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.