and was a great help during the first week of ringing. They came to close the autumn season and to help organize the ringing equipment for storage.

We trapped a total of 41 birds of 13 different species. The island was full of birds during their course of migration. Overall, it was the best ringing day for the autumn season!

Like almost all the daily sessions this autumn, the Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin, Κηποτσιροβάκος) was the most common bird trapped.
Other species caught include the Hoopoe (Upupa epops, Τσαλαπετεινός), the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica, Σταβλοχελίδονο) the Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus, Φοινίκουρος), the Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra, Καστανολαίμης), the Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina, Κιτρινοστριτσίδα) the Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis, Θαμνοτσιροβάκος), the Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla, Μαυροσκούφης), the Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus, Θαμνοφυλλοσκόπος), the Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Δασοφυλλοσκόπος) the Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata, Σταχτομυγοχάφτης), the European Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca, Μαυρομυγοχάφτης) and the Red-breasted Flycatcher (Ficedula parva, Νανομυγοχάφτης).
As the head ringer for this season, I would like thank all of the volunteers for the enormous help they’ve provided this month! Haris, Simos, Tasos, Flaviu, Chris, Megan, Elizibet, Elisavet and Stavrula, to the people of HOS, Angelos, responsible of the raptor’s monitoring who has been with us all the season, Victoria, Panos, Mijalis who also came to help, Manolia, the funny coordinator who today is with us and to the great ABO’s ringing coordinator, BarbaChristos Barboutis. Lastly, all of the local people of Antikythira. They were very friendly with us during our stay.
Thanks to everybody for making this project possible. Looking forward to seeing you again in the future. Ruben. (a.k.a. Negrinaky, Negrino or Rubenzitoo)!!!
For our last night, we are continuing the moon-watching of migrating birds and of course, enjoying a meal of katsikaki (goat) in the taverna, just like every Saturday night.

To be continued in spring 2014…