Lesvos 4th/18th May 2006
Stepp Grey Shrike Lanius pallidirostris Faneromeni 16th May 2006
(4th May)
We arrived onto the island of Lesvos in the late afternoon, after clearing customs we set of on the coach to Anoxos. Lesser-Grey Shrike, White-Winged Black Tern and Greatear Flamingo were all seen on route. Arriving at the excellent Anoxos Hotel we off loaded our luggage and sat down with a few cold beers watching Alpine Swift and Red-Rumped Swallow flying overhead. We then sorted out the car hire for the following 2 weeks and retired to the hotel bar.
(5th may)
Picking up the cars a bit later than planed(to much amstel) we set off to the saltpans near Kallioni. On arrival there were marsh terns everywhere 60+White-Winged Black Tern and 30+Whiskered Tern flying up and down the river snatching insects off the surface. Scanning the area i saw Stone-Curlew, Black-Winged Stilt, Avocet, Little Stint, Ruff, Greater Flamingo and 30 Red-Footed Falcon on the surrounding hillside. Moving further down the road i noticed a large raptor heading my way i quickly jumped out of the car and set up the scope it was quickly identified as a adult Lesser-Spotter Eagle. Moving further we came flooded area oposite the works entrance these pools were full of birdlife, 12 Glossy Ibis, 8 Squacco Heron, 9 Gargany, Wood Sandpiper, Greenshank, LRP, Little&Temmincks Stint, Common Snipe and a Red-Necked Phalarope spinning around on the far pool.
Moving to the area near the barns we had excellent views of Collard Pratincole and Bee-Eater. After a fantastic morning we went to the Kallioni pools at Skala Kallionis and were soon watching Purple Heron, Little Bittern and more Glossey Ibis. As we were about to leave a Hobby was seen hunting Hirundines over the marsh
Collard Pratincole
Glossy Ibis
(6th May)
The day started with a visit to the Efthalou Valley, as we walked up the trail a Middle-Spotted Woodpecker was seen feeding on a dead tree. Moving futher on we saw Cretzschmars Bunting, Black-Eared Wheatear, Western Rock Nuthatch, 20+Red-Footed Falcon and a possible Stepp Eagle but it was to far away for a possitive ID, scanning the surrounding hillside we saw a Roller hunting insects from various perchs.
A move to the Ipsilou Monestry saw a massive movement of passerines moving through the Oaks at the bottom of the Monestry. Birds were everywhere 50+Wood Warbler, 150+Spotted , 80+Pied, 30+Collared and 9 Semi-Collared Flycatcher, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler,Garden Warbler, Blackcap and 1 Common Redstart.Also in the area were 5 singing Cinereous Bunting and a male Rock Sparrow.
Leaving the area we saw Woodlark, Hoopoe and Long-Legged Buzzard at various locations and a churring Nightjar was seen from the hotel balcony in the everning
Red-backed Shrike
(7th May)
I arrived at the Faneromeni area near Sigri at around 7.30am. The main purpuse of the visit was the reported White-Throated Robin but as the day progressed i never got the chance to look for it as yet again a huge movement of passerines were moving through the area. Flycatcher and shrike numbers were unbelivable, there was at least 300+Red-Backed Shrike between Sigri and Faneromeni, 50+Woodchat, 10+Lesser Grey, 3 Masked, and 1 Isabelline Shrike. 100+Spotted,100+Pied,20+Collared and smaller numbers of Semi-Collared Flycatcher. Golden Oriole were heard calling for most of the morning and 5 were seen together.Walking to the area near the old bridge i heard a Thrush Nightingale singing and after a lot of persistance managed to obtain goo views of the bird. Moving to the ford a couple of birders had found a reeling River Warbler but only very brife views were seen as it skulked low in the scrub singing a continious sewing-machine like song.
Heading back to sigri i stopped at the pine plantation and saw a singing Icterine Warbler + lots of flycatchers and commoner migrants.
Stopping at the crossroads area between Ipsilou & Andisa i saw 2 male and 1 female Isabelline Wheatear
Golden Oriole
female Pied Flycatcher
(8th May)
Driving down the approch road to Sigri i noticed a large number of falcons on the roadside wires, as i drove slowly nearer they turned out to be a mixed group of Lesser Kestrel & 32 Red-Footed Falcon. Turning off the main road i again headed towards Faneromeni Red-Backed Shrike and Spotted Flycatcher were almost on every fencepost. Stopping at the pine plantation there were still good numbers of passerines in the area 5 Pied &2 Collared Flycatcher, 6 Wood Warbler, 1 Icterine Warbler and Spotted flycacher all over the area.
Moving down to the ford there was 3 Little Crake & 1 Baillons Crake walking around in the open at the far side of the pool. Walking to the area where the robin had been seen i saw something fly into one of the trees White-Throated Robin but it quickly dropped out of the tree and into the scrub. Watching the area for the next hour i saw 1 male Barred Warbler,Collared Flycatcher, Icterine Warbler and Woodchat all in the same tree then the Robin reappeared on the edge of the tree for about 5mins befor it again dropped out of the tree and dissapeared into the scrub.Walking back down to the ford there were lots of commoner migrants flitting around the scrub area and Little Bittern, Purple Heron and Squacco Heron around the pool area.
Little Bittern
Squacco Heron
(9th May)
An early morning visit to the saltpans started with a massive number of White-Winged Black Tern and 50+Whiskered tern seen on the river at the side of the approch road, also in the corner were large numbers Little Stint and 30+Curlew Sandpiper. Driving to the pools near the work entrace there were fewer birds compeared to my previous visit and one of the pools had compleatly dryed out. 1 Gargany, 2 Squacco Heron, Whiskered Tern, and various waders were on the pool as i was leaving a group of 11 Collared Pratincole flew into the area hawking insects over the pool.
Heading to Petra Resovoir i saw 1 Tawney Pipit, Cirl, Cretzschmars and B.H Bunting, singing Orphean Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Great-Reed Warbler, Alpine Swift, White Stork and 300+Y.L Gull on the resovoir.
Gargany
Whiskered Tern
(10th May)
A walk around to look for the reported spur-winged plover only produced Fan-Tail Warbler and a few Little Egret.
Arriving at the saltpans i headed to the sheep fields birds in the area were, 1 Tawney Pipit, 3 Short-Toed Lark, White/Blue-Headed & Black-Headed Wagtail, 3 Grey Plover, Kentish Plover & Bee-Eater. A adult summer Mediterranean Gull & a 1st summer Little Gull were seen on the pool near the works entrance
(11th May)
An early morning visit to the layby near Petra gave good views of singing Ruppells Warbler, Orphean Warbler feeding its young on the nest, Blue-Rock Thrush and Peregrine.
Moving to Petra Resovoir we saw good views of Subalpine Warbler and a singing Cettis Warbler out in the open.
A drive along the the coast road from Efthalou to Skala Sykaminias Produced the following, 2 Peregrine, Elonoras Falcon, Goshawk, Short-Toed Eagle, Long-Legged Buzzard, Blue Rock Thrush, Somba Tit, Olivaceaus Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Cirl Bunting, Whinchat, Turtle Dove, 50+Blackbird, Nightingale and a calling Great-Spotted Cuckoo.
(12th May)
Early morning saw us outside the school at Keramio for Scops Owl nothing was seen in a quick seach of the area, i then played its call and got a response straight away as i carried on playing its call we pin-pointed it to be in a small group of olive trees but we still couldnt see it, it then flew from a olive tree just a few feet away and over into a nearby garden where it was lost.
Driving to the inland lake we saw 2 Black Crowned Night Heron ,a nesting pair of Western Rock Nuthatch, Sombra Tit and a few shrikes we therefore headed to the Potamia Vally area here we had excellent views of Olive-Tree Warbler and even found one nest building, also in the area was a Pair of nesting Masked Shrike, 3 Red-Footed Falcon, Short-Toed Eagle and Cirl Bunting.
Another visit to the inland lake in the late afternoon produced up to 9 Little Bittern sat in the dyke.
female Masked Shrike on nest
Night Heron
(13th May)
Red-rumped Swallow
Subalpine Warbler
(14thMay)
A visit to the Sigra area started with a sighting of Great-Spotted Cuckoo just outside Skoutaros flushed from a roadside tree as i drove passed but i couldnt relocate it. Arriving in the Faneromeni area there were still plenty of migrants in the area, Icterine Warbler, Great-Reed Warbler, Orphean Warbler, 4 Golden Oriole,Spotted Flycatcher,Turtle Dove, Whinchat and Rufous Bushchat. Heading back towards Sigra there were 9 Red-Footed Falcon and 4 Lesser Kestrel on the roadside wires.
Stopping at the gorge near Ypsilou i had some excellent views of Cragg Martin and Blue-Rock Thrush.
On a late afternoon visit to Molyvos to the cash machine i saw 250+Bee-Eater flying highover towards Turkey.
Red-footed Falcon
(15th May)
Visiting the saltpans once again i at last caught up with the Spur-Winged Plover that had been in the area it was at first very distance but as all the birders left it came within a few metres of where i was stood near the pool oposite the works entrance. There were also very large numbers of Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper in various locations around the saltpans. A walk to the sheep fields produce 1 Short-Toed Lark and 15+Black/Blue Headed Wagtail. Walking around the salt pans i saw Whiskered Tern, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, Avocet, Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Greenshank, Dunlin, LRP,Ringed Plover, Great-White Egret,Little Egret, Black Stork,White Stork, Bee-Eater, Spanish Sparrow, Olivaceaus Warbler and Whinchat
Spur-winged Plover
Bee-Eater
(16th May)
Arriving in Sigri there were once again a group of Red-Footed Falcon and Lesser Kestrel on the roadside wires. Driving down towards Faneromeni it was visable that there had been a large fall of migrants in the area as there was once again Red-Backed Shrike everywhere. 2 Chukar walked across the road as we headed down to the ford. Parking near the ford we met Duncan Walbridge who infomed me that he had just been watching a Stepp Grey Shrike in the fields near the pine plantation. We quickly jump back in the car and drove back up the track to were Duncan had last seen the bird. Walking around the fields there were large numbers of Lesser Grey, Woodchat and Red-Backed Shrike scanning the area with the scope i picked up a grey shrike with striking apricot coloured underparts, as i approched it flew on to the ground and began running around the short grassy area after insects, it had a habit of cocking up its tail every time it stopped. I could now see that the dark frontal band finished just in front of the eye and and the white wing patch was only on the primaries and didnt extend to the secondaries, the bill was huge and looked quite pale but the colour was hard to see due to heat hase. As i edged nearer it took flight to the other side of the field to were i followed it, but as i neared the bush it had landed in it shot out a flew to the other side of the river and was lost to view.
Walking back to the pines there were large numbers of Yellow Wagtail of all different races, and in the pines there were 2 Collared Flycatcher, 3 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Wood Warbler and 1 singing Icterine Warbler.
Driving back to the ford we saw Little Bittern, Purple Heron, 3 Golden Oriole and lots of commoner migrants.
(17th May)
Arriving back at the pine plantation just after first light we serched again for the shrike but the area had gone quite with most of yesterdays migrants gone. Birds in the area were 5 Yellow Wagtail ,10 Lesser Grey ,50+Red-Backed and 2 Woodchat Shrike, 2 purple Heron,and 40+Spotted Flycatcher. 1000s of Yelkouan Shearwater were flying east for most of the morning all along the coastline.
Driving to the ford there were 3 Golden Oriole, Black Stork, Short-Toed Eagle and a few common migrants.
Leaving the area i headed to the saltpans birds seen were Gull-Billed Tern, Whiskered Tern, Squacco Heron, White Stork , 100+Little Stint and 30+Curlew Sandpiper
(18th May)
The only birding done today was an hour seawatching at Mytilini before we had to board the plane for our return to Manchester.
This holiday ranks as one of the best 2 weeks birding you could have anywhere .I cannt wait to return to this amazing island .