25 April 2010 - breeding Penduline Tits and big eagles

PENDULINE TIT – a pair building a nest at Skala Eresou (MO). See Skala Eresou item below.

GREAT SPOTTED EAGLE – one over Molivos at c.1900h (Steven Wytema et al).

IMPERIAL EAGLE – one Pithariou Reservoir on and off for c. 15 mins between 1635-1650h (Steve Dudley et al).

LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE – one between Eresos and Ipsilou mid-afternoon (Steven Wytema et al).

CITRINE WAGTAIL - 2 Faneromeni (Merv Jones).

Skala Eresou – Penduline Tit nest is c.100m north of the road bridge viewable from along the track on the eastern side of the river. Walk up to an irrigation head (orange with round turn handle) on right and then on left look for some blue string in the chainlink fence. View the willows directly opposite from here. The nest is directly opposite on the end of a willow branch at about the height of the tallest tamarisks at this point.

Night-heron 48, Purple Heron 2 (inc. a flock of 39 Night-heron and 2 Purple Heron in off the sea at c.1445), Little Bittern 2, Whiskered Tern 11 north, Lesser Kestrel 3.

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint - Levant Sparrowhawk 1.

Perasma - Great Spotted Cuckoo 1.

Ipsilou – Ortolan Bunting 1, Collared Flycatcher male, Red-footed Falcon 2, many Wood Warblers, Cinereous Bunting 15+, several Pied Flycatcher 20+, Spotted Flycatcher 8, Golden Oriole 20+, Long-legged Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Isabelline Wheatear, Chukar, etc.

Skala Kallonis Pool – Great Bittern 1, Common Snipe 1.

Metochi Lake – Spotted Crake, Purple Heron, Little Bittern, Little Crake, Black Stork, Short-toed Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard, White Stork 8.

Kalloni Saltpans (inc. flooded fields) – Pallid Harrier male, Rufous Bush Robin 1, Gull-billed Tern 1, Temminck’s Stint 3, Whiskered Tern 40, Tawny Pipit 1, Black-tailed Godwit 1.

Meladia Valley – Roller 1, Icterine 1, Golden Oriole 2.

Tsiknias River – Temminck’s Stint 2, Wood Sandpiper 132+, Mediterranean Gull 2, Collared Pratincole 4, White-winged Black Tern 2.

Kavaki – Ruppell’s Warbler 3 prs, Orphean Warbler 2, Sardinian Warbler 2, Yelkouan Shearwater 10+, Scopoli’s Shearwater 3, Bottle-nosed Dolphin 3, MEDITERRANEAN MONK SEAL 1.

North Coast – Ortolan Bunting 1, Audouin’s Gull 1, Yelkouan Shearwater many, Scopoli’s Shearwater 2.

Sigri area – Lesser Kestrel 18.

Polichnitos Saltpans area – Roller 1, Collared Pratincole 8, Black-headed Bunting 2, Red-footed Falcon 1, Curlew Sandpiper.

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).

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).

3 April - Another Spotted Eagle, Savi's Warbler and Sykes' Wagtail

Spotted Eagle, over Kalloni Saltpans, 3 Apr 10 © Sebastien Siblet

Sightings from Jean-Philippe & Sebastien Siblet.

Kalloni Saltpans and Alykes Wetlands - GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE 1 (this weeks two birds are the first records since 1999), SYKES' WAGTAIL (beema) 1, Great White Egret 10, Little Egret 13, Glossy Ibis 125, Grey Heron 22, Purple Heron 20 (in off sea at dusk), Squacco Heron 1, Ruddy Shelduck 41, Common Shelduck 55, Shoveler 15, Pintail 1 (female), Common Teal 2, Garganey 15, Marsh Harrier 2, Hen Harrier 1, Osprey 1, Peregrine 1, Stone-curlew 1, Black-winged Stilt 30+, Avocet 300+, Ringed Plover 2, Little Ringed Plover 3, Kentish Plover 1, Black-tailed Godwit 17, Eurasian Curlew 2, Ruff 80, Marsh Sandpiper 4, Greenshank 26, Common Redshank 1, Wood Sandpiper 20, Green Sandpiper 1, Curlew Sandpiper 3, Little Stint 15, Common Tern 1, Short-toed Lark 40+, Black-headed Wagtail 6, Blue-headed Wagtail 20, Grey-headed Wagtail 1, Tree Pipit 2, Red-throated Pipit 1, Tawny Pipit 4, Lesser Whitethroat 6, Common Whitethroat 1, Blackcap 1, Woodchat Shrike 1, Spanish Sparrow 1.

Skala Kallonis Pool - SAVI'S WARBLER 1, Purple Heron 1, Sedge Warbler 5, Eurasian Reed Warbler 1.

Metochi Lake - HAWFINCH 30+, Purple Heron 2, Black Stork 1, Garganey 1, Long-legged Buzzard 2, Little Crake 5, Common Kingfisher 1, Sedge Warbler 4, Eurasian Reed Warbler 2, Great Reed Warbler 1, Masked Shrike 1, Reed Bunting 1.

Mesa - Great White Egret 21, Greater Flamingo 36, Common Shelduck 1, Ruddy Shelduck 4, Little Ringed Plover 12 ,Green Sandpiper 1, Wood Sandpiper 4.

Skala Vasilikon - WRYNECK 1, HAWFINCH 1, Great Crested Grebe 1, Orphean Warbler 1, Lesser Whitethroat 3, Common Whitethroat 1, Eurasian Reed Warbler.

Polichnitos Saltpans - Great White Egret 3, Black Stork 1, Common Shelduck 16, Hen Harrier 1, Black-winged Stilt 3, Avocet 6, Little Ringed Plover 15, Ringed Plover 2, Green Sandpiper 1, Little Stint 1.

Nifida - Glossy Ibis 1, Black-winged Stilt 6, Green Sandpiper 3, Wood Sandpiper 5, Cinereous Bunting 1.

Mikri Limni - Black-winged Stilt 6, Green Sandpiper 3, Common Cuckoo 1, Long-tailed Tit 5, Woodchat Shrike 1.

Eresso to Andissa - Cinereous Bunting 2, Sombre Tit, Subalpine Warbler, Hoopoe, Short-toed Eagle 11, Cretzschmar’s Bunting (many) Black-eared Wheatear (many), Hen Harrier 2, Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Andy Stoddart).

Also, I've been informed that Jean-Philippe's and Sebastien's count of 6000+ Little Gulls is a Greek record count!

Yellow-browed Warbler!

Terry Robinson isn't the only birder on the island. I received an email this evening from Jean-Phillipe Siblet saying that he and his son today found a YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER along the Vergias River at Skala Eresou. If accepted this would be the first record for the island and only the eighth record for Greece.

Other birds reported by Jean-Philippe are GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE and Merlin (no further details) and at Metochi Lake up to 4 Little Crakes and a Spotted Crake.