Lesvos – Day 3 – 19th April 2024

 A www.blueeyedbirder.com adventure:

Go West! Breakfast at the Pela was enlivened by the never ending Nightingale, noisy Spanish Sparrows and a fly through Hoopoe before we started to wend our way along the coast. Our first proper stop was on the outskirts of Agra where the low cloud swirled around the craggy slopes but did not prevent the birds from putting on a superb show. Cinereous and Cretzschmar’s were easily picked up on the boulders along with Blue Rock Thrushes in full display, Rock Sparrows, Western Rock Nuthatches, and fizzy Eastern Black-eared Wheatears and the cool flat light made viewing excellent.

Spanish Sparrow - Andrew Litchfield

We were just below the cloud

Blue Rock Thrush & Cinereous Bunting - Jim Willett

Blue Rock Thrush - Jim Willett

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear - Jim Willett

Several Tree Pipits had been brought down by the cloud and our first Stonechats were also found. Eastern Subalpine Warblers and Cirl Buntings were on the slope below us and beyond that we could hear Golden Oriole and Hoopoe in the Oaks further down while Ravens kronked overhead. Not a bad start at all.

On again and onto the Eresos to Sigri track. The usual Buntings and Wheatears were seen on the way up to the Oak Tree of Happiness where female Pied Flycatcher was noted and then over the cattle grid to the saddle above the two valleys where skinny local race Northern Wheatears jostled with feisty Isabelline and scatty Eastern Black-eareds.

Isabelline Wheatear - Jim Willett

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear - Jim Willett

Woodlark - Andrew Litchfield

A Common Kestrel was hunting close by and Common Buzzards and a fine pale Long-legged Buzzard were found along with Peregrine and three Alpine Swifts. We bumped down towards the bottom passing Rock Sparrows on the way and found more around the little farm stead where they were utilising a Rock Nuthatch nest. A male Collared Flycatcher was up on the telegraph wires with several Whinchats and Buntings and a male Eastern Subalpine Warbler put on a magnificent show for us.

Rock Sparrow - Antony Wren

Whinchat - Andrew Litchfield

Whinchat - Andrew Litchfield

Eastern Subalpine Warbler - Jim Willett

Amongst the other Buntings singing I thought I could hear a Black-headed and was very pleased to find the first of several as we headed further down the valley. This was a species I was slightly worried about us not connecting with due to the early dates of this week. More Whinchats, Stonechats and a couple of showy Eastern Orphean Warblers were seen.

Black-headed Bunting - Andrew Litchfield

Down at the Pear Trees of Happiness we found two Wood Warblers on show while another male Black-headed Bunting watched on and Bee-eaters circled above.

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear - ACV

Lunch at the fig grove added Sombre Tit and several more Pied and Collared Flycatchers and some showy Orbed-underwing Skippers, Black-veined Whites and Bath Whites. Snake Eyed Lacertids scurried around our feet.

Collared Flycatcher - Jim Willett

Small Skipper - Jim Willett

Western Lesvos Bush-cricket - Jim Willett

Chequered Scorpion - minus sting - Jim Willett

Orbed Underwing Skipper - Antony Wren

Orbed Underwing Skipper 

Small Copper

Holy Orchid - Antony Wren

Labyrinth Spider - Antony Wren

Stone Huntsman - Eusparassus walckenaer - Antony Wren

Synema globosum - Antony Wren

Meladia was bird free but from here we could see Yelkouan Shearwaters passing offshore and a little further along I found two Pallid Swifts and the hoped for Little Owl on one of the usual farmstead posts. A female Citrine Wagtail flew by at eye level and briefly alighted on a wall.

 Little Owl - Antony Wren

We dropped down to the Sigri Cheese Sanatorium where Pied, Collared and Spotted Flycatchers were in the Almond orchard and along the ridge line there were 17 Lesser Kestrel, both Common and Long-legged Buzzards and several Short-toed Eagles. Onwards with the expected scenery photo stops.

 Blue Featherleg I think - Antony Wren

Small Skipper - Antony Wren

 Snake Fly - Antony Wren

Spilostethus pandurus - Antony Wren

Synaphe moldavica were abundant over the stony ground - Antony Wren

Phyllobius weevil sp - Antony Wren

Eastern Subalpine Warbler - Andrew Litchfield

Faneromeni was quiet in general but 35 Bee-eaters put on a stunning show and three parties of Turtle Dove moved through at pace. Common Redstart was a trip tick and another Peregrine was seen up over the ridge before we headed back over the top with a stop to check for Chukars at the Petrified Forest but only one was heard and drove out past the varied Wheatears and Buntings.

Woodchat - Antony Wren

Bee-eater - Andrew Litchfield

Bee-eater

Crested Lark

The new road over Ipsilou was at last completed and the bypass open past Antissa and in fact un beknown to us it the whole road from Sigri to Kalloni had been opened at lunchtime by the Greek President!

Perivoli Monastery was quiet and peaceful with just Nightingales disturbing the air and was our final stop of the journey home after a long and fruitful day. Needless to say the cats were made a fuss off.  Annoyingly House Sparrows were in my Wood Nuthatch nest hole!

House Sparrow - Andrew Litchfield

It started to rain at 10.30pm and was heavy enough to have even dampened the spirits of the otherwise indefatigable Nightingale.

Lesvos - Day 2 - 18th April 2024

 A www.blueeyedbirder.com adventure:

We opted for a post breakfast visit to Metochi and a slow drive past the Christou got the day off to a flyer with a fine Caspian Tern at out on the mud with its red monster bill glowing. Kentish Plovers scurried around and Black and Blue Headed Wagtails were around the edges while Black Storks and Flamingos were seen.

Caspian Tern 

Kentish Plovers - Jim Willett

Crested Lark - Jim Willett

A walk and drive around the lake was excellent with two reed fringe Little Crakes, Squacco and Purple Herons and Little Grebes as well as a host of Dragonflies including Red-veined Darters and Common and Lesser Emperors.

Purple Heron - Jim Willett

Squacco

Squacco - Jim Willett

A scopable Eastern Olivaceous Warbler is always a bonus- Jim Willett

A Great Reed Warbler grumbled away but remained out of sight and up above Long-legged and Common Buzzards, Peregrine and Short-toed Eagles were found with Alpine and Common Swifts zooming between.  I could hear Rock Nuthatches but they were too far up the slopes but we did find Eastern Black-eared Wheatears and a couple of large Starred Agamas.

Masked Shrike - Antony Wren

Masked Shrike - Jim Willett

Starred Agama - ACV

Levant Water Frog in the usual trough - Antony Wren

Stripe-necked Terrapin - Antony Wren

Two Swallowtail species along with Large Wall Brown, Orbed Underwing Skipper and Clouded Yellow were noted and several Chequered Scorpions were found under rocks.

Broad-bodied Chaser

Meadow Brown sp

Oriental Hornet

Brown Argus

Harvester Ants

Chequered Scorpion

Incoming! - ACV

Masked and Woodchat Shrikes obliged and a Collared Flycatcher was heard in the Wych Elms before we moved around to the lower part of the Potamia where Western Rock Nuthatches were feeding young at a nest along with singing Eastern Subalpine and Orphean Warblers. Cirl Buntings and even a male Cretzschmar's Bunting were found on the wires where more Woodchats were noted. 

Western Rock Nuthatch

Woodchat 

Chequered Scorpion  - Jim Willett

Woodchat - Jim Willett

Chequered Scorpion - Antony Wren

Sombre Tits were heard but eluded us for the time being while a Middle Spotted Woodpecker did the decent thing and landed on a telegraph pole briefly before giving excellent flight views – it would prove to be the best one all week!

Small Skimmer

Back for lunch at the Pela where the puppies entertained and Red-rumped Swallows, House Martins and Swallows splash bathed from the swimming pool and then back out to the KSP and environs for the evening. 

Puppy love - Jim Willett 

These four entertained us all week - all dumped, all off to new Dutch homes soon

A large Glow-worm

Copper Skink - only my second on the island

House Martin - Antony Wren

House Martin - Antony Wren

Red-rumped Swallow - Antony Wren

The waders were much the same although there were no calidrids this time but in the pan behind, four adult and a 1st-summer Little Gull were ample compensation as they are always a scarce species here.

Black-winged Stilt - Antony Wren

The Black Storks had reached 13 on Alykes along with exactly 40 gloriously vivid Glossy Ibis, 12 Little Egret and nine Grey Heron and a few Ruff and Wood Sandpipers. Suddenly a mass of flava Wagtails came up where we had seen none as they were being chased by a very unexpected female Merlin! I have only seen a couple of spring birds before.

Black Storks stalking

Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Black Storks

Glossy Ibises

Glossy Ibises

Glossy Ibises

Glossy Ibises - Andrew Litchfield

Black Stork - Andrew Litchfield

Glossy Ibises and Little Egret - Andrew Litchfield

Glossy Ibises

Merlin - Andrew Litchfield - still not sure how he got this shot!

Black Stork - Jim Willett

Down at the racecourse and sheepfields we soon had excellent views of Whinchat, seven Red-throated Pipits and 28 Short-toed Larks although Tawny Pipit proved elusive although the distant four Bee-eaters on the fence were a welcome sight indeed.

Common Tern - Andrew Litchfield

Short-toed Lark - Jim Willett

Red-throated Pipit

Short-toed Lark

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Blue-tailed Damselfly

The flowers on the beach was wondrous with Stocks, Red and Yellow Poppies and Woolly Chamomile. We bumped back through Loutzaria with two Hoopoes putting on a grand show on the track and Whinchats, Corn Buntings and Crested Larks all perching up.

Crimson Speckled

Corn Bunting - Antony Wren

Roadside Recovery Terrapin Service

Yellow-horned Poppy - Antony Wren

Lysimachia atropurpurea

The field by the big Mulberry held a Spur Winged Plover with two Stone-Curlews watching on, a host of brightly coloured flava Wagtails while a female Montagu's Harrier sailed through, dropped into a field and disappeared.

Spur Winged Plover

Stone-Curlew - Andrew Litchfield

Crested Lark - Antony Wren

Crested Lark - Antony Wren

Corn Bunting - ACV

A final push up to the Tsiknias riverbank for a slightly higher view gave us three Purple Herons, three Gull-billed Terns hawking the fields and the hoped for Montagu's once again along with a bonus 2^nd cy male Hen Harrier. Sedge and Reed Warblers were added to the list before a final look at the river mouth where the Gull-billeds had relocated to and were now sat amongst the Commons, a single Sandwich Tern and three 2nd cy Med Gulls and then capped off with four Caspian Terns flying in from the west before the whole lots moved east en masse! Quite amazing.

2^nd cy male Hen Harrier - Jim Willet

Poppies - Jim Willet

Purple Heron - Andrew Litchfield

Purple Heron - Jim Willett

Purple Heron - Jim Willett

Black-headed Wagtail - Jim Willett

Black-headed Wagtail - always a fine way to end a day