August bird news

24/08/10 - Polichnitos Saltpans
Avocet 1, Greenshank 15, Redshank 23, Curlew Sandpiper 12, Dunlin 1, Little Stint 23, Mediterranean Gull 2, Sandwich Tern 14, Northern Wheatear 7, Willow Warbler 1.

24/08/10 - Polichnitos Saltpans
Short-toed Eagle 1, Black-winged Stilt 22, Little Ringed Plover 5, Kentish Plover 15, Greenshank 8, Redshank 12, Common Sandpiper 1, Little Stint 25, Yellow-legged Gull 414, Mediterranean Gull 7, Sandwich Tern 9, Common Tern 1, Turtle Dove 1, Red-backed Shrike 2, Woodchat Shrike 1.

23/08/10 - Polichnitos Saltpans
Common Teal 5, Little Egret 2, Turnstone 1, Wood Sandpiper 8, Greenshank 19, Redshank 17, Little Stint 24, Common Sandpiper 2, Mediterranean Gull 2, Common Tern 1, Whinchat 1, Northern Wheatear 1, Woodchat Shrike 1.


I've just had an email from Peter Cosgrove who was on Lesvos earlier this month, and here are his highlights plus a few records from others for the period.

14/08/10

  • Kalloni saltpans - 5 Ringed Plover, 300+ Flamingo, 200+ Avocet, 4 Little Egret, 2 Black Stork, 8 Grey heron, 1 Great White Egret, 8 Common Shelduck (inc fledged duckings).
  • Potamia - 1 Short-toed Eagle, 1 Common Nightingale, 2 Red-backed Shrike, 1 Long-legged Buzzard.
  • Plomari - Levant Sparrowhawk (William Hansen).

13/08/10

  • Kavaki - 9 Subalpine Warblers. No sign of Ruppell's :-( .
  • Perasma Reservoir - Short-toed Eagle, 1 yellow wagtail (only one of week), 3 Black Stork, 2 Wood Sandpiper.
  • Kalloni saltpans, by Pyros Cafe Bar -1 Rufous Bushchat.
  • Polichnitou Saltpans - highlights from the last week inc. 6 Black Tern, 2 Sandwich Tern, 16 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Dunlin, 6 Wood Sandpiper, 30+ Little Stint, 6 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Curlew, 2 Red-backed Shrike (Terry Robinson).

12/08/10

  • Kalloni saltpans - 5 Black Stork, 500 Avocet, ca. 500 Flamingo, 8 Little Stint, 2 European Spoonbill, 6 Green Sandpiper, 4 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Montagu's Harrier, 1 Northern Wheatear, 9 Garganey, 8 Ringed Plover, 6 Little Egret, 1 Great White Egret.
  • By Pyros Cafe Bar at beach - 1 Rufous Bushchat and 1 Olivacheous Warbler, 6 Cormorant and 4 Shag.
  • Potamia Valley - lots of small flyby bunting flocks, 2 Orphean Warblers, 12 Bee-eater, 1 Short-toed Eagle, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Turtle Dove, 1 Northern Wheatear.
  • Christou River mouth - 20 Stone-curlew, 1 Black Stork.

11/08/10

  • Ipsilou Monastery - 1 Long-legged Buzzard, 5 Cretzschmars Bunting, 28 Rock Sparrow, 4 Linnet, 1 Lesser Kestrel.
  • Petrified Forest - 32 Chuckar (flocks of 14 and 18), 6 Rock Nuthatch, 8 Black-eared Wheatear.
  • Sigri - 3 Orphean Warbler, 1 Stonechat, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Honey-buzzard, 1 Black Kite.

10/08/10

  • Aghios loannis - 5 Black-eeared Wheatear, 1 Northern Wheatear, 5 Rock Nuthatch, 1 Blue Rock-thrush, 4 Cinerous Bunting, 1 Hoopoe, 1 Hobby, 1 Peregrine, 1 Stonechat.
  • Kalloni saltpans - 1 Curlew, 9 Ringed Plover, 350 Avocet (yep - huge flock), 12 Greenshank, 1 Masked Shrike, 1 Lesser Grey Shrike, 1 Montagu's Harrier and 1 Common Kestrel.

09/08/10

  • Achladeri Forest - 4 Kruper's Nuthatch.
  • Kalloni salt pans - 6 Great White Egret, 14 Little Egret, 6 Whiskered tern, 2 Caspian Tern, 14 Greenshank, 55 Redshank, 5 Black Stork, 11 Grey Heron, 11 Avocet, ca. 300 Flamingo.

08/08/10

  • Cinerous and Cretzschmar's Buntings in evidence right across the island. Birds moving in loose flocks, largest bunting flock i/d'd of 22 Cretzschmars and 2 Corn buntings in Potamia Valley.
  • Also in Potamia Valley, 6 Black-eared Wheatear, 5 Middle Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Sombre Tit, 18 Bee-eaters, 1 Long-legged Buzzard and 1 Short-toed Eagle.
  • Petra - 1 Isabelline Wheatear.
  • Molivos - 1 Eleanora's Falcon and 1 Common Swift.
  • Perasma Resevoir - 2 Black Stork.
  • Kalloni fields - 2 White Stork
It just goes to show that there is some good school holiday birding on the island if folk go and try it. Peter's records illustrate that once you get in to August you pick on the first of the return migration which makes for better birding than in July when all you have is largely local birds to aim for with a maybe just the odd returning migrant.

Lesvos Birding at Birdfair 2010

I don't have a stand but I will be at the Birdfair, but only for the Friday (20th Aug) and Sunday (22 August). Because of the reprint of the book I will again be signing copies at this years Fair. My fixed events are as follows -

Friday, 20 Aug
1100-1200 - book signing, A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos, Subbuteo Books stand (Marquee 3, stands 10-13).

Sunday, 22 Aug
1030-1050 - Lecture - Lesvos - the jewel of the Aegean (Lecture Marquee 1).

1100-1200 - book signing, A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos, Subbuteo Books stand (Marquee 3, stands 10-13).

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.