Forth visit to Lesvos staying in Skala Kalloni. Most mornings I was the first birder out and about returning for breakfast around 8:30 am. Then spending most of the day exploring the quieter parts of the island, which was not always too successful bird wise. Mostly sunny and dry with a few showers, but often a cool northerly wind.
Thursday 27 April
Arrived at Mytilini early afternoon from Stanstead Kalloni Saltpans Black Stork, White Stork, Greater Flamingo, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet, Little Egret, Crested Lark, Squacco Heron. Metochi Lake Coot, Little Grebe, Sand Martin About Swallow, House Martin, Kestrel, House Sparrow, Hooded Crow, Jay, Nightingale, Raven Skarla Kalloni In off the sea a Marsh Harrier, at the Marsh Cetti's Warbler and Common Terns out in the bay. Friday 28 April Kalloni Saltpans Common Shelduck, Ruddy Shelduck, Common Sandpiper, Spanish Sparrow, Short-toed Lark, Red-throated Pipit.
Sheep Field Red-throated Pipit, Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail (Black-headed). Tsianas River Bee-eater, Swift, Greenfinch, Apothikes Harbour Alpine Swift Agra Black-eared Wheatear Road to Pithariou Monastery and reservoir
Blackbird, Chaffinch, Cormorant, Common Buzzard, Spotted Flycatcher, Cirl Bunting. Skala Eresou Olivaceous Warbler, Jackdaw About Blue Tit, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Red-backed Shrike Saturday 29 April Tsianas River Great Crested Grebe, Spotted Crake, Snipe, Glossy Ibis, Sedge Warbler, Little Bittern
East River Whiskered Tern Megali Limni Turtle Dove Achladeri Forest Goldfinch, Masked Shrike. Derbyshire Rock Area A male Red-footed Falcon was found on a roadside wire, with the sun behind the bird some distance away, I could not take a decent photo. After a while I got out of the car to move to a better position. To my surprise the falcon took off and landed right above my head totally unconcerned and continued to catch beetles from the ground and return close to me for some time.
Kalloni Salt Pans
Short-toed Eagle
Sunday 30 April
Kalloni Salt Pans
Sheep Field Lesser Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Yellow Wagtail, Red-throated Pipit.
Pool near pumping station Little Ringed Plover. Petra Reservoir (In very poor condition with little water and bird life) Sub Alpine Warbler Kalvaki Nothing at this once prime site About Serin Malemi Hotel (Evening) Pipistrelle, Bent-winged Bat, Savi's Pipistrelle. Monday 1 May Just before Kalloni Saltpans Little Owl Sheepfield Much quieter today. Tsianas River above Ford Ferruginous Duck male, Cuckoo heard, Squacco Heron, Little Bittern. A frustrating Cetti's Warbler which keeps landing in a bush to sing next to my car, but usually behind branches and leafs, but over my two week stay, I would eventually manage to get some decent photos.
Krakala Small fishing harbour Kentish Plover with chicks Parakila Marsh Greater Flamingo, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Ruff, Water Rail calling. Tsianas River r above Ford Jack Snipe Tuesday 2 May Tsianas River above Ford Great Reed Warbler, Black-faced Bunting, Hoopoe calling, Skipsi Short-toed Eagle.
Head of Napi Valley
Linnet
Scarla Kalloni Salt Pans
White-winged Black Terns, Spur-winged Plover.
Sheep Field
Many pipits, the few identified all Red-throated.
Wednesday 3 May Parakila Marsh Mallard, Marsh Sandpiper - see following Facebook link for video https://www.facebook.com/groups/271104122899599/permalink/6579560002053948/ ,
Temminck's Stint
Alikoudi Pool Little Stint, Ruff, Avocet, Ruddy Shelduck, Common Shelduck, Kentish Plover. Scarla Polichnitos Salt Pans Little Stints, Curlew Sandpiper, Stonechat, Thursday 4 May Isolou Willow Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher. Petrified Forest Road Northern, Wheatear. Isabelline Wheatear and Cinerious Bunting showing very well today.
Sigry Nothing much, but a lot of birders driving around.
Return to Petrified Forest Road Peregrine Falcon, Cretzmar's Bunting, plus Corn, Cinereous and Cirl Buntings in a short period of time. Friday 5 May Kalloni Salt Pans Little Terns in with a mixed flock of Whiskered and Common Terns. Tsianas River above Ford A male Garganey flew by with a Ferruginous Duck.
Saturday 6 May Tsianas River above Ford Red-throated Pipit, Snipe, Jack Snipe, 2 male Garganey, Glossy Ibis, Little Bittern, Squacco Heron, Black-headed Bunting, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Great Reed Warbler. Very quiet walks as usual around pine forests. Quick afternoon run around the Kalloni Saltpans found a Great White Egret and a few distant Black Terns among the many White-winged Black Terns. Sunday 7 May Kalloni Saltpans at dawn 4 Spoonbills flew over the canal and landed on the Salt pans. At the Sheepfield 2 Curlew flew along the beach. A few Red-throated Pipit still around. Good morning for Lesser Grey Shrike with 3 different birds. Tsianas River above Ford Jack Snipe (A very rare bird on Lesvos in May) and a male Garganey showed well again,
Ancient Antissa Very green and lush area with scattered Oaks. Alive with Red-backed Shrikes, Spotted Flycatcher, overhead an endless stream of hirundines and Bee-eaters. Also new trip birds in Rock Nuthatch and a pair of Golden Oriole flew over the track quickly going to ground in oaks. Forth Lesser Grey Shrike of the day and a Sardinian Warbler. At the river Little Bittern, Kentish Plover and unusually an approachable pair of Ruddy Shelduck, may have had young nearby.
Raptors Short-toed Eagle 1, Buzzard 1, Kestrel 1, Monday 8 May Parakila Marsh Water Rail swam across open water between reedbeds in the distance. Then later a photogenic one swam right in front of my car.
Tsianas River above ford No Jack Snipe today, but a male Little Bittern showed well. Constant stream of Sedge Warblers working their way at ground level upstream. Monti Perivolis Monastery
Not much bird wise but good for butterflies and dragonflies Gavatha Harbour White Wagtail
Ipslou Wood Lark, Blackcap, Collared Flycatcher, Blue Rock Thrush female, Persian Squirrel, Red Fox.
Tuesday 9 May Kalloni Salt Pans Alykes Wetlands At least 20 Black Storks on the small remaining patch of water, at dawn before the get out of the car photographer's arrive. Sheepfield Ring-tailed Harrier? Wednesday 10 May Skarla Kalloni Racetrack Rufus Bush Robin, black Marsh Harrier.
Thursday 11 May
Skarla Kalloni Sheepfield
Singing Rufus Bush Robin and several Red-throated Pipits
Field to west of saltpans A pair of Stone Curlew
Eventful flight back to Stanstead, the plane hit a pot hole taxi-ing to the runway caused a delay while the tyres were checked. The pilot aborted the landing at Stanstead at the last minute due to a plane taking off, being delayed.
Butterfly List (More to follow)
Red Admiral, Clouded Yellow Sp., Scarce Swallowtail, Small Heath, Small Copper, Spotted Fritillary, Orange Tip, Painted Lady, Eastern Bath White, Eastern Festoon, Black-veined White, Small Skipper
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