Lesvos Birding 2010 guided birding weeks on Lesvos

The best way to see Lesvos is on a guided holiday with an experienced bird and wildlife guide. And who better than the man who has written the book - A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos!

Holidays with Steve Dudley/Lesvosbirding.com
Join me and see just why so many people rave about Lesvos - many of them returning time and time again!

If your interested in joining me on Lesvos, email me to register your interest. I've visted the island annually since 2000 and have led over 20 bird trips on the island. Find reports, photos and lists of species seen from many of my presvious trips here.

Max group size 7 participants. B&B at Hotel Pasiphae in Skala Kallonis. Lunches - all at tavernas across the island. Evening dinner at a Skala Kalloni taverna.

The delightful Hotel Pasiphae in Skala Kallonis.

What does your holiday with Lesvos Birding/Steve Dudley entail? Click here to find out!

2010 weeks
Date and prices will be confirmed in August 2009.

I'm also available for private groups, spring and autumn, if you need someone to arrange your itinerary and guide/drive you around the island.

For previous trips see reports.

We enjoy our food on our Lesvos Birding holidays! We eat out every day for lunch and dinner using local taverans, occasionally the hotel, but always fresh, local produce including sardines, seafood, fabulous Greek salads - you won't go hungry!

Lesvos Birding at Birdfair 2009

I don't have a stand but I will be at the Birdfair (21-23 Aug) all three days. My fixed events are as follows -

Friday, 21 Aug
1100-1200 - book launch and signing, A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos, Subbuteo Books stand.

Saturday, 22 Aug
0930-0950 - Lecture - Lesvos - the jewel in the Aegean, Lecture Marquee 1
1100-1200 - book signing, A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos, Subbuteo Books stand.

Sunday, 23 Aug
1100-1200 - book signing, A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos, Subbuteo Books stand.

If you miss me and are interested in coming on one of my trips then feel free to call me on +44 (0) 7 767 787 287 (leave a message if I dont answer) to arrange a meeting at the Birdfair.

Lesvos in autumn - join me this September

From 17-24 September I'm leading a trip for Speyside Wildlife to Lesvos. The max group size is only six and there are still a couple of places remaining.

Autumn on the island is warm and pleasant, the birding is relaxing and it is a fabulous way of seeing the island and an introduction to Lesvos and eastern Med basin birds and birding.

Why not join me? For more info see here. For trip reports, inc. some of my previous autumn trips, see here.

White-throated Robin

Well, those of us on Lesvos during May scoured the island for one of the most sought after of Lesvos rarities, but its not been until yesterday (2 Jun) that the only 2009 record of White-throated Robin been seen at Ipsilou by a visiting German birder. See, good birds do still turn up outside the main spring weeks!

I've heard very little of what has been seen since I left the island on 15 May. Here are just a few of the more notable sightings -

21 May

Kalloni Saltpans flooded fields - Spoonbill 3, Glossy Ibis 9, Mediterranean Gull (2nd winter), Whiskered Tern 2, Mallard 4 (all male), Garganey 1, Citrine Wagtail 1 (female).

Spoonbills, flooded fields by Kalloni Saltpans © Anne Humphreys

Kavaki - Rose-coloured Starling 6 nr the Ruppell's Warbler site.

If you have anything else of note since 15 May - please let me know!

COMING SOON!

A
BIRDWATCHING
GUIDE
TO
LESVOS
by Steve Dudley

ISBN 978-1-905268-06-1

Due August 2009. See it at the Birdfair 21-23 Aug.

Announcing a completely new site guide to the hugely popular Aegean island of Lesvos.

Lesvos offers some of the best birding in the Mediterranean basin. For four weeks each spring birders from across Europe converge on this outpost of Europe which lies just 5 miles off Turkey and Asia Minor. The birds are a blend of Mediterranean breeding species, migrants moving through to breed in eastern Europe and Asia Minor species such as Krüper’s Nuthatch (and probably the easiest place to see this species in the Western Palearctic).

The guide has been written by Steve Dudley, one of the island's most experienced bird and wildlife guides who has probably taken more groups around, and spent more time on the island than any other bird guide. Steve is also the man behind LESVOSBIRDING.COM - the only dedicated birding website to the island - which continues to provide visiting birders with up to date information including 'what's been seen today' daily summaries during the main spring birding weeks. Steve is also a founding member of the Lesvos Bird Records Committee.

Steve now shares his vast knowledge of the island with this new birding guide to Lesvos which includes -

• 272 pages
• a 47 page introduction includes details of when to go, where to stay, recommended places to eat, the birding year, etc.
• a detailed guide to over 60 of the best birding areas/sites across the island including over 45 specially commissioned maps by renowned magazine illustrator Steven Hall.
• 32 pages (over 90 images) of colour photos of sites, habitats and species
• a 39 page checklist to the birds of Lesvos - completely up to date (up to and inc. spring 2009) detailing the status of every species officially recorded on the island
• separate tick lists for birds, butterflies, dragonflies and orchids
• plus appendices detailing island place names and pronunciations, bird lists in Greek and Dutch
• cover and numerous black-and-white line illustrations by renowned bird illustrator Dave Nurney (artist for A Pocket guide to the birds of Britain and NW Europe, Nightjars of the World and Woodpeckers of the World)

A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos is to be published by Arlequin Press and is the first of the revamped 'birdwatching guide' series to be published since CJ Wildbird Foods acquired Arlequin Press.

Price - only £19.99!

Orders via Subbuteo Books. Sample pages below.

Area page for the Kalloni area

Individual site map page for the North Coast between Efthalou and Skala Sikaminias

Individual site page for Korakas Headland

Individual site page for Sideras nr Agra

15 May - goodbye and thanks

Well, those of us unable to leave yesterday will do so later today as I wing my way home with Aegean Airlines.

I'd just like to thank those birders who have provided info during my three week stay, in particular Bob Buckler (Wingspan Bird Tours), Terry & Sue Robinson, Ian Pitts, Dave Bradnum, Paul Manning, Precill & Neil Preston, Donald & Jennifer Rhodes, Pete & Jan Deans (and their holiday-mates Fiona & Geoff) and Ian Lewington, and all those who passed on info to me in the field or wrote things up in the Lesvos Birding log at the Hotel Pasiphae. Thanks alot everyone - news only spreads if people are willing to share.

Lastly, I would like to thank all the staff at the Hotel Pasiphae for their usual care and attention not only of me over the last three weeks, but of all the birders staying with them this season. The Pasiphae again proved to be the premier of the Skala Kallonis hotels and has an increasing birding buzz in the evenings as birders staying elsewhere come in to use the Lesvos Birding hotel and share news at the bar.


Kalloni Saltpans - Slender-billed Gull 3 in NW corner early morning.

14 May - Spur-winged Plover and stranded holiday makers!

Squacco Heron, Kalloni Saltpans Flood © Steve Dudley

Well, the Greek civil servants are at it again and a nationwide 24hr lightning strike meant that airports were closed and all those many holiday makers due off the island today couldn’t leave and get an extra days holiday and all those coming out lose a day.

Scops Copse - work continues on pollarding the trees - do not visit!

SPUR-WINGED PLOVER – an adult found this morning on the flood opposite the saltworks entrance and present until mid-afternoon at least.

Also on the flood, Whiskered Tern 22, Black Stork 10, Squacco Heron 9, White Stork 1, Ruddy Shelduck 4, Garganey 2.

Also a RUFOUS BUSH ROBIN around the water pumping station in the south-west corner of the saltpan complex.

Tsiknias River Ford – CITRINE WAGTAIL female.

Potamia Valley - up to 5 Olive-tree Warblers and 2 Icterine Warblers between the main road and the river bridge.

Petra Reservoir - Ruddy Shelduck pr with 2 young.

Kavaki - Ruppell's Warbler showing well this evening plus usual Blue Rock Thrush.

13 May - Terek Sandpiper

TEREK SANDPIPER - a winter plumage bird was found first thing this morning at Polichnitos Saltpans and was present until 1145h at least. This is only the fourth record for the island. The bird is keeping to the central pans area around the village end of end of chainlink fence wich runs along the main track.

A big increase in waders at this site as more water is being pumped on to the pans over the last few days and birds include up to 8 Curlew Sandpiper, 30+ Ringed Plover, 30+ Ruff, 1 Turnstone.

Kalloni Mini Soccer Pitch - there is lots of tree pollarding going on at present. They are not remving the eucalyptus trrees, simply reducing the height of many of them. The place is however dangerous during the day and it is pointless looking for the Scops Owls at this site whilst the work is in progress - they will have certainly moved!

Finsch's Wheatear update - I have now seen the photos of the bird claimed to be Finsch's Wheatear on 10 May, and as somewhat expected it was a black-and-white male melanoleuca Black-eared Wheatear. There remains only one accepted record of Finsch's Wheatear for the island: a male at Megalochori Jun 93.

Faneromeni - RUFOUS BUSH ROBIN 1, Tawny Pipit 1.

Meladia Valley - Rose-coloured Starling 1 adult, Ortolan Bunting 1.

Ipsilou - LANNER FALCON 1 adult, Eleonora's Falcon 2.

Kalloni Saltpans area - flood opposite saltworks entrance: Black Stork 10, Squacco Heron 9, Glossy Ibis 1, Great White Egret 3, Ruddy Shelduck 30, Collared Pratincole 1, Garganey 1, Mallard 1, Grey Plover 1. Fewer waders around today.

12 May - Olive-trees arrive at last!

Cretzschmar's Bunting, Ipsilou © Steve Dudley

Potamia Valley - Olive-tree Warbler 2 singing and showing well c.1.4km from the main road turn. Also Icterine Warbler 1.

Ipsilou - Olive-tree Warbler 1 singing from oaks by top of first section of old monastery path from road. Wood Warbler 2, Lesser Whitethroat, Red-backed Shrike 2, Spotted Flyactcher sev.

Aghias Taxiarchis (nr Skalachori) - Olive-tree Warbler 2 singing east of chapel. Eleonora's Falcon 1 dark phase feeding over road west of chapel for 10-15 mins c.0915h.

Platania - Olive-tree Warbler, at least 2 in at the cattlegrid site.

Nr Parakila - ROLLER 1 c.3 km south.

Skala Eresou - Little Bittern 2, Alpine Swift 2.

Tsiknias River - at ford - CITRINE WAGTAIL male & female (male also on flood area), Little Bittern 1, Great Reed Warbler 1. River mouth - Sandwich Tern 1.

Kalloni Saltpans area - Alykes Wetlands - no sign of yesterday's Broad-billed Sandpiper. Temminck's Stint 2, Ringed Plover 12, Red-throated Pipit 4. Flood opp. saltworks entrance - Whiskered Terns 2, White-winged Black Tern 2, Collared Pratincole 2, Black Stork 6, Great White Egret 3, Squacco Heron 8+, Curlew Sandpiper 6, Ruff 110+, Ruddy Shelduck, Mallard 3. Saltpans Little Stint 30+.

Agiasos - Chiffchaff 1.

RUFOUS BUSH ROBIN - birds reported from Madaros, Chrousos beach and Polichnitos Saltpans in recent days.

11 May - Broad-billed Sandpiper

No news on yesterday's reported Finsch's Wheatear.

Nr Petra - GOLDEN EAGLE 1.

Kalloni Saltpans area - Alykes Wetlands: BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER 1, Little Stint 40+, Kentish Plover 16+, Little Ringed Plover 4, Ringed Plover 8, Marsh Harrier 2, Red-throated Pipit 10+, Short-toed Lark 2, Lesser Grey Shrike 1. Flood opp. saltworks entrance: Red-footed Falcon male, Whiskered Tern 2, Black Stork 13, White Stork 1, Great White Egret 3, Squacco Heron 11, Glossy Ibis 3, Ruff 70+, Ruddy Shelduck 4, Garganey 1, Mallard 5. Saltpans: Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper 2, Little Stint 110+. On Sea: Great Crested Grebe 1, Cormorant.

Petra - ROLLER 1.

Christou River - Slender-billed Gull 1, Lesser Grey Shrike 4.

Metochi Lake - Little Bittern 5+, Little Grebe 2 on nests and pr with 3 young.

Tsiknias River - Little Bittern 3, Little Egret 37.

Faneromeni - Little Bittern 5.

Lardia Valley - Eleonora's Falcon 3, Rock Sparrow.