Blue Eyed Birder: Lesvos - Day 10: 17th September 2022

It was a little hot out here and certainly quieter ornithologically speaking than previous visits but there are always other distractions if you take the time to look. A Giant Asian Mantis joined me for breakfast and I found some Common Swallowtail caterpillars on Fennel in the supermarket car park whilst popping out to get some supplies.

Giant Asian Mantis

Common Swallowtail cat

While the rest of the family relaxed I took myself out on a 3.5mile circuit on foot to the Tsiknias and back through Papiana which produced Red-veined and Southern Darters and Violet Dropwings adopting the obelisk position on top of dead stems, Common, Long-tailed and Lang's Short-tailed Blues, Small Coppers and Millet and Mallow Skippers were attracted to the Brambles.

Red-veined Darter

Southern Darter

Freyer's Grayling

Millet Skipper

Lang's Short-tailed Blue

Long-tailed Blue

Common Blue

Common Blue and very tatty Small Copper

Common Blue

Meadow Brown sp

Painted Lady

Small Copper - I presume

There were countless Honey Bees, Wasps, Oriental Hornets, Hoverflies, an Anthidium species of Bee and a striking Tachinid with a Conopid like body. Red and Black Shieldbugs were on the Fennel and the Firebug that likes the Stranglewort was seen too.

Cylindromyia sp - a Tachinid - Thanks Phil C

Episyrphus balteatus

Eristalis tenax (along with a smaller species that could have been E arbustorum)

Eristalis tenax

I have seen this large striking bee before and it resembles an Anthidium sp (the Wool Carder Bee of home). Any help with an id would be much appreciated

Red & Black Striped Shieldbug - (Graphosoma lineatum)

Lygaeus pandurus - I think

I even found several new plant species that I have not seen on the island.

Convolvulus betonicifolius

Linomium sp - these are a nightmare to id

Brambles - small but sweet

A small leaved prostrate Mallow

Black Nightshade

A superb dried allium head

Pomegranate

There were very few birds with just a couple of Red-backed Shrikes, Red-rumped Swallows, two circling Black Storks and an immature Purple Heron that headed back towards the hotels while Swallows, Red-rumped Swallows and House Martins hawked the fields in small numbers.

Purple Heron

A bored House Martin and two young Swallows

Red-rumped Swallow

adult Swallows

Foraging House Sparrows

Black-capped Jay

Spotted Flycatcher and House Sparrow

Goldfinches and House Sparrows

Red-backed Shrike

Crested Lark

One of only a handful of Willow Warblers encountered

A late-afternoon walk down to the beach for a shoreline paddle was timed perfectly to intercept three hulking Dalmatian Pelicans power gliding east back to the pans. The Junior Birds (sorry Tom and Harry) had seen a huge Seahorse in the Eelgrass close inshore so I thought it worth a look but there were no Horses but only some poorly Sea Hares that were being rolled unceremoniously up and down the beach.

I helped them to deeper water and then returned with Dad and a bottlequariam to pop one in for a look. Close up they had intricately patterned skin and vivid blue spots and although I did not see them at their best it was still a completely new family of animals for me. One even opened up a slot in one side and exuded vibrant purple ink to dissuade me of my rescue attempts!

They would all appear to be Blue Spotted Shaggy Sea Hare - Bursatella leachii - a species that naturally colonised the Med since the 1950's

A short Loutzaria and Pans circuit pre-dinner proved very quiet but beautiful although it was still very warm. There was a Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin and some Little Stints on the Pumping Station pan and Gina and crew had found a speedy Spur Thighed Tortoise in the verge before a final bump back through the middle where the male Red-backed Shrike was still in its favoured field.