Lesvos 28th April - 5th May 2012.. an amateur's photographic trip (1 Viewer)

hampers · May 30, 2012

Kev23 said:
Hi Phil,
Overall, a good experience travelling with Thomas Cook including the flights (I fell asleep during breakfast but they saved it for me rather than wake me up!) and transfers. As for the hand luggage, I have a Lowepro bag which is the right size for my Nikon D90 and Sigma 150-500mm lens with space for the standard kit lens too. Steve Dudley's book, my passport and a few pens and a tiny notepad plus print-outs for rentacar etc were also in the bag; couldn't tell you how much it weighed but I always take this wherever I travel, never had an issue so guess it's always under the limit. Don't think the girl weighed it, usually when asked to show hand luggage I lift it up with 2 fingers to make it look light My actual luggage was a few kilos under so worse come to the worse, I could've wrapped the lens in a towel and put that in the suitcase.. but never a concern with my set-up.
cheers,

Kev
Thanks, my set up weighs 8kg in all so its a bit of a worry. Might be a body and lens in the pockets!.

Cheers and enjoying the trip report greatly.

Phil

Kev23 · May 30, 2012

hampers said:
Kev
Thanks, my set up weighs 8kg in all so its a bit of a worry. Might be a body and lens in the pockets!.

Cheers and enjoying the trip report greatly.

Phil

Thanks Phil, you can't help but fall in love with Lesvos..! And you never know, they may change the allowance for next season.. otherwise just practice carrying it in a way to make it look light! Ok, last bit..

Kev23 · May 31, 2012

Day 8. Alykes wetlands and Sheep fields.

So, depressingly into the final morning. Transfer coach was leaving the hotel at 8.45am meaning I had a last, tantalising pre-brekkie session to enjoy. Tantalising as I knew I would find it difficult to leave if the sky was blue, the sun was up and there were quality birds around. Which, of course, was the case |:||. I opted for some (more) solitude so after packing my non-essentials in the suitcase pre-dawn, I took the East river-saltpans-sheep fields route, managing to get some "different" shots of a corn bunting on route as the sun rose, and also a crested lark (for the uninitiated, taking photos of corn buntings or crested larks on Lesvos is like shooting the proverbial fish in a barrel.. so much so that the temptation is to often just ignore them!) A walk along the beach was more theraputic than anything else but I managed to see (flush!) 3 stone curlews. Also, a new bird in the shape of a Whimbrel that was flying along the shore. A perched bee-eater still not within decent range, a woodchat shrike seemingly a recent arrival, a few short-toed larks and some kentish plovers with little stints by a pool in the middle of the sheep fields were noted, then a nice surprise when I flushed a black stork from a few meters away behind a dune. Click. It was now 8am.. reluctantly I got back in the car.. unfortunately the flock of white-winged black terns were flying all around the few photographers stationed at the seasonal pools view point meaning I was further distracted and didn't get back to the hotel until 8.20. An even quicker breakfast than normal (But still the same cereal, bread and cheese and ham, fruit cocktail with yoghurt and cake..!) then grabbed case from room, gave in rentacar keys to hotel reception and walked outside just as the coach arrived dead on time. Damn their efficiency! The coach trip to the airport produced a final new species when the large numbers of Greater flamingos that I'd previously not bothered to scope distantly across the saltpans became viewable. Once check in was completed there was an hour to sit relaxing in the sun looking out into the Aegean sea for shearwaters. I didn't see any! (My scope was packed and bins pretty small). Everything else went smoothly enough and the 3 and a half hour flight was spent chatting and sharing pics with the nice couple next to me until the gloomy English skies loomed and the single figure temperatures and drizzle that apparently the UK had been enjoying whilst I was away "welcomed" me back.|=(|

My trip was exactly how I envisioned it. Beautiful weather, gorgeous scenery, lovely birds, a few new species, some great photographic opportunities and plenty of peace and quiet. Often it is commented that Lesvos is quite crowded during the migration period which isn't to everyone's taste. By planning and not being afraid to check out the less popular sites, a certain amount of solitude is possible if that's what you want. I was pleased I managed this, but the encounters I did have with other bird-lovers were very pleasant too.

As for the photography, well, having a car to get you to the sites is vital, (as is Steve Dudley's marvellous "A birdwatching guide to Lesvos") but using it as a hide is of equal importance. Having said that, field skills, patience and a bit of luck can also deliver pleasing results. My set-up of a Nikon D90 with Sigma 150-500mm lens isn't exactly top of the range but I think I get the best out of it.

Highlight? The half hour alone in the Meladia valley with the short-toed eagle, little owl and lesser grey shrike. Lowlight? None, other than having to wait a year till I can return........

Last lot of piccies....

1. Corn bunting
2. Black stork
3. White-winged black tern
4. Crested lark
5. The Aegeon hotel breakfast terrace.. recommended!

Thanks for reading

hampers · May 31, 2012

Kev
Excellent report and brings back memories of a superb birding location and your photographs are great, many thanks.

Phil

Sandra (Taylor) · May 31, 2012

Kev - thoroughly enjoyed reading your report. I realise there's quite a bit we missed! The woodpecker site for example. We mustn't have talked to the right birders on the right day! We can thoroughly recommend the Aegeon too and we've been so many times that I email Reception a couple of weeks before we travel to ask for our favourite room/block of appartments. They've never failed us yet - and always greet us so warmly.

I'll get on with my report soon - we arrived on 5th as you left.

Sandra

Mark43 · May 31, 2012

Nice report Kev-enjoyed it very much.My wife and i were at the same hotel as you on the same dates so we must have passed each other a few times.

Not been birding very long so having only birded abroad in Extremadura before was looking forward to this trip and it didnt disappoint - 52 lifers in the week :eek!:

The hotel and rooms were very nice and breakfast was most enjoyable.Wasnt sure about dinner in the evening - suffered a bit from lack of heat but i understand this is a greek thing - lukewarm meals but all in all thoroughly enjoyed the week (if not a wee bit hot out)

Kev23 · May 31, 2012

Thanks for the comments guys... happy you enjoyed my photos Phil. Looking forward to reading your trip report Sandra, will be interesting to see what you managed to find, esp as I believe numbers of migrants were generally down this year as the weather was so good! Yes, lovely hotel indeed! As for the warmish food Mark, well I can't comment as I only ate the odd bag of crisps in the evening! But glad you enjoyed your holiday, it really is a special place..

KevsMum · Jun 6, 2012

You certainly had a great time Kev, I missed a good trip. Interesting report and good photos as usual. Pity I'm getting too old to keep up with you!!!!!

Armitagebirdflu · Jul 15, 2012

Kev.
Super report grt read. I'm going May 2013, and have 2 questions. Did you hire a car GB and had it delivered to hotel and secondly how are the roads for driving, as Mallorca scared me.Ta

Mick Sway · Jul 15, 2012

Armitagebirdflu said:
Kev.
Super report grt read. I'm going May 2013, and have 2 questions. Did you hire a car GB and had it delivered to hotel and secondly how are the roads for driving, as Mallorca scared me.Ta

There's a thread on Lesvos car hire here:

Check out P24 & 26 of Steve Dudley's book for advice on driving.
Watch out for locals occasionally taking corners on the wrong side of the road.
A 4x4 is recommended for some sites in the Dudley book.
I'm sure that you'll have a great time.
Best
Mick

Sandra (Taylor) · Jul 15, 2012

Armitagebirdflu said:
Kev.
Super report grt read. I'm going May 2013, and have 2 questions. Did you hire a car GB and had it delivered to hotel and secondly how are the roads for driving, as Mallorca scared me.Ta

We've been visiting Lesvos for many years and have always booked a care online from the UK - but with a local company. Always had it delivered to the hotel the morning after arrival.

You'll have no problem with the roads, I'm sure. Most are pretty good - far better than when we first visited. Many of the main roads then were dirt roads with few barriers

Sandra

Robert L Jarvis · Jul 15, 2012

Another endorsement for that hotel from me, great accom when we visited the island.

Kev23 · Jul 16, 2012

Armitagebirdflu said:
Kev.
Super report grt read. I'm going May 2013, and have 2 questions. Did you hire a car GB and had it delivered to hotel and secondly how are the roads for driving, as Mallorca scared me.Ta

Hi!
Glad you enjoyed the report... i rented via economycarhire.com, the company on Lesvos is Best renta car and I was very impressed with them as i emailed saying I wanted the car at 9am the morning after I arrived, and at exactly 9am my room phone rang and reception informed me a guy was waiting there with my car. 5mins of signing the paperwork and off i drove.. very efficient! The return was even easier, I just had to leave keys with reception as the coach was picking us up at 8.45am and the guy would come and collect the car after I'd left. The ariel had rather bizzarely decided to shear itself off (?!) while I drove one of the tracks in The Napi Valley the day before, but I didn't disclose this (pleading ignorance sometimes being the best policy!) and i've not heard anything from them so fingers crossed!

As the others have said, roads/tracks are fine, along the more "rural" of the tracks you'll want to be driving in 1st-2nd gear looking for birds, i'd imagine, so at that speed you're less likely to find the odd pot hole an issue.

And as they've also said, you'll have the most fantastic time.. last year i did last week in April, this year first week in May; next year...? Both weeks

Cheers,

s.g. · Jul 16, 2012

great report and photos kev, nice one with the nightjar, only seen them in flight early morning and not yet had an opportunity to get a photo.

s.g.

Kev23 · Jul 17, 2012

Cheers S.G!

GeorgeP · Aug 3, 2012

Great report, Kev! I will be there in a couple of weeks and, although it's not the best time of year, I hope to catch a few birds in the bins and the camera.
Your shots are excellent.:t: Thanks for sharing.

azure magpie · Aug 16, 2012

Great report. Brings back great memories. we have been 4 times in the last 5 years but things did not work out for us to go this year,already booked for 11th may 2013 though. We always go around the 2nd thursday of may. we may miss some of the migriants but also most of the big tours, so we get birds hopefully sun and not many people. The people about then seem to be the same mindset enjoy the birds sun relax enjoy the island with out the rush.
Pity it is only thomas cook that go there now. Again thanks for taking the trouble to post.
Stan

Kev23 · Aug 20, 2012

Thanks Stan and George. I've just booked my holiday for next Spring

Going for the 2 weeks, 20th April - 4th May, back to The Aegeon, Thomas Cook just having added it to their "roster". Needless to say, can't wait!!!

Lesvos 28th April - 5th May 2012.. an amateur's photographic trip (1 Viewer)

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