3 May 2012

Common Stonechat, nr Sigri (c) Steve Dudley

A slightly cooler day which made birding much more pleasant and the birds seemed more active. I asked yesterday where the Bush-robins where - we'll they're here! Three in on territory today. Two River Warblers and new in too and at least one Pygmy Cormorant still at Dipi Larisos - will it stay for Saturday arrivals to enjoy?

Petrol/Deisel - the cheapest stations are just after EKO the Plomari (Dipi Larisos) turn c.13km out of Mytilini and at Petra. So those collecting cars from the airport might want to fill up as you drive west. Those collecting cars at the hotels are best to use Petra.

Weather - Blue skies, light NW breeze, 25C 

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.

Dipi Larisos 

Pygmy Cormorant  1

Purple Heron 1

Spur-winged Plover - no sign today 

Madaros 

Rufous Bush-robin  1

Koriani (Napi Valley)

Black Kite  1

Kalloni Saltpans

Rufous Bush-robin  2 (one on beach and one at pumping station)

White-winged Tern 30

Gull-billed Tern 3

Curlew Sandpiper 6

Dunlin 1

Little Stint 1

Koriani (Napi Valley)

Black Kite  1

Platania

Great Spotted Cuckoo 1

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Ortolan Bunting 1

Meladia

Roller 1

Red-breasted Flycatcher 1

Wood Warbler 1

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1

Collared Flycatcher 1

Purple Heron 1

Little Bittern 1

Squacco Heron 1

Sigri Old Sanatorium

Ortolan Bunting 1

Lesser Grey Shrike 2

Red-backed Shrike 7

Golden Oriole 2

Makara

Tawny Pipit 1

Turtle Dove 10

Skala Kallonis Pool

River Warbler 1

Red-footed Falcon 2

Nr Polichnitos Saltpans

Olive-tree Warbler 1

Filia Masts

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 5+

Eleonora's Falcon 3

Ipsilou

Usual buntings, wheatears, Rock Sparrow, etc. Few migrants.

Tsiknias River

River Warbler 1

Spotted Crake 1

Little Bittern 1

Almyropotamos River (Lisvorio)

Marsh Sandpiper 1

Almiropotamos River (Vatera)

Citrine Wagtail 1

Little Bittern 1

Faneromeni Upper Ford

Citrine Wagtail 2

Revma

Eleonora's Falcon 2

nr Vigla (Eresos juntion)

Roller 1 c.250m south of junction

Soumouria (Scops Copse)
Scops Owl 3 (1 seen, 2 heard)

Papiana

Scops Owl 4 (3 seen, 1 heard)

26 April 2012

Wow! What a change. A major arrival of terns, Golden and Lesser Spotted Eagles, but star bird of the day was the sub-adult Dalmatian Pelican enjoyed by many pre- and after breakfast.  seen too.

Weather - Blue skies, light southerly breeze, 26C.

Butterflies - Knapweed Fritillary - someone is working on fritillaries in the Aegean region and would welcome all records especially of Knapweed 'types', and where possible, with photos (particularly of the underwings). You can send records/photos to me via the contact link below left.

Logs - Lesvos Birding logs are in the Hotel Pasiphae and the taverna Dionysos (Skala Kallonis harbour front). Please don't just read them - share your bird news with others too. Thanks.

 Sub-adult Dalmatian Pelican, Kalloni Saltpans © Steve Dudley

Metochi Lake

LITTLE SWIFT - 1 - only one previoius Lesvos record (2004)

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

DALMATIAN PELICAN - sub-adult - present 0730 - 0930 at least on east side of pans

BAILLON'S CrAKE - still present along reeded channel in SW corner near pumping station

Common Pochard - fem

Collared Pratincole - 35

Gull-billed Tern - 39

White-winged Tern - 40

Whiskered Tern - 25

Glossy Ibis - 3

Great White Egret - 6

White Stork - 1

Lesser Grey Shrike - 1

Red-throated Pipit - 1

Black Stork - 2

Stone-curlew - 3

Ruddy Shelduck

Short-toed Lark - 4

Zitting Cisticola - 5

Little Stint - 50

Curlew Sandpiper - 8

Greenshank - 7

Lapwing - 1

Black-necked Grebe saltpans beach

Great Crested Grebe off saltpans beach

Gull-billed, Whiskered and White-winged Terns, Kalloni Saltpans

© Steve Dudley

Napi

GOLDEN EAGLE - sub-adult - north at 1600

Filia mast

LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE - 1

Achladeri

Kruper's Nuthatch - one pair feeding young near last years nest site along the top (last years nest tree has fallen down). 

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.

Mesa

Gull-billed Tern - 44

Kantria

Black Stork - 9

Tsiknias River

Marsh Sandpiper - 5

Temminck's Stint - 3

Black-headed Bunting - 1

Black Stork - 1

Great Reed Warbler - 5

Squacco Heron - 1

Little Bittern - 4

Black-headed Bunting - 1

Dipi Larisos 

Pygmy Cormorant - 2 still, ranging widely from river mouth, upstream (inc. getting in reeds up from the bridge) and bot hflew off and went down by the Mytilini road

Purple Heron - 1

Skala Kallonis Pool

Spotted Crake - one calling outside Kalloni Bay hotel entrance from 2100h

Little Crake

Squacco Heron

Aghias Ioannis 

Very good today for usual species here inc Cineresou Bunting and Rock Sparrow

Polichnitos Saltpans 

Mediterranean Gull - 2

Kalami Marsh

Little Crake - 1

Kantria

Black Stork - 1

Papania

Scops Owl - 2

Long-eared Owl - 1

Soumouria Scops Copse

Scops Owl - 1 (in euclyptus with lilac sprig attached)

Kavaki

Ruppell's Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Blue Rock-thrush, etc

21 April 2012

One plane load of British birders arrived mid-afternoon. I don't know what the others got up (cos there is very little in the Pasiphae Hotel log) to but I was straight out in to the field on the way to Skala Kallonis via Dipi Larisos and Kavaki (well, sort of on the way!)

Weather - blue sky and warm (c.20C) with light southerlies.

Logs - Pasiphae Hotel as normal and from tomorrow night, at the taverna Dionysos in Skala Kallonis (at the harbour front).

Dipi Larisos
PYGMY CORMORANT - 2 adults feeding in river mouth (from bridge 1km south along the Plomari road from the main Mytilini-Kalloni road)
Temminck's Stint - 1
Sanderling - 1
Little Stint - 4
Water Rail - 1
Common Kingfisher - 1
Common Sandpiper - 1
Great Crested Grebe - 2

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands
Ruddy Shelduck - 40 in fields opp saltworks entrance
Black Stork - 1
Common Sandpiper - 1
Squacco Heron - 2
Mallard - 1
Short-toed Lark - 2

Lotzaria (between Tsiknias River & Kalloni Saltpans)
Bee-eater - 20

Skala Kallonis Pool
Little Crake - 1
Squacco Heron - 4

Kavaki
Ruppell's Warbler - 6 singing males (4 north of road around headland nr main car park and 2 up the hill south of the road)
Subalpine Warbler - stacks in this area (most I've ever seen here)
House Martin - 400+ hundreds to north
Common Swift - 200+ to north
Red-rumped Swallow - 40+ to north
Blue Rock-thrush - 1
Black-eared Wheatear - 2
Reed Bunting - 1

Papania school

Scops Owl - 2 in 6th eucalyptus tree from the east

Potamia

Collared Flycatcher - 1

Achladeri

Kruper-s Nuthatch - 1 pr active around the traditional picnic site but dont appear to have settled on a nest site as yet

Lots of Woodchat Shrikes and Whinchats new in today. Red-backed Shrikes also reported.

Pygmy Cormorants

Two Pygmy Cormorants found today (09/11/10) by Wulf Kappes in the reeds at the mouth of the Almiropotamos River at Vatera. These are the first birds seen since the one at the Vouvaris River mouth in September 2008. They probably occur each winter on the island in very small numbers but the lack of observers means they certainly go undetected. Several of the island river mouths have similar cover that hold Pygmy Cormorants. They just need checking and there aren't enough eyes out there during the winter to do it!

Pygmy Cormorants, Almiropotamos River, 9 Nov 10 © Terry Robinson

High winds and waves in the Gulf of Kalloni meant the Pygmy Cormorant's were forced to sit it out in the reeds today! Photo © Terry Robinson

18 - 24 September

Juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, Polichnitos Saltpans, 20 Sept 08. © Steve Dudley
This first record for Lesvos and only the fourth record for Greece was found by Terry Robinson and was present for just one day.

Records from Steve Dudley (www.lesvosbirding.com) and Mark Newell based at the Pasiphae Hotel.


Thurs, 18 Sept 08
Red-backed Shrike and Willow Warblers along roadside by airport.

Between Kalloni Saltpans and Tsiknias River
Red-backed Shrikes (lots), Woodchat Shrike (juv), Lesser Grey Shrike 3, Tawny Pipit 3, Lesser Kestrel (m), Short-toed Eagle 1, Long-legged Buzzard 4, Common Buzzard, Alpine Swift 6+, Northern Wheatear, Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, Chiffchaff, flava wagtails.

Tsiknias River mouth
Black Stork, Sandwich Tern 10+, Grey Polver 3, Dunlin 4, Curlew, Little Egret. Kalloni SaltpansGreat White Egret 12 (inc. 9 over to south).

Fri, 19 Sept 08

Christou River
Black Stork 1, Grey Heron 3, Great White Egret 1, Little Egret 2, Stone-curlew 4, Kentish Plover 4, Greenshank 1.

Metochi Lake
Lesser Kestrel (m), Tree Pipit 2, Ringed Plover 4, Little Ringed Plover 1, Common Sandpiper 3, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike 1, Whinchat, flava wagtails, Red-rumped Swallow, Sand Martin, Alpine Swift, Cetti’s Warbler.

Nr Lafionas
Levant Sparrowhawk 1.

Molivos
Black-eared Wheatear 1.

Perasma (Old Petra Reservoir – now drained)
Black-eared Wheatear 3, Red-backed Shrike (lots), Common Kestrel 2, Peregrine (m), Cirl Bunting (lots), Spotted Flyactcher, Chiffchaff, Whinchat, White Wagtail, flava wagtails, Bee-eater (heard overhead).

Sat, 20 Sept 08

Korakas nr Klio
Lesser Spotted Eagle 1, Osprey (with fish), Marsh Harrier 2, Common Whitethroat 3+, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Common Redstart 2, Blackcap 1, Wood Nuthatch (3+), Rock Nuthatch (2), Middle Spotted Woodpecker (lots calling and sev seen), Red-backed Shrike 2+, Willow Warblers (lots), Chiffchaff, Red-rumped Swallow, Crag Martin, Alpine Swift.

Napi valley
Eurasian Sparrowhawk 2, Short-toed Eagle 1.

Polichnitos Saltpans
PECTORAL SANDPIPER (juv) – first record for Lesvos. Found at 0800 by Terry Robinson and present all day. Little Stint 13, Spoonbill 5, Black Stork 1, Pintail 2, Teal 1, Garganey 10, Mediterranean Gull 22, Sandwich Tern 20+, Marsh Harrier 1, Woodchat Shrike (juv), Turtle Dove 1, Lesser Grey Shrike 2, Tawny Pipit 3.

Sun, 21 Sept 08

Tavari/Chrousos
Red-footed Falcon (fem), Long-legged Buzzard 6 (flock) to south, Common Kestrel 2, Isabelline Wheatear 1, Red-backed Shrike (lots), Common Whitethroat 3, Lesser Whitethroat 2, Spotted Flycatcher, Northern Wheatear, Turtle Dove 1, Sedge Warbler 1, Alpine Swift 2, Common Swift 1, Crag Martin, Red-rumped Swallow.

Skala Eresou
Golden Oriole 1, Great Reed Warbler 1, Sedge Warbler 2.

Pithariou Reservoir
Bee-eatear 12+, Common Buzzard 4, Short-toed Eagle 1, Common Kestrel, Crag Martin (lots), Red-rumped Swallow 4, Cirl Bunting 6+.

Ipsilou
Sombre Tit 5+, Blackcap 3+, Wood Nuthatch 1.

Mon, 22 Sept 08
Pygmy Cormorant, Vouvari River mouth, 22 Sept 08. © Steve Dudley

Mesa
Eleonarora’s Falcon 1.

Vouvari River mouth
PYGMY CORMORANT adult – apparently present for c.1 week but no one mentioned in and no one bothered to write anything in the hotel bird log book! Lucky we heard about it on the off chance the previous evening.

Pygmy Cormorant, Vouvari River mouth, 22 Sept 08. © Steve Dudley

Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 ad fuscus, Kingfisher 1, Grey Wagtail 2, Woodlark 1, Stonechat 1, Short-toed Eagle 1, Eleonora’s Falcon 1.

Polichnitos Saltpans (and surrounds)
Black Stork 2, White Stork 1, Greater Flamingo, Marsh Sandpiper 4, Curlew Sandpiper 5, Wood Sandpiper 4, Little Stint 40+, Dunlin 4, Ruff 4, Redshank c.80, Greenshank 10+, Kentish Plover, Ringed Plover, Little Plover, Avocet 9, Teal 12, Mediterranean Gull 25, Sandwich Tern 39, Marsh Harrier 1, Short-toed Eagle 1, Hoopoe 1, Lesser Grey Shrike 2, Tawny Pipit 2.

Between Kalloni Saltpans and Tsiknias River
Red-footed Falcon (fem), Long-legged Buzzard 1, Common Buzzard 2, Great White Egret 1, Woodchat Shrike (juv).

Panaghia Chapel
Collared Flycatcher 1 (per SPD).

Tues, 23 Sept 08

Tsiknias River mouth
Grey Plover 2, Long-legged Buzzard 1, Woodchat Shrike 1.

Ipsilou
Eleonora’s Falcon 11 (inc. flock of 7 birds) all to north, Short-toed Eagle 1, Peregrine, Wryneck 1, Common Redstart 2, Red-backed Shrike 3, Spotted Flycatcher 6+, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Rock and Wood Nuthatch, Cirl Bunting, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Blue Rock Thrush.

Wryneck, Ipsilou, 23 Sept 08. © Steve Dudley

Meladia Valley (between Sigri and Eresos)
Chukar 11 (inc. flock of 10), Black Stork 1, Hoopoe 1, Common Whitethroat 15+, Lesser Whitethroat 8+, Sombre Tit 2, Red-backed Shrike 10+, Black-eared Wheatear 4+, Northern Wheatear 3+, Cetti’s Warbler 1, Marsh Harrier 1, Blue Rock Thrush 4+, Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff.

Nr Eresos
Short-toed Eagle 1, Eleonora’s Falcon 1, Red-rumped Swallow 6+.

Palia Vigla, Vatera
Honey-Buzzard 3 (Terry Robinson)

Weds, 24 Sept 08

Achladeri (between Vouvari River and Achladeri)
Krüper’s Nuthatch 2

Polichnitos Saltpans
Curlew Sandpiper 4, Ruff 4, Marsh Sandpiper 1, Dunlin 10, Greenshank 3, Redshank c.50, White Stork 3, Great White Egret 1, Short-toed Eagle 1.

Almiropotomas River, Vatera
Purple Heron 1, Short-toed Eagle 1, Alpine Swift 2

Panaghia Chapel
Krüper’s Nuthatch 2 (one coming to dripping pipe by chapel), Spotted Flycatcher 4, Common Redstart 1, Blackcap 1, Common Whitethroat 1.

Vouvari River Mouth
Osprey roosting on rocks on south side of mouth.

Mesa
Great White Egret 1.

Tsiknias River Mouth
Grey Plover 4, Curlew 1, Kingfisher 1.

Thurs, 25 Sept 08

Metochi Lake
Common Snipe 1, Green Sandpiper 1.

Haramida Marsh
Sardinian Warbler 3+, Red-backed Shrike 4+, Lesser Whitethroat 2, Woodlark 1, Whinchat.

Cape Lena
Scopoli's Shearwater 3.