24 April 2011 - Finsch's Wheatear & Calandra Lark

Scops Owl, Soumouria. One of three birds found at the traditional 'Scops Copse' Site © Steve Dudley

Another day of wall to wall sunshine with only a light northerly wind for company. A couple of very rare finds (Finsch's Wheatear and Calandra Lark), and still lots of flycatchers around, especially in the west, and new birds arriving including the first wave of Black-headed Buntings.

Semi-collared flycatchers – really? See here.

FINSCH'S WHEATEAR - an adult male was found today at 1055h on the approach to Ipsilou. The bird was on the hillside in the last of the Isabelline Wheatear lay-bys at Vigla (above the Eresos road juntion). It was seen by four birders briefly but lost on the open hillside. If accepted this will be the third record for Lesvos and Greece.

Kalloni Saltpans (and surrounding fields and wetlands) - CALANDRA LARK 1 at 0945h (by beach cafe when flew in to fields towards Tsiknias River), Black-headed Bunting 1 at 0830h,Honey-buzzard 1, Montagu's Harrier 2, Hen Harrier 1, Marsh Harrier 2, White-winged Black Tern 2, Collared Pratincole 29, Purple Heron 1, Spoonbill 1, Gull-billed Tern 52, Pallid Swift 1, Alpine Swift 20, Curlew Sandpiper 1, Little Stint 30, Dunlin 1, Oystercatcher 1, Bar-tailed Godwit 2 (?), Mediterranean Gull 3, Red-throated Pipit. East track Great Spotted Cuckoo 1, Whiskered Tern 3, Slender-billed Gull 1. Pool on main road by turn to pans Citrine Wagtail 1, Water Pipit 1, Temminck's Stint 1. On sea Black-necked Grebe 2.

Tsiknias River - SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER fem, Audouin's Gull (at mouth), Little Bittern 2, Purple Heron 4, Squacco Heron 4, Common Kingfisher 2.

Konditsia Valley - SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER 1, Red-footed Falcon 1, Lesser Kestrel 22, Montagu's Harrier fem, Cinereous Bunting 4.

Napi Valley - SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER 1.

Sigri/Faneromeni - SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER fem, Barred Warbler 2, Bee-eater 6, Little Bittern 4, Night-heron 1, Little Crake, 1 Purple Heron 3, Green Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail 1, Whisker Tern 1, Pallid Harrier fem, Hen Harrier fem, Common Cuckoo 3, lots of Collared Flys, Woodchats and Turtle Doves; Yelkouan and Scopoli's Shearwaters offshore.

Meladia Valley - SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER male, Barred Warbler 2, Purple Heron 1, Hen Harrier fem, Marsh Harrier male, Woodchat (lots).

Pithariou Reservoir - SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER fem, Purple Heron 1, Little Bittern 1.

Skala Eresou - SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1 (since 22/4), Collared Pratincole 3.

Ipsilou - Ring Ouzel fem (since 22/4), Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1.

Agra Towers - Wryneck 1.

Lardia - Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1 (singing c.50m west of layby with wooden gate).

Christou (Kamares) River - Lesser Grey Shrike 1, Fan-tailed Warbler 1, Pallid Swift 1, Slender-billed Gull 3.

Skala Kallonis - Black-headed Bunting 1. Hotel Pasiphae Gargeney 2 (on pool behind hotel), Long-eared Owl 1. Beach Mediterranean Gull 2. Pool Savi's Warbler 1.

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint - Ortolan Bunting, Common Cuckoo.

Vigla (Isabelline Wheatear lay-bys) - Ortolan Bunting 2, Cinereous and Cretzschmar's Buntings.

Kavaki - Barred Warbler 1, Rufous Bush-robin, Ruppell's Warbler, Blue Rock-thrush.

Metochi Lake - Little Crake 10, Purple Heron 1, Little Bittern 1, Squacco Heron 1, Hen Harrier 1, Common Starling 2.

Lotzaria - Marsh Sandpiper 5, Spotted Redshank 2, Curlew Sandpiper 7, Dunlin 73, Little Stint 120, Greenshank 4, White-winged Black Tern 11, Stone-curlew 1 (plus Spur-thighed Tortoise - first reported of the year).

Efthalou - Golden Oriole 1, Yelkouan and Scopoli's Shearwaters.

Perasma - Ruddy Shelduck 2.

Makara - Purple Heron 8 (flock), Little Bittern 1, Lesser Kestrel, Alpine Swift, Little Stint.

Late news for yesterday -

BLUETHROAT (second record for island) and Black-headed Bunting at Upper Tsiknias River.