Lesvos 1-8 May 08

Black-headed Bunting

A private holiday week (with Liz and friend Chris) after two weeks leading groups around the island for myself and Speyside Wildlife. A relaxed week of late breakfasts, leisurely birding and long taverna lunches!

Highlights -

1 May 08
Metochi Lake - Eleanora's Falcon 2, Spotted Crake 1, Little Bittern 3, Middle Spotted Woodpecker.

2 May 08
Kalloni Saltpans - Ruddy Shelduck 16, Red-throated Pipit 6, Collared Pratincole 1.

Tsiknias River - Temminck's Stint 3.

Kalloni Mini Soccer Pitch - Scops Owl 1.

Kalloni Bandstand Raptor Watchpoint - Honey-buzzard 1 (m), Levant Sparrowhawk 1 (f), Goshawk (imm m), Long-legged Buzzard 4+, Short-toed Eagle 4+, Black Stork 1.

Petra Reservoir area - River Warbler 1, Temminck's Stint 4, Red-backed Shrike 6+.

Hotel Pasiphae - Long-eared Owl 1.

Long-eared Owl at Hotel Pasiphae - record shot in the dark!

3 May 08
Lardia Valley - Eastern Bonelli's Warbler on territory, Eleanora's Falcon.

Voulgaris River - Ruddy Shelduck pr with 10 young, Bee-eater 50+.
Ruddy Shelduck with 9 (of 10) young on Voulgaris River

Lagkada Valley - Levant Sparrowhawk (m), Masked Shrike 2, Red-backed 4+.

nr Sigri - Levant Sparrowhawk (f), Red-footed Falcon (f).

Sigri Old Sanitorium - Red-backed Shrike 6, Masked Shrike 1, Lesser Kestrel 1, Peregrine 1.

Meladia River Ford - Blue-cheeked Bee-eater flock of 7 in off sea and over to north at 6.45pm, Hoopoe 1, Spotted Flycatcher 80+, Black-headed Bunting 40+, Whinchat 30+, Bee-eater 30+.

4 May 08
Platania - Thrush Nightingale 1, Honey-buzzard fem, Ortolan Bunting 4, Red-footed Falcon 8+, Black Stork 5+, Long-legged Buzzard 6+, Short-toed Eagle 4+, Woodlark 4+, Rock Nuthatch 4+, Orphean Warbler 4+, Hoopoe 4+, Masked Shrike 9+, Red-backed Shrike 6+, Raven 11+.
View from Platania looking south down the Napi Valley

Tsiknias River - Black Stork caught and ate a snake! Black Stork with snake

Kalloni Saltpans - Osprey 1, White-winged Black Tern 11, Whiskered Tern 1, Red-footed Falcon 5m, Temminck's Stint 2, Spotted Redshank 2, Ruff 465+, Little Stint 50+, Curlew Sandpiper 18+, Raven 1, Marsh Harrier 1.

Tsiknias River mouth - Mediterranean Gull 2 ads, White-winged Black Tern 2.

5 May 08
Meladia River Ford - Pallid Swift 110+ in one hour, Olive Tree Warbler 1, Red-breasted Flycatcher 2, Lesser Grey Shrike 1, Red-backed Shrike 18+, Tawny Pipit 2, Black Stork 2, Ruddy Shelduck 2.

Sigri Old Sanitorium - Rufous Bush Chat 1.

Ipsilou - Imperial Eagle 1, Honey-buzzard 1, Collared Flycatcher male, Marsh Warbler 6+, Red-breasted Flycatcher 1, Thrush Nightingale - lots of Blackcaps, Lesser Whitethroats, Willow Warblersm Pied Flys, etc.

Skala Eresou - Eleanora's Falcon 1, Garganey 5 in off sea.

6 May 08
Kalloni Saltpans - White-winged Black Tern 11, Whiskered Tern 3, Curlew Sandpiper 3.

Ruff and Curlew Sandpipers in the moat at Kalloni Saltpans

Achladeri - Kruper's Nuthatch, young just hatched by activity.

Platania - Olive Tree Warbler 6+.
Olive Tree Warbler at Platania

Kalloni Saltpans - Spur-winged Plover 2. Dipped on Broad-billed Sandpiper!

One of two Spur-winged Plovers in fields by Kalloni Saltpans

7 May 08
Alykes Wetlands - Citrine Wagtail 1 (m), Collared Praticole 5, Grey Plover 5, Spotted Redshank 1.

Messa Wetlands - Purple Heron 1.

Purple Heron at Messa Wetlands

Skamnioudi Pool - Temminck's Stint 1, Wood Sandpiper 70+, Ruff 36, Little Stint 24, Goshawk 1.
Polichnitos Saltpans - Eleanora's Falcon 1, Curlew Sandpiper 52, Little Stint 110+, Grey Plover , Black Stork 2.

Almiropodamos River (little ford north of bridge) - Ortolan Bunting 1, Little Bittern 1, Serin 1.

Small Pincertail along Milopotamos River