10 May - Rosy Starlings are comin!

My last day and I'd like to thank all those who have shared their bird news with and contributed to these daily updates. 

Thanks too the Pasiphae Hotel staff for their usual warm hospitality and providing me with a home from home again for my stay. I'd also like to thank all the tavernas who have catered for my groups over the last three weeks - Dionysos (Skala Kallonis), Australia (Sigri), Soulatsou (Skala Eresou) and Achille's Well (Petri), and to Tsalis rentals for looking after me so well.

See you all again next spring!

BIRD NEWS

An overcast day with some light rain in places and the first Rose-coloured Starlings were seen today out west. No sign of the robins or the Griffon Vulture today

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.

Skala Eresou

Rose-coloured Starling 3 (they're coming!)

Kallon Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Caspian Tern 1

Slender-billed Gull 1

Little Gull 1

Gull-billed Tern 4

White-winged Tern 55

Whiskered Tern 11

Eurasian Curlew 2

Grey Plover 3

Zitting Cisticola 3

Potamia

Olive-tree Warbler 6

Levant Sparrowhawk 3

Eleanora's Falcon 1

Kalami Marsh

Squacco Heron 6

Spotted Redshank 1

Water Rail 1

Purple Heron 1

Petrified Forest

Red-footed Falcon fem

Meladia Valley

Red-footed Falcon 1

Lesser Grey Shrike 1

Bee-eater 2

Metochi Lake

Little Crake fem (at north end)

Little Bittern 3

Night-heron 26

Tsiknias River

Little Bittern 3

Squacco Heron 6

Whiskered Tern 1

Temminck's Stint 2

Bee-eater 20

Alikoudi Pool

White-tinged Tern 2

Whiskered Tern 1

Temminck's Stint 2

Limnos Monastery

Middle Spotted Woodpecker - pair nesting near the taverna. Park by the taverna and look back up the access road and on the right there is a double telegraph post. The nest is low down in the left hand post (the one with all the wires) facing the taverna. Adults feedings young. Please view/photo from the park car area and don't stand in the middle of the road expecting the parents to ignore you!

Achalderi

Kruper's Nuthatch - birds now feeding recently hatched young

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana

Scops Owl 

Long-eared Owl - the young have left the nest, no sign of them or adults

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl. Please do not harass the birds!

9 May - Great Snipe, Caspian Tern and rain!

We woke to overcast skies and by lunchtime the threat of rain out west and by late afternoon it arrived and continued to increase during the evening. But is it too late?

A Great Snipe (Kalami) and Caspian Tern (Kalloni pans) were new in and the Griffon Vulture still out west, and another Lesser Spotted Eagle today. Apart from a few sites out west, virtually no passage migrant passerines reported. No news of the robins.

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.

Kalami Marsh

GREAT SNIPE 1
Spotted Redshank 1

Petrified Forest

GRIFFON VULTURE 1

Platania

Lesser Spotted Eagle 1
Levant Sparrowhawk 2 males
Eleanora's Falcon 1
Olive-tree Warbler 1
Bee-eater 2

Sigri & Faneromeni

Purple Heron 1

Golden Oriole 4

Red-backed Shrike 50

Lesser Grey Shrike 3

Sigri Old Sanatorium

Golden Oriole 3

Red-backed Shrike 50

Lesser Grey Shrike 3

Woodchat Shrike 10

Meladia Valley

Roller 1
Red-footed Falcon 1
Lesser Grey Shrike 1
Bee-eater 2

Red-backed Shrike 100
Lesser Grey Shrike 1
Woodchat Shrike 6
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1 (chapel)

Skala Eresou

Barred Warbler 1

Vigla (near Ipsilou)

Barred Warbler 1

Kallon Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Caspian Tern 1
Slender-billed Gull 1
Little Gull 1
Black Tern 1
Gull-billed Tern 1
Collared Pratincole 3

Voulgaris River

Marsh Warbler 1

Moni Mirsiniotissus

Ortolan Bunting 1

Lardia Valley

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Tsiknias River

Little Bittern 1
Squacco Heron 5
Whiskered Tern 4

Podaras

Little Bittern 2

Makara

Little Bittern 1
Alpine Swift 80

Limnos Monastery

Middle Spotted Woodpecker 1 - nesting near the taverna. Park by the taverna and look back up the access road and on the right there is a double telegraph post. The nest is low down in the left hand post (the one with all the wires) facing the taverna. Adults feedings young 7/5.

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 - the young have left the nest, no sign of them or adults

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl. Please do not harass the birds!

6 May - marsh terns bonanza

Did anyone go out west today? No news from any western sites at all. Impressive numbers of marsh terns at Kalloni Saltpans. 

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.

Kallon Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

White-winged Tern 250

Whiskered Tern 18

Gull-billed Tern 3

Black Tern 2

Little Gull 1

Collared Pratincole 4

White Stork 28

Black Stork 8

Black-tailed Godwit 1

Dunlin 1

Ruff 470

Little Stint 45

Rufous Bush-robin 1 on beach

Short-toed Lark 2

Red-throated Pipit 2

Vourkos River mouth

Citrine Wagtail fem

Skala Kallonis

River Warbler 1 (behind Imerti Hotel)
Pallid Swift 1

Night-heron 2

Little Bittern 1

Napi Valley

Honey-buzzard 1

Potamia Valley

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Tsiknias River

Little Bittern 1

Squacco Heron 8

Bee-eater 6

Achalderi

Levant Sparrowhawk

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

Alikoudi Pool

Glossy Ibis 2

White-winged Tern 10

Temminck's Stint 1

Common Ringed Plover 8

Ruff 39

Nr Skamnioudi

Olive-tree Warbler 4+

Polichnitos Saltpans

Curlew Sandpiper 4

Ruff 45

Little Stint 6

Olive-tree Warbler 1 in copse to north

Red-backed Shrike 2

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana

Scops Owl 

Long-eared Owl - the young have left the nest, no sign of them or adults

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl 5. Please do not harass the birds!

5 May - two Lesser Spotted Eagles

Female Red-footed Falcon, Faneromeni, 5 May 2013 
(Falco vespertinus) (Ευρωπαϊκό) Μαυροκιρκίνεζο 
© Steve Dudley

Two Lesser spotted Eagles, Griffon Vulture still out west and a few smaller birds of prey, but an absolute dearth of passerine migrants. The Nightjar is still roosting on the same tree in Sigri fields.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

No news today. The road to the forest was closed and will probably not be open now until Tuesday.

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 Raptor Watchpoint

LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE 1

Honey-buzzard 1

Goshawk 1

Meladia Valley

LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE 1
GRIFFON VULTURE 1

Sigri & Faneromeni area

Nightjar 1 
Bee-eater 26
Temminck's Stint (beach)
Red-breasted Flycatcher 1 (beach)
Little Bittern 1 (upper ford)
Night-heron 1 (upper ford)
Red-footed Falcon 1
Lesser Kestrel 1
Rufous Bush-robin 1
Alpine Swift 3
Ruddy Shelduck 4

Lothario

Marsh Warbler 1
Bee-eater 4

Mt Ordimnos

Levant Sparrowhawk fem
Eleonora's Falcon 1

Napi

Levant Sparrowhawk 1
Montagu's Harrier 1
Red-footed Falcon 1
Marsh Warbler 1

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

White-winged Tern 80

Whiskered Tern 30

Black Stork 24

White Stork 11

Purple Heron 5

Red-footed Falcon 1

Agriosikos

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 3

Tsiknias River

Citrine Wagtail 2
Bee-eater 2

Metochi Lake

Little Bittern 3
Night-heron 16
Pallid Swift 3

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 5. Please do not harass the birds!

29 April - White-throated Robin performs again!

The White-throated Robin performed well this evening much to the delight of many. Two potential firsts for the island reported today - a sandplover species and Red-throated Diver. Another Booted Eagle, the wandering Griffon and an arrival of bush-robins complete what was otherwise a hard, hot day. Day time temperatures now daily in high 20Cs and already 30C recorded. Water levels dropping very quickly with the Alykes Wetlands now holding very little water and virtually not birds!

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

One male seen well this morning c.07.30 - 08.00. No sign of any birds throughout day, but one male again 18.00 onwards. 

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)

GRIFFON VULTURE 1

Montagu's Harrier r/t

Ortolan Bunting 1

Skala Kallonis

Sandplover sp - adult reported on beach 100m east of harbour side tavernas and cafes. Flew on to marsh between Environmental Centre and Tsiknias River. No previous accepted records of any sand plover species on Lesvos.

Red-throated Diver 2 reported off Christou River mouth. No previous accepted records.

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint

Booted Eagle 1

Levant Sparrowhawk 1

Ipsilou

Levant Sparrowhawk 2

Red-footed Falcon 7

Golden Oriole 3

Sigri & Faneromeni area

Semicollared Flycatcher 1 (lower ford)

Thrush Nightingale (upper ford)

Honey-buzzard 2

Collared Flycatcher 12

Pied Flycatcher 4

Lesser Grey Shrike 1

Red-backed Shrike 10

Woodchat Shrike 8

Little Bittern 1

Night-heron 1

Yelkouan Shearwater 300+

Tavari

Roller 1

Konditsia Valley

Bee-eater 12

Scopoli's Shearwater 30+

Makara

Bee-eater 6

Temminck's Stint 3

Golden Oriole several

Mt Ordimnos

Montagu's Harrier ad fem

Bee-eater 2

Lardia

Levant Sparrowhawk 1

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 2

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 5

Red-footed Falcon 2

Garganey 1

Curlew Sandpiper

Eurasian Curlew 3

Oystercatcher 1

Tsiknias River

Squacco Heron 2

Metochi Lake

Squacco Heron 35

Night-heron 23

Little Crake 5

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Bee-eater 6

Papiana

Scops Owl 

Long-eared Owl  nest with 3 young (same site as 2012) - adult not seen today.

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

Scops Owl - several. 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 - White-throated Robin breeding!

White-throated Robin, Petrified Forest, April 2013 

(Irania gutturalis) Λευκόλαιμο Αηδόνι 

© Steve Dudley

South westerly winds saw a small movement of raptors in the morning, but high afternoon temperatures (29C) soon curtailed most bird activity until the evening.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

Two males showed on and off throughout the morning from the road overlooking the square concrete building. 

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.

SEMICOLLARED FLYCATCHER female

Lesser Kestrel 52 over

Black-headed Bunting - several

Collared Flycatcher male

Golden Oriole male

Red-backed Shrike 2

Between Antissa and Ipsilou

Black Kite 4

Levant Sparrowhawk 3

Red-footed Falcon 14

Eleanora's Falcon 3

Ipsilou

GRIFFON VULTURE 1

Black Kite 2

Red-footed Falcon 4

Red-breasted Flycatcher male

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Gull-billed Tern 3

Purple Heron 3

Squacco Heron 5

Glossy Ibis 5

Marsh Sandpiper 1

Common Ringed Plover 3

Red-throated Pipit 5

Black-headed Bunting 10

Tsiknias River

Mediterranean Gull 9

Squacco Heron 6

Black-headed Bunting several

Potamia River

Purple Heron 2

Squacco Heron 1

Platania 

Golden Oriole 2

Metochi Lake

Night-heron 9

Little Bittern 7

Little Crake 5

Squacco Heron 3

Great Reed Warbler 2

Golden Oriole 2

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

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!

22 April 2013 - Eagles, Rock-thrush and that robin!

The White-throated Robin remains at the Petrified Forest. Two Choughs were reported from Ipsilou and a male Common Rock-thrush was found in Meladia Valley. Also what is presumed to be the same Griffon Vulture from Saturday was again seen in the west and two Lesser Spotted Eagles and a single Booted Eagle all seen today.

Petrified Forest

WHITE-THROATED ROBIN

Male again at the Petrified Forest Park showed throughout the morning and early afternoon then again periodically from 1800 onwards.

The park is open but i would suggest you view from the road. This will avoid disturbing the bird by going in to the park.

Park at the end of road by centre as normal. Walk back up the road and at c.200m look right in to park and for square concrete building with some tall, thin cyprus firs by it. The robin was feeding on the ground below these firs and bushes either side and further to the right around the bushes by the covered seating (bandstand).

Eleanora's Falcon 1

Ipsilou

CHOUGH 2 birds reported (only two previous records)

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 3

Collared Flycatcher 2

Meladia valley

COMMON ROCK-THRUSH male between ford and Sigri

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 3

Wood Warbler 1

Faneromeni & Sigri

SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER male at upper ford

GRIFFON VULTURE 1 near Sigri at c.17.30

Lesser Spotted Eagle 1

Levant Sparrowhawk male

Lanner adult

Pallid Harrier 2CY female

Montagu's Harrier female

Collared Pratincole 1

Citrine Wagtail male at the inlet nr Sigri

Roller at upper ford

Collared Flycacther 4+

Pied Flycatcher 2

Purple Heron 1

Red-backed Shrike 6+

Wood Warbler 1

Sigri to Faneromeni relatively quiet passerines wise

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Pallid Harrier 2CY birds

Montagu's Harrier female

Hen Harrier female

Spoonbill 3

Citrine Wagtail 1 (east track)

Gull-billed Tern 56 (east track)

Collared Pratincole 70+

Glossy Ibis 100+

Zitting Cisticola

Gadwall 3

Red-throated Pipit 2

Red-fotted Falcon 9+ 

Metochi Lake

Booted Eagle 1

Lesser Spotted Eagle 1

Little Crake 6

Lardia Valley

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 3+ at eastern lay-bys 

Anaxos

Citrine Wagtail 1 on seafront

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler showing very well

Papiana

Scops Owl 2+

Long-eared Owl 1 adult on nest (same site as 2012)

Soumouria 'Scops Copse'

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

6 May 2012

Bee-eater, Faneromeni © Steve Dudley

Far fewer birders around this week so news is going to be a lot thinner. But first day for the new arrivals is a good one with Broad-billed Sandpiper and Great Snipe found on the seasonal pools at the Kalloni Saltpans.

Faneromeni - please do not drive up and down the river here. It is selfish as all it does is flush everything off the river for others to enjoy. I witnessed two birder/photographers cars today and photographed them both and will pass the images on to their respective hire companies. If you see anyone driving down the rivers please photo them and send me the photos (photos must show registration and tell me who the hire company is).

Weather - Blue skies, light to moderate southerly breeze, 26C 

NEW - news on day trips (those with spaces remaining), events and other info (like what new cafes/tavenras might be worth trying) for the 2012 birding weeks - see here.

BIRD NEWS

Achladeri & Kruper's Nuthatch

One pair feeding young near last years nest site along the top. Park your car by the white building building, walk up the main track through the forest, bear left at the fork, then follow the track left past the rubbish pile on the next corner and up the straight section of track. After c200m look for a thick black pine tree with a sap scar and a pile of 4 sandy-coloured rocks at the base. From this tree look in to the forest at 90 degrees from the track and look for a sheep/rams skull at base. Nest is in this tree on left hand side between two very short broken branch stumps.

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Great Snipe 1 - on pools opp saltworks

Broad-billed Sandpiper 1 - on pools opp saltworks

Lapwing 1

Collared Pratincole 4

Curlew 1

White-winged Tern 4

Gull-billed Tern 1

Black Tern 1

Garganey

Rufous Bush-robin

Tawny Pipit 1

Lotzaria

Montagu's / Pallid Harrier fem - reported as both species, but if its the same bird as the other day (and the description suggests it is) then this is a Montagu's Harrier

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint

Levant Sparrowhawk 1

Honey-buzzard 1

Goshawk 1

Short-toed Eagle 4

Tsiknias River

Little Bittern 2

Squacco Heron 1

Red-throated Pipit 1

Filia mast

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 6+ on territory

Perasma

Lanner 1
Thrush Nightingale 1

Common Pochard 1

Ipsilou

Levant Sparrowhawk 1

Montagu's Harrier 1

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1 on territory still

Red-backed Shrike 1

Lesser Kestrel 2

Long-legged Buzzard 2

Short-toed Eagle 1

Usual buntings, wheatears, Rock Sparrow, etc. No migrants.

Meladia Valley

Lesser Grey Shrike 2

Common Cuckoo 2

Red-backed Shrike 4

Ruddy Shelduck 4

Purple Heron 1

Bee-eater 2

Spotted Flycatcher 10

Sigri & Feneromeni

Eleonora's Falcon 2

Bee-eater 50+

Golden Oriole

Red-backed Shrike 4

Curlew Sandpiper 1

Efthalou

Audouin's Gull 2

Yelkouan Shearwater 100

Scopoli's Shearwater 15

30 April 2011 - Bonelli's Eagle and tern fest!

Purple Herons, Metochi Lake. Recent days have seen small flocks heading north over the island. These birds were part of a flock of 11 seen coming in from the south and then circling the lake before attracting three birds up from the lake area and all the birds then heading off together to the north. Another three birds were seen leaving the lake to the north too © Steve Dudley

Warm and sunny - Lesvos back to normal!

Slightly more birds around today with what appears to be a new arrival of flycatchers in the west. Bee-eaters and Red-backed Shrikes still thin on the ground but trickling in. Despite reports, still no bush robins actually on territory and where now are the lesser Grey Shrikes? What a topsy-turvy year this is.

Late news - 2 Laughing Doves reported in Loutra 29 April. No further details (one previous record May 1994).

Common Nightingales are not Bush-robins - lots of birds seen feeding in open areas are 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!).

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.

North of Mesotopos - BONELLI'S EAGLE adult or nr adult. Seen in the same area last year and late news of a bird over Lardia Valley (nr Vatousa) around the 19 April, suggests there may well be a pair in the Vatousa area which shoulk be looked for when in the Vatousa area.

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint - Levant Sparrowhawk male, Eleonora's Falcon 1, Montagu's Harrier 2m 1f, Goshawk 1, Hobby 1, Short-toed Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Buzzard, European Sparrowhawk, Peregrine.

Kalloni Saltpans (east side) - Caspian Tern 1, Black Tern 10, Whiskered Tern 30, White-winged Black Tern 15, Gull-billed Tern 1, Sandwich Tern 5, Slender-billed Gull 8, Mediterranean Gull 18, Spotted Redshank 4, Grey Plover 8, Shoveler 5 (4m, 1f), Glossy Ibis 27, Greater Flamingo 1080, Temminck's Stint 3.

Polichnitos Saltpans - Citrine Wagtail 2CY male (pool closed to village).

Napi Valley - Olive-tree Warbler (1 at barrier site below Mavria - park carefully and tale care on this road), Hobby 1, Masked Shrike (many), Golden Oriole.

Makara - Barred Warbler 1, Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Little Gull 1, Scopoli's Shearwater 3, Yelkouan Shearwater 1000+.

Metochi Lake - Purple Heron 17, Little Bittern 3, Night-heron 2, Squacco Heron, Little Crake 5+, Golden Oriole 1, Savi's Warbler.

Ipsilou - Red-footed Falcon 1, Collared Flycatcher 5, Wood Warbler 2, Cinereous Bunting and Isabelline Wheatear.

Sigri / Faneromeni - Barred Warbler 5, Icterine Warbler 2, Montagu's Harrier male, Red-footed Falcon 1, Collared Flycatcher 15, Pied Flycatcher 10, Spotted Flycatcher 20, Whinchat 50, Wood Warbler 3, Golden Oriole 2, Red-backed Shrike 1, Tree Pipit, Bee-eater, Short-toed Lark 8, Black-headed Bunting (many).

Kavaki - Barred Warbler 2, Ruppell's Warbler.

Skala Sikaminias - Audouin's Gull 1, Scopoli's Shearwater 1, Yalkouan Shearwater.

Sigri Old Sanatorium - Icterine Warbler 1, Collared Flycatcher, Golden Oriole, Quail 2, Night-heron 1.

Almyropotamos River (nr Polichnitos pans) - Golden Oriole 20, Red-backed Shrike 1, Little Bittern 1, Purple Heron 2.

Meladia Valley - Icterine Warbler 3, Golden Oriole 1, Collared Flycatcher 1, Wood Warbler, Tawny Pipit 1, Rock Sparrow 1, Purple Heron 7.

Aghios Ioannis - Montagu's Harrier male.

Soumouria (Scops Copse) - Scops Owl 1 - in tree to right of taverna - blue plastic bag under stone at base of tree - look up right hand side of tree, bird is difficult to see behind leaves.