Lesvos - The Family Week - 3rd -10th May 2026

3^rd May

I picked up Andrea and my parents in the cold driving rain and headed back across island.  It was 8c!  An unpack and then the traditional poodle out to the KSP where the Lesser Flamingo was still parading around in all his glorious pinkness.  It was tough down at the pools but there were still lots of heron action.  It was the coldest day in Greece since 1946 and there was enough snow in Northern Greec for the skies to come back out!

4^th May

Pallid Swifts joined us for breakfast although sitting outside was a little chilly!  And off West we went stopping at Perivolis so that Andrea could get her cat fix with our regulars.  All six were present and correct and thankfully no additions have appeared.  A short walk to the big Olive along the river gave Dad and I Spotted Flycatchers and the Medium-tailed Tits along with a singing Garden Warbler.  

Woolly Broomrape - Orobanche pubescens

Long-tailed Tit - juvenile

Long-tailed Tit - juvenile

There were five Red-backed Shrikes lurking in the trees and as we left a Middle Spotted Woodpecker landed on a tree where we saw one briefly last week and annoyingly it went into a nest hole that I had not noticed before.  Sorry Liam!  I think they must have still been brooding as it did not immediately come back out again.

The kids

Red-backed Shrike

Sigri was a little windblown but a Roller was still up on the wires as we drove down but down at the Upper Ford where we had lunch there were almost no birds whatsoever but it was out of the breeze and the sun was trying its best. 

Roller - you always have to at least try and take a pic of a Roller!

From here I drove us up to the top fields where a male Levant Sparrowhawk surprised me with a very close fly by before our walk down into the valley below.  There were a few warblers to be found with the three ‘Easterns’ along with a grumbling Olive Tree Warbler and surprisingly another male Barred Warbler that sung briefly and then got together with a male Red-backed Shrike buddy for a forage around the Giant Fennel – him down below and the Shrike up on top.  

juv Blue Tit in the Fennel

Blue Tits - not sure if I have ever taken a pic of one here before?

Red-backed Shrike - Barred Warbler scolding out of sight below

There were a few Butterflies and I found the rear end of one of the White-toothed Shrews sticking out of the rocks in the wall.  It was very much alive and the tail was twitching and it was obviously in conversation with another deeper in.  I took a couple of rubbish pics but from these and the length of the tail it would seem to be Bicoloured White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura leucodon).

Bellardia trixago

Giant Fennel

False Dittany - Ballota pseudodictamnus the family name may have now changed

Helichrysum stoechas

Giant Fennel

A Wood Warbler flicked out of an olive, Collared Flycatcher called and across the whole area we did well with Shrikes with two Lesser Grey, three Masked, 11 Woodchat and another 20 or so Red-backed.  Black-headed Buntings were in in force and back down towards the road afterwards we found flocks of males in the fields and on the wires.

Lesser Grey Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Woodchat Shrike

There were Turtle Doves around the sheep trough still and the next field down we found a Hoopoe in a big Fig tree and then when we pulled up a female Barred Warbler popped up in the only bit of Fennel!  I stopped but the water tap and a Golden Oriole appeared in the Fig down this end too so I opted to get out and have a proper check.  There were more Cirl and Black-headed Buntings here and the Barred Warbler said hello again before a Wryneck hopped up onto the fence for ten happy seconds!  Classic Lesvos.

Turtle Doves

Golden Oriole

Cirl Bunting

Wryneck

I took us back along the Sigri-Eresos track passing Jackdaws and Rock Doves through the village before we began.  It was relatively quiet but there were also many Black-headed Buntings and Red-backed Shrikes here and a few extras such as a female Red-footed Falcon, three Eleonora’s, another Roller and a few Rock Sparrows and Eastern Black-eared Wheatears.  A singing Icterine Warbler in the Meladia Chapel Cypresses was the best find.

Cretzschmar's Bunting - aka Lichen & Rock-coloured Bunting

Cretzschmar's Bunting

Cretzschmar's Bunting

Masked Shrike

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear - Jim Willett

juv Stonechat - Jim Willett

5^th May:

Up and over the top today but as I saw Steve and Gina’s vans in the Soumaria Eucalyptus car park, I too pulled in and within a couple of minutes we were sharing their Scops Owl.  Thanks folks!

Up to Kavaki for that view.  The sea was devoid once again but the Blue Rock Thrush was displaying and a Golden Oriole was singing up behind us and Sardinian and Subalpine Warblers were below. 

Perasma was still poor for inverts – I am not quite sure what was going in this spring and those pesky Great Spotted Cuckoos failed to make themselves known once again but we did quite well with two Marsh Warblers – one of which was in full song with an impressive range of mimicry and then a River Warbler started up in the field behind them but I could not find it.  Two male Golden Orioles were in conversation, Hoopoes sung and Alpine Swifts zoomed around.  Unlike last week the first rock I turned over had both Scolopendra and a Chequered Scorpion under it.

Red-veined Darter - Jim Willett

 Scabious

Snake Eyed Lacertid

Scolopendra

Chequered Scorpion 

From here we had lunch with the view at Argenos and I was somewhat stunned to see a thick covering of snow over the high Turkish peaks opposite.  I can’t even remember them having snow on our January visit?  

Turkish snow caps

It had warmed up enough to head down to Skala Sikimeneas for an ice-cream at Kavos before the rest of the circular road took us along the high coast road past Wrens and Robins and then down to the Alykes Wetlands for a much more pleasurable session that began with the 2cy female Montagu’s Harrier at last as she was blown over the pans and then across the fields to Loutzaria.  There were four Little Gulls and two Whiskered Terns with five White-winged Blacks and a smaller number of waders now but 25 Ibis still probed around.

2cy female Montagu’s Harrier 

White-winged Black Tern - Jim Willett

White-winged Black Tern - Jim Willett

A few Black Storks were dotted around but I also had 13 heading high and north so perhaps the time to move on is near.  Bee-eaters were also on the move high up and there were many hirundines floating around.  The lack of drifts of little roadside bodies following the conditions and scenes on the 3^rd was encouraging and it felt like most pulled through.

Black Storks

Spanish Sparrow

That evening I tried for Nightjars and River Warblers around the Pasiphae but had no joy although the Scops Owls were singing well.

6^th May

A nicer day at last and so I took us up to Agriosikos for a walk along the track.  It was very pleasant and the Eastern Bonelli’s Warblers once again showed and we heard quite a few.  Two singing Masked Shrikes showed on tree tops and we pcked up the selection of upland woodland birds again which included those I could not find last week with Wood Nuthatch, Hawfinch and Mistle Thrush to go with the Medium-tailed Tits, Sombre Tits, Wrens, Robins, Cuckoos and showy Nightingales.

Nightingale

Nightingale

Masked Shrike

Short-toed Treecreeper

There were still many Eastern Festoons on the wing and the odd Small Copper, Orange Tip and Green Underside Blue but it still felt somewhat lacking.

A Buprestid Jewel Beetle - Capnodis tenebricosa

Chrysotoxum intermedium

Broad-bodied Chaser

Small Copper

Eastern Festoon

Mediterranean Hartwort - Tordylium apulum

Filia

Lunch was due in Petra at 'Kalderimi' and so I took the other way in along the coast seeing five Eleonora’s Falcons and a group of six Red-foots on the way.  As ever it was a fine ‘snack’ before re-finding the little bakers where we bought the Portokalopita in January.  I am very sure that he failed to cut the blocks into two and we ended up with double for our money and it has so much sugar in it that we even managed to bring half all the way back home!

'You will drop a small but tasty piece of chicken just here...'

Back at the Pela I took myself for a late afternoon walk around the block seeing a Glossy Ibis, Coot families and two Black-winged Stilts on the Kallonis Pool before finding two very showy Nightingales down near the Pasiphae entrance.

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler

Nightingale

The ‘Hidden Pool’ gave me 12 visible Night Herons and I inadvertently flushed a female Little Bittern from a ditch while checking every Bee-eater as usual in the hope that one day a Blue-cheeked will just appear in front of me.

7^th May

Out West again with Agra being the first stop.  It was still and calm here and a very good session was had with all five singing Buntings on view along with broods of Rock Sparrows, Sombre Tits, Rock Nuthatches and Stonechats.  A male Peregrine was perched up on the very top where the Blue Rock Thrushes also sat prominently and a perched big pale raptor had me stumped for a while until I twigged that it was a Honey Buzzard.  I suspect it may be the first time I have ever seen one on the deck.

Cretzschmar's Bunting

The Eresos to Sigri track was tackled again in a more relaxed manner.  There were fewer Shrikes but we did see a few warblers including the Icterine once again and single male Collared and Pied Flycatchers.  Passage was definitely slowing down and only Black-headed Bunting numbers were going up. 

Western Rock Nuthatch - Jim Willett

Cirl Bunting - Jim Willett

Black-headed Bunting

We found a few falcons with 12 Lesser Kestrels, four Eleonora’s and two Red-foots along with the three breeding Wheatears, Rock Sparrows, Bee-eaters and a single Laughing Dove.

A paddle on the beach at Sigri and then back over the top where a calling Chiffchaff and the Ravens were the only notables on the top of Ipsilou.

That evening as I was getting ready for bed a message on the group from Ian B about two Nightjars flying around the Pela had me out on the balcony in seconds and there they were illuminated by the lights of the pool before gliding off into the night once more.

8^th May

A poodle around Potamia and a pleasant walk up the river saw a wonderful display of flora but still almost no insects at all with just a few butterflies and two White-legged Damselflies.  Four Olive Tree Warblers were singing in the olives and occasionally showing and I also found a male Red-backed Shrike and four Maskeds too.  Turtle Doves were in all directions which is always worthy of a smile.

Blue Lupin - Lupinus pilosus

Carmine catchfly - Silene colorata

Dragon Arum - Dracunculus vulgaris

Honesty - Lunaria annua

Salvia cistus - Cistus salviifolius

Stavesacre - Staphisagria macrosperma - a wild Delphinium

Syrian Thistle - Notobasis syriaca

Undulate Alaknet - Anchusa undulata

Mullein sp - forgot to get a pic of the leaves!

Wild Hollyhock - Alcea setosa

Wild Hollyhock - Alcea setosa

Woolly Broomrape - Orobanche pubescens

White-legged Damselfly

Chafers on Milk Thistle

Snake-eyed Lacertid

Gardener Ants

Aegean Meadow Brown

Aegean Meadow Brown

Eastern Bath White

Metochi was quiet but I did find a day singing Scops Owl jammed into a garden olive where it got set off by the monster hound woofing there. 

Thekla's horse

The Owl Hound - note high fence

Carabus coriaceus

Levant Water Frog

Stripe-necked Terrapin

Black & Yellow Flat Millipede - Melaphe vestita

Iris orientalis

Masked Shrike

Bee-eaters

The Bee-eaters at the Kamares were already digging burrows in the sand

We all had lunch with Alison up at Cloud 10 in Petri which was a lovely new place to eat with huge views across Petra and the sea beyond.  A Scops Owl was calling up here too and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers were feeding young in a dead poplar from the dining area.

Petra from Petri

Early evening down at the Alykes Wetlands gave Dad and I a good selection but we were just too late for the Broad-billed Sandpiper but the light was superb and it was fun scanning through 85 Little Stints, Wood Sands and Ruffs.  There were also six Curlew Sands, two Marsh Sands, Spotted Redshank, two Greenshank and two Temminck’s Stints. 

Ruff - Jim Willett

Ruff - Jim Willett

Glossy Ibis - Jim Willett - simply stunning shot

There were still 28 Black Storks and a smattering of Ibis, Spoonbills, Herons and Egrets. Six Red-footed Falcons were hunting out the back and Bee-eaters drifted over.  With a birder traffic jam well underway we came back to the Pela and after a short reprieve Dad and I popped back down to the Hide which gave me a view of the rest of the pool.  This is where the Stints had flown and it took me about ten minutes to refind the Broad-billed Sandpiper.  A smart stripy summer plumaged bird.  I put the news out but I think everyone was having dinner.  The four Ruddy Shelducks glowed orange and there were now 17 White-winged Black Terns to round up a rather relaxed day.

Black Stork

Greater Flamingos

White-winged Black Terns 

9^th May

I stopped at Papiana on the way out and found the now very independent young Long-eared Owls way down in the pines and glaring balefully down at us.  They grow up so quickly.   On to Achladeri where a new nest of Krupers Nuthatches was available but a quick stop alongside the Bay was required to watch a pod of four Bottle-nosed Dolphins that were slowly cruising through the mirror calm water.  I have only seen them in the Bay itself a couple of times before.

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - this one had a pale fine tip

Bottle-nosed Dolphin

Rain up Potamia

Down at the forest we only had to few minutes for both parent Kruper's Nuthatches came in with food.  Last year’s nest in the closer tree was occupied by House Sparrows.  The mossies were biting hard so we carried on to Skala Vasilikon where Olive Tree Warblers were quickly heard and the usual selection of other warblers were singing heartily in the groves along with Masked Shrikes and Cirl Buntings.  We found ten Red-backed Shrikes too and Black-headed Buntings were singing from the wires in the open farmland areas.

An educational juvenile Serin

juvenile Serin

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Masked Shrike

Bean Broomrape - Orobanche crenata

Black Garlic - Allium nigrum

Cachrys libanotis

Cachrys libanotis

Corn Marigold - Glebionis segatum

Gladiolus italicus

Holy Orchid - Anacamptis sancta

Spiny Sowthistle - Sonchus asper

Spiny Sowthistle - Sonchus asper

Spiny Sowthistle - Sonchus asper

Three Horned Stock - Matthiola tricuspidata 

Wavy-leaf Sea Lavender - Limonium sinuatum

Woolly Chamomile - Anthemis tomentosa

Yellow-horned Poppy - Glaucium flavum

The Poly Pans were quiet but the few waders there showed closer and we did not linger too long.

Avocet

Tundra Ringed Plover

Tundra Ringed Plover

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Coffee at the reggae café was quiet and relaxing and Grey Wagtails were calling in the river below us before a brief stop at the Evertagolous River where Odalisques danced.  The river was completely open and the winter storms had removed all the Plane trees that were carpeting the river bed in January but I think that they same storms that have rejuvenated it have stripped most of the Odonata larva out for this season.

Odalisque

White-legged Damselfly

Muscovy Pygmy Cormorant - well, I was momentarily confused when I saw it having a bath at 100m range

The Mesa Poppyfields

I tried, and failed to convince the family that this long bit of bubble wrap was a huge shed snakes skin...

10^th May

Going home(ish) day saw us packed early and saying our farewells and nipping around the coast to Charamida in the hope of seeing the Ruppell’s Warblers this time.  The weather was glorious and the bird’s showed well if briefly but we soon realised that they had a nest close to the road and so we all moved back.  I really think that this species here is best well before the end of April before they settle down and start to go quiet.

Sardinian Warblers are always more showy here and Cretzschmar’s Buntings and Eastern Orphean Warblers gave us the send off that we wanted.

Cretzschmar’s Bunting

The airport was as un-traumatic as usual and it was a good journey back to England but I did not go home, no, we all came back to Mum and Dad’s had some dinner, repacked my bag once again, set Andrea on her way back to Lowestoft before I headed off to Gatwick to await my early flight back to Thessaloniki the following morning.  I was not quite done with Greece yet.