Somehow we had gone all week without any rain but the
forecast for today was spot on and it was spitty spotty as we headed out. The morning began at Perivolis once
again. The shepherd there recognises me
and stops for a chat not that he has any English and me any Greek. There is no internet down there so I can’t
even retreat to technology but I know that ‘kryo’ is cold and we both agreed on
that!
It was very birdy’ once again down there with Chaffinches
all over the place and this time I also walked back up the road to look down
rather than up.Song Thrushes were
zipping around and I could hear the Redwing again along with many Blackcaps
that seemed to have a liking for the river bed with the Robins and Chiffchaffs.
Interestingly there were just ‘heweeters’ here.
Song Thrush
The Mistle Thrushes were ratting around and a pair of Middle
Spotted Woodpeckers were getting feisty with flared punky red crowns and at least
20 Siskins were in the Planes.The only
new arrivals were 13 Crag Martins which cruised up and down the valley and a Medium-tailed Tit put on a show for once.There was almost no light what so ever and
the rain started to get harder so it was time to head back over to the Pela to
see Thekla and her Dad (who was in fine form and looking well).
Mistle Thrush
Crag Martin
Medium-tailed Tit
Medium-tailed Tit
Medium-tailed Tit
Medium-tailed Tit
Lunchtime called and so of course the rain stopped as we
were back at the room but we soon headed back out and down to the KSP where of
course the rain reappeared.Thirteen
Lapwings were in a field on the way down and a Black-necked Grebe was in the
channel alongside.I took some pics of
some Shelduck and Flamingos noting a suspicious lump behind on the bank but in
the car I could not see anything special on the back of my camera.However, my hunch was correct and it was a hunkered
down Stone-Curlew and in fact there were three in the same shot!Must try harder!
Lapwing
Lapwing
Black-necked Grebe
Shelducks, 'Mingo and three lurking Stone-Curlews
A lull at the Alykes gave me 15 minutes and the Bay was calm
despite the rain and it was easy to pick up eight Black-necked Grebes, Great
Cresteds, 13 Mergansers and then five Black-throated Divers drifted past close
in. Just as magical as the other day.Nine Med Gulls were on the exposed sand with a pink Slender-billed and
four Black-heads and there were a few belly deep Flamingos and stop start Grey
Plovers.
Red-breasted Mergansers
Black-throated Divers
Black-throated Divers and the fishing boats
On the Sheepfield pools there were now 21 Gadwall and still
at least 11 Pintail amongst the four other dabblers.Only one Dalmatian Pelican and couple of Spoonbills
could be seen and with such poor light I gave up and drove around to the North
east pan to use the hide to look at the waders once again but nearly the whole
flock departed before I even set my scope up and went to the far end and only
returned as I drove back along the main road half hour later!I will let someone else refind the
Broad-billed Sandpiper.The channel was
full of Teal, Flamingos, Great Egrets, Grey Herons and Spoonbills and a ringtail
Hen Harrier was in the gloomy distance.
Back to town and a final bump around Metochi gave me the
female Pochard once again and a Pygmy Cormorant arrived as I was driving
off.I smiled and kept going and had a
final look at the Kamares where 120 Dunlin and now 51 Little Stints and there
were now 24 Redshank but only 68 Golden Plovers.
The afternoon was never to going to give me a final sunset
so it was back to the room to start to pack up ready for the flights home
tomorrow.A big storm is coming in
tonight so fingers crossed that it is all ok by lunchtime tomorrow.There will be no time for birding on the way
out tomorrow so I shall sign off now after a fantastic and opportunistic
holiday that delivered as I thought it might.If you love Lesvos please do come at other times of year.You will never be disappointed.
Off for a final dinner with Thekla and Nancy now - Kalinikta!
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