4 May - Spur-winged Plover and Red-breasted Flys

Cretzschmar's Bunting, Mesotopos, 4 May 2013 
(Emberiza caesia) Φρυγανοτσίχλονο 
© Steve Dudley
Lots of pairs around the west today, most of them actively collecting nest material like this bird

Change over day for the Brits, so far fewer people in the field today. A new Spur-winged Plover was found at Perasma Reservoir, but sign of either of yesterday's Great Snipe. Four Red-breasted Flycatchers out west.

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.

Perasma Reservoir

Spur-winged Plover 1

Sigri & Faneromeni area

Spotted Crake 1 (lower ford)
River Warbler 1
Citrine Wagtail 3 (1 upper ford, 2 beach)
Red-breasted Flycatcher 1 (beach) + 1 Sigri beach

Meladia Valley

River Warbler 1 (river mouth)
Red-breasted Flycatcher 2 (fig grove)

Kalloni Saltpans & Alykes Wetlands

Rufous Bush-robin 2 in beach tamarisks (view from shoreline, please don't walk through bushes)
White-winged Tern 46
Whiskered Tern 22
Little Gull1 
Red-throated Pipit 6
Ruff 1285
Curlew Sandpiper 19
Turnstone 8
Black-tailed Godwit 1
Eurasian Curlew 1
Common Redshank 1
Little Stint 60
Black Stork 4

Christou (Kameras) River

Citrine Wagtail 2 (m&f)
Purple Heron 3
SandwichTern 1

Mesotopos

Eleonora's Falcon 2

Tsiknias River

Eleanora's Falcon 1
White-winged Tern 7
Little Gull 1 (same as saltpans)
Golden Oriole 2
Bee-eater 1
Rufous Bush-robin 2 (river mouth)

Podaras

Squacco Heron 8
Stone-curlew 1
Alpine Swift 6

Skala Eresou

Pallid Swift 2
Squacco Heron 6

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!

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!

30 April 2010 - birds, birds, birds!

Christou River - RED KNOT 1 at 7am (third record for Lesvos if accepted).

Kalloni Saltpans - GREAT SNIPE 1 in flood opposite saltworks entrance (also Common Snipe), LANNER 1 at 1pm, Osprey (first report for this spring), Spoonbill 6, Gull-billed Tern 40+ in off sea 12.10pm - 5 on flood throughout afternoon/evening, White-wing Black Tern 75+, Whiskered Tern 10+, Temminck's Stint 1, Garganey 9, Collared Pratincole 4, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Curlew Sandpiper 1, Rufous Bush Robin (compound in SW corner), Red-footed Falcon 1.

Faneromeni Upper Ford - GREAT SNIPE 1 50m upstream of ford.

Kalami Marsh (Mesa) - LANNER 1 at 10.45am and 3pm, Whiskered Tern 100+, Purple Heron 2, Squacco Heron 8, Shoveler 4, Black Stork 6.

Makara - LANNER 1, Levant Sparrowhawk 1.

Metochi Lake - BAILLON'S CRAKE 1, Little Crake 3, Little Bittern 3, Purple Heron 2, Squacco Heron 11, Hobby 2.

Potamia Valley - Olive-tree Warbler still 150m north of bridge by blue plastic drum. DO NOT ENTER THE OLIVE GROVES!

Meladia Valley - Red-breasted Flycatcher male at chapel.

Ipsilou - Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 2, Icterine 1, Collared Flycatcher 2, Wood Warbler 20.

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint - Pallid Harrier 1, Montagu's Harrier 1, Honey-buzzard 3, Levant Sparrowhawk 1, Orphean Warbler 1.

Skala Kallonis Pool - Night-heron 15 north at 6.15am, Purple Heron 2

Alykes Wetlands - Red-throated Pipit 3, Tawny Pipit 1, Short-toed Lark 25.

Tsiknias River - River Warbler 1 singing 200m north of ford

Mesa - Temmick's Stint 1.

Dimitrios - Middle-spotted Woodpecker pair actively feeding young. Park by bridge, cross road, walk through chapel along footpath to right and view nest in top of dead poplar. Grey Wagtail. Odalisque dragonfly.

11 May 08 - bird news

Meladia River Ford - PALLID SWIFT 10+, Red-breasted Flycatcher 1.

Madaros - ROLLER 1 c.200 yrds south of dead goat bit by 'small lake'.

Kalloni Bay - 25+ Black Storks reported at 8.30pm.

Sigri - River Warbler 1, Night-heron 1.

Achladeri - Kruper's Nuthatch still actively feeding young, Long-eared Owl 2 juvs.

Thanks to Duncan Walbridge and those entering records in Hotel Pasiphae bird log.

Reporting your sightings

I left the island last week 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.

9 May 08 - Magpie!

Duncan Walbridge has texted me the following news -

Mandamodos - MAGPIE (fourth Lesvos record).

Nr Kalloni - GRIFFON VULTURE 3 over.

Skalla Kallonis Pool - CATTLE EGRET (since yesterday)

Other reports today (from Hotel Pasiphae bird log) -

Agia Paraskevi - IMPERIAL EAGLE 'juv' (presumably means non-adult) over.

Platania - OLIVE TREE WARBLER 6+ at cattle grid site.

Faneromeni - Red-breasted Flycatcher 2.

Reporting your sightings
Please keep the records coming in and help keep these daily summaries as complete and as interesting as possible. Send your records direct to me by -
Email steve at toadsnatcher dot com
Text 00447767787287

4 May 08 - Olive Tree Warblers back in

Despite fine weather and northerly winds migrants still keep creeping in and the odd long-staying bird is still with us. After yesterday's couple of birds out west, today continued the main arrival of Olive Tree Warblers.

The seasonal pool by the Kalloni Saltworks entrance is now dry and other small pools disappearing fast (not been to or heard about the Alykes Wetlands). River levels still OK.

The Spur-winged Plover was unfortunately flushed by a photographer who entered an enclosed field. A reminder, if an area is fenced DO NOT ENTER. Enter only areas with open gates, keep to field edges and keep out of crops and groves.

Weather: fine and sunny with light northerly wind strengthening during afternoon. Max. temp c. 25 C.

Some additional news for yesterday, a singing Barred Warbler and Thrush Nightingale near Andissa.

Today’s highlights -

Kalloni Saltpans – PALLID HARRIER 1 (fem north c. 4.30 pm), SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1 (seen to be flushed by a photographer in morning and not seen since), Osprey 1, Red-footed Falcon 6, White-winged Black Tern 11, Whiskered Tern 1, Temminck’s Stint 4, Spotted Redshank 2, Curlew Sandpiper 50+, Little Stint 50+, Ruff 465+.

Napi Valley - OLIVE TREE WARBLER 3 at roadside barrier site below masts at north end of valley.

Platania – OLIVE TREE WARBLER now 5+ at the cattle grid site, Golden Oriole 2. Between Napi Road and cattle grid 09.00 – 11.30 am - Thrush Nightingale 1, Honey-buzzard 1, Black Stork 5, Red-footed Falcon 8, Ortolan Bunting 4, Red-backed Shrike 6+ plus stacks of commons stuff such as Hoopoe, Masked Shrike, Orphean Warbler, Woodlark, etc.

Tsiknias River – RUPPELL’S WARBLER male singing (Upper Valley), Lesser Grey Shrike 1, Black Stork 1 (caught and ate a snake), Mediterranean Gull 2 (ads), White-winged Black Tern 2, Stone-curlew 1.

Meladia River Ford area - PALLID SWIFT 3, RUFOUS BUSH ROBIN 1, ROLLER 1, Little Bittern 1, Yelkuoun Shearwater c. 3000+ per hour at one point, still lots of migrants inc. Spotted Flycacther, Black-headed Bunting, Pied Flycatcher, Whinchat, Bee-eater, Turtle Dove.

Faneromeni - Red-breasted Flycatcher (along track up from ford).

Parikoila Marsh – Purple Heron 1, Black Stork 1.

Skala Eresou – Lesser Grey Shrike 1.

Lardia Valley – Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler 1, holding territory at eastern end. West of Vatousa park at eastern end of valley in ‘chalky’ coloured pull-in on right with small wooden gate. Walk west for three telegraph poles to small pool. Bird is in this area but can get to opposite side of valley. Rock Sparrow nesting in Rock Nuthatch nest on rocky outcrop on right from the pull-in.

Kalloni Mini Soccer – Scops Owl 1 - bird still in the fifth roadside tree from the mini soccer pitch entrance but can only be seen from along the road or safer(!) from the track opposite the soccer pitch entrance. It is c.7m up the tree and quote difficult to see.

Thanks to everyone for their records and for those who enter theirs in the Hotel Pasiphae bird log.

2 May 08 - A right bonny day

Continued fine weather had all the hallmarks of bird going straight through, but today saw a reasonable fresh arrival of migrants across the island. Very little surface water remaining in the seasonal pools of the Alykes Wetlands and Saltpans area (opp. the Saltworks entrance).

Weather: fine and sunny with virtually no wind. Max. temp c. 28 C.

Yesterday, unconfirmed report of the fifth BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER of the spring at Sigri.

Today’s highlights -

Platania – BONELLI’S EAGLE 1 (sub-ad), OLIVE TREE WARBLER 1 still.

Kalloni Bandstand – LEVANT SPARROWHAWK 1 (f), Honey-buzzard 1, Goshawk 1 (m), Black Stork 1.

Metochi Lake – BAILLON’S CRAKE 1, Little Crake 4, Little Bittern 4, Squacco Heron 7, Purple Heron 1, Whiskered Tern 3. No sign of the Spotted Crake.

Kalloni Saltpans area - SPUR-WINGED PLOVER 1, Gull-billed Tern 1, Red-footed Falcon 3, Collared Pratincole 5, Red-throated Pipit 3, Short-toed Lark 4, Ruddy Shelduck 16, Black Stork 1, Whiskered Tern 2, White-winged Black Tern 7.

Lardia Valley – Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1 singing at eastern end below the Crag Martin outcrop.

Faneromeni area – Red-breasted Flycatcher 1, Collared Flycatcher 1.

Meladia River Ford – River Warbler 1, Collared Flycatcher 1.

Napi Valley – Thrush Nightingale 1.

Skala Kallonis – Honey-buzzard 1 over Hotel Pasiphae c.8.45 am.

Achladeri – Kruper’s Nuthatch showing well.

Kalloni Mini Soccer – Scops Owl 1 - bird still in the fifth roadside tree from the mini soccer pitch entrance but can only be seen from along the road or safer(!) from the track opposite the soccer pitch entrance. It is c.7m up the tree and quote difficult to see.

Petra Reservoir area – reservoir now drained with only a puddle of a pool remaining. River Warbler 1 (nr main road), Temminck’s Stint 4, Red-backed Shrike 6+, Bee-eater 40+.

Molivos – River Warbler 1.

Tsiknias River – Temminck’s Stint 3.

Skala Kallonis - Long-eared Owl 2 at Hotel Pasiphae.

Thanks to everyone for their records and for those who enter their records in the Hotel Pasiphae bird log.