Stock Dove and first spring migrants

Terry Robinson found this Stock Dove this morning in fields by Polichnitos Saltpans - only the fifth record for Lesvos. Brooks lists four records in his publications (1998, 2002) which LBRC have accepted without documentation (see A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos or online here), so this is the first fully confirmed record of the species on the island.

Terry also had two Wood Sandpipers on the pans on Saturday (13 Feb). A very early date (last year first recorded on 26 Mar), but there is a small population of wintering Wood Sandpipers in the Mediterranean basin (BWP) from which these birds presumably originate and are beginning to work their way northwards.

A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos - errata

Disappointingly the original print run of the book has far more errors in it than I would have liked. Some are mine, many are the printers (not making requested changes to the final proof and printing errors around the use of blue ink in some places). So many thanks to those who have sent me details of errors, no matter how minor. If you spot any others please let me know. Thanks.

Note that the 2010 reprint (not new edition) has these items corrected.

Page 6, 4th para, 2nd line, "the Lesvos" should read "Lesvos"
Page 8, final para before "Greek place names", line 2, "Sectioin"should read "section"
Page 10, line 4, “ευχαοισώ” should read “ευχαριστώ”
Page 11, 4th para, line 1, "compete"should read "complete"
Page 20, between headers "Camera" and "Skala Kallonis" insert "Where to Stay" before '(see also location map on p. 64)" (missing blue type header)
Page 21, Sigri, 2nd para, penultimate line, "Your" should read "you're"
Page 22, Sigri, penultimate line, "it's" should read "its"
Page 32, May, blue box highlight missing from weather data
Page 32, May, para 2, "occassionally"should read "occasionally"
Page 37, first main para, "harrassment"should read "harassment"
Page 38, 2nd para, penultimate line "seemed to looking through" should read "seemed to like looking through"
Page 47, 4th para, line 5 "particularly" should read "particular"
Page 57, second last para, line 5, "Common and White-sided Dolphins" should read "Common and Striped Dolphins"
Page 60, 2nd para, last line is unfinished and should read "in the UK with Red-legged Partridge"
Page 87, caption to Olive groves near Skamnioudi, line 2, "residents" should read "resident"
Page 94, Collared Flycatcher caption, "regualr" should read "regular"
Page 95, Spur-thighed Tortoise caption, line 2, "Fond" should read "Found"
Page 96, Balkan Wall Lizard - Species depicted is Snake-eyed Lizard
Page 110, column 2, enultimate para, 2nd line, "the tracks crosses" should read "the tracks cross"
Page 111, Saltpans Western Fields, 2nd para, 5th line, "this track rather driving" should read "this track rather than driving"
Page 111, Saltpans Northern Fields, 1st & 2nd lines, "the fields between the Kalloni-Mytilini road" should read "the fields between the pans and the Kalloni-Mytilini road"
Page 125, Perasma - note - the reservoir has now been refilled!
Page 133, column 2, last para, "cafes and a petrol stations" should read "cafes and petrol stations"
Page 136, map, "Pervolis" should read "Perivolis"
Page 137, Heading, "Lardia Velley" should read "Lardia Valley"
Page 137, Lardia Valley,column 2, last para, line 4, "on the right after by a large" should read "on the right by a large"
Page 137, Perevolis Monastery, header should read "Perivolis"
Page 146, para at bottom, line 1, "its" should read "it's"
Page 153, Faneromeni Western Fields, penultimate line "Raptros"should read "Raptors"
Page 163, Little Crake caption, "Regualr" should read "regular"
Page 188, 1st para, line 12, "were" should read "where"
Page 189, Taxonomy and Nomenclature, points 6 and 7, "were" should read "where"
Page 197, Bonellis Eagle, "their" should be "there"
Page 230, Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus V * omitted after Sociable Plover
Pages 236-237, see www.lesvosbirding.com for up-to-date list of butterflies as species are added
Page 242, Amphibians, Reptiles & Allies - replace Balkan Wall Lizard with Snake-eye Lizard Ophisops elegans ehrenbergi
Page 251, header missing, should read LESVOS PLACE NAMES (in white text on blue background)

Starlings and floods

Part of the flock of 10,000 Common Starlings which spent a day around Skala Polichnitou and the Polichnitos Saltpans. They were seen in previous days at Kalloni.

Well, the snow has given way to rain and this means floods and poor Terry and Sue Robinson's house is under water.

Birds around the saltpans in recent days have included small influxes of both Hen Harriers and Sparrowhawks, a Marsh Harrier, a Slender-billed Gull, 2 Ruddy Shelduck, 7 Snipe, 6 Pintail and 2 Wigeon. Flocks of Coot at Potamia Reservoir (plus 32 Little Grebe) and Skala Kallonis Pool, with Shoveler, Teal and Mallard also on the pool. Red-breasted Merganser are again scarce this year with the only birds seen so far 2 off Vouvaris River Mouth.