Day 1 : 23rd April : After a ridiculously smooth journey we
touched down in a sunny Lesvos raring to go and after a warm welcome from
Alison and Costas we picked up our cars and made or first ever attempt to
navigate our way through the narrow streets of the capital. After a couple of
misplaced turns we popped out the other side and hit the open road for Skala
Kalloni.
It seemed a little odd not being in a coach but it did not
inhibit the mobile birding with the usual Short-toes, hirundines and even three
Glossy Ibis en route. After a quick drop of the gear at the Pela and a hug with
Thekla we headed out for the salt pans.
It was nice to be back on the bumpy road with the windows
down and the sound of Nightingales, Eastern Olivaceous Warblers and Corn Bunting
wafting through while the ubiquitous Crested Larks scampered along in front of
us.
We stopped above the Lower Ford on the Tsiknias River and I
could hear a Penduline Tit calling from the willows where they nested last year
but it would not reveal itself. A male Red-backed Shrike was perched up and two
Great Reed Warblers gurked from the stands of mega reed along with both Reed
and even a Sedge Warbler. A scan of the margins revealed the expected Wood
Sandpipers (including an oiled bird) and a couple of creeping Temminck’s Stints
while both male and female Little Bitterns tried not to be seen despite being
in the open. Black-headed Wagtails were
coming down to drink and Little Ringed Plovers were cryptically lurking on the
gravelly bits.
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| Little Bittern |
We headed across the ford and through Lotzaria with not
another birder in sight and were able to pull over and watch 11 Bee-eaters
hunting from the big Mulberry on the way through. A Quail called from the
adjacent field and a male Whinchat perched up on some thistles.
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| Bee-eaters |
A couple more Black-headed Wagtail were on
the fragrant Pumping Station Pool but the Salt Pan Channel was pretty quiet but
the Black-winged Stilts were good in the evening sunshine and they were joined
by a motley assortment of un-ruffed Ruff.
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| Black-winged Stilt |
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| Black-winged Stilt |
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| Little Ringed plover |
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| Ruff |
Up on the corner two Zitting
Cisticolas were bounding round with energetic abandon and two each of Black
Stork and Great White Egret were on the prowl. You forget just how big a Black
Stork is until it flies low over your head!
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| Black Stork |
A Ruddy Shelduck and several Little
Ringed Plovers and Wood Sandpipers were on the pool behind the pumping station and
our first Lesser Grey Shrike gave some excellent views from the wires. That
black forehead and chunky bill always makes them look the toughest of the
shrikes I feel. Both Black-headed
Bunting and Red-throated Pipit flew through and a few more wagtails were down
for a drink before we decided that dinner beckoned and returned the way we had
come with seven circling Ibis for company.
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| Lesser Grey Shrike |
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| Glossy Ibis |
This gave us the chance to look for the crakes from the east
side of the river and it did not take too long to collect a chunky Spotted
Crake and diminutive male Baillon’s! The
former looked enormous compared to its little grey cousin.
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| Spotted Crake |
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| Baillon's Crake |
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| Baillon's Crake |
We bounced back for dinner and bed at the hotel pleased with
an afternoon well spent and the first batch of memories stashed away.
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