Lesvos - Day 8 - 20th January 2026

Last night we went out for dinner in Kalloni with Stamatis and Maria from the ‘Dionysos’ and decided to have a lazy morning save for staggering over to get the bread.  A short pop into town gave me a few minutes at the Kamares on the way back.  It was still cold and windy and the ‘small wader’ flock was about the same size by the Golden Plovers were missing again.  A Black Stork got blown towards Skala and three Spoonbills circled.

Black Stork and Olympus

More lazing and then I headed out at lunch time as I had agreed to meet up with Hilary from Skala Eresou who fancied an afternoon birding but I left a little early and went back past the Kamares where the Golden Plovers had reappeared.  I have still not seen one fly but at least this time some of them were wandering around and feeding.  Two female Marsh Harriers saw of a smart adult male.

Black Redstart at the beach

Black Redstart

Golden Plover

Golden Plover

Redshanks

I then checked out Kerami Reservoir in Potamia (yes, I have checked out the official names now on the big Birdwatching Boards) but there were just Coots and Little Grebes again. The name of the small old reservoir is actually Tsonia Pond and still had the Black-necked and Little Grebes but there were three Crag Martins hawking above it which was good.

On to Metochi, stopping on the way through the groves to check through a flock of 150 Chaffinches feeding under the trees but there were only a couple of Gold and Greenfinches with them.  Crested Larks scuttled around with them and House Sparrows, Great Tits and the odd Blackcap dropped in and out.  A Middle Spotted Woodpecker called and even perched up for a short while in an Elm before dropping back to the security of the Olives where two Persian Squirrels played chase.

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Many new lambs

Chaffinches

The lake was lacking in Pygmy Cormorants but there were two immature Great Cormorants again and a female Common Pochard which was the sort of thing I was after.  Whilst watching her I glanced up and realised that a Black Kite was not far above my head. Which was not what I was expecting at all!  It was a tatty immature bird with a good ear mask and very streaky underparts.  I mucked up my camera settings but still managed some shots before it circled off towards Potamia.

Great Cormorants and Pochard

Pochard

Black Kite

Black Kite

immature Black Kite - far streakier that I remember - just saying

Onwards and through the accessible section of Loutzaria where a stunning male Sparrowhawk hugged the path as it flew ahead of me only to be trumped by the male Hen Harrier once again.  There were good numbers of Crested Larks and several Stonechats as I worked my way towards my meet up point at Hide 3.

Hen Harrier

Hilary and I then headed down to the Eastern Pans and enjoyed good views of four circling Dalmatian Pelicans along with a good selection of duck and waders.  There were no Hen Harriers quartering but the Marsh Harriers and Ravens were continually putting up the duck off the Sheepfields which in turn spooked the Avocets, Curlews, Redshank and Grey Plover on the pans where the Flamingos positively glowed.  Thirteen Pintail were amongst the Mingos again.

Soaring Dalmatian Pelicans

Great Egrets stalked the olive grove margins and a Zitting Cisticola popped up briefly as we bumped back.  The light on the first pan was perfect so we stopped to check the wader flocks.  There were far more Little Stints and I counted 85 along with 210 Dunlin, 32 Kentish Plovers and two Ringed Plovers.  I had had it my head that with so many Little Stints around perhaps there was a chance of wintering Broad-billed Sandpiper?  I did not expect one to walk into view though! A strikingly stripy bird that I thought would actually be more subtle in winter plumage and I was pleased to have Hilary with me to share the moment.  She could see the different feeding action and head pattern as it slowly but methodically fed while the Little Stints scurried around it.  I am not sure if there has been a winter record before?  I have not even seen one in the autumn yet.

Back to the Alykes Sheepfields with a big grin.  The wind had dropped and although cold, it was nothing like the previous few evenings and we ventured up onto the mound to scan around. The duck, Spoonbills, Pelicans and Lapwings gleamed on the pools Gadwall were now at 18.  The glorious Greenfinch and Linnet flock perched up on the drinking pool bushes and in the strong sunlight you could see just how grey the males of the local race Greenies are.  Meadow Pipits flew around and Skylarks could be heard going chirrup. 

A male Hen Harrier appeared almost at our feet and we followed him all the way east before a young female appeared at the far end and worked its way back towards us.  An adult female soon followed and then then male came back.  Hilary was delighted by the show. Ravens popped and kronked and a Kestrel hovered.

Hen Harrier

Hen Harrier

Hen Harrier

Hen Harrier

Hen Harrier

Hen Harrier

Hen Harrier

The wind had kept the tide low once again and there were a few Curlews and Grey Plover on the sand and just off shore a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers snorkelled.  I had just been explaining about Sawbills when four little duck whizzed along the Bay –‘Smew!’ I shouted and frantically took some shots as four redheads rocketed off into the distance.  I have it in my head that Thekla found the last two in January 2017 in the saltpan channel.  For once I was quite speechless. This is the sort of thing I came out here to hope for and with five days of blowing north easterly I had got my reward.  Nine Mallard and three Shoveler flew into the Bay in a migratory line and splashed down for ten minutes before continuing onto the pans.  I am very sure that they too were newly arrived.

Smew

Smew

incoming Mallard

Dalmatian Pelican

Dalmatian Pelican - how low can you go?

Dalmatian Pelican

Black-necked and Great Crested Grebes bobbed along and I was surprised to find a Black-throated Diver close in too where it posed and preened to show Hilary all the prerequisite features.

arty Black-throated Diver

It was getting cold and the light was fading so we quite while we were ahead and worked our way back passing a telegraph wire hung heavy with Starlings and two adult Black Storks to round up a spectacular two hours and forty minutes of winter birding.

Starlings 

Black Storks

A lovely meal out with Eleni and Giorgos in Mytileni rounded up a rather splendid day.