21 April 2011 - sun sighted over Lesvos!

After a week of grey skies the sun burst out in full glory. Shame about the northerly gale though, took the temperature right back down.

Sun does mean more warmth and that means raptors, and several new birds seen today.

Changeover day here with the first week folk departing and even more arriving. Hopefully more eyes will mean even more birds found.

A clear clear out of warblers in the west, but the island still dripping with flycatchers.

Semi-collared flycatchers – really? See here.

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint - LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE 1, Pallid Harrier fem.

Skala Kallonis – Hotel Pasphae SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER 1 fem, Thrush Nightingale 1, Great Bittern 1, Squacco Heron 2, Wood Warbler, Tree Pipit 2, plus other flycatchers and warblers. Long-eared Owl - pr calling at back of hotel most nights.

Potamia Valley – SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER 1, Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 2 singing; small reservoir west of track (not the main reservoir east of track) Savi's Warbler 1, Night-heron 1, Purple Heron 2, Little Crake 1.

Metochi Lake – Great Spotted Cuckoo 1, Little Crake 8, Savi's Warbler.

Kalloni Saltpans – Collared Pratincole 38 (some in poor condition (pronounced sternumshowing)please try not to flush them), Gull-billed Tern 11, Whiskered Tern 11, Temminck's Stint 3, Little Stint 31, Marsh Sandpiper 8, Black-tailed Godwit 8, Greenshank 10, Montagu's Harrier fem, Marsh Harrier 3, Red-footed Falcon 2, Lesser Kestrel 2, Tawny Pipit 2, Glossy Ibis 170+.

Dipi Larisos Reedbed – Fan-tailed Warbler 1, Black-tailed Godwit 2.

Vigla (nr Ipsilou) – Ortolan Bunting 2, Cinereous Bunting, Isabelline Wheatear, Tree Pipit.

Faneromeni – Ortolan Bunting 2, Red-footed Falcon male, Barred Warbler 1, Purple Heron 1, Common Redstart 6, Masked Shrike, Montagu's Harrier 1, Short-toed Eagle; Rufous Bush-robin reported from Upper Fields. Apart from flycatchers, a general clear-out of warblers and other migrants.

Ipsilou – Eleonora's Falcon 1.

Meladia Valley – Great Spotted Cuckoo 1, Rufous Bush-robin 2, Collared Pratincole 1 (looking ill), Purple Heron 2, Tawny Pipit 1, Marsh Harrier 1, Lesser Kestrel 1.

Sigri Fields – Squacoo Heron 3, Red-throated Pipit 1.

Off Airport – Scopoli's and Yelkouan Shearwaters showing well mid-afternoon.

Kalami Marsh – White-winged Black Tern 3, Whiskered Tern 1, Purple Heron 1, Squacco Heron 1, Little Crake 1.