29 April 2010 - its all gone crazy!

Changeover day is always a dangerous day. The groups are busy being ferried to and from airports with limited birding, whilst all the independent birders gad about without the groups getting in their way! And boy did they see some birds today.

TEREK SANDPIPER - 1 Kalloni Saltpans breifly mid-afternoon in SW corner (Will Bowell, Kevin Du Rose et al). Only fifth record for Lesvos.

(RUFOUS-TAILED) ROCK-THRUSH - male Ipsilou in morning (Andy & Gill Swash, Ralph & Brenda Todd).

SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER - male Meladia River Ford (Andy & Gill Swash, Ralph & Brenda Todd).

WHITE PELICAN - 1 Kalloni Saltpans until mid-morning (MO).

Ipsilou - Rock-thrush male, Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 7, Collared Flycatcher 20+, Levant Sparrowhawk 1, Icterine Warbler 1, Wood Warbler 50+, Golden Oriole 30+, Cinereous Bunting 10+.

Maladia Valley Ford - Semi-collared Flycatcher male, Little Crake (taken by Marsh Harrier), Little Bittern 4, Squacco Heron 4, Golden Oriole 6.

Sigri Fields - Collared Flycatcher 2, Roller 1, Lesser Grey Shrike 2, Red-backed Shrike 100+, Masked Shrike 10+, Purple Heron 10, Montagu's Harrier 1, Orphean Warbler 2.

Potamia Valley - Olive-tree Warbler 2+ - one still 200m north of river bridge along east track, view from the half blue plastic container; Pallid Harrier 1.

Napi Valley - Olive-tree Warbler 1 at the barrier site below masts.

Platania - Olive-tree Warbler 4+ at cattle grid site.

Tsiknias River - Caspian Tern 1 (at mouth), Citrine Wagtail 2 (at ford).

Kalloni Salptans (and surrounding flooded fields) - Terek Sandpiper (SW corner), White Pelican 1 (until mid morning), Citrine Wagtail 1 (flood), Rufous Bush Robin (SW corner compound), Bar-tailed Godwit 1, White-winged Black Tern 100+, Black Tern 5.

Metochi Lake - Ortolan Bunting 1, Little Bittern 2, Little Crake 2, Bee-eater 11.

Kalami Marsh - Whiskered Tern 68, White-winged Black Tern 2, Water Rail 1, Red-backed Shrike 2, Mallard 1.

Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint - Honey-buzzard 1.

Offshore at airport - Scopoli's Shearwater 110+ following fishing boat 1830.

Haramida - Whiskered Tern 1.

Kavaki - Ruppell's Warbler, Orphean Warbler.

13 May - Terek Sandpiper

TEREK SANDPIPER - a winter plumage bird was found first thing this morning at Polichnitos Saltpans and was present until 1145h at least. This is only the fourth record for the island. The bird is keeping to the central pans area around the village end of end of chainlink fence wich runs along the main track.

Record shot of Terek Sandpiper at Polichnitos Saltpans 13 May 09 © Steve Dudley

A big increase in waders at this site as more water is being pumped on to the pans over the last few days and birds include up to 8 Curlew Sandpiper, 30+ Ringed Plover, 30+ Ruff, 1 Turnstone.

Kalloni Mini Soccer Pitch - there is lots of tree pollarding going on at present. They are not remving the eucalyptus trrees, simply reducing the height of many of them. The place is however dangerous during the day and it is pointless looking for the Scops Owls at this site whilst the work is in progress - they will have certainly moved!

Finsch's Wheatear update - I have now seen the photos of the bird claimed to be Finsch's Wheatear on 10 May, and as somewhat expected it was a black-and-white male melanoleuca Black-eared Wheatear. There remains only one accepted record of Finsch's Wheatear for the island: a male at Megalochori Jun 93.

Faneromeni - RUFOUS BUSH ROBIN 1, Tawny Pipit 1.

Meladia Valley - Rose-coloured Starling 1 adult, Ortolan Bunting 1.

Ipsilou - LANNER FALCON 1 adult, Eleonora's Falcon 2.

Kalloni Saltpans area - flood opposite saltworks entrance: Black Stork 10, Squacco Heron 9, Glossy Ibis 1, Great White Egret 3, Ruddy Shelduck 30, Collared Pratincole 1, Garganey 1, Mallard 1, Grey Plover 1. Fewer waders around today.