3 May - now two Great Snipes!

Great Snipe, Nr Achladeri, 3 May 2013 
(Gallinago media) Διπλομπεκάτσινο 
© Anna Thompson

Two Great Snipes today, yesterday's bird still at Faneromeni and a new bird found near Achladeri. Griffon Vulture still out west. No news of either the White-throated Robins. Fewer shrikes out west but a cracking evening at Kalloni Saltpans with marsh terns and pratincoles.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

No news today.

We now have confirmation that we have two males and a female robin in the park. The males are holding territory close to one another and a female has been seen with the male near the concrete building. We are now treating this as a breeding attempt. Please therefore view only from the road and not from within the park to avoid disturbing them.

I've been told that the police are aware of misbehaviour here, including the use of recordings (illegal here) and are now going to be making patrols of the area, especially when the park is closed, to ensure that no one is using recordings or harassing the birds now they are presumed to be breeding. Please be sure to pass this message around.

It also means they are expected to hang around! Which is good news to those arriving today and next week.

Sigri & Faneromeni area

GREAT SNIPE 1 (lower ford)
Spotted Crake 1 (lower ford)
Red-backed Shrike 30+

Beach road between Achladeri and Skala Vasilikon

GREAT SNIPE 1 on first pool travelling south
Eleonora's Falcon 1

Nr Antissa

GRIFFON VULTURE 1

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Rufous Bush-robin 2 in beach tamarisks (view from shoreline, please don't walk through bushes)
Black Stork 24
White-winged Tern 38
Whiskered Tern 41
Sandwich Tern 2
Gull-billed Tern 5
Little Gull1 
Spoonbill 1
Ruddy Shelduck 4
Red-throated Pipit 6
Short-toed Lark 5
Collared Pratincole 12
Ruff 330
Temminck's Stint 2
Curlew Sandpiper 21
Mallard 1
Purple Heron 4
Mediterranean Gull 6
Grey Plover 4
Turnstone 3
Red-footed Falcon 10

Molivos

Great Spotted Cuckoo 1
Red-breasted Flycatcher 1

South of Vatousa

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 3 singing males

Lardia Valley

Eleonora's Falcon 1

Gavathas

Scopoli's Shearwater 3
Alpine Swift 30
Bee-eater 12

Alikoudi

White-winged Tern 9
Whiskered Tern 1
Temminck's Stint 2
Greenshank 1

Kalloni Raptor Watchpint

Honey-buzzard 1
Hobby 2

Stipsi

Honey-buzzard 1

Agriosikos (east track)

Hawfinch 1

Metochi Lake

Little Bittern 3
Bee-eater 6
Purple Heron 1

Nr Skamioudi

Olive-tree Warbler 2

Potamia Valley

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Achalderi

Kruper's Nuthatch - female incubating and male visiting infrequently, expect to wait!

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana

Scops Owl 
Long-eared Owl adult by nest with 3 young (same site as 2012)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl 5l. Please do not harass the birds!

2 May - Calandra Lark and Great Snipe

Calandra Lark, Alykes Weltands, 2 May 2013 
(Melanocorypha calandra) (Κοινή) Γαλιάντρα © Bob Buckler

A much better day with significantly more birds arriving including star bird, Calandra Lark (11th record for Lesvos), seen by quite a few this evening. Lots of waders and terns at Kalloni Saltpans plus a large arrival of Red-backed Shrikes and other passerines out west including two Red-breasted Flycatchers. Also a Great Snipe (unfortunately flushed by a photographer) and Booted Eagle, Griffon Vulture and Black Kite all seen out west.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

One male seen 06.30 briefly and again 07.25 - 07.35. No news for rest of day.

We now have confirmation that we have two males and a female robin in the park. The males are holding territory close to one another and a female has been seen with the male near the concrete building. We are now treating this as a breeding attempt. Please therefore view only from the road and not from within the park to avoid disturbing them.

I've been told that the police are aware of misbehaviour here, including the use of recordings (illegal here) and are now going to be making patrols of the area, especially when the park is closed, to ensure that no one is using recordings or harassing the birds now they are presumed to be breeding. Please be sure to pass this message around.

It also means they are expected to hang around! Which is good news to those arriving today and next week.

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

CALANDRA LARK 1 - 17.30 - 18.30 in sheep fields of Alykes Wetlands east of race track

Rufous Bush-robin 2 in beach tamarisks (view from shoreline, please don't walk through bushes)

White-winged Tern 47

Whiskered Tern 32

Sandwich Tern 2

Gull-billed Tern 5

Little Gull1 

Spoonbill 1

Glossy Ibis 2

Quail 1

Ruddy Shelduck 2

Red-throated Pipit 23

Tawny Pipit 2

Short-toed Lark 5

Collared Pratincole 2

Ruff 520

Temminck's Stint 3

Black-tailed Godwit 13

Curlew Sandpiper 21

Grey Plover 4

Spotted Redshank 2

Turnstone 1

Mallard 1

Common Starling 1

Sigri & Faneromeni area

GREAT SNIPE 1 lower ford (unfortunately flushed by a photographer so many people failed to see it)

Black Kite 2

Spotted Crake 1 (lower ford)

Wryneck 1

Citrine Wagtail 1

Roller 1

Red-backed Shrike 70+

Lesser Grey Shrike 4

Masked Shrike 1

Temminck's Stint 2

Wood Warbler 1

Bee-eater 5

Eleanora's Falcon 1

Nightjar 1 - same roosting branch for third day

Mt Ordimnos

GRIFFON VULTURE 1

Apothika

Booted Eagle 1

Meladia Valley

Red-breasted Flycatcher 2 (fem + 2CY male)

Ortolan Bunting 4

Roller 1

Purple Heron 1

Collared Flycatcher 1

Red-backed Shrike 30+

Spotted Flycatcher 40+

Ruddy Shelduck 1

Sigri Old Sanotroium

Great Spotted Cuckoo 1

Lesser Grey Shrike 3

Golden Oriole 2

Common Redstart 1

North Coast Track

Great Spotted Cuckoo 2

Molivos castle

Great Spotted Cuckoo 2

Collared Flycatcher 1

Ipsilou

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Red-footed Falcon 4

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 2

Wood Warbler 1

Golden Oriole 2

Napi Valley

Honey-buzzard 1

Hawfinch 1 (Mavria)

Red-footed Falcon 1 (Mavria)

Metochi Lake

Night-heron 11

Little Crake 2

Little Bittern 9

Nr Skamioudi

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Konditsia Valley

Bee-eater 36 (20 over, 18 

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Track very poor in places - drive down with care!

Achalderi

Kruper's Nuthatch - female incubating and male visiting infrequently, expect to wait!

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana

Scops Owl 

Long-eared Owl adult by nest with 3 young (same site as 2012)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl 5l. Please do not harass the birds!

30 April - Corncrake (RIP) and Baillon Crake

A Corncrake found dead on the road at Faneromeni (only the 20th island record) and a Baillon's Crake at Meotchi Lake. The Griffon Vulture continues to be seen and another potential island first was Syke's Wagtail at Faneromeni. Two more Black Kites continues a very good spring for this species. Oh, and at least one of the male White-throated Robins was seen in the evening.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

One male seen this evening briefly at 18.30 and well at 19.45 

We now have confirmation that we have two males and a female robin in the park. The males are holding territory close to one another and a female has been seen with the male near the concrete building. We are now treating this as a breeding attempt. Please therefore view only from the road and not from within the park to avoid disturbing them.

I've been told that the police are aware of misbehaviour here, including the use of recordings (illegal here) and are now going to be making patrols of the area, especially when the park is closed, to ensure that no one is using recordings or harassing the birds now they are presumed to be breeding. Please be sure to pass this message around.

It also means they are expected to hang around! Which is good news to those arriving today and next week.

Petrified Forest (cont)

Golden Oriole 3

Collared Flycatcher 1

Skala Kallonis

No sign of either sand plover or divers reported yesterday.

Sigri & Faneromeni area

SYKE'S WAGTAIL (beema) 'several' reported (no previous accepted records)

CORNCRAKE 1 fund freshly dead on road

GRIFFON VULTURE 1

Semicollared Flycatcher 1

Wryneck 1

Citrine Wagtail 1

Roller 2

Bee-eater 5

Barred Warbler 1

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Eleanora's Falcon 1

Nightjar 1

Metochi Lake

Baillon's Crake 1

Night-heron 20

Little Crake 3

Golden Oriole 1

Perasma Reservoir

Great Spotted Cuckoo ad + 2CY

Marsh Warbler 3

Mt Ordimnos

Black Kite 2

Nr Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint

Tawny Owl 1

Makara

Roller 2

Temminck's Stint 3

Chukar 7 (inc. some suspiciously captive origin birds!)

Alpine Swift 60+ around Garbias Is and coming to drink from the beach pool (fantastic views).

Mt Ordimnos

Black Kite 2

Agriosikos (Filia mast area)

Levant Sparrowhawk 2

Christou (Kameras) River

Spoonbill 3 over

Achalderi

Kruper's Nuthatch - female incubating and male visiting infrequently, expect to wait!

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Rufous Bush-robin 2 in bech tamarisks (view from shoreline, please don't walk through bushes)

Collared Pratincole 3

White-winged Tern 3

Glossy Ibis 2

Purple Heron 3

Quial 2

Ruddy Shelduck 2

Nr Skamioudi

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana

Scops Owl 

Long-eared Owl adult by nest with 3 young (same site as 2012)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl 5l. Please do not harass the birds!

28 April - Common Rock-thrush and Great Spotted Cuckoos

Female Common Rock-thrush, Ipsilou, 28 April 2013 
(Monticola saxatilis) Πυροκότσυφας © Steve Dudley

A female Common Rock-Thrush was the star find today at Ipsilou. White-throated Robins were seen first thing then not again until late evening. Five Great Spotted Cuckoos is possibly an island record count. Raptors included the wandering Griffon Vulture, single Lesser Spotted Eagle, Black Kite and Levant Sparrowhawk. Migrant passerines few and far between.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

Two males this morning c.06.30 - 07.30. No sign of any birds throughout day, but one male again 18.30. 

We now have confirmation that we have two males and a female robin in the park. The males are holding territory close to one another and a female has been seen with the male near the concrete building. We are now treating this as a breeding attempt. Please therefore view only from the road and not from within the park to avoid disturbing them.

I've been told that the police are aware of misbehaviour here, including the use of recordings (illegal here) and are now going to be making patrols of the area, especially when the park is closed, to ensure that no one is using recordings or harassing the birds now they are presumed to be breeding. Please be sure to pass this message around.

It also means they are expected to hang around! Which is good news to those arriving today and next week.

Ipsilou

COMMON ROCK-THRUSH female
Black Kite 1

Kavaki

LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE 1
Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint

GRIFFON VULTURE 1
Levant Sparrowhawk 1
Eleanora's Falcon 1

Faneromeni

Great Spotted Cuckoo ad & 2CY (western fields)
Wryneck 1 (lower ford)
Roller 2 (1 main track and 1 western fields)
Red-throated Pipit 5 (cut hay field on beach road)
Lesser Grey Shrike 2
Golden Oriole 1
Collared Flycatcher 1

Achalderi

Great Spotted Cuckoo 2
Roller 1

Perasma

Great Spotted Cuckoo 1

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Spur-winged Plover 2
Purple Heron 12
Collard Pratincole 2
Gull-billed Tern 1

Tsiknias River

Temminck's Stint 3

Petri

Black Kite 1

Metochi Lake

Night-heron 8
Little Crake 1

Petrifies Forest

Barred Warbler

Papiana

Scops Owl 
Long-eared Owl adult at nest with 3 young (same site as 2012)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl - several. Please do not harass the birds!

27 April 2011 - Penduline Tit and rain (lots!)

First, an apology for all those missing pictures from this beautiful island! I'm sorry, but I don't have time to take many photos when I am working with groups, and I don't have time in the evenings to process those I do take and prepare for the web. It gets tiring working days from 0615-0030h most days! Also, no one sends me any photos either! So here is a photo of a very obliging Black Stork at the Kalloni Saltpans taken this evening. Photo © Steve Dudley

Following a thunderous night with torrential rain, today was cool with very low cloud and rain most of the day, sometimes torrential.

Unfortunately, the expected mass downing of migrants with the rain didn't happen. The central area was very, very quiet but the west faired a little better with more Black-headed Buntings, Hoopoes and Red-back-shrikes (the first now belatedly reported for yesterday). Still waiting for Bee-eaters and many go home tomorrow afternoon! Flycatcher numbers greatly down and first day for some time that no Semi-collared Flys have been reported (see here).

Common Nightingales are not Bush-robins - lots of birds seen feeding in open areas being reported as Rufous Bush-robin. Please check birds carefully - not all rufous-coloured birds feeding around rocks and in fields etc are Bush-robins (in fact, none of them are so far!).

Complaints - alas, more complaints about several photographers who appear to care very little for the birds, their habitats and the rest of us on the island. More reports of fences being climbed, entering areas where they shouldn't be, harassing tired pratincoles, blocking tracks with their cars - I could go on. Lets hope these individuals are going home tomorrow and fingers crossed we don't get any more like them next week. Its not just photographers, one minibus of birders were seen walking through fields to view one pool in Lotzaria, going where they shouldn't be and flushing birds from the pool in the process. There's little we can do other than make our feelings plain and hope they won't continue their bad habits.

What many may not realise is that many of these areas are protected sites (Natura 2000 sites). Hunting has recently been banned here and the hunters are less than happy and are looking at excuses to prove that birders and photographers do as much disturbance as they do and because of this they should be allowed to resume their hunting. Please don't be ignorant enough to give them the ammunition they need to press their case for resumption of hunting.

Environment Centre - please visit the centre. Apart from fascinating displays about the Kalloni area and its wildlife, geology etc, they need our support. The centre is on the edge of Skala Kallonis. Walk down the side of the bakery by the mini soccer pitch, along the the track with the channel on your left and houses on your right towards the Tsiknias River. The centre is the last building (pink - you cant miss it!). Only a small sign on the gate (the main sign blew away in the winter!). Open hours are 0900-1300 and 1800-2100. Thanks.

To the birds!

Tsiknias River - PENDULINE TIT fem (opposite the canopy at river mouth), Little Bittern 3, Night-heron 3, Whiskered Tern 2, Grey Plover 6, Whimbrel 1, Eurasian Curlew 1, Golden Oriole 1, Bee-eater 1, Hen Harrier 1.

Napi Valley - Olive-tree Warbler pr present at the barrier site below Mavria. Please park sensibly in this area and take care when viewing the site from the road by the barriers.

Upper Tsiknias River - Eleonora's falcon 1, Ortolan Bunting 1, Black-headed Bunting.

Mesa Wetlands - Ortolan Bunting 2, Tawny Pipit 4.

Faneromeni - Eleonora's Falcon 1, Great Spotted Cuckoo 1, Black Kite 1, Red-backed Shrike 2, Black-headed Bunting.

Meladia Valley - Great Spotted Cuckoo 1 (nr small chapel at Eresos end of track).

Sigri Old Sanatorium - Black-headed Bunting 15.

Kalloni Saltpans (and area) - Barred Warbler 1 (by south hide), Whiskered Tern 86, White-winged Black Tern 30+, Gull-billed Tern 1, Red-footed Falcon 2 males, Teminck's Stint 3, Little Stint 130, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Ruddy Shelduck 35. Alykes Wetlands Pallid Harrier 1, Red-throated Pipit 2, Short-toed Lark 2, Ruff 100+.

Lotzaria - Red-footed Falcon male, Curlew Sandpiper 7, Dunlin 66.

Parakoila Marsh - Little Bittern male.

Makara - Squacco Heron 1, Lesser Kestrel 3, Alpine Swift 6 (around Garbias Island). Sadly, the beach pool has been completely filled in here.

Kalami Marsh - Glossy Ibis 90+, Purple Heron 1.

Metochi Lake - Little Crake 5, Little Bittern 2, Golden Oriole 1, Masked Shrike 1.

Achladeri - confirmation that the pr nr the white building have deserted the stump used for the last three years. Birds still present in the forest here. Short-toed Treecreeper, Red-backed Shrike 1, Masked Shrike 8 (between Achladeri and Vouvaris River).

Soumouria (Scops Copse) - Scops Owl 1 in tree by green wheelie bin.

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.

18 May 2010 - Red-necked Phalaropes

Kalloni Saltpans - RED-NECKED PHALAROPE 2 in pan in south-west corner of pans at 0530h but later moved in to central pans with c.40 Curlew Sandpipers (Mark Hawkes). 11th record for the island. Also, Black and Whiskered Terns, Eurasian Curlew, Garganey.

Napi Valley - pr of Great Spotted Cuckoos reported c.1 km north of Napi (per Phil Ward).

Tsiknias River - first Rose-coloured Starlings reported today.

Tsiknias River mouth - Sandwich Tern 4.

Potamia Valley - Olive-tree Warbler 2.

23 April 2010 - Lesser Spotted Eagle

LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE 1 - sub-adult north at NE corner of Kalloni Saltpans @ 1410 (Bob Buckler, Wingspan).

Madaros - GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO 1 (Roger Lawrence, Colin Bushell, Ornitholodays).

CITRINE WAGTAIL - 2 Faneromeni (Merv Jones).

Kalloni Saltpans (inc. wetlands opposite saltworks entrance) - CITRINE WAGTAIL 1, Spoonbill 4, White-winged Black Tern 4, Whiskered Tern 2, Collared Pratincole 3, Glossy Ibis 20+, Squacco Heron 3, Black Stork 9+, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Garganey 2, Spotted Redshank 7, Kentish Plover 11+, Eurasian Curlew 1, Marsh Harrier 1, Tawny Pipit 2, Red-throated Pipit 4, Short-toed Lark 4, Alpine Swift 4.

Tsiknias River - Red-footed Falcon 2, Black-headed Bunting 1, Sandwich Tern 1.

Metochi Lake - Little Crake 3+, Little Bittern 6+, Purple Heron 2, Great Reed Warbler 2+.

Mesa - Squacco Heron 3, Ruddy Shelduck 28, Common Shelduck 4.

Achladeri - Kruper's Nuthatch - male coming coming to nest site (same shattered trunk with electric wire as last two years) appears to be feeding sitting female.

Potamia Valley - Montagu's Harrier 1, Purple Heron 1, Green Sandpiper 2.

Polichnitos - Montagu's Harrier 1.

Christou/Kamares River - Hen Harrier 2 r/t.

4 April - another Spotted Eagle!

Spotted Eagle, Meladia Valley, 4 Apr 10 © Sebastien Siblet

Sightings from Jean-Philippe & Sebastien Siblet's last day on the island. I'd like to thank them both for their daily updates which have just served to whet the appetite of those of us due out later this month!

Today's highlight was another Spotted Eagle. None for over a decade and then three in a week! I wonder how normal this is, that birds pass through when there are usually no (or very few) visiting birders on the island.

Meladia Valley - GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE 1, Goshawk 1, Marsh Sandpiper 8, Red-throated Pipit 2.

Sigri - COLLARED FLYCATCHER male.

Faneromeni - GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO 1.

Metochi Lake - HAWFINCH 20+ feeding, SAVI'S WARBLER 1, Little Crake 8, Water Rail 1, Common Nightingale 1, Great Reed Warbler 2.

Tsiknias River - Spanish Sparrow 10.

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands - Black Stork 1, Pintail 2 (pr), Stone-curlew 2, Black-tailed Godwit 9, Marsh Sandpiper 39, Curlew Sandpiper 5, Short-toed Lark 40+, Red-throated Pipit 2.

Polichnitos Saltpans - Glossy Ibis 21 (Terry Robinson).

Meladia Valley - Cinereous Bunting, Orphean Warbler, Nothern Wheatear, Short-toed Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Hen Harrier 4, Rock Nuthatch (Andy Stoddart).

9 May - slowing down under the sun

We've got high pressure with light winds and increasing temperatures. Birds are shipping out rather than shipping in, and many birders are flagging in the heat. The number of birders is also down and news is beginning to slow.

Late news from recent days first -

7-8 May - Great Spotted Cuckoo along the Petra Reservoir Road with two singing River Warblers there on the 7th.

Todays news -

Madaros (north of Kalloni) - RUFOUS BUSH ROBIN 1, Honey-buzzard 2, Black Stork 3, Chukar, Orphean Warbler.

Tsiknias River (Upper) - Ortolan Bunting 1 (only record this spring?).

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint 1100-1215h - Short-toed Eagle 5+, Goshawk 4, Long-legged Buzzard 1, Hobby 1, Black Stork 1.

Faneromeni fords - Little Bittern 7, Bee-eater 40+.

Kalloni Saltpans - Glossy Ibis 2, Ruddy Shelduck 2, Squacco Heron 9 on floods opposite sltworks entrance. Ruff 110+, Little Stont 70+ on pans and moat. RUFOUS BUSH ROBIN 1 still in tamerisks west of beach cafe.

Ipsilou/Sigri area - migrant numbers greatly reduced. Expected breeding birds present.

Tsiknias River - Little Bittern 1, Sandwich Tern 9.

Scops Owl - not seen at the Kalloni Mini Soccer Pitch since being flushed by a photographer who got his wife to use a stick to move branches out of his field of view!

22 April - Great Spotted Cuckoo 3, Citrine Wagtail 2

News from Christine Jung & Mathias Schäf and form the Hotel Pasipae bird log.

Overcast morning with rain nearly the whole afternoon.

Faneromeni - CITRINE WAGTAIL 2, White Wagtail 2, Yellow Wagtail 15+, Squacco Heron 1, Golden Oriole 3, Long-Legged Buzzard 2, Collared Flycatcher 4, Spotted Flycatcher 10+, Great Reed Warbler 2, Common Sandpiper 1, Great Spotted Cuckoo 1.

Tsiknias River - Spur-winged Plover 1 (presumed same on Kalloni Saltpans)

Nr Mesotopos - Great Spotted Cuckoo 2.

Nr Sigri - Lesser Kestrel 30+, Cinereous Bunting 1.

Nr Metochi Lake - Bee-eater 15+.

20 April - Pallid Harrier and Great Spotted Cuckoo

Some news from Donald & Jennifer Rhodes and Christine Jung & Mathias Schäf (welcome guys!).

Weather overcast but warm, sunshine from mid-afternoon onwards.

Polichnitos Saltpans - PALLID HARRIER 1 adult female, Stone-curlew 1, Black Stork 1, Hoopoe 2, Pall, Montagu's Harrier 1 femalem Yellow Wagtails 200+.

Meladia Valley - Great Spotted Cuckoo, Common Cuckoo, Red-breasted Flycatcher (both near the Chapel), Cinereous Bunting. Lots of Spotted and Pied Flycatchers.

Potamia Valley - Short-toed Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard and two poss. Booted Eagles.

Ancient Antissa - Barred Warbler, White Wagtail.

Alykes Wetlands - Glossy Ibis c.35, Spotted crake 1

The Hotel Pasiphae bird log has the usual things, but Bee-eaters and a Red-backed Shrike at Sigri [for 19/4]. No reports of Black-headed Buntings yet [too early] and no Little Bittern.

Late news for Sunday 19/4, 6 Red-footed falcons hawking around the River Tsiknias ford.

10 May 08 - bird news

Vafios Reservoir - River Warbler 1, Great Spotted Cuckoo 3.

Check 8th and 9th for further records added this evening.

Reporting your sightings
I left the island today and it would be great to keep the records coming in and keep these daily summaries as complete and as interesting as possible. Please send me your records direct to - Email steve at toadsnatcher dot com
Text 00447767787287

Reporting nationally rare birds seen on Lesvos
Like BBRC in Britain, Greece has the Hellenic Rarities Committee. Records of all nationally rare species need to be submitted to the HRC. From this years bag full of goodies, this includes all records of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, Great Snipe, Cattle Egret, Steppe Eagle, Scarlet (Common) Rosefinch, etc. See the HRC website if you think you have seen a nationally rare species requiring a description. A rarity description form can also be download from the site.