We reached the Ilyda Residence in the early afternoon of 5 May and after settling in and resting for a while, set out to do some initial birding close to our apartment and around Skala Kalloni. In the fields and hedgerows we saw Red-footed Falcon, Common Reed Warbler, Corn Bunting and several Crested Lark, which are very common on the island.
Overhead we had Rufous-tailed Scrub-robin, Common Swift and Barn Swallow. We made our first visit of the trip to Kalloni beach and the salt pans and saw Little Ringed Plover, Black-winged Stilt, Wood sandpiper and Sandwich, Little and Common Tern.
We spent 6 May around Skala Kalloni visiting a number of the popular birding sites, including the ford across the Tsiknias river to the east of the town, the salt pans and the Alykes wetlands south of the pans. Early in the day we had good views of Little Stint and Squacco Heron.
A highlight of this first full day of birding was photographing the very colourful European Bee-eaters that were close to the salt pans. But we also saw Ruff and the very common Crested Lark that we were to come across throughout the trip.
