lesvos - when is best time to go ? (1 Viewer)

Lesvos sounds a great place to go in spring...but when exactly in spring ??!! I'm more interested in seeing shrikes/buntings/herons etc rather than sea birds - is late April better than early May or vice versa ? There don't seem to be many hotels advertised in April and I will incur great wrath at work if I take the first week in May as I'm a Finance Director and that means I'd be away for a month end management accounts cycle (actually a great reason to be away !!). thanks. Tony.

Tony,

Check the systematic lits of various trip reports to get a general feel for what will be about. I visited Lesvos during the third week of April a few years ago, excellent time, plenty of good birds along with nice weather. Obvious misses as opposed visiting in May included Black-headed Bunting and Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin. My systematic can be view here;

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/Greece/lesbos4/Lesvos2001.htm

No doubt plenty of other will weigh in with their thoughts, all I can say is that I enjoyed visiting in April, highly recommend it, and maybe not as many birders around as in May.

Lesvos

Best time is Spring I would say. Early April to mid-May. With April probably best. A couple of years ago no flights went directly to the island until May - from Manchester certainly. You had to change at Athens. I think first direct flights are last week of April/first week in May - on Thursdays. There are lots of trip reports posted so I would browse through those before making your mind up. My report is there for early May 2004. Digibirders also - that's a good comprehensive report which will be of interest, too.

We have also been in September but birding was a little bit harder then though lots about.

You'll be hooked once you've visited!

Sandra
:bounce:

Went this year at the end of May - due to fitting in with school holidays! All the breeding birds were showing well and still singing. Missed the bulk of migrating birds ,though. Early to mid May would have been better but we enjoyed it so much that we are returning this year at the same time.

Lesvos... isn't that the island with the &#%& and the @#$%*$%@? That's a good island... for birding.

thanks for the responses - I have booked a week at the Aegean hotel from 4/5 to 11/5 - couldn't cope with the extra cost and hassle of trying to arrange non charter flights and separate accomodation !

There seem to be lots of updates to the Richard Brookes book - the whole set of original book plus all the updates seems pretty expensive - what do you recommend is actually needed to find the best sites - is the original book now too out of date to be enough on its own ?

Hi Tony,

I visited a few years back like mentioned, I'd be surprised if any updates were required, as from reading various trip reports since, they all still visit the same sites, any additional information can be gleaned from the reports and by e-mailing people. The original is an excellent, detailed, book, though with so much information now available, the book, in my opinion, is only required for directions to the various sites.

Have an enjoyable trip, plenty of goodies to be seen,

James

Lesvos

I agree with following post. Richard Brook's book is excellent for directions to sites and for general reading about the island. I wouldn't have thought updates were necessary - unless you just want to get the very latest.

We are going to be at the Aegeon for two weeks from 4th May. Please look us up if you have time. Or I may come and look for you at the first breakfast! It will be about our 7th visit to the island. Don't get excited about the Kalloni pool that birding companies are still mentioning, as a draw to stay at Kalloni II. This was overgrown and silting up fast last year. I am very apprehensive as to what we may find this year. The wetland in front of the Aegeon holds good birds - and you can watch it with your binoculars from the breakfast terrace.

I'll put you in my diary as a reminder to look for you! So between us we should be OK. We are Sandra & Robert Taylor. Anthi at the desk will know who we are.

Look back at the vacation report pages on BF. There are some good ones posted.

Sandra

Thanks again - It sounds like the original book will suffice which is good news given that it alone is apparently £20 ! Sandra - I will look out for you and Robert. I will be there on my own as am currently going through a divorce !! Being able to disappear for a weeks birding with a clear conscience is one of the very few upsides !!

Tony