Taverna Dionysos - a new Skala Kallonis village hub for birders

Spring 2012 thanks

Now firmly back to earth having arrived home at the weekend. On our departure day, once we'd checked in yday, some of us went off to Cape Lena and enjoyed cracking views of Scopoli's Shearwater and a female Honey-buzzard in off the sea from Turkey. Nice farewell!

I'd just like to thank all those birders who shared bird news over the last month. Also thanks to the Hotel Pasiphae for being my home from home for the last month, Taslis for looking after me and lots of other birders' car hire needs and the tavernas Dionysos (Skala Kallonis), Soulatso (Skala Eresou), Australia (Sigri) and the beach tavena at Ancient Pyrrha, and Tsaliki's cafe (nr Petra) - enjoyed you all very, very much.

Thanks again and until next spring - when we'll do it all again!

18 May 2012

Well, it was the last day for many of us but some of us went out on a high connecting with a mobile flock of 33 Rose-coloured Starlings. The Spotted Crake reappeared on the Tsiknias River and there was a large passage of hirundines and swifts.

And its the last night of daily sightings here on Lesvos Birding. Thanks to all who have shared their news with me by whatever means. See you next year!

Weather - Overnight thunderstorms, heavy rain until c.0900 with dark skies with occasional sunny intervals until c.1800, then rain again. 21C.

Please don't drive down the rivers - see here.

Petrol/Deisel - see here.

Other news - see here.

BIRD NEWS

Rose-coloured Starlings

33 present around Lotzaria and Tsiknias River area for much of the day

Achladeri & Kruper's Nuthatch

Two birds showing well high in the forest. Cross the stream at the fork and take the immediate left. Birds feeding at top of this uphill section of track. Still no calling so hard to locate.

Lotzaria

Rose-coloured Starling 33 around the Mulberry trees

Marsh Harrier 1

Long-legged Buzzard 1

Tsiknias River

Spotted Crake 1 still just north of the upper ford

Night-heron 8

Black Stork 3

White Stork 1

Little BIttern 3

Kalloni Saltpans

Red Knot 1 (seen Christou River 14th & Saltpans 15th)

Gull-billed Tern 4

Whiskered Tern 1

Curlew Sandpiper 31

Little Stint 26

Ruff 2

White Stork 9

Marsh Warbler 1

Zitting Cisticola 2

Christou River

Dunlin 30

Platania

Eleonora's Falcon 2

Red-footed Falcon 2

Alpine Swift 30+

Olive-tree Warbler 1

17 May 2012

Another thin day with again very little reported. A few more Rosy Starling and Eleonora's Falcons but not a lot else in a thunderstorm hit day. Same forecast for tomorrow too.

Weather - A mixed bag of blue skies and thuderstorms over much of the island with torrential downpours and very strong SE winds. 22C.

Please don't drive down the rivers - see here.

Petrol/Deisel - see here.

Other news - see here.

BIRD NEWS

Rose-coloured Starlings

4 Makara this morning but no other reports.

Achladeri & Kruper's Nuthatch

Birds reportedly present but still elusive, still not calling.

Makara

Rose-coloured Starling 4

Eleonora's Falcon 1

Scopoli's Shearwater 2

Squacco Heron 1

Alpine Swift 10

Metochi

Little Bittern 2

no sign of any crakes but water level very high again

Tsiknias River

Night-heron 2 (both 3CY birds, different to yday's 4 birds)

Black Stork 1

White Stork 1

Christou River

Curlew Sandpiper 5

Platania

Eleonora's Falcon 1

Red-footed Falcon 3

Alpine Swift 6

Mt Ordimnos nr Andissa

Eleonora's Falcon 1

a great new site for upland birds such as wheatears, buntings, raptors, Blue Rock-thrush, Rock Nuthatch, etc. Access track to wind farm c.600m south of the Eresos-Sigri road junction.

16 May 2012

Another thin day with little reported. A Booted Eagle at Metochi takes star prize and more Eleonora's Falcons seen today and a handful of Marsh Warblers going through. But where are the Rosy Starlings?

Weather - Bright blue skies with scatter cloud and fresh southerly breeze. 25C.

Please don't drive down the rivers - see here.

Petrol/Deisel - see here.

Other news - see here.

BIRD NEWS

Rose-coloured Starlings

No news received today? Have you seen any?

Achladeri & Kruper's Nuthatch

Birds reportedly present but still elusive, still not calling.

Metochi

Booted Eagle 1

Agriosikos (track by the Filia mast)

Eleonora's Falcon 5 viewed from track 1.5 km from mast overlooking the Metochi area. Seen in this area two days ago.

North coast track

Scopoli's Shearwater 20+ inc. several birds feeding down to 50m offshore at the spring halfway between Efthalou and Skala Sikaminias

Yelkouan Shearwater 4 (only!) all heading west

Audouin's Gull 3 adults at the hot springs area

Marsh Warbler 1 singing in dry river mouth of one of the gullies

Potamia Valley

Olive-tree Warbler 2 singing north of the weir (one bird c.200m and the second c.800m from the weir).

Tsiknias River

Audouin's Gull 1 at river mouth
Night-heron 4

Little Bittern 4

Black Stork 1
Oystercatcher 2

Petri quarry

Eleonora's Falcon 8

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Whiskered Tern 5

Black Stork 3

White Stork 6

Vigla (nr Ipsilou)

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Napi Valley

Marsh Warbler 3

Faneromeni

Lesser Grey Shrike 1

Curlew Sandpiper 2

Christou River

Curlew Sandpiper 1

15 May 2012

A very thin day with no reports of anything other than what I saw with my group out west! 

The Spur-winged Plover appears to have moved on, as do all the shrikes around Faneromeni in  recent days. A very windy (but at least dry) day out west meant many things were hunkered down in the morning at least.

Weather - Thick cloud, strong winds and heavy rain in central areas during the morning. Out west dry and soon clearing to bright sunshine and scatter clouds. strong southerly moderating during day to light by evening. 28C out west mid-afternoon. 

Please don't drive down the rivers - see here.

Petrol/Deisel - see here.

Other news - see here.

BIRD NEWS

Rose-coloured Starlings

No news received today. Have you seen any?

Achladeri & Kruper's Nuthatch

Birds reported very elusive yesterday, still not calling.

Faneromeni

No sign of the Spur-winged Plover and all the Red-backed Shrikes and other migrants appear to have cleared out

Red-throated Pipit 1

Ipsilou

Eleonora's Falcon 1

Eastern Bonelli's Eagle 1

Golden Oriole 1+

Lardia Valley

Eleonora's Falcon 4

Nr Sigri

Eleonora's Falcon 1

Red-footed Falcon 2

Papiana

Scops Owl 1 - in eucalyptus tree by black gates on other side of road from the school (up towards the green and blue waste bins). 

Long-eared Owl - adult by nest with 3 chicks in largest eucalyptus tree by field with the black horse (on school side of road)

NOTE - this is a residential area. Please park with care, respect the privacy of local residents and beware traffic on the road - one birders was knocked over here last week!

14 May 2012

A very quiet day. News of the first Rose-coloured Starlings yesterday and a couple more today. The Spur-winged Plover remains at Faneromeni and bush-robins are all over the place!

Weather - Sunny with scattered cloud with light to moderate NE. 25C. 

Don't drive down the rivers - see here.

Petrol/Deisel - see here.

Other news - see here.

BIRD NEWS

Rose-coloured Starlings

5 Sigri yesterday (13th)

2 over to north btwn Kalloni and Tsiknias River this morning

Achladeri & Kruper's Nuthatch

I've not heard any news from this site since the young fledged.

Sigri / Faneromeni

SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1 in ploughed field along Faneromeni beach road

Tawny Pipit 1

Short-toed Lark 1

Ipsilou

Eleonora's Falcon 8

Red-footed Falcon 1

Eastern Bonelli's Eagle 1

Golden Oriole 8

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint

Eleonora's Falcon 15+ between 1130-1230 hunting the ridge running east from Filia Mast (see also Filia Mast below)

Plus usual local birds inc. Short-toed Eagle 6+, Long-legged Buzzard 

Filia Mast

Eleonora's Falcon 4 hawking over the ridge west of mast 1130 on (see raptor watchpoint above)

Levant Sparrowhawk 1

Eastern Bonelli's Eagle 10+

Tsiknias River

Spotted Crake still just north of the upper (rough) ford were the single wire crosses the river. View from the west bank.

Little Bittern 6

Black Stork 1

Oystercatcher 1

Christou River

River Warbler singing near Aegeon Hotel

Zitting Cisticola - at least six zitting males on west side of the river in juncus areas to the west of the viewing screen

Grey Plover 3

Curlew Sandpiper 15

Greenshank 2

Skala Kallonis

Purple Heron 1 over village

13 May 2012

No sign of yesterday's Blue-cheeked Bee-eater but a Red Knot at Christou (4th record), a Dalmatian Pelican at Kalloni pans and the Spur-winged Plover still at Faneromeni. PLenty of Red-backed Shrikes out west and a couple of Rollers.

Weather - Bright with increasing cloud during day and a thunderstorm late afternoon. Light to moderate NE. 27C. 

Day trips - see here.

Don't drive down the rivers - see here.

Petrol/Deisel - see here.

Other news - see here.

BIRD NEWS

Achladeri & Kruper's Nuthatch

The young have fledged! Good luck finding the family in coming days. There are two other pairs in this area for you to find too!

Christou River

Red Knot 1 - only 4th record for Lesvos

Grey Plover 3

Curlew Sandpiper 14

Greenshank 1

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Dalmatian Pelican 1 (no details as to where or when)

Gull-billed Tern 23

White-winged Tern 20

Black Tern 1

White Stork 9

Black Stork 3

Curlew 2

Tsiknias River

Honey-buzzard 1

Bottle-nosed Dolphin 2 out from river mouth

Christou River

Marsh Sandpiper 1

Sigri / Faneromeni

SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1 in plough field along Faneromeni beach road

Levant Sparrowhawk 2 (m&f) over Sigri

Stone-curlew - near plover

Lesser Grey Shrike 2

Bush-robin 2 near end of Faneromeni beach road

Bee-eater 6

Red-backed Shrike 15+

Vigla (nr Ipsilou)

Roller 2 - 1 at the main 'Isabelline Wheatear layby' up the hill from the Eresos road junction, and 1 several km south of the junction towards Eresos.

Meladia Valley

Little Bittern 2

Bush-robin 2

Red-backed Shrike 40+

Skala Eresou

Collared Pratincole 2

Little Bittern 1

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint

Lesser Spotted Eagle 3 reported

Goshawk 1

Platania
Great Spotted Cuckoo 1

12 May 2012

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Kalloni Saltpans © Steve Dudley

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater! What a stunner. Seen by quite a few birds. Fewer things reported as many British birders left today (best part of two planes) and far fewer birders arriving for this week.

Weather - Bright with scatter cloud and afternoon showers. Light NE breeze. 28C. 

Day trips - see here.

Don't drive down the rivers - see here.

Petrol/Deisel - see here.

Other news - see here.

BIRD NEWS

Achladeri & Kruper's Nuthatch

The young have fledged! Good luck finding the family in coming days. There are two other pairs in this area for you to find too!

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER - a single bird with Bee-eaters at the pumping station in SW corner of pans 1730-1910h. All the bee-eaters went to roost between the pans and Tsiknias River and I suggest looking around the pumping station and the area to the NW of here tomorrow

Gull-billed Tern 17

White-winged Tern 16

Whiskered Tern 2

Ruddy Shelduck 4

Squacco Heron 1

Great White Egret 2

Little Egret 17

Grey Heron 5

Temminck's Stint 1

White Stork 1

Black Stork 2

Greenshank 1

Ruff 110+

Little Stint 65+

Ringed Plover 13

Tsiknias River

Spotted Crake 1 just north of upper ford where single wire crosses river viewed from west side

Little Bittern 2

Red-throated Pipit 1

Quail 1 (seen!)

Bee-eater 20+

Short-toed Lark

Christou River

Marsh Sandpiper 1

Skala Kallonis

Mediterranean Gull 2 adults in harbour

Little Bittern 1 on pool

Whiskered Tern 1 on pool

Platania

Red-footed Falcon 1

Kavaki

Marsh Warbler 1

Ruppell's Warbler, etc

Skala Eresou

Night-heron 1

Sigri / Faneromeni

SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1 near irrigation wheels before the beach road turn

Lesser Grey Shrike 1

Meladia Valley

Lesser Grey Shrike 1

Lesser Kestrel

Papiana

Scops Owl 2 - in same eucalyptus tree by black gates on other side of road from the school (up towards the green and blue waste bins). look for the cut off trunk in the middle of the tree- one bird immediately below the cur off trunk when viewed from the black gates and another bird above when viewed from other side of road

Long-eared Owl - adult by nest with 2 chicks in largest eucalyptus tree by field with the black horse (on school side of road)
Eleonora's Falcon 2 over

NOTE - this is a residential area. Please park with care, respect the privacy of local residents and beware traffic on the road - one birders was knocked over here last week!

11 May 2012

White Stork, Kalloni Saltpans © Steve Dudley

Light rain dominated the morning but had cleared by lunch time and back to a warm, bright afternoon. Thunderstorms threatening this evening but hadnt broken by 2300. Two Lesser Spotted Eagles over the pan and a male Citrine Wagtail were the main birds of note reported today.

Water levels going fast. The saltpans season pools are now very low and will soon evaporate once the sunny weather returns. 

Weather - Rain in morning, 19C, warm and bright afternoon with light NE, 24C. 

Day trips - see here.

Don't drive down the rivers - see here.

Petrol/Deisel - see here.

Other news - see here.

BIRD NEWS

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Lesser Spotted Eagle 2 over at 1540

White-winged Tern 5

Whiskered Tern 5

Gull-billed Tern 4

Collared Pratincole 6

Ruddy Shelduck 8

Garganey male

Squacco Heron 2

Great White Egret 2

Little Egret 21

Grey Heron 4

White Stork 2

Black Stork 1

Marsh Harrier 1

Marsh Sandpiper 1

Curlew Sandpiper 2

Greenshank 1

Common Snipe 1

Lapwing 1

Ruff 140+

Little Stint 85+

Ringed Plover 16

Skala Kallonis Pool

Citrine Wagtail male

White-winged Tern2

Whiskered Tern 1
Purple Heron 1

Achladeri

Roller 1

Kruper's Nuthatch - the young have fledged! Good luck finding the family in coming days. There are two other pairs in this area for you to find too!

Meladia Valley

Red-breasted Flycatcher female at chapel

Roller 2 at chapel

Lesser Grey Shrike 2

Golden Oriole 5

Rufous Bush-robin 2

Dipi Larisos

Purple Heron 1

Little Bittern 1

Marsh Harrier 1

Nr Skamnioudi

Olive-tree Warbler 2

Platania

Olive-tree Warbler 2

Goshawk 1

plenty of commoner species inc. Hoopoe, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Sombre Tit, Masked Shrike, etc.

North Coast track

Again no sign of the White-throated Robin.

Marsh Harrier 1

Thousands of Barn Swallows moving along with hundreds of Common Swifts and 60+ Alpine Swifts, flocks of female Black-headed Buntings and loads of Red-backed Shrikes.


Papiana

Scops Owl 2

Long-eared Owl (nest with 2 young in the largest eucalyptus tree near school)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl 1 - in 3rd tree on right as you enter from the Kalloni end

10 May 2012

Chukar, nr Mesotopos © Steve Dudley

Hoorraahh! We woke to cloud cover and drizzle over high ground and with immediate effect, out west at least, with masses of Red-backed Shrikes, Black-headed Buntings and a few warblers. Star bird of the day was a Spur-winged Plover at Faneromeni, but no sign of yesterday's White-throated Robin or Broad-billed Sandpipers.

Weather - Morning, low cloud and drizzle over higher ground, clearing to blue skies by end of day. Moderate NE wind dropping to light by end of day. 24C.

Day trips - see here.

Don't drive down the rivers - see here.

Petrol/Deisel - see here.

Other news - see here.

BIRD NEWS

Achladeri & Kruper's Nuthatch

One pair feeding young near last years nest site along the top. Park your car by the white building building, walk up the main track through the forest, bear left at the fork, then follow the track left past the rubbish pile on the next corner and up the straight section of track. After c200m look for a thick black pine tree with a sap scar and a pile of 4 sandy-coloured rocks at the base. From this tree look in to the forest at 90 degrees from the track and look for a sheep/rams skull at base. Nest is in this tree on left hand side between two very short broken branch stumps.

The young still haven't fledged but are very close to fledging - I expect them to leave the nest the next day or so.

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN - no sign today despite extensive searching but it will be looked for again tomorrow

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Rufous Bush-robin 4 (3 at beach and 1 at pumping station)

Gull-billed Tern 4

Whiskered Tern 1

Turnstone 3

Red-throated Pipit 2

no sign of Broad-billed Sandpipers today

Tsiknias River

Spotted Crake 1

Faneromeni

SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1 in ploughed field on left by irrigation 'wheels' before the turn to the beach

Collared Pratincole 9

Roller 1

Olive-tree Warbler

Rufous Bush-robin 1

Lesser Grey Shrike 2

Red-backed Shrike 30+

Bee-eater 30+

Montagu's Harrier 1 fem

Marsh Harrier 1 fem

Red-throated Pipit 4

Golden Oriole 5

Meladia Valley

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1

Icterine Warbler 1

Wood Warbler 8

Willow Warbler 1

Chiffchaff 1

Red-backed Shrike 30+

Spotted Flycatcher 40+

Pied Flycatcher 3

Rufous Bush-robin 1

Black-headed Buntings 00s inc. flocks of 30+

Filia Mast

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 5

Skalochori

Roller 1 c.1km east of town on road to Vatousa

Almyropotamos River 

Ferruginous Duck male at river mouth

Skalochori

Roller 1 c.1km east of town on road to Vatousa

Little Owl, nr Sigri © Steve Dudley

9 May 2012

White-throated Robin, nr Efthalou © Colin & Christine Stephens

White-throated Robin! What a cracker. Here's hoping it stays and more get to enjoy this fabulous bird. It will be looked for tomorrow.

Weather - Blue skies, scattered cloud increasing by evening, light to moderate north-westerly breeze becoming strong in evening, 28C and humid

Day trips - see here.

Don't drive down the rivers - see here.

Petrol/Deisel - see here.

Other news - see here.

BIRD NEWS

Achladeri & Kruper's Nuthatch

One pair feeding young near last years nest site along the top. Park your car by the white building building, walk up the main track through the forest, bear left at the fork, then follow the track left past the rubbish pile on the next corner and up the straight section of track. After c200m look for a thick black pine tree with a sap scar and a pile of 4 sandy-coloured rocks at the base. From this tree look in to the forest at 90 degrees from the track and look for a sheep/rams skull at base. Nest is in this tree on left hand side between two very short broken branch stumps.

The young are close to fledging - I expect them to leave the nest the next day or so.

North coast track east of Efthalou

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN - male in a gulley by little bridge (9th record for Lesvos)

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Broad-billed Sandpiper 2 reported this evening on pools opp saltworks

Osprey 1

Rufous Bush-robin 2 (1 at beach and 1 at pumping station)

Gull-billed Tern 3

Whiskered Tern

Great White Egret 2

Little Egret 17

Purple Heron 1

Grey Heron 5

Squacco Heron 2

Black Stork 3

White Stork 2

Ruddy Shelduck 8

Collared Pratincole 1

Ruff 86

Little Stint 21

Curlew Sandpiper 2

Greenshank 1

Grey Plover 2

Ringed Plover 15

Gargeney 1

Great Crested Grebe 1

Tsiknias River

Temminck's Stint 1

Squacco Heron 2

Little Bittern 3

Black Stork 1

Metochi Lake

Little Crake 4

Little Bittern 2

Night-heron 2

Nr Mandamados

Eleonora's Falcon 1

Faneromeni

Roller 1

Rufous Bush-robin 1

Meladia Valley

Icterine Warbler 1

Golden Oriole 1

Little Bittern 1

Potamia Valley

Night-heron 1

Papiana

Scops Owl 2

Long-eared Owl (nest with 2 young in the largest eucalyptus tree near school)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl 1 - in 3rd tree on right as you enter from the Kalloni end

8 May 2012

Balkan Green Lizard, Madaros © Steve Dudley

Another warm, sunny day. Birding was again hard, particularly out west, and apart from the Broad-billed Sandpiper, nothing of real note reported today. A few Slender-billed Gulls were seen at two Gulf of Kalloni sites and the expected Eleonora's Falcons out west.

Weather - Blue skies, scattered cloud, light to moderate north-westerly breeze, 28C 

Day trips - see here.

Don't drive down the rivers - see here.

Petrol/Deisel - see here.

Other news - see here.

BIRD NEWS

Achladeri & Kruper's Nuthatch

One pair feeding young near last years nest site along the top. Park your car by the white building building, walk up the main track through the forest, bear left at the fork, then follow the track left past the rubbish pile on the next corner and up the straight section of track. After c200m look for a thick black pine tree with a sap scar and a pile of 4 sandy-coloured rocks at the base. From this tree look in to the forest at 90 degrees from the track and look for a sheep/rams skull at base. Nest is in this tree on left hand side between two very short broken branch stumps.

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Broad-billed Sandpiper 1 - on pools opp saltworks

Slender-billed Gull 1

Nothing else reported, but I presume the usual waders and egrets, etc are still there!

Ipsilou

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1

Eleonora's Falcon 3

Red-backed Shrike 1

Blackcap 1

Alikoudi Pool

Slender-billed Gull 3

Btwn Skala Vasilikon & Skamnioudi

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Madaros

Rufous Bush-robin 2

Tsiknias River

Rufous Bush-robin 5

Temminck's Stint 1

Faneromeni

Eleonora's Falcon 1

Honey-buzzard 1

Rufous Bush-robin 1

Polichnitos Saltpans

Common Ringed Plover 1

Greenshank 1

Little Stint 11

Curlew Sandpiper 3

Ruff 5

Tawny Pipit 1

Pithariou Reservoir

Ruff 26

Common Sandpiper 3

Little Egret 3

Short-toed Eagle 1

Long-legged Buzzard 2

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl 1 - in 2nd tree on right as you enter from the Kalloni end

Papiana

Scops Owl 1 - in 4th eucalyptus down from the green and blue waste bins past the school (and on opposite side from school)