Despite the flight delays caused by the new Thomas Cook/First Choice partnership, once that the Manchester/Gatwick flight touched down at Miytilini and we disembarked it felt like coming home again.As we left the airport and headed inland for Anaxos, the air was filled with the heady scent of the broom that grows profusely all over the island.
Over the two weeks the weather was mostly sunny, though most days a wickedly cool wind blew from the north.
We wern't to be disapointed though, since Lesvos spring 2008 birding turned out to be as good as ever.
There were of course ups and downs, the Red Foots, Pratincoles and Spur Winged plovers hung around for pretty much all the fortnight.
Beeaters were everywhere and there was even a report of a blue cheeked.
We had the best 2 weeks of raptors ever, with Short Toed Eagles being seen practicaly everywhere, some of which appeared to be in a very ragged state though, leading to our contemplating that they might have been shot at (or is this part of a natural process ?).
An Imperial Eagle had been seen, which we may have run into near the Petrified Forest wind farm whilst tracking a short toed eagle.
Earlier we also thought that we'd also got a Black Kite, but were unfortunately unable to confirm that either.Black storks were showing well and there were plenty of little bittern's to keep us entertained.
However we dipped on Marsh Sands and a Broad Billed Sand that had been seen on the Salt Pans Channel.
Also apart from a fleeting glimpse of what might have been a little crake in flight at the inland lake, we were unable to locate any other crakes and never heard of any being spotted either(If anyone heard of a little crake at the inland lake on Wed 14th May, it would be nice to hear from them. )
Chats, bush robin and some buntings also did not seem to be as common as other years.
A greater spotted cuckoo (possibly 3) turned up near Petra reservoir, which had been drained by the way.
Whilst we had been tipped off about this bird we only got to see it by accident.
Our holidaying neighbour, Ian, also turned up hoping for a photo op. Although we had heard birds calling on the morning of Sat 10th May, we wern't certain that it was the birds. Ian played a recording to confirm it with us and as he did so one of the birds shot across the Sikaminia road into a bush, never to be seen by us again despite several attempts. Although we understand that two birds did put on a good display for many other birders.
(more to follow)
