Myself and four other local birders including Mark Stubbs,Lee Greenhough and Ian Barber have just returned from a very enjoyable week in Lesvos.We stayed at the well known Kalloni 2 hotel and rented a car at Mytiline airport from Hertz.Flights and accommadation were arranged through First Choice as a basic package deal.Ian had visited before and knew the sites featured in the well known book "Birding in Lesvos".I will not list every bird seen as I think everyone knows what to expect and lists take ages to type but will try to concentrate on the birds which were of most interest to us.The tour guides we spoke to told us at the end of the week it was by far the best year for ages in terms of numbers and variety of birds and migration had only really started in earnest the day we arrived.
We found that information was freely shared both ways and there was a feel good factor on the Island amongst the birders.As we are all relative novices of foreign birding we did struggle with some birds and some went unidentifed including a very pale strikingly red tailed first summer red backed type shrike,which some people were happy was an Isabelline but we put it in the too difficult catagory as there was plenty else to see.
Day 1
After checking in we checked the pool immediately outside the hotel and the water level was high after vast amounts of winter rainfall on the island.A Bittern was present here as well as numerous Squacco Herons,Little Bitterns and several Purple Herons.A party of 20 or so Glossy Ibis also fed here.On to the Kaloni Salt Pans all the commoner waders were added and a Great Snipe found by some Dutch (I think) birders was seen well at close range.A party of five Red Footed Falcons fed around this area and we recorded Red Foots most days.Two Red Necked Phaleropes were present here also.The amounts of White Winged and Whiskered Terns in full summer plumage was an awesome sight.Mark then picked out a superb Citrine Wagtail.
I was already struggling to come to terms with the variety and amounts of birds as most of my time is spent at Sandbach Flashes loooking at distant and very few waders.We moved on to the Krupers Nuthatch site at Achladeri and within fifteen minutes were ticking off yet another lifer.Also at this site we had the first of 6 or so Lesser Grey Shrikes and the first of 10 or so sightings in the week of Collared Flycatcher.Middle Spotted Woodpecker and the first Orphean Warbler of the trip meant we had seen 80 species before many of the arriving birders had got there scopes out.
Day 2
Day two we set out for the road/track which joins Sigri and Eressos for the White Throated Robin which we knew could be a difficult bird to see on the island.En route we stopped at a layby and saw what was to be the only Levant Sparrowhawk of the trip circling the side of the road.Rock Nuthatch,Cretzschmars Bunting and Alpine Swift were also seen here.After 3 or so Kilometres of the Sigri to Eressos road we arrived at a small marshy area where the water crosses the road known as the ford.Another 100 metres or so several birders were anxiously scanning some scrub to the land side of the track and within minutes we had stunning veiws of the Robin which although it could be elusive showed well at times also in this area were Barred Warbler,2 Rollers and 3 Golden Orioles.A stunning Baillons Crake showed to a few metres in the marsh at this site.Also present in this area were many of the commoner warblers and the first of two Sardinian Warblers seen in the week.A brief stop at the bottom of the road to Ipsilou monastery produced Isabelline Wheatear but we failed with Cinereous Bunting and Rock Sparrow.Several Eleonoras Falcons saw the total of species seen rise to 113 after the second day,(We thought we were doing well until we spoke to an organised tour who managed 150 species in there first two days).The birds we had seen though had been seen well and enjoyed by us all.
Day 3
From first light we birded the East River and Inland Lake areas.Rufous Bush Robin by the derelict disco/night club being a lifer for all but Ian.Gull Billed Tern,Red Throated Pipit,Collared Pratincole,Short Toed Lark and Little Crake were all added that morning.The first of dozens of Bee Eaters flew overhead.The afternoon we birded the Petra to Molyvos road and saw Ruppells Warbler well along with Blue Rock Thrush with Short Toed Eagle and Long Legged Buzzards seemingly ever present overhead.
Day 4
We started the day locally and it was clear there were still vast numbers of birds on the move.After breakfast we headed for the Devils Bridge area where Cinereous Bunting was once again dipped but the first of many Sombre Tit's were seen.A Scops Owl stakeout at the local school playground (no jokes please) produced a lovely bird expertly pointed out by a local lady after five birders had looked for half an hour fruitlessly.The afternoon saw us heading for The Napi Valley where at least three Olive Tree Warblers were heard and seen.This area can be found by driving up the track past the first cattle grid and viewing the area of oak and olive trees(mentioned in Brooke's book).Three Slender Billed gulls were then twitched at the mouth of The East River.
Day 5
We decided to again visit the area where the White Throated Robin had been seen as this area just seemed to have so much potential and we were determined to find Cinereous Bunting and Rock Sparrow around Ipsilou.Twelve Lesser Kestrels were the first definites of the trip by the road approaching Sigri.In a stand of obvious pines by a chapel on the Sigri to Eressos road we stopped for two hours and saw Icterine Warbler,Thrush Nightingale and hundreds of Spotted Flycatchers and Black Headed Buntings.River Warbler was heard but seen only briefly by Mark.Ortalan Bunting and the first Crag Martins of the trip were seen at the Robin site along with male Little Crake.Little and Baillons Crake had been seen by many birders side by side at this site earlier in the day.Back at Ipsilou we caught up with Cinereous Bunting and Rock Sparrow while Lee found an Eastern Bonelli's Warbler in the bushes behind the monastery itself.Day 5 finished with 154 species seen.
Day 6
Day 6 started with a Spur Winged Plover on the West River found by Sandbach regular Bob Brown.A climb through the woodlands above Agiassos produced local scarcities Song Thrush and Short Toed Treecreeper but a two hour raptor watch at the top produced only Honey Buzzard.Four Whimbrel on the West River were apparently a good find later in the day.
Day 7
Day seven was spent birding the area around Skala Kaloni and Kaloni as we were all knackered from all day birding and four hour booze sessions each evening.
We ended the week with 170 species which if we hadn't got pissed every night and been better at identifying raptors in flight could have been more.Birds seen by others that we missed included Great Spotted Cuckoo,Bonellis Eagle,Lesser Spotted Eagle,Marsh Warbler and some of the scarcer for Lesvos species eg Long Tailed Tit,Coal Tit.We also managed not to see Chukar.
After visiting Majorca last year and now Lesvos I can certainly understand why people get addicted to birding abroad, the potential of Lesvos must still be massive as everyone seems to concentrate on the known sites as we ourselves did.There are large areas which must be untouched by birders.
Apologies for the various spelling mistakes and botched together format but I wanted to get something down while it was fresh in my memory and notebook and hopefully help birders visiting soon.Feel free to contact me privately for further information on sites,locations etc and I will help all I can.
Andy Firth
Nice one Andy, I am just a bit pi**ed off as I arranged a tour for my local RSPB group for that week ( you probably bumped into them ) and had to bail out due to work commitments.
david