20 April 2012

Cattle Egret, Alykes Wetlands, Kalloni Saltpans © Bob Brussaard

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands
CATTLE EGRET - adult on flooded fields near saltworks entrance
Temminck's Stint - 1
Black Stork - 1
Purple Heron - 1

Skala Kalloni Pool
Wryneck - 1
Little Crake - 3
Little Bittern - 1
Black Stork - 2
Squacco Heron - 2
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - 2

4 May 2011 - Bimac and Bee-eaters!

Bee-eater, Faneromeni Fields - a large arrival of birds today pleased many birders on their last day on the island, myself included

© Steve Dudley

A mixed day with grey skies and showers in the central areas, but those who headed west faired better with an overcast morning and a brilliantly sunny afternoon. Wind swung round to the NW by the end of the day.

Bird-wise, the west was was hoochin' with warblers and Spotted Flycatchers with a few other nicities thrown in for good measure. But two Bimaculated Larks seen flying on off the sea were the show stealers - alas seen by only the finder - and constitute the first record for Lesvos.

My last day, off to Dadia Mountains and Kerkini tomorrow. Many, many thanks to all those who have shared their sightings with me or in the Lesvos Birding Log at the Hotel Pasiphae. Keep the records cominh - all are needed for the 2011 annual report. Cheers, Steve.

Environment Centre - see here.

No sign of yesterday's Great Great Shrike near Vouvaris River.

Alykes Wetlands - BIMACULATED LARK 2 seen coming on off sea around 0900h at the eastern end of the wetlands by the Milopotamos River mouth. They were seen to come down east of the river but not seen subsequently. Slender-billed Gull 5 (offshore), Montagu's Harrier 2, Common Ringed Plover 3.

Metochi Lake - BAILLON'S CRAKE 1.

Sigri & Faneromeni Fields - SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER 1 fem, Collared Flycatcher 5+, Pied Flycatcher 10+, Spotted Flycatcher 250++, Icterine Warbler 20+, Wood Warbler 110+, Willow Warbler 20+, Chiffchaff 2, Common Whitethroat 10+, Garden Warbler 15+, Blackcap 1, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Orphean Warbler 1, Black-headed Bunting 185+ (inc. flock of 65), Bee-eater 320++ (plus many, many more herd going over throughout the day), Woodchat Shrike 15+, Honey-buzzard 2, Eleonora's Falcon 1 dark, Levant Sparrowhawk 1 male, Red-footed Falcon 1 fem, Alpine Swift 30+.

Kalloni Saltpans - CATTLE EGRET 1, Black Tern 1.

Apothika - BLACK KITE 1, Bee-eater 20+.

Vigla (nr Ipsilou) - BLACK KITE 2.

Lardia Valley - Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 2.

Sigri - Roller 1 (on wires just west of town).

Faneromeni Fords - Squacco Heron 3, Little Bittern 2, Little Crake 1.

Skala Kallonis - Little Bittern 1 opp Environmental Centre.

Faneromeni Beach - Yelkouan Shearwaters 000s, Scopoli's Shearwater 60 per hour mid afternoon (all close in shore)

Wood Warbler, Upper Faneromeni Fields - large numbers of migrants in the area, particularly in the under-watched upper fields, included c.110 of these gems, many feeding, as here, in giant fennel

© Steve Dudley

25 April 2011 - Booted Eagle and Cattle Egret

Wood Sandpiper, Tsiknias River. Common at most freshwater wetlands again this year © Steve Dudley

Another sunny day. Warm in the centre of the island, but bitterly cold out west.

After a trickle of Black-headed Buntings, Bee-eaters and other species in recent days, the expected rush of migrants hasn't happened yet. Hopefully tomorrow. Those leaving on Thursday are running out of time!

Semi-collared flycatchers – really? See here.

Collared Pratincoles - there are lots of reports of exhausted birds (birds falling over, birds with pronounced sternums, etc). Please do not harass any birds, this is aimed especially to photographers who were observed climbing fences and entering fields around the saltpans today and stalking one exhausted individual.

Kramastes Bridge - BOOTED EAGLE 1 (dark phase).

'nr Kalloni' - CATTLE EGRET 1 in sheep fields (sorry, no further info), Mallard with 6 ducklings (first confirmed breeding?).

Ipsilou - SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER male, Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1, Wood Warbler, Collared Flycatcher, etc.

Kalloni Saltpans (and surrounding fields and wetlands) - Fan-tailed Warbler 1, Collared Pratincole 45+, Slender-billed Gull 3, Spoonbill 1, White-winged Black Tern 8, Whiskered Tern 4, Temminck's Stint 1, Black-tailed Godwit 3, Grey Plover 5, Eurasian Curlew 1, Whimbrel 1, Water Pipit (reported on main road pool), Glossy Ibis 100+, Ruff 250+, Short-toed Lark 6, Red-throated Pipit 6.

Faneromeni - Pallid Harrier 1, Golden Oriole 1, Little Crake 3, White-winged Black Tern 3, Woodchat Shrike 10+, Savi's Warbler 1, Collared Flycatcher 5+, Masked Shrike 2, Hoopoe 2, Turtle Dove 20+, Little Bittern 3, Purple Heron 10, Squacco Heron 2.

Sigri Old Sanatorium to Meladia Chapel - Ortolan Bunting 1, Masked Shrike 2, Woodchat Shrike 20+, Wood Warbler 1, Tawy Pipit 3, Lesser Kestrel 2.

Bandstand above Sigri - Ortolan Bunting 2, Cinereous Bunting 1, Lesser Kestrel 5.

Meladia Valley - Montagu's Harrier 1, Marsh Harrier 1, Woodchat Shrike 8.

Kavaki - Ruppell's Warbler (2 prs active), Blue Rock-thrush, Peregrine,Crag Martin.

Aghios Ioannis - Alpine Swift, Cinereous and Cretztschmar's Buntings, Golden Oriole.

Lotzaria Pool - Spotted Redshank 1.

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint - Red-footed Falcon fem, Short-toed Eagle 6, Black Stork 1.

Tsiknias River - Night-heron 6, Little Bittern 2, Purple Heron 1, Hen Harrier fem, Hobby 1.

18 April 2011 - Baillon's Crake and Penduline Tit

After a thunderous storm overnight we awoke to dark skies and a cold wind. Fields were flooded and rivers swollen by the overnight rain. Day temperature didn't climb much above 10C out of the wind - in the wind it was freezing! If you're coming out in coming days bring your woollies!

Huge numbers of hirundines throughout the Kalloni area all day.

Metochi Lake - BAILLON'S CRAKE 1 (at north in in reeds by little bridge viewed from the grassy turning area), PENDULINE TIT 1 (at 1510 - no further details), SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER 1, Spotted Crake 2 (at southern end), Great Bittern 1, Night-heron 11, Little Crake 10+, Water Rail 1, Little Bittern 2, Great Bittern 1, Purple Heron 1, Savi's Warbler 1.

Skala Kallonis - CATTLE EGRET 1 in fields by Pasiphae Hotel (second day - same as yesterday's saltpans bird). Long-eared Owl 2 in pines between Imerti Hotel and bakery/mini soccer pitch. Garganey 3, Purple Heron 1.

Tsiknias River - Caspian Tern (mouth), Black Tern 1 (1800), Purple Heron 1, Collared Pratincole 1, Ortolan Bunting 3, Glossy Ibis 42 (over), Pallid Swift 1, Short-toed Lark 4, Tawny Pipit 1.

Kalloni Saltpans (inc. surrounding fields and pools) - Sanderling 3, Temminck's Stint 2, Marsh Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper 3, Whiskered Tern 33, Short-toed Lark 22, Montagu's Harrier 1, Marsh Harrier 3, Hobby 1, Peregrine 1. Alykes Wetlands Short-toed Lark 15-20, Red-throated Pipit 4, Glossy Ibis 50+. On sea Black-necked Grebe 2, Great Crested Grebe 2.

Kavaki - Ruppell's Warbler 3+ males now in, Pallid Harrier r/t, Red=throated Pipit 6.

Platania - Hobby 1, Lesser Kestrel 2; lots of common migrant breeders and residents inc. Orphean Warblers, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Hoopoe, Sombre Tit, etc.

Napi Valley - Red-footed Falcon 1 fem.

Soumouria (Scops Copse)- Scops Owl 3 (2 in tree by green wheelie bin; 1 in tree in centre marked by car oil bottle with red lid).

Faneromeni - Citrine Wagtail 1 (upper ford), Little Crake 1 (lower ford), Common Kingfisher.

Efthalou to Skala Sikaminias - Ortolan Bunting 5, Yelkouan and Scopoli's Shearwaters (north coast track very boggy, rutted and lots of fallen rocks after last nights storm).

Meladia Valley - Golden Oriole 2 (fig grove), Mallard.

Still lots of Collared Flycatchers all over.

17 April 2011 - Paddyfield Warbler and more migrants

A cool day with sun struggling to get through and which eventually gave up with rain setting in from late afternoon. Fair north westerly wind all day.

This year is certainly the best year I have known for Collared Flycatcher - they are everywhere and in numbers. Also good numbers of Orphean Warblers and Ortolan Bunting.

Tsiknias River - PADDYFIELD WARBLER 1 just north of the ford on the east bank, Collared Flycatchers, Caspian Tern (mouth - also near Saltpans), Slender-billed Gull 1, Mediterranean Gull 1, Squacco Heron 2, Black Stork 1, Night-heron 1, Great Reed Warblers (many), Garganey 2, Bee-eater 1, Purple Heron 2.

Ipsilou - SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER 1, Collared Flycatcher (20+), Pied Flycatcher (20+), Cinereous Bunting, Isabelline Wheatear.

Sigri Fields - SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER 1, Wryneck 1 (by little chapel), Ortolan Bunting 1, Collared Flycatcher (10+), Pied Flycatcher (10+), Red-footed Falcon 1, Lesser Kestrel 16, Squacco Heron

Faneromeni - SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER 1, SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1 (along road to beach), PALLID HARRIER 1, CITRINE WAGTAIL 1, Collared Flycatcher (10+), Purple Heron 1, Pied Flycatcher (5+), Little Crake 1, Little Bittern 1, Green Sandpiper 1; Scopoli's and Yelluoan Shearwaters seen from beach.

Efthalou - SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER 1.

Kalloni Saltpans (inc. surrounding fields and pools) - CATTLE EGRET 1 (by south hide and also seen Lotzaria), Caspian Tern (by beach - later at Tsiknias River mouth), Temminck's Stint 2, Marsh Sandpiper 3, Glossy Ibis 40+, Montagu's Harrier 2 r/t, Garganey 7, Black-necked Grebe 2 (on sea). Alykes Wetlands Collared Pratincole 6, Short-toed Lark, Whinchat; Lotzaria Grey Plover 2, Northern Wheatear.

Meladia Valley - Chapel FIRECREST 1, Wood Warbler 1, Common Quail 1. Ford Little Crake 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1; River & mouth Purple Heron 4, Common Quail 1, Squacco Heron 2, Greenshank 2, Mallard, Hoopoe, Peregrine, Whinchat; Chapel Collared Flycatcher 2, Common Redstart 1.

Christou (Kamares) River - FAN-TAILED WARLBER (Zitting Cisticola) 1 near observation sceen on west side (for second day running - this is a former breeding site and last recorded here in 2004), SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1, Gull-billed Tern 33, Bee-eater 6, Golden Oriole 2.

Skala Kallonis - Garganey, Little Bittern, Collared Flycatcher, Bee-eater 5.

Kavaki - Ruppell's Warbler 1 male, Ortolan Bunting 4+, Collared Flycatcher, Whinchat.

Aghios Ioannis chapel - Ortolan Bunting 6, Cinereous Bunting, Tree Pipit.

Metochi Lake - Savi's Warbler 1, Spotted Crake 1, Little Crake (many), Little Bittern 1, Great Reed Warbler (many), Red-footed Falcon 1, Collared Flycatcher 7.

Soumouria (Scops Copse)- Scops Owl 2 (one in tree by green wheelie bin; one in tree in centre marked by car oil bottle with red lid).

nr Filia - Ortolan Bunting 5.

2 May 2010 - Black-winged Pratincole

Baillon's Crake, Metochi Lake, 2 May 2010 © Steve Dudley

Lotzaria - SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 2 (near Tsiknias River mouth) (MO)

Faneromeni - SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1 (MO), Night-heron 1, White-winged Black Tern 2, Whiskered Tern 2, Bee-eater 70, Little Crake 1.

Kalloni Saltpans (inc. flood opposite the saltworks entrance) - BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE 1 (Heatherlea group), CATTLE EGRET 1 (MO) (4 reported Mesa yday), GREAT SNIPE 1 (MO), Rufous Bush Robin 1 (compound in SW corner), Gull-billed Tern 5, Grey Plover 1, Turnstone 1, Bee-eater 1, Sandwich Tern 1, Pintail.

Metochi Lake - BAILLON'S CRAKE 1 (MO), Little Crake 5, Little Bittern 7, Night-heron 1,

Agra - Sideras - LANNER 1, Levant Sparrowhawk 1, Eleanora's Falcon 3, Cinereous Bunting 5+.

Efthalou - Skala Sikaminias - Red-breasted Merganser (good spring record), Honey-buzzard, Orphean Warbler, Long-legged Buzzard, Woodpigeon (good spring record).

Meladia Valley - Red-breasted Flycatcher female at chapel.

Kavaki - Eleanora's Falcon 2, Ruppell's Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Blue Rock-thrush.

Ipsilou - Eleanora's Falcon 1, Red-footed Falcon 5, Wood Warbler 5.

Sideras - Eleanora's Falcon 3.

Soumouria (Kalloni Soccer Mini Pitch) - Scops Owl 1.

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint - Spoonbill 11 to north, Eleanora's Falcon 1, Short-toed Eagle 5, Long-legged Buzzard 3, Red-footed Falcon 1, Goshawk.

Perasma - Eleanora's Falcon 2, Ruddy Shelduck 5, Hobby.

Petri - Kalloni - Eleanora's Falcon 1.

Pandeleimonas (pools east of Eresos) - Roller 1, Little Crake 1 (Little Bittern 1 dead on road).

Winter birds

Cattle Egret, Polichnitos Saltpans, 14 Dec 08 © Terry Robinson

With only five recent records, this is the third Cattle Egret in a year with a bird near Sigri in Dec 07 and one near Tsiknias River in April 08.

With only Terry and Sue Robinson really active on the island in winter there are few records to report. Apart from the Cattle Egret above, Terry and Sue report the following -

At the end of November 08 still three Ruddy Shelducks on Polichnitos Saltpans, lots of Starlings and Corn Buntings around, and lots of Serins and Sardinian Warblers have moved in for the winter. No grebes in the Gulf of Kalloni yet though. We had the first real rains since May this weekend!

Mid-December 08 - The above Cattle Egret was seen along side Little and Great White Egrets! and Spotted Redshank on Polichnitos Saltpans on 14 Dec. 207 Cormorant and 620 Great Crested Grebes in the Gulf off Polichnitos Saltpans on the morning of 21 Dec chasing a shoals of fish right up the beach! Grey Heron and a Great White Egret joined in catching the fish in the shallows! Still 3 white storks over-wintering and a few waders. A couple of Reed Buntings have joined the Serins and Corn Buntings at Polichnitos Saltpans along with 4 Linnets and a few Meadow Pipits. Lots of Black Redstart, Stonechat and Sardinian Warblers, with Song Thrush, Robin and Wren, all now wintering around the Polichnitos Saltpans

1 Jan 09 - 4 Whooper Swans on the sea off Mesa.

Imm Goshawk, Polichnitos Saltpans, Nov 08 © Terry Robinson

Your Lesvos bird records for 2008

Nikos Probonas (Hellenic Rarities Committee) and I would like to encourage all those who visited Lesvos this year to report their more important bird records, including –

Greek national rarities
Scarce passage and breeding migrants
Out of range (for the island) breeding/territory records
Any confirmed breeding records (all species)

Greek national rarities
The Hellenic Rarities Committee have asked me to request on their behalf, descriptions of Greek national rarities reported from Lesvos this spring. All sightings of the following species (known to be reported this spring) -

Cattle Egret
Imperial Eagle
Black-winged Pratincole
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (lots of them!)
Scarlet (Common) Rosefinch

Plus any other species listed by HRC in their previous reports (see here).

Please report your records to HRC here.

Scarce passage and breeding migrants
In addition, I am collating records of scarcer migrants. Please supply details of the following species in particular (also any species down as scarce passage migrant (sPM) or scarce migrant breeder (sMB) on the list here) –

Great Bittern
Little Bittern
Night-heron
Purple Heron
Glossy Ibis
Black Kite
All vultures
All eagles apart from Short-toed Eagle (Imperial Eagle records to HRC as above)
Pallid Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Hen Harrier
Levant Sparrowhawk
Honey-buzzard
Lanner
Eleanora's Falcon
All crakes
Collared Pratincole
Spur-winged Plover
Great Snipe
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Roller
Wryneck
Citrine Wagtail
Rufous Bush Chat
Thrush Nightingale
(Rufous-tailed) Rock Thrush
River Warbler
Savi’s Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Olive Tree Warbler (away from known breeding sites)
Barred Warbler
Sardinian Warbler
Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler (away from known breeding sites)
Red-breasted Flycatcher
Semi-collared Flycatcher
Collared Flycatcher
Penduline Tit
Lesser Grey Shrike

Please submit these records (species, number, date, location, observer, notes) either direct to me at (steve at toadsnatcher dot com) or via OrnithoTopos.

Out of range breeding/territory records (e.g. Cinereous Bunting) or confirmed breeding records (e.g. feeding young, fledged young, etc) of any species, can be submitted via OrnithoTopos or sent to me direct at (steve at toadsnatcher dot com) .

Many thanks in advance.

9 May 08 - Magpie!

Duncan Walbridge has texted me the following news -

Mandamodos - MAGPIE (fourth Lesvos record).

Nr Kalloni - GRIFFON VULTURE 3 over.

Skalla Kallonis Pool - CATTLE EGRET (since yesterday)

Other reports today (from Hotel Pasiphae bird log) -

Agia Paraskevi - IMPERIAL EAGLE 'juv' (presumably means non-adult) over.

Platania - OLIVE TREE WARBLER 6+ at cattle grid site.

Faneromeni - Red-breasted Flycatcher 2.

Reporting your sightings
Please keep the records coming in and help keep these daily summaries as complete and as interesting as possible. Send your records direct to me by -
Email steve at toadsnatcher dot com
Text 00447767787287

25 April - Cattle Egret and more Rollers

Cattle Egret between Kalloni Saltpans and Tsiknias River © Steve Dudley

Weather: cloudy with sunny periods with strong north-westerly wind. Max. temp 23 C.

Nr Tsiknias River Mouth - CATTLE EGRET, only the seventh in recent years, was the above summer plumaged adult found this evening.

Platania - BOOTED EAGLE 1, LANNER 1, OLIVE TREE WARBLER 1 still showing on and off.

Tsiknias River - ROLLER 1, Slender-billed Gull 2, Little Bittern 1.



Alykodi Pool - GREAT SNIPE 1.

Metochi Lake - Little Crake 4, Spotted Crake 1, Purple Heron 1, Bee-eater 20+.

Kalloni Saltpans - Gull-billed Tern, Spotted Crake 1 (on pool opp. Saltworksentrance), Sanderling 3, Curlew Sandpiper 30+, Marsh Sandpiper 1, Spotted Redshank 1, Ruff 60+, Red-throated Pipit 5 (around pool opp. saltworks entrance).

Polichnitos Saltpans - Little Stint 60+, Temminck's Stint 1, Curlew Sandpiper 12, Black Stork 1.

Achladeri - Kruper's Nuthatch very active around nest stump, Roller 1, Lesser Grey Shrike 1.

Skala Vasilikon - Bee-eater 22.

Alykes Wetlands - Tawny Pipit 1, Short-toed Lark 2.

Mesa - Garganey 3, Shoveler 7.

A number of Black Storks reported moving north throughout the day.

Great Snipe at Alykoudi Pool © Mark Powell

Cattle Egret, nr Sigri, December 2007

Cattle Egret, 26/12/2007, near Sigri seen by E. Kakalis and L. Grybilakou (photo E. Kakalis).

Not the large influx of Cattle Egrets seen in the UK this winter, but one for Lesvos is an excellent find given that there is next to no coverage of the island in mid-winter. This is only the sixth record for Lesvos since 1995, the first since 2002, and like the UK, it was part of an influx (64 records of 127 birds) into Greece during 2007.