Lesvos 6 - 13 May 2010

This was a private holiday week with my wife, Liz, after two weeks of tour leading groups on the island. It was a slow, hot week (hottest spring week I've ever known on Lesvos), so, just short notes for each day with highlights of birds seen.

Thursday, 6 May 2010

A day off! I bid farewell to my second group at the hotel and didn't have anything else on so spent the day relaxing, catching up on some birdlog items inc. a pleasant drink with Killian Mullarney at the Kalloni Bay hotel whilst catching up with reports from their log, and with Thekla and Pela, daughters of the owners of the Pela Hotel whilst checking out their hotel bird log.

Off airport beach - Scopoli's Shearwater - 23+ following fishing boats into Mytilini

Skala Kallonis - Night-heron 7, Purple Heron 1 and Squacco Heron 8 - all over Skala Kallonis at dusk.

Friday, 7 May 2010

Kalloni Saltpans flood - Broad-billed Sandpiper (a long overdue Lesvos tick for me!), Collared Pratincole, Mediterranean Gull (11), Marsh Sandpiper, Little Stint (110), Bee-eaters.

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint - Hen Harrier r/t, Eleonora's Falcon, Red-footed Falcon, Lesser Kestrel, Long-legged Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle.

Vafios - Eleonora's Falcon, Red-backed Shrike and loads of Subalpine Warblers on cross country track from south of Vafios towards Stypsi.

Saturday, 8 May 2010

Metochi Lake - Spotted Crake, Little Crake 2, Little Bittern 3, Red-footed Falcon, Bee-eaters.

Kalami Marsh - Whiskered Tern 1, Squacco Heron 2, Little Egret 35, Ruddy Shelduck 2.

Mesa - Ruddy Shelduck 18, Great White Egret 6, Black Stork 1, Grey Heron 4.

Achladeri - Kruper's Nuthatch (2 active nests), Masked Shrike (inc. nest building), Short-toed Treecreeper; dragonflies inc. Odalisque and Blue (Scarce) Chaser.

Parakila Marsh - Eleonora's Falcon, Curlew Sandpiper 1.

Krakala harbour and marsh - Black Stork 1, Little Egret 2, Shag 9 offshore.

Kalloni Saltpans flood and fields - Rufous-bush Robin 2+, Red-footed Falcon 1, Collared Pratincole 1, Little Egret 24, Glossy Ibis.

Sunday, 9 May 2010

Day out west aborted due to brake problem with vehicle. Top marks to Tsalis who collected the car, took it back to their workshop and got the brakes fixed and the car returned to me by mid-afternoon - all on Sunday! I'd like to see many other car hire companies manage that!

So, the day spent with friends around Skala Kallonis inc. lunch with Thekla at Pela Hotel (thank you Thekla!).

Platania - Olive-tree Warbler 4+ at cattle grid site, Masked Shrike 5+, Golden Oriole 3+, Sombre Tit, Orphean Warbler, Long-legged Buzzard 6+, Short-toed Eagle, Common Buzzard.

Monday, 10 May 2010

A day spent day-guiding a couple of Skala Kallonis-based birders to the west of the island.

Lardia Valley - Crag Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Blue Rock-thrush, Cretzchmar's Bunting.

Vigla (nr Ipsilou) - Isabelline Wheatear, Eleonora's Falcon.

Ipsilou - Eleonora's Falcon 3, Rock Sparrow, Cinereous Bunting, Isabelline Wheatear, Rock Nuthatch, Wood Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Buzzard.

Petrified Forest road - Northern Wheatear, Cinereous Bunting, Black-headed Bunting.

Faneromeni - Litlte Bittern 6, Night-heron 1, Squacco Heron 1, Common Snipe 1, Bee-eaters.

Meladia Valley - Rufous Bush Robin, Purple Heron 1, Little Bittern 6, Peregrine.

Tuesday, 11 May 2010

Alikoudi Pool - Broad-billed Sandpiper 6 (!), Curlew Sandpiper 10, Kentish Plover 18, Grey Plover 3, Ringed Plover 3, Ruff 3, Little Stint 31, Wood Sandpiper 6.

Two of the six Broad-billed Sands, Alikoudi Pool, 11 May 2010 © Steve Dudley

Wednesday, 12 May 2010

Skala Eresou - Penduline Tit - male still visiting nest on and off; Night-heron 1.