OBSERVATORY

ANTIKYTHIRA BIRD

ABO’s NewsLetterBirdRinging

Hellenic Ornithological SocietyBarboutischr@gmail.com

January 2010, Vol.2

Antikythera (35°51'N, 23°18'E), is located between the islands of Kythira and western Crete. Due to its position it is the first land for a lot of passerines after crossing the Mediterranean Sea during spring, and the last land, before the sea during autumn.

The first ringing activities took place on the island in 1982 by Triantaphyllos Akriotis (the present head of the Hellenic Bird Ringing Center, HBRC).The need of the establishment of a Bird Observatory was conceived in the mid-90s. In 1997, the community of Antikythira devolved the primary school building to the Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS) and an organized ringing expedition took place in the spring of 1998 with the support of Italian ringers. Nowadays the ringing activities on Antikythira are constant every spring (from 15 March to 31 May) and autumn (from 25 August to 10 November) and conducted by the HOS and HBRC. After the end of the bird ringing seson of 2009 more than 30000 birds have been ringed on the island.This is the second volume of the annual newsletter that along with the Antikythira Bird Observatory's (ABO) Home page (http://www .ornithologiki.gr / e n / o s a / i n d e x . p h p ) a n d A B O ' s b l o g (http://blogs.ornithologiki.gr/osa/) is produced for the public awareness on bird migration flow over the region.

Brief History of bird ringing on Antikythira

Spring season of 2009

ABO

C1

C2

C1

R2

R1

23/03 30/03 06/04 13/04 20/04 27/04 04/05 11/05

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

In total 2445 birds of 55 species where ringed during the spring season. Details bout the species and numbers of birds ringed can been seen on Table 2. As can been seen from the phenology of the birds caught (Fig. 1) the day with the highest numbers of birds trapped was the 5th of May.

Figure 1. Phenology of spring migration

Brief History of bird ringing on Antikythira Autumn season of 2009

In total 1283 birds of 50 species where ringed during the autumn season. Details bout the species and numbers of birds ringed can been seen on Table 2. As can been seen from the phenology of the birds caught (Fig. 2) the day with the highest numbers of birds trapped was the 21st of September.

24/08 07/09 21/09 05/10 19/10

20

40

60

80

10

30

50

70

Figure 2. Phenology of autumn migration

Recoveries

In total we had four birds either ringed or recaptured by ABO that was reported during 2009. One Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus (R2, Fig. 3) that had been ringed by ABO on mid April 2009 were recaught on Samos Island almost a year after, while one Eastern

Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida (R1, Fig. 3) that had been ringed by ABO on mid May 2008 was retraped at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory after 11 months and 22 days. It is worth mentioning that was the first Greek Eastern Olivaceous Warbler that was controlled abroad ever. The most impressive though was a Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix (C1, Fig. 3) that was rined as a pullus at mid Jun at Berzciems, Latvia and was retrapped at Antikythira 2 years 8 months and 25 days later, during spring migration. Last but not least a Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica (C2, Fig. 3) that was ringed at Toffo an Alpine area of Italy on mid September of 2003 and was retraced after 1 years 7 months and 7 days on Antikythira during spring migration of 2005 was reported this year.

ABO’s BirdRinging (2010) NewsLetter Vol. 2

Highlights of the seasons

During the spring period one new species were added on the ABO's r inging l is t (http://www.ornithologiki.gr/en/osa/ringing_list.php). Even though Rüppell's Warbler Sylvia rueppelli had been seen during previous seasons this one was first trapped. Other interesting species that are not so commonly trapped by ABO and ringed during this period was Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus and Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala. A Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus was present at the islands for some days but unfortunately it did not decide to fell into our nets!

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As far as for the autumn season we had three new species ringed for the Observatory. A Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla, which is a rarity for Greece, a Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis, and a Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea witch of course was not trapped by mist netting! Other interesting species that are not so commonly trapped by ABO but ringed during this season was Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea and Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes

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Pic

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Species

1 1

61 1

6

238 10

10 4

1

1 2

1

161 11

Accipiter nisus

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus palustris

Marsh Warbler

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

Sedge Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

European Reed Warbler

Alcedo atthis

Common Kingfisher

Anthus campestris

Tawny Pipit

Anthus cervinus

Red-throated Pipit

Anthus trivialis

Tree Pipit

Spring

Autu

mn

Table 1.Species ringed during 2009.

ABO’s BirdRinging (2010) NewsLetter Vol. 2

Table 1.Species ringed during 2009 (Continuation).

Species Species

Willow Warbler

Phylloscopus trochilus81 199

170 22Phylloscopus sibilatrix

Wood Warbler

Phylloscopus orientalis

Balkan Warbler7

Phylloscopus collybita

Common Chiffchaff73 19

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Common Redstart52 49

Passer hispaniolensis

Spanish Sparrow21 29

Otus scops

European Scops Owl14 8

Sylvia crassirostris

2Eastern Orphean Warbler

Sylvia communis

108 32Common Whitethroat

Sylvia cantillans

43 16Subalpine Warbler

Sylvia borin

437 118Garden Warbler

21 7European Turtle Dove

Sylvia atricapilla

72 102Blackcap

1

Saxicola torquatus

3Common Stonechat

Oriolus oriolus

Eurasian Golden Oriole104

Oenanthe oenanthe

Northern Wheatear

4 1

1

15

5

2

5

2

4

1

1

1

1 32

1

25 8

149

48 154

1

53 3

21

2 5

Oenanthe hispanica

Black-eared Wheatear1

Muscicapa striata

Spotted Flycatcher141 118

Motacilla flava

Yellow Wagtail6 2

Motacilla cinerea

Grey Wagtail1

Luscinia megarhynchos

Common Nightingale77 7

10

7

2 47

Saxicola rubetra

Whinchat

22 1

34 33

21 2

Streptopelia turtur

Merops apiaster

European Bee-eater

Luscinia luscinia

Thrush Nightingale2 2

Calonectris diomedea

Cory's Shearwater

Caprimulgus europaeus

European Nightjar

Carduelis carduelis

European Goldfinch

Carduelis chloris

European Greenfinch

Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Hawfinch

Cuculus canorus

Common Cuckoo

Delichon urbicum

Common House Martin

Emberiza calandra

Corn Bunting

Emberiza hortulana

Ortolan Bunting

Emberiza melanocephala

Black-headed Bunting

Emberiza pusilla

Little Bunting

Ficedula semitorquata

Semi-collared Flycatcher

Ficedula albicollis

Collared Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula parva

Red-breasted Flycatcher

Erithacus rubecula

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Lanius minor

Lesser Grey Shrike

Lanius senator

Woodchat Shrike

Locustella luscinioides

Savi's Warbler1

Riparia riparia

Sand Martin

9

Fringilla coelebs

Common Chaffinch

Eurasian Wryneck

Jynx torquilla

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

Spring

Autu

mn

71Hippolais icterina

Icterine Warbler

Spring

Autu

mn

72

European Robin

Falco tinnunculus

Common Kestrel

Red-rumped Swallow

Hirundo daurica

Hippolais pallida

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler25 1

92

ABO’s BirdRinging (2010) NewsLetter Vol. 2

Table 1.Species ringed during 2009 (Continuation).

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Jacek Chrusciel for being the head ringer during the Autumn season and Simon Valle, Dimitris Hatzidakis, Vered Aharon, Apostolis Markostomos, Tamara Mertes, Gabriel Jamie, Valerie De Liedekerke, Wil Beeren, Karel Van Endert, Guido Knoops, Daria Dadam, Elena Tores, Juan-Manuel Crego, Doris Siehoff and Manuel Freiburghaus for their precious help as volunteers

Species Spring

Autu

mn

1 3

6 5

1

9 29

2

1

1

Song Thrush

Turdus philomelos

Common Blackbird

Eurasian Hoopoe

Upupa epops

Barn Owl

Tyto alba

Turdus merula

Rüppell's Warbler

Sylvia rueppelli

Sardinian Warbler

Sylvia curruca

Lesser Whitethroat

Sylvia melanocephala

Pic3. Bird ringing site

Pic4. The Bird ObservatoryAntikythera