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.

3 May 2010 - Moustached Warbler

Sigri / Faneromeni - MOUSTACHED WARBLER 1, SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1, Roller 1, Collared Flycatcher 3, Icterine Warbler 1, Collared Flycatcher 2, Collared Pratincole 3, Bee-eater 24, Montagu's Harrier 1, Alpine Swift 3.

Sigri Old Sanatorium - report of a FINSCH'S WHEATEAR c.0.75km south of the sanatorium.

Skala Eresou - PENDULINE TIT - still nesting c.100m north of village end road bridge. Little Crake 1.

Metochi Lake - BAILLON'S CRAKE 1, Little Crake 7.

Tsiknias River - GREAT SNIPE 1 (between main road bridge and first rough rough ford to south), Marsh Warbler (near Great Snipe), Temminck's Stint 1.

Kalloni Saltpans (inc. flooded fields opposite saltworks entrance) - GREAT SNIPE 1, White-winged Black Tern 45+, Whiskered Tern 35+, Sanderling 2, Curlew Sandpiper 2, Little Stint 80+.

Meladia Valley - River Warbler 2, Savi's Warbler 1, Collared Flycatcher 1, Red-footed Falcon 1, Little Bittern 5, Purple Heron 3, Squacco Heron 6, Red-backed Shrike 20.

Christou River - Quail 1, Stone-curlew 2.

Potamia Valley - Night-heron 1.

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint - Eleanora's Falcon 3.

Nr Eresos - Roller.

Lardia Valley - Golden Oriole, Goshawk, Alpine Swift 3.

Ipsilou - Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1, Icterine Warbler 1, Eleanora's Falcon 3, Red-footed Falcon 2, Lesser Kestrel 1.

Kavaki - Ruppell's Warbler, Red-footed Falcon 1, Lesser Kestrel 1.

Perasma - White-winged Black Tern 1, Ruddy Shelduck 2, Squacco Heron 3, Alpine Swift 11.

5 - 13 April update - inc. Finsch's Wheatear

13 April 2010

Kavaki - Ruppell's Warbler 2 males on territory, Orphean Warbler 1.

Almiropotamos River – Orphean Warbler 1, Red-rumped Swallow 1, Hen Harrier 3, Cretzschmar's Bunting 1.

Kalloni Saltpans - Red-throated Pipit 4, Black-headed Wagtail 10, SYKE'S WAGTAIL 1, Glossy Ibis 20, Squacco Heron, Ruddy Shelduck 2, Black Stork, Short-toed Eagle (Andy Stoddart).

12 April 2010

Skala Eresou - Purple Heron 1, Black-headed Wagtail 10, Blue-headed Wagtail, Lesser Kestrel 3 (Andy Stoddart)

11 April 2010

Nifida - Temminck's Stint 1, Marsh Sandpiper 6, Wood Sandpiper 2, Black-eared Wheatear 2, Spanish Sparrow 1, Subalpine Warbler 1, Tawny Pipit 1, Cretzschmar's Bunting 1 (Terry Robinson).

Andissa - Isabelline Wheatear 1, Serin 2 (Andy Stoddart).

10 April 2010

Polichnitos Saltpans – MERLIN 1 ad male, Marsh Sandpiper 42, Ruff 53, Whinchat 1 (Terry Robinson).

Metochi Lake - Night-heron 5, Little Crake 3, Masked Shrike 1 (Nikos Probonas et al).

Skala Eresou - Purple Heron 12, Night-heron, Black-headed Wagtail (feldegg), Blue-headed Wagtail (flava), Grey-headed Wagtail (thunbergi), 'Romanian Wagtail (dombrowski) (Andy Stoddart).

9 April 2010

Kalloni Saltpans - Ruddy Shelduck 65, Pintail 3, Garganey 27, Glossy Ibis 155, Squacco Heron 1, Purple Heron 1, Curlew 1, Spotted Redshank 13, Marsh Sandpiper 36, Pallid Swift 1, Short-toed Lark 2, Spanish Sparrow 9 (Nikos Probonas et al).

Almiropotamos River – Orphean Warbler 1, Wood Sandpiper 2 (Terry Robinson).

Meladia Valley - Cinereous Bunting, Orphean Warbler 2, Ruddy Shelduck 2, Lesser Kestrel 2, Northern Wheatear 6, Black Stork, Short-toed Eagle (Andy Stoddart).

Skala Eresou - Garganey 4.

8 April 2010

FINSCH’S WHEATEAR, a male at Ipsilou (Nikos Probonas, Thanos Kastritis, et al). This is only the second confirmed record for Lesvos, and only the third record for Greece (although we are following up several reports from 1998-2001). Photo © Thanos Kastritis

Ipsilou - Long-legged Buzzard 1, Raven 1, Finsch's Wheatear 1 (above), Black-eared Wheatear 1, Isabelline Wheatear 1, Blue Rock-thrush 1 (Nikos Probonas et al).

Vigla, nr Ipsilou - Isabelline Wheatear 4 (Nikos Probonas et al).

Vergias River, Skala Eresou - Jack Snipe 1, Purple Heron 1, Wood Sandpiper 1 (Nikos Probonas et al).

Kalloni Saltpans - Ruddy Shelduck 44, Pintail 3, Garganey 28, Glossy Ibis 4, Squacco Heron 2, Pallid Harrier 1, Curlew 1, Spotted Redshank 16, Marsh Sandpiper 29, Short-toed Lark 7, Spanish Sparrow 1 (Nikos Probonas et al).

Eximnos, Mesotopos - Cinereous Bunting 3, Cretzschmar's Bunting 3, Short-toed Eagle 2, Alpine Swift 1, Chukar 2.

Almiropotamos River – Montagu’s Harrier 1, Hen Harrier 3, Kingfisher 1 (Terry Robinson).

Skala Eresou - Little Bittern (Andy Stoddart).

Ipsilou to Sigri - Rock Sparrow, Lesser Kestrel 30, Isabelline Wheatear 2, Gull-billed Tern, Short-toed Eagle, Hen Harrier 3, Chukar, Orphean Warbler, Purple Heron, Western Rock Nuthatch (Andy Stoddart).

7 April 2010

Skala Eresou - Purple Heron 2, Lesser Kestrel, Black-headed Wagtail (feldegg), Blue-headed Wagtail (flava), Grey-headed Wagtail (thunbergi) (Andy Stoddart).

6 April 2010

Almiropotamos River - Little Crake 1, Squacco Heron 1, Purple Heron 1, Common Sandpiper 1, Sedge Warbler 1, Woodchat Shrike 2, Northern Wheatear 1, Long-legged Buzzard, Goshawk, Raven (Terry Robinson).

Achladeri - Kruper's Nuthatch 2, Long-tailed Tit 2 (Andy Stoddart).

Kalloni Saltpans - Gull-billed Tern 50, Glossy Ibis 180, Purple Heron 2, Squacco Heron, Ruddy Shelduck 7, Garganey 10 (Andy Stoddart).

5 April 2010

Meladia Valley - GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE 1, Isabelline Wheatear, Cinereous Bunting, Little Crake, Sombre Tit, 2 Purple Herons, Tawny Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Orphean Warbler 3, Black-headed Wagtail 10, Chukar 2,Subalpine Warbler (Andy Stoddart).

Polichnitos Saltpans - Great Reed Warbler 1 (Terry Robinson).

Almiropotamos River - Sedge Warbler 1, Blackcap 1, Northern Wheatear 1, Woodchat Shrike 1, Stone-curlew 2, Hen Harrier 2 (Terry Robinson).

10 May - Broad-billed Sandpiper day

Fine weather, blue skies and light winds and more photographers than birders!

Napi Valley - FINSCH'S WHEATEAR 1 reported at the north end of the valley. No further details. Note - only one accepted record and ALL those followed up in recent years have turned out to be black and white melanoleuca Black-eared Wheatears (now known to be a Black-eared Wheatear see here). LANNER FALCON 1.

Kalloni Saltpans area - reports of a 'large' pratincole movement this morning c.0730h inc. reported Black-winged Pratincole. Flood opposite saltworks entrance - BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER 1 reported, Black Stork 5, Great White Egret 3, Squacco Heron 9, Glossy Ibis 3, Garganey 2, Ruddy Shelduck 2, Mallard 3, Red-backed Shrike 2. Alykes Wetlands - BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER 2 reported with Little Stints late evening, Collared Pratincole 5, Black Stork 3, White Stork 1, Ruddy Shelduck 6, Grey Plover 1, Ringed Plover 1. Pans - Stone-curlew 5, Little Stint 60+, Ruff 20+. Beach - RUFOUS BUSH ROBIN still in tamerisks west of beach cafe. SW Corner - CITRINE WAGTAIL female.

Mesa - Black Stork 10, Ruddy Shelduck 26.

Skala Vasilikon - Little Bittern 1.

Tsiknias River - Little Bittern 1, Squacco Heron 2, Green Sandpiper 1.