I have returned from an enjoyable trip to Rhodes where apart from a day trip to Rhodes town I was restricted to the Pefkos/Lindos/Lardos area of the east coast. The variety of species wasn't that big but a few species I did see were new to me while others were familiar.
Mainly birding was done on the road between Pefkos and Lardos and on the dead end road leading out of Pefkos parallel to the coast. The number of species seen was probably restricted by the lack of open water in this area. On our day trip to Rhodes Town we passed two rivers which still had some water but from the bus I could not see any birds. Both these riverbeds appeared to be quarried.
I found that Lesser Kestrel was the easiest raptor to see, especially over the acropolis at Lindos where there were also a few Alpine Swifts. It was here that I got my best ever view of Pallid Swift, in fact this was the only Pallid I saw all holiday.
Birds seen were
Great Egret - A flock of around 2 dozen flew east past Pefkos on 12/5.
Long-legged Buzzard - One seen just outside of Pefkos on Lardos road 11/5 and another on the dead end road on 12/5.
Common Kestrel - 1 seen on the dead end road 9/5. 1 over Pefkos 9/5
Lesser Kestrel - easily seen over Lindos Acropolis 10/5. Also small group seen on Lardos road 13/5.
Eleanora's Falcon - Three over Pefkos 8/5, 1 11/5.
Yellow-legged Gull - Common.
Collared Dove - Common.
Alpine Swift - A few seen over Lindos Acropolis 10/5.
Common Swift - Common
Pallid Swift - Only one certain one seen low over Lindos 10/5.
European Bee-eater - Groups seen over Pefkos on 11/5 (8) and 12/5 (10+).
Crested Lark - Common along both roads in open areas.
Barn Swallow - Common.
Red-rumped Swallow - One seen on wires along dead end road 9/5.
Crag Martin - A few seen Rhodes Town 9/5 and on the dead end road 12/5.
House Martin - Common in Pefkos and Lindos.
Yellow Wagtail - two seen along the dead end road 12/5.
Tawny Pipit - One seen along Lardos road 8/5
Whinchat - One seen in gardens in Pefkos 10/5.
Stonechat - Seen along the Lardos road 13/5.
Black-eared Wheatear - Males easily seen along both roads.
Blue Rock Thrush - harder to see than previous species but seen on all visits to rock areas along both roads.
Common Blackbird - Common in Pefkos
Sardinian Warbler - Common
Olivaceous Warbler - Seen in gardens in Pefkos 11, 12 & 13/5.
(Also an unidentified Sylvia warbler singing along Lardos road from deep cover about which all I can say it was not a Sardinian or any of the Sylvias I am familiar with in the UK, most likely Orphean).
Spotted Flycatcher - One seen in Olive groves along the dead end road.
Blue Tit - A few were heard in gardens but not as common as in the UK.
Eurasian Jay - Common and easily seen around Pefkos.
Hooded Crow - Common.
Common Raven - One seen being mobbed by a Lesser Kestrel near Lindos 10/5
House Sparrow - Easily the commonest bird.
Chaffinch - Only hear in Pefkos from pine trees.
European Greenfinch - Seen and heard around Pefkos village.
European Goldfinch - Only seen on 13/5 along dead end road.
European Serin - A small flock seen on the dead end road 13/5.
Crestzschmar's Bunting - One male seen along Lardos road 11/5.
Also saw a couple of Rhodes Dragons with a regular one in a broken culvert where the open land begins on the Lardos Road.
Cheers
David