14 April 2011 - is all up hill from here!

Well, I arrived with my group in the evening and apart from a brief stop at Dipi Larisos reedbed, it was straight to the hotel, drop the gear off and hit the Taverna Dionysis for dinner. A few birders arrived today - I've bumped in to around a dozen at least, so undoubtedly more lurking. Which means more eyes from tomorrow.

A large thunder storm with torrential rain and hail this morning - that'll bring stuff down! So weather unsettled to say the least. Evening bright but cool.

Birds I know about from today and recent days -

FERRUGINOUS DUCK - 1 on seasonal flood opposite Kalloni Saltworks entrance since at least the 11 Apr (12th record) to at least 13 Apr (don't know if it was seen today)

Glossy Ibis - up to 30 opp Kalloni Saltworks entrance

Ruddy Shelduck - 20+ opp Kalloni Saltworks entrance

Great Spotted Cuckoo - 1 Skala Kallonis (14 Apr)

Caspian Tern - 1 Didi Larisos, plus Purple Heron and Long-legged Buzzard (14 Apr)

Pallid Swift - 1 airport.

Marsh Sandpiper (8), Red-throated Pipit, Tawny Pipit (6), Short-toed Lark and Red-rumped Swallow - all Polichnitos Saltpans (14 Apr)

Plenty of common migrants such as hirundines, Common Swift, yellow wagtails, waders, etc.

Share your news - see here.

New orchid for Greece found on Lesvos

Paul Manning (Wildlife of Lesvos), the man for all things orchid-related on Lesvos, has just been in touch to say:

"Steve, you wont believe this, but a new species of orchid has been found on the island!

In mid-June, following directions from myself [Paul Manning] for the extremely rare Kompers / mounts-tauri hybrid orchid I found on Lesvos in the spring (of which only two are known to exist), Greek helleborine expert Spyridon Tsiftsis has discovered Persian Helleborine Epipactis persica growing nearby in a localised colony.

The very beautiful Persian helleborine is known to grow very rarely and locally over a substantial area from Anatolia to the Himalayas. However, this is the first confirmed site in Greece (let alone Lesvos) and may represent the only site for Western Europe.

Lesvos - not only a great place for birds, but fantastic for orchids too!"

Photo: Persian Helleborine Epipactis persica, Lesvos, June 2010 © Spyridon Tsiftsis

Spring 2010 daily updates

As in recent years I will post daily updates of what is seen across the island each evening here on Lesvos Birding. I know many staying on the island, and more so those due to come out, find these updates both interesting and very useful.

My own daily updates from the island will commence on 20 Apr (through to 12 May), but I rely on people passing on their own sightings to produce the daily summaries. I aim to have the website updated between 11-12pm each evening (local time). If you are on the island earlier or later than me, then I need your records all the more!

Last year quite a lot of folk contributed to these updates. If you're on the island then you can provide your own records of more interesting sightings as follows -

LESVOS BIRDING LOG at the Hotel Pasiphae, Skala Kallonis

This is the main birding log on the island and anyone can call into the hotel to read/record their sightings and maybe enjoy a drink too! Please inc. your name and email address or mobile number on at least one of your entries in order for me to contact you if I need to.

Everything passed on to me during the day will be added to log.

I (and other birders) should be around the Hotel Pasiphae bar most evenings from around 10-10.30pm to c.11.30pm for a drink and chat. Failing that I can usually be found at the Dionysos taverna in Skala Kallonis between 8-10pm.

SMS/TEXT

Text me your daily summary on +44 (0) 7 767 787 287. Please inc. your name at the end of the message. Species, numbers, location is really all that is needed. Times for really rare species (e.g. time of a flyover rare raptor helps to track birds across the island) might be useful (please no calls as this just costs me a fortune!).

EMAIL

You can email me your sightings. I'll be updating late evening, so anything arriving in my inbox by 10pm local time will be used.

What info should you include?
Records of all the scarcer and rare species (see checklist), movements of any raptors or herons, large numbers of crakes, large falls of commoner species, etc. are all wanted. Updates on breeding activity of Krupers Nuthatch are also helpful.

Submitting your records for the annual bird report when you've returned home

I know many people keep their own database of records. If you are able to export to an Excel file, then I'm happy to receive any records you want to pass on for inclusion in the Lesvos annual bird report. For further details see here.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

Back to homepage.

Early spring migrants

Terry Robinson has started to report the first migrants arriving at/passing through Polichnitos Saltpans and surrounding area. I'll post updates every few day or so. Items in bold are first records for the year. All records Terry Robinson unless stated.

31 March 10

Kalloni Saltpans - Glossy Ibis 30+, Squacco Heron 1, Great White Egret 6, Greater Flamingo 300+, Ruddy Shelduck 38, Common Shelduk 2, Shoveler 20, Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1, Marsh Harrier 1, Ringed Plover 1, Kentish Plover 4, Black-winged Stilt 41, Avocet 510, Marsh Sandpiper 16, Wood Sandpiper 6, Greenshank 27, Ruff 90, Dunlin 18, Little Stint 30, Eurasian Curlew 1, Stone-curlew 1, Mediterranean Gull 12, Short-toed Lark 12, Black-headed Wagtail 1 (Jean-Philippe & Sebastian Siblet).

Polichnitos Saltpans - Black Stork 5, Greater Flamingo 70, Hen Harrier 2, Common Shelduck 22, Common Redshank 1 (Jean-Philippe & Sebastian Siblet).

30 March 10

Male Ferruginous Duck, Meladia Valley, 30 Mar 10 © Sebastien Siblet

Meladia Valley ford - male FERRUGINOUS DUCK (Jean-Philippe & Sebastian Siblet) - only the ninth confirmed record for Lesvos.

Faneromeni - male Pallid Harrier (Jean-Philippe & Sebastian Siblet).

Male Pallid Harrier, Faneromeni, 30 Mar 10 © Sebastien Siblet

Chrousos - Levant Sparrowhawk 1, Masked Shrike 1 (Jean-Philippe & Sebastian Siblet).

Kalloni Saltpans - Marsh Sandpiper 5, Spotted Redshank 1, Black-tailed Godwit 3, Greenshank 10, Black-winged Stilt 25, Ruff 150, Dunlin 75, Avocet 500+ (Jean-Philippe & Sebastian Siblet).

Parakila Marsh - Shoveler 2, Black-winged Stilt 15 (Jean-Philippe & Sebastian Siblet).

29 March 10
YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER - 1 along the Vergias River, Skala Eresou between the road bridge and the river mouth (Jean-Philippe Siblet). This will be the first record for Lesvos if accepted by HRC.

Skala Polichnitou - Great Spotted Cuckoo - 1 in Terry's garden!

Metochi Lake - Spotted Crake 1, Little Crake 4 (Jean-Philippe & Sebastian Siblet).

Polichnitos Saltpans - Common Swift 1, Northern Wheatear 2, lots of Barn Swallows and House Martins, Black-tailed Godwit 3, Ruff 9, Wood Sandpiper 5.

28 March 10

Kalloni Saltpans - Greater Spotted Eagle 1 (Jean-Philippe & Sebastian Siblet)

27 March 10

Terry gave me an update on water levels today. Despite heavy winter rains, rains have abated in the last week or so so some areas already beginning to drop. Both Metochi LakeandPotamia Reservoir overflowing, the Christou (Kameras) River runnning well but the marsh quite dry, Tsiknias River flowing OK, the Skala Kallonis Pool is already drying out.Alykes Wetlands and fields around the Kalloni Saltpans are very wet. All main drains have been opened to the sea so unless we see some spring rains in coming weeks, then all areas will be dropping by the time the first of arrive in mid-April.

With Terry venturing up to the Kalloni area today, he struck on a few new migrants for the year.

Kalloni Saltpans, Alykes Wetlands and nearby flooded fields - Glossy Ibis (86), Gull-billed Tern (2), Garganey (5), Ruff (50+).

Plus Merlin (below) just north of the pans (Jean-Philippe & Sebastian Siblet).

Male Merlin nr Kalloni Saltpans, 27 Mar 10 © Sebastien Siblet

Skala Kallonis Pool - Garganey (5).

Polichnitos Saltpans - Red-rumped Swallow (1)

26 March 10

Polichnitos Saltpans - Short-toed Lark (4), Woodchat Shrike (1), Hoopoe (1), Northern Wheater (1), Spotted Redshank (1), Kingfisher (1), Hen Harrier (1).

Vrisa - Common Swift (10).

25 March 10 - Polichnitos Saltpans

House Martin (5), Barn Swallow (11), 'Yellow' Wagtail (8), Little Ringed Plover (6), Hen Harrier (1), Ruff (1), Black-winged Stilt (2).

24 March 10

Polichnitos Saltpans - Woodchat Shrike (1), House Martin (2), Barn Swallow (3), Willow Warbler (1), Little Ringed Plover (1), Curlew (1), Marsh Harrier (1).

23 March 10

Polichnitos Saltpans - Black-eared Wheatear (1), Northern Wheatear (1), Barn Swallow (1), Little Ringed Plover (1).

21 March 10

Polichnitos Saltpans - Tawny Pipit (2), Barn Swallow (2), Hoopoe (1), Little Ringed Plover (19), Black-winged Stilt (1), Greenshank (1).

Almiropotamos River (Vatera) - Short-toed Eagle (1), Long-legged Buzzard (1), Marsh Harrier (1)

Vourkou River - Crag Martin (2)

Polchnitos town - White Stork back on nest

20 March 10

Almiropotamos River (Lisvorio) - Isabelline Wheatear (1),House Martin (4), Barn Swallow (6), Black-headed Wagtail (3), Green Sandpiper (4), Ruff (1), Hen Harrier (1)

16 March 10

Polichnitos Saltpans - Lesser Whitethroat (1), Barn Swallow (2), Black-headed Wagtail (1), Black-winged Stilt (1), Ruff (1). Little Ringed Plover (39), Green Sandpiper (1), Skylark (9), Hen Harrier (1).

15 March 10

Polichnitos Saltpans - After two dead days, a few more birds this morning: Black-headed Wagtail (3), Willow Warbler 1, Marsh Harrier 1, Little Ringed Plover 29.

12 March 10

Polichnitos Saltpans - Willow Warbler 1, Northern Wheatear 5, Black-winged Stilt 1, Little Ringed Plover 6, Hen Harrier 3.

10 March 10

Polichnitos Saltpans - Northern Wheatear (4),Hoopoe, Green Sandpiper and a Ruff.

09 March 10

Polichnitos Saltpans - Barn Swallow (1), Hoopoe (1), Black-tailed Godwit (3) andLittle Ringed Plover (8).

Almyropotamos River, Vatera - Garganey, Hoopoe,Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier and Sombre Tit (2).

08 March 10

Polichnitos Saltpans - Northern Wheatear, 3 Green Sandpipers and a Long-legged Buzzard.

07 March 10

Skala Vasilikon - Marsh Harrier

Lesvos Birding holiday - 11 - 18 September 2010

18 White Pelicans moving south over Polichnitos Saltpans, September 2007 (c) Steve Dudley

LAST MINUTE BARGAIN - SAVE £100 per person

Come with Lesvos Birding for a great week of bird and wildlife watching on the beautiful Aegean island of Lesvos.

Numbers - max. 6 guests - small groups are better!

Hotel - we stay at Hotel Pasiphae, Skala Kallonis, the island home of Lesvos Birding.

Meals - taverna lunches and evening meals - enjoy local food the Lesvos way! Not a sandwich or roll in sight!

Pace - relaxed! Easy walking on roads and tracks.

Guide - Steve Dudley, Mr Lesvos Birding, Lesvos' most experienced wildlife guide and author of A birdwatching guide to Lesvos.

Price - Save £100 per person - now only £750 per person. £125 single supplement.

Flights - are not included. We recommend you fly with Thompsonfly charter flight from Gatwick. You can seen the Thompsonfly Lesvos timetable of flights here. If you are unable to book your flights online (or the online site says flights not available) contact your local Thompson travel agent. See here for further flight details.

There are schedule flights from Heathrow to Lesvos via Athens (using BA and Aegean Airlines) but guests should note that the airport transfers off will be provided to coincide with the Thompson flight and if your schedule flight does not fit in with this, then your transfer may incur an additional charge. See here for further details of flights via Athens.

How to book - email me to reserve your place on the holiday, then once you have booked your flight, confirm your holiday booking with me (which will include sending your deposit).

Click here to read about a typical Lesvos Birding holiday.

Click here to read a typical autumn birding trip report.

Lesvos Birding Terms & Conditions.

Lesvos Birding holiday - 21 - 28 April 2011

Night-heron and Little Bittern, Faneromeni Lower Ford, May 2009 © Steve Dudley

Come with Lesvos Birding's Steve Dudley for a great week of bird and wildlife watching on the beautiful Aegean island of Lesvos.

21 - 28 April 2011

An Oliva Rama Tours holiday with Steve Dudley/Lesvos Birding.

This is the first of the two peak weeks. There will be lots of birds and lots of birders around to exchange news and share views with.

Numbers - max. 7 guests - small groups are better!

Hotel - we stay at the excellent Hotel Pasiphae, Skala Kallonis, home of Lesvos Birding each spring.

Meals - taverna lunches and evening meals - enjoy local food the Lesvos Birding way! Not a sandwich or roll in sight!

Pace - relaxed! Easy walking on roads and tracks.

Guide - Steve Dudley, Mr Lesvos Birding, Lesvos' most experienced wildlife guide and author of A birdwatching guide to Lesvos.

Price & Booking enquiries - Please see Oliva Rama Tours website for full details.

Flights - are not included. Charter operators may be operating from 21 April (they usually commence from this date) in which case you may be able to obtain a direct flight from Gatwick or Manchester. In recent years they have not released flight only deals until late on.

I recommend coming via Athens (as I do myself). This is not a problem with several options from Heathrow (BA, Aegean and Olympic) and Gatwick (EasyJet). Many people coming via Athens add on a day or two to take in the Athens sites including the fabulous Acropolis.

Click here to read about a typical Lesvos Birding holiday.

Click here to read a typical spring birding trip report.

Lesvos Birding holiday - 14 - 21 April 2011

Night-heron and Little Bittern, Faneromeni Lower Ford, May 2009 © Steve Dudley

Come with Lesvos Birding for a great week of bird and wildlife watching on the beautiful Aegean island of Lesvos.

14 - 21 April 2011

Come on this early week and we will have the island virtually to ourselves. Other tour groups and charters will start arriving the day you leave, so apart from a few independent birders coming early, we'll be on our own!

Numbers - max. 6 guests - small groups are better!

Hotel - we stay at the excellent Hotel Pasiphae, Skala Kallonis, home of Lesvos Birding each spring.

Meals - taverna lunches and evening meals - enjoy local food the Lesvos Birding way! Not a sandwich or roll in sight!

Pace - relaxed! Easy walking on roads and tracks.

Guide - Steve Dudley, Mr Lesvos Birding, Lesvos' most experienced wildlife guide and author of A birdwatching guide to Lesvos.

Price - £950 per person. £100 single supplement. Deposit £250.

Flights - are not included. There are no charter flights this early in the season so you will have to come out via Athens. This is not a problem with several options from Heathrow (BA and Aegean) and Gatwick (EasyJet). Many people coming via Athens add on a day or two to take in the Athens sites including the fabulous Acropolis.

How to book - email me to reserve your place on the holiday, then once you have booked your flight, confirm your holiday booking with me (which will include sending your deposit).

Click here to read about a typical Lesvos Birding holiday.

Click here to read a typical spring birding trip report.

Lesvos Birding Terms & Conditions.

Lesvos Birding holidays - 2011

Come and enjoy the real Lesvos with Lesvos Birding's Steve Dudley!

Lesvos Birding's Steve Dudley is Lesvos' most experienced bird and wildlife guide and author of A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos. Enjoy a full week-long holiday with him, or come out for an early morning, half-day or full-day's birding with him on the beautiful island of Lesvos.

Steve leads bird and wildlife holidays like no other! Staying at Skala Kallonis in the heart of the island, he uses his extensive knowledge of the island to ensure you not only get the most from the bird and wildlife of the island, but will see parts of the island many birdwatchers don't see and experience real Lesvos cuisine, eating out at some of the islands best tavernas for lunch and dinner.

Week-long holidays with Steve Dudley

14 - 21 April 2011 - max 7 guests - see here.

21 - 28 April 2011 - max 7 guests - places remaining - see here.

Day excursions with Steve Dudley

29 April - 4 May 2011 - a week of excursions inc. early mornings around Skala Kallonis area, half days around Gulf of Kalloni sites and full days birding further afield (e.g. Ipsilou and the west). All starting from Hotel Pasiphae, Skala Kallonis.

Max. 7 participants per excursion. Pre-booking is likely to be essential.

For full details see here.

Lesvos flights - 2010

Updated 23/01/10

DIRECT FLIGHTS

As last year, many are already experiencing difficulties obtaining cheap flight-only deals to Lesvos for 2010.

I strongly recommend you book via your local agent due to difficulties with online booking (read on).

First Choice and Thompson merged their operations in summer 2009, so you now need to book your package holiday or flight only with Thompsonfly online or via your local Thompson agent.

Thompsonfly flight schedule to Lesvos is already online. They are advertising a schedule beginning on 15 April 2010 through to mid-October. But booking a flight is proving nigh on impossible! If you have difficulty booking online I can only suggest you contact your local Thompson agent or travel service.

Thompsonfly Gatwick to Mytilini, Lesvos schedule - click here.

Thompsonfly Manchester to Mytilini, Lesvos schedule - click here

I've been told that one local agent told enquirers that there were no flights to lesvos next spring. On contacting me I furnished them with the flight info and the agent found the flights! Click on the Thompsonfly flight schedule above for flight numbers and times to pass on to your agent.

The other shock is the cost. At 10/01/10 charters were quoting around £480 per person return! At the same time you could travel return via Athens for around £285 pp - see below.

FLIGHTS VIA ATHENS

There are other options available, but these require a flight change in Athens.

NOTE - 23/01/10 - Aegean have just changed their flight schedule again, and you can no longer fly from UK to Lesvos on the same day with Aegean. See below for other carriers.

You can fly to Athens with other carriers and link up with the Aegean Lesvos flight on the same (e.g. with BA from Heathrow). The main advantage of this option is that you're not necessarily tied into the Thursday flight programme of the charters with other days, inc. Saturday, available. I know a number of birders who have already switched. Detailed flight info - see below.

Budget options include easyJet to Athens from Gatwick, Luton and Manchester. Onward flights to Mytilini are availalbe with Aegean (see below) and Olympic airlines. Olympic also offer flights to Athens and flights on to Mytilini.

Your best bet is to use search sites online or speak to your local agent and see what they can do for you!

Some suggested flights via Athens -

British Airways (tel. 0844 493 0787)

Heathrow (LHR) to Athens (ATH) - cost at 23/10/03 £150-200 return

Thurs, 22 Ap, 30 Apr, 6 May, 13 May 2010

BA640 - dep. Heathrow (LHR) 0820, arr. Athens (ATH) 1400 (allows 5.5 hrs before connecting Aegean flight to Lesvos (see below).

BA632 - dep. Heathrow (LHR) 1150, arr. Athens (ATH) 1735 (allows 2 hrs before connecting Aegean flight to Lesvos (see below).

Athens (ATH) to Heathrow (LHR)

BA641 - dep. Athens (ATH) 1445, arr. Heathrow (LHR) 1640 (allows 5.5 hrs before connecting Aegean flight to Lesvos (see below).

BA633 - dep. Athens (ATH) 1905, arr. Heathrow (LHR) 2100 (allows 2 hrs before connecting Aegean flight to Lesvos (see below).

Aegean Airlines (tel. 0871 200 0040)

NOTE - 23/01/10 - Aegean have recently changed some of their flight times and you can no longer fly between Uk and Lesvos on the same day.

Athens (ATH) to Mytilini (MYT) - cost at 23/10/09 €150-225 return

Thurs, 22 Ap, 29 Apr, 6 May, 13 May, 20 May 2010

A3254 - dep. Athens (ATH) 1400, arr. Mytilini (MYT) 1450 (time change - was dep. 1300)

A3256 - dep. Athens (ATH) 1800, arr. Mytilini (MYT) 1900 (time change - was dep. 1940)

Mytilini (MYT) to Athens (ATH)

A3251 - dep. Mytilini (MYT) 0730, arr. Athens (ATH) 0820.

A3255 - dep. Mytilini (MYT) 1520, arr. Athens (ATH) 1610 (time change - was dep. 1425).

My own flights booked on 23/10/09 with BA and Aegean via Athens came out at £292.36 (a saving of £107.64 on Thompsonfly at the time). In early January Aegean Heathrow-Athens-Mytilini return were costing c.£285 compared to charter prices of c.£480.