-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Lesvos 8th-15th May 2008 (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Penny Clarke
- Start date
Andy in West Oz
Now of the east!
Nice pics, Penny. The colours on the Bee Eater are stunning.
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Saturday 10th May
Derbyshire and Achladeri area
It was a lovely sunny day again and after having breakfast of muslei and soya milk we left at 8.20am to head for Achladeri to see the Kruper’s Nuthatch.
On route near the saltpans we saw a persian squirrel by the roadside. We also had red rumped swallows and a woodpecker sp. on route around the hairpin bends. Passing the saltpans, we saw black winged stilts, greater flamingoes, a raptor sp.’ and 2 shelduck.
At the Kruper’s Nuthatch site we parked the car and soon found the nesting site and had stupendous views of both male and female Kruper’s Nuthatch going in and out of the crevice with food for their young. At the same time we had wonderful views of a masked shrike sitting on a wire by the krupers tree - in fact we had about 7 altogether! A interesting lizard ran up a tree as we stood there - Pete managed to get a pic of it, but we have not ID’d it yet. A very nice birder told us where to go to see a juvenile long eared owl further up the forest track - so off we went! We found it quite quickly, it was sitting on a big branch looking really, really cute and furry with blinking eyes (see pic). We continued up the track but didn’t see very much really - wrong time of day I think. But we did see a serin, heard a nightjar purring, blue tit, greenfinch and a sub alpine warbler. It was very hot now and we decided to about turn and made our way back to the car. On the way back we saw several butterflies including small heath, red admiral, small copper, a fritiliary sp., hairstreak sp., damselflies and clouded yellows.
After sandwiches back at the car we moved on to a bridge by the Vouvaris River (Map 5 in Richard Brook’s book ‘Birding on the Greek Island of Lesvos’) which was a lovely spot. We saw 2 balkan wall lizards on big boulders by the roadside sunning themselves, also a turtle dove, nightingale, 2 serins on the wires and an olivaceous warbler singing away in vegetation by the bridge. Marsh frogs were having a massive singing session! Either side of the bridge it was teaming with 70+ terrapins - it was absolutely magical to watch all these terrapins including baby ones playing about in the sunny water. Some were basking on a log that sloped into the water (see pic). I took alot of pictures here! A black eared wheatear was high up on the rocks nearby and a sub alpine warbler was in the bushes along the track next to the bridge. Vipers bluegloss adorned the verges - it was a very pretty spot.
We then drove to the Rock outcrop near the Derbyshire area and parked by the old/new bridge were we saw (3.10pm) 3 ruddy shelduck, black eared wheatear and 3 black storks circling directely above us! We followed the track up through scrub and rocky outcrops (3.40pm) and saw turtle doves, sub alpine warblers, 1 purple heron (Pete picked this up for us in his scope in the saltpans way below us), 2 red backed shrikes (4.25pm), an interesting dragonfly with 4 spots on wings (took picture). A woodchat shrike gave us wonderful views (5pm) and suddenly a stunning lime green Green Balkan Lizard ran over a rock and into some heather - it moved like lightening and I only got a fuzzy head shot (see pic). We then drove to the old bridge area and saw 2 hooded crows on wires, a greenshank, little egret, turtle doves, wood sandpipers, crested larks, red backed shrike, a corn bunting and we presume the same purple heron again get up out of ditch.
We then drove back to our apartments at Anaxos. I felt too exhausted to go out, so the lads went out on their own and I pottered about by myself and took some night scenes of the pool/bar area and made a film of the frogs singing! Had a shower and sat in bed writing my diary.
:girl:
Pic 1. Kruper's Nuthatch. Pic 2. Masked Shrike. Pic 3. Juv. Long Eared Owl. Pic 4. Terrapins. Pic 5. Green Balkan Lizard
Derbyshire and Achladeri area
It was a lovely sunny day again and after having breakfast of muslei and soya milk we left at 8.20am to head for Achladeri to see the Kruper’s Nuthatch.
On route near the saltpans we saw a persian squirrel by the roadside. We also had red rumped swallows and a woodpecker sp. on route around the hairpin bends. Passing the saltpans, we saw black winged stilts, greater flamingoes, a raptor sp.’ and 2 shelduck.
At the Kruper’s Nuthatch site we parked the car and soon found the nesting site and had stupendous views of both male and female Kruper’s Nuthatch going in and out of the crevice with food for their young. At the same time we had wonderful views of a masked shrike sitting on a wire by the krupers tree - in fact we had about 7 altogether! A interesting lizard ran up a tree as we stood there - Pete managed to get a pic of it, but we have not ID’d it yet. A very nice birder told us where to go to see a juvenile long eared owl further up the forest track - so off we went! We found it quite quickly, it was sitting on a big branch looking really, really cute and furry with blinking eyes (see pic). We continued up the track but didn’t see very much really - wrong time of day I think. But we did see a serin, heard a nightjar purring, blue tit, greenfinch and a sub alpine warbler. It was very hot now and we decided to about turn and made our way back to the car. On the way back we saw several butterflies including small heath, red admiral, small copper, a fritiliary sp., hairstreak sp., damselflies and clouded yellows.
After sandwiches back at the car we moved on to a bridge by the Vouvaris River (Map 5 in Richard Brook’s book ‘Birding on the Greek Island of Lesvos’) which was a lovely spot. We saw 2 balkan wall lizards on big boulders by the roadside sunning themselves, also a turtle dove, nightingale, 2 serins on the wires and an olivaceous warbler singing away in vegetation by the bridge. Marsh frogs were having a massive singing session! Either side of the bridge it was teaming with 70+ terrapins - it was absolutely magical to watch all these terrapins including baby ones playing about in the sunny water. Some were basking on a log that sloped into the water (see pic). I took alot of pictures here! A black eared wheatear was high up on the rocks nearby and a sub alpine warbler was in the bushes along the track next to the bridge. Vipers bluegloss adorned the verges - it was a very pretty spot.
We then drove to the Rock outcrop near the Derbyshire area and parked by the old/new bridge were we saw (3.10pm) 3 ruddy shelduck, black eared wheatear and 3 black storks circling directely above us! We followed the track up through scrub and rocky outcrops (3.40pm) and saw turtle doves, sub alpine warblers, 1 purple heron (Pete picked this up for us in his scope in the saltpans way below us), 2 red backed shrikes (4.25pm), an interesting dragonfly with 4 spots on wings (took picture). A woodchat shrike gave us wonderful views (5pm) and suddenly a stunning lime green Green Balkan Lizard ran over a rock and into some heather - it moved like lightening and I only got a fuzzy head shot (see pic). We then drove to the old bridge area and saw 2 hooded crows on wires, a greenshank, little egret, turtle doves, wood sandpipers, crested larks, red backed shrike, a corn bunting and we presume the same purple heron again get up out of ditch.
We then drove back to our apartments at Anaxos. I felt too exhausted to go out, so the lads went out on their own and I pottered about by myself and took some night scenes of the pool/bar area and made a film of the frogs singing! Had a shower and sat in bed writing my diary.
:girl:
Pic 1. Kruper's Nuthatch. Pic 2. Masked Shrike. Pic 3. Juv. Long Eared Owl. Pic 4. Terrapins. Pic 5. Green Balkan Lizard
Attachments
Last edited:
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Sunday 11th May
Potomia valley and Kalloni inland lake
We left at 8.20am and round one of the hair pin bends on the way to Kalloni we stopped at a viewing point for a quick scan and saw some unbelievable birds including Cretzschmar’s bunting, ortolan bunting (see pic), black eared wheatear, a stunning cirl bunting, eurasian jay (see pic), rock nuthatch, a black stork circling above, long legged buzzard and a house sparrow. All of these were seen within about 10 minutes!!! We then continued on to the soccer pitch at Kallini and had amazing views of the scops owl perched motionless in the top of a eucalyptus tree (see pic) (9.45am). We then continued on to the Kalloni pool area and parked on a rough track. It was quite hot already and 3 bee eaters were flitting about in the sunshine and we had wonderful close views of a little bittern fishing in the river by a bridge (see pic). There was a 2nd little bittern, a woodchat shrike, cettis warbler singing, olivaceous warbler right next us in bush, little grebe, moorhen, crested lark, black headed bunting, 2 alpine swifts, great tits, blue tits, 2 whiskered terns and more terrapins on a log! It was very beautiful here. Several dragonflies including one laying eggs on a stem in the water by the bridge (see pic). There was a tiny baby terrapin, no more than a couple of inches long sitting on a branch in the water! We decided this would be a good spot for lunch.
Not far along the track when we left here (2pm) we screeched to a stop to watch a massive lime green cricket sitting bang in the middle of the white dust track (see pic). We continued on to the Potomia Valley and parked the car by the concrete weir. It was mountainous here and below us was a wide, fast running river backed by mountainous terrain. Looking over the bridge we got very excited (well Graham wasn’t he doesn’t like snakes!) as below in the rocks was what looked like a Dice Snake (see pic). There were several marsh frogs sitting about in the rocks too. We walked up the track which followed the river through beautiful olive grooves, fig trees, oak and maples. We saw 2 turtle doves, sub alpine warbler, woodchat shrike, 2 whinchats and 2 black storks. We didn’t see the hoped for olive tree warbler. It was very hot now and we were steadily climbing in the hottest part of the day. We all decided to have an afternoon nap under a spider ridden, shady tree (didn’t realise this until we got up a bit later!!!) When we did get up, the lads all had olive stained bums/trousers which we were in stitches about (sensible me had laid down on my mac!). Suddenly Pete said ‘Sombre Tit’!!!!! - there it was yards from us in the tree (3pm) - couldn’t believe it and I got some record shots (see pic). A big blue metallic beetle was flying about - I have no idea what type it was. Nightingales were singing everywhere and 3 red rumped swallows sat on wires. A snake rattled away in the tinder dry stoned area by a fence but it was so quick I didn’t see it unfortunately, but the rattle sounded like one of the venomous ones!!! On the way back down the track we saw a couple of balkan lizards basking on rocks, not close enough to photograph though, 1 or 2 blackbirds and a buzzard sp.
Back at the car we continued our good luck with 2 more stonking birds - Glyn spotted high up on the ridge a blue rock thrush!!! (6.45pm when I saw it) (which we all managed to get our scopes on eventually and then I spotted a ROCK THRUSH!!! (6.10pm) which Pete saw aswell but Glyn and Graham sadly didn’t (I was very cocky about finding this for a while and apparently they are quite rare here!). We were all on a high now!!!! 10 crag martins skimmed about over the bridge! As we packed our things into the car I spotted a stunning cirl bunting on the wires (6.55pm). We also then picked up on a falcon sp. very high distanly on the ridge but couldn’t ID it.
We drove back and got some sandwich supplies and went to a restaurant where the lads had a fantastic mixed grill, but my vegetarian meal wasn’t up to much! Got to sleep about 11.15pm.
Pic 1. Ortolan Bunting. Pic 2. Eurasian Jay. Pic 3. Scops Owl. Pic 4. Little Bittern. Pic 5. Woodchat Shrike
Potomia valley and Kalloni inland lake
We left at 8.20am and round one of the hair pin bends on the way to Kalloni we stopped at a viewing point for a quick scan and saw some unbelievable birds including Cretzschmar’s bunting, ortolan bunting (see pic), black eared wheatear, a stunning cirl bunting, eurasian jay (see pic), rock nuthatch, a black stork circling above, long legged buzzard and a house sparrow. All of these were seen within about 10 minutes!!! We then continued on to the soccer pitch at Kallini and had amazing views of the scops owl perched motionless in the top of a eucalyptus tree (see pic) (9.45am). We then continued on to the Kalloni pool area and parked on a rough track. It was quite hot already and 3 bee eaters were flitting about in the sunshine and we had wonderful close views of a little bittern fishing in the river by a bridge (see pic). There was a 2nd little bittern, a woodchat shrike, cettis warbler singing, olivaceous warbler right next us in bush, little grebe, moorhen, crested lark, black headed bunting, 2 alpine swifts, great tits, blue tits, 2 whiskered terns and more terrapins on a log! It was very beautiful here. Several dragonflies including one laying eggs on a stem in the water by the bridge (see pic). There was a tiny baby terrapin, no more than a couple of inches long sitting on a branch in the water! We decided this would be a good spot for lunch.
Not far along the track when we left here (2pm) we screeched to a stop to watch a massive lime green cricket sitting bang in the middle of the white dust track (see pic). We continued on to the Potomia Valley and parked the car by the concrete weir. It was mountainous here and below us was a wide, fast running river backed by mountainous terrain. Looking over the bridge we got very excited (well Graham wasn’t he doesn’t like snakes!) as below in the rocks was what looked like a Dice Snake (see pic). There were several marsh frogs sitting about in the rocks too. We walked up the track which followed the river through beautiful olive grooves, fig trees, oak and maples. We saw 2 turtle doves, sub alpine warbler, woodchat shrike, 2 whinchats and 2 black storks. We didn’t see the hoped for olive tree warbler. It was very hot now and we were steadily climbing in the hottest part of the day. We all decided to have an afternoon nap under a spider ridden, shady tree (didn’t realise this until we got up a bit later!!!) When we did get up, the lads all had olive stained bums/trousers which we were in stitches about (sensible me had laid down on my mac!). Suddenly Pete said ‘Sombre Tit’!!!!! - there it was yards from us in the tree (3pm) - couldn’t believe it and I got some record shots (see pic). A big blue metallic beetle was flying about - I have no idea what type it was. Nightingales were singing everywhere and 3 red rumped swallows sat on wires. A snake rattled away in the tinder dry stoned area by a fence but it was so quick I didn’t see it unfortunately, but the rattle sounded like one of the venomous ones!!! On the way back down the track we saw a couple of balkan lizards basking on rocks, not close enough to photograph though, 1 or 2 blackbirds and a buzzard sp.
Back at the car we continued our good luck with 2 more stonking birds - Glyn spotted high up on the ridge a blue rock thrush!!! (6.45pm when I saw it) (which we all managed to get our scopes on eventually and then I spotted a ROCK THRUSH!!! (6.10pm) which Pete saw aswell but Glyn and Graham sadly didn’t (I was very cocky about finding this for a while and apparently they are quite rare here!). We were all on a high now!!!! 10 crag martins skimmed about over the bridge! As we packed our things into the car I spotted a stunning cirl bunting on the wires (6.55pm). We also then picked up on a falcon sp. very high distanly on the ridge but couldn’t ID it.
We drove back and got some sandwich supplies and went to a restaurant where the lads had a fantastic mixed grill, but my vegetarian meal wasn’t up to much! Got to sleep about 11.15pm.
Pic 1. Ortolan Bunting. Pic 2. Eurasian Jay. Pic 3. Scops Owl. Pic 4. Little Bittern. Pic 5. Woodchat Shrike
Attachments
Last edited:
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Monday 12th May
Sigri area and west of island
We had the car packed by 5.55am and we left to go to the Sigri area of the island. It was a nice change from going on the hairpin drive down to Skalla Kalloni! We stopped along the way for a picture and saw a sub alpine warbler. We noticed a local farm vehicle parked up, down the side of the ravine and we all remarked that he must have a very good handbrake! Along the way we watched a red backed shrike by the road side while poodling along side a flock of sheep that we being steered along the road by a farmer. We stopped at the Sigri/Eressos junction (7.25am) where we had 4 Isabelline wheatears, 1 woodchat shrike, male and female red backed shrikes, Cretzschmar's bunting, 3 hooded crows, sub alpine warbler, cirl bunting and a black headed bunting. We had to stop for Graham to go to the loo and while we were waiting for him, we could see a farmer coming down the field in a farm vehicle who was about to get a bird’s eye view of Graham - Pete, Glyn and I were in uncontrollable laughter and Graham had to move pretty sharpish and the comments Graham made to us (which I can’t repeat on here) just had us laughing even more! It was freezing cold this morning and I had my emergency rain mac on over my fleece just to keep warm!
We then drove up the very steep road that ascended to the Ipsu monastery. We parked the car on a corner near the top and then walked down a very pretty, tree lined track by the monastery, that desended very steepily - we had distant views of a blue rock thrush below and also a beautiful little owl sitting on a rock warming himself in the sun (see pic). A photographer called Pete Coe who had also arrived at the same time, very kindly let me put my camera onto his long lens for a picture of the little owl (see pic). We also saw a spotted flycatcher on this track. We walked back up to the monastery as the monks wanted to get the sheep up this path to feed them and they beckoned us to walk back up, so we had a look from a viewing point on the roof, accessed from the courtyard and I spotted our first Rock sparrow. We then continued down the same track and around the monastery - we saw black eared wheatears, house sparrows. The best spectacle of all was Glyn doing a ‘Kosak’ dance when a bl**dy great snake dived through his legs, down the path and into the undergrowth!!! - we were in stitches to say the least! Shortly after this Graham spotted an interesting lizard which we thought was a snake eyed lizard. We also had another sombre tit up here, along with linnets and a female blackcap. Back at the car we watched both male and female black eared wheatears (see pic).
Further down from the monastery we stopped by a particular spot to see our first Cinereous bunting, also a woodchat shrike sitting in a tree. We spent quite a bit of time here, watching several interesting insects including a dark green fritiliary on the other side of a dry stone wall which Pete got pictures of, painted ladies etc etc. I photographed a small lizard on a rock and some very pretty colourful crickets, a metallic green moth and a tiny, vivid black and red spider which I think looked like one of the jumping wolf type spiders.
We left here to go to Sigri, but diverted north to go to Faneromeni Beach first. We stopped the car to view Sigra bay on the way - the road was lined with olive groves and hay fields. There were loads and loads of bee eaters here flying high in the sky, calling and sometimes landing on the wires, they were just stunning to watch, I could have sat here all day - not close enough to photograph though! We saw our first Lesser Kestrel, male and female red backed shrikes - it was very beautiful scenery here and it got better and better as we approached the beach area. Shortly before the beach turn off we screeched to a stop, as a massive snake whipped across the road - I shot out of the car with camera - it went up the side of the bank and then came back down and straight for me!!! (see pic) and then hesitated and disappeared up the bank again out of sight (obviously I was too big for his main course!). Graham did not get out of the car! After the turn off to the beach we hesitated by a field track and looked up at the telegraph wires to watch 3 Lesser Grey Shrikes!!!, also 1 starling, 1 red backed shrike. We parked the car just after the last house where builders were working, by a very rich area of flowers which held numerous insects. Graham decided it was time for a snooze in the car and Pete and I snapped some pics, whilst Glyn tried to spot another good bird. I took tons of pictures of a Thread Winged Lacewing which posed on white daisies for me (see pic). The reedbed next to us which was lined with yellow and white irises was mean’t to be a good spot for fan tailed warbler (yes I know the name has changed to zitting something or other but in my book its still fan tailed warbler), but we didn’t see any. We then took the car to the track on the beach which was absolutely stunning (see pics) with big rocks embedded with quartz and a reedy pool by the edge adjoining the beach. We sat on the rocks and seawatched and saw a med. shearwater (3.15pm), a shag, little ringed plover and little stint on the beach (3.20pm) and by the pool a wood sandpiper and a black headed wagtail (3.30pm), also little egret. We wanted to continue north to the two fords which seem to be hot for birds, but time was running away and we decided to carry on south to the Sigri to Eresos road as planned. We found out later that we really should not have missed out those two fords, as thrush nightingale was seen there and something else good that I can’t remember now, but apparently its also a good spot for roller - I still havn’t ever seen one. Next year I will will be covering those two fords thoroughly!
The Sigri to Eressos road is just awesome, a really wild area with very few houses/buildings. We stopped at the Rufous Bush Robin site along the way (just after 2 houses) and waited with other birders for one to show. While we waited we saw spotted flycatchers, a pair of red backed shrikes, yellow leg gulls, black headed buntings, crested larks, a Cretzschmar's bunting and a female cirl bunting. It took quite a while to see the Rufous Bush Robin, but at 5.30pm I picked it up, we all saw it, but not long and memorable views I am afraid. We then carried on to the track to Eressos - very moutainous, wild and stunninghly beautiful here. We stopped at a chapel (on your right) surrounded by tall firs and pine trees and next to this leading up the sea in the distance, was a vast reed bed with bee eaters flying in all directions, low over the reeds in the evening sunlight - it was just simply awesome. In fact I have never seen so many birds flying in all directions - yellow wagtails, blue headed wagtails, 2 spotted flycatchers, 2 bee eaters preening in a bush, black headed buntings (see pic), male blackcap, garden warbler, olivacious warbler, red backed shrikes, black headed wagtails. We tore ourselves away and continued to a beautiful ford with pools either side surrounded with colourful flowering bushes, reeds and tamarisk. Several birders were here - someone said it was called Milunda Ford. In the corner of the left pool was a little bittern, a sedge warbler (several of us watched this - rare on Lesvos apparently) (7pm), more spotted flycatchers, cettis warbler and on the pool to our right ruddy shelduck with 7 young! Crag martins flying around us, a common buzzard soared above, little owl, Cretzschmar's bunting again and an ortolan bunting sitting in a bush.
On the way back between Eressos and Andisa, in semi darkness I saw a largish chalk blue bird soaring along a ridge as we drove round a massive hairpin bend. But no one would stop, because I don’t think they believed me.......... ??????!!!!!!! A roller maybe - I will never know!
We got back at 8.50pm and went straight out to eat at the nearest restaurant (almost next to Anaxos Gardens) and I had a lovely greek salad and french fries and a peachy flavoured drink - too tired for Ouzo tonight.
Pic 1. Little Owl. Pic 2. Black Eared Wheatear. Pic 3. Large Snake! Pic 4. Thread-Winged Lacewing. Pic 5. Flowers by the Milunda Ford.
Sigri area and west of island
We had the car packed by 5.55am and we left to go to the Sigri area of the island. It was a nice change from going on the hairpin drive down to Skalla Kalloni! We stopped along the way for a picture and saw a sub alpine warbler. We noticed a local farm vehicle parked up, down the side of the ravine and we all remarked that he must have a very good handbrake! Along the way we watched a red backed shrike by the road side while poodling along side a flock of sheep that we being steered along the road by a farmer. We stopped at the Sigri/Eressos junction (7.25am) where we had 4 Isabelline wheatears, 1 woodchat shrike, male and female red backed shrikes, Cretzschmar's bunting, 3 hooded crows, sub alpine warbler, cirl bunting and a black headed bunting. We had to stop for Graham to go to the loo and while we were waiting for him, we could see a farmer coming down the field in a farm vehicle who was about to get a bird’s eye view of Graham - Pete, Glyn and I were in uncontrollable laughter and Graham had to move pretty sharpish and the comments Graham made to us (which I can’t repeat on here) just had us laughing even more! It was freezing cold this morning and I had my emergency rain mac on over my fleece just to keep warm!
We then drove up the very steep road that ascended to the Ipsu monastery. We parked the car on a corner near the top and then walked down a very pretty, tree lined track by the monastery, that desended very steepily - we had distant views of a blue rock thrush below and also a beautiful little owl sitting on a rock warming himself in the sun (see pic). A photographer called Pete Coe who had also arrived at the same time, very kindly let me put my camera onto his long lens for a picture of the little owl (see pic). We also saw a spotted flycatcher on this track. We walked back up to the monastery as the monks wanted to get the sheep up this path to feed them and they beckoned us to walk back up, so we had a look from a viewing point on the roof, accessed from the courtyard and I spotted our first Rock sparrow. We then continued down the same track and around the monastery - we saw black eared wheatears, house sparrows. The best spectacle of all was Glyn doing a ‘Kosak’ dance when a bl**dy great snake dived through his legs, down the path and into the undergrowth!!! - we were in stitches to say the least! Shortly after this Graham spotted an interesting lizard which we thought was a snake eyed lizard. We also had another sombre tit up here, along with linnets and a female blackcap. Back at the car we watched both male and female black eared wheatears (see pic).
Further down from the monastery we stopped by a particular spot to see our first Cinereous bunting, also a woodchat shrike sitting in a tree. We spent quite a bit of time here, watching several interesting insects including a dark green fritiliary on the other side of a dry stone wall which Pete got pictures of, painted ladies etc etc. I photographed a small lizard on a rock and some very pretty colourful crickets, a metallic green moth and a tiny, vivid black and red spider which I think looked like one of the jumping wolf type spiders.
We left here to go to Sigri, but diverted north to go to Faneromeni Beach first. We stopped the car to view Sigra bay on the way - the road was lined with olive groves and hay fields. There were loads and loads of bee eaters here flying high in the sky, calling and sometimes landing on the wires, they were just stunning to watch, I could have sat here all day - not close enough to photograph though! We saw our first Lesser Kestrel, male and female red backed shrikes - it was very beautiful scenery here and it got better and better as we approached the beach area. Shortly before the beach turn off we screeched to a stop, as a massive snake whipped across the road - I shot out of the car with camera - it went up the side of the bank and then came back down and straight for me!!! (see pic) and then hesitated and disappeared up the bank again out of sight (obviously I was too big for his main course!). Graham did not get out of the car! After the turn off to the beach we hesitated by a field track and looked up at the telegraph wires to watch 3 Lesser Grey Shrikes!!!, also 1 starling, 1 red backed shrike. We parked the car just after the last house where builders were working, by a very rich area of flowers which held numerous insects. Graham decided it was time for a snooze in the car and Pete and I snapped some pics, whilst Glyn tried to spot another good bird. I took tons of pictures of a Thread Winged Lacewing which posed on white daisies for me (see pic). The reedbed next to us which was lined with yellow and white irises was mean’t to be a good spot for fan tailed warbler (yes I know the name has changed to zitting something or other but in my book its still fan tailed warbler), but we didn’t see any. We then took the car to the track on the beach which was absolutely stunning (see pics) with big rocks embedded with quartz and a reedy pool by the edge adjoining the beach. We sat on the rocks and seawatched and saw a med. shearwater (3.15pm), a shag, little ringed plover and little stint on the beach (3.20pm) and by the pool a wood sandpiper and a black headed wagtail (3.30pm), also little egret. We wanted to continue north to the two fords which seem to be hot for birds, but time was running away and we decided to carry on south to the Sigri to Eresos road as planned. We found out later that we really should not have missed out those two fords, as thrush nightingale was seen there and something else good that I can’t remember now, but apparently its also a good spot for roller - I still havn’t ever seen one. Next year I will will be covering those two fords thoroughly!
The Sigri to Eressos road is just awesome, a really wild area with very few houses/buildings. We stopped at the Rufous Bush Robin site along the way (just after 2 houses) and waited with other birders for one to show. While we waited we saw spotted flycatchers, a pair of red backed shrikes, yellow leg gulls, black headed buntings, crested larks, a Cretzschmar's bunting and a female cirl bunting. It took quite a while to see the Rufous Bush Robin, but at 5.30pm I picked it up, we all saw it, but not long and memorable views I am afraid. We then carried on to the track to Eressos - very moutainous, wild and stunninghly beautiful here. We stopped at a chapel (on your right) surrounded by tall firs and pine trees and next to this leading up the sea in the distance, was a vast reed bed with bee eaters flying in all directions, low over the reeds in the evening sunlight - it was just simply awesome. In fact I have never seen so many birds flying in all directions - yellow wagtails, blue headed wagtails, 2 spotted flycatchers, 2 bee eaters preening in a bush, black headed buntings (see pic), male blackcap, garden warbler, olivacious warbler, red backed shrikes, black headed wagtails. We tore ourselves away and continued to a beautiful ford with pools either side surrounded with colourful flowering bushes, reeds and tamarisk. Several birders were here - someone said it was called Milunda Ford. In the corner of the left pool was a little bittern, a sedge warbler (several of us watched this - rare on Lesvos apparently) (7pm), more spotted flycatchers, cettis warbler and on the pool to our right ruddy shelduck with 7 young! Crag martins flying around us, a common buzzard soared above, little owl, Cretzschmar's bunting again and an ortolan bunting sitting in a bush.
On the way back between Eressos and Andisa, in semi darkness I saw a largish chalk blue bird soaring along a ridge as we drove round a massive hairpin bend. But no one would stop, because I don’t think they believed me.......... ??????!!!!!!! A roller maybe - I will never know!
We got back at 8.50pm and went straight out to eat at the nearest restaurant (almost next to Anaxos Gardens) and I had a lovely greek salad and french fries and a peachy flavoured drink - too tired for Ouzo tonight.
Pic 1. Little Owl. Pic 2. Black Eared Wheatear. Pic 3. Large Snake! Pic 4. Thread-Winged Lacewing. Pic 5. Flowers by the Milunda Ford.
Attachments
Last edited:
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Tuesday 13th May
Kalloni Upper East River and Napi Valley
We left at 8.15am to go to the Rupelle’s Warbler site which is in a layby north of Petra, (the Amphitheatre site) the next village to Anaxos where we were staying. It was like being at Titchwell here, there were lots of birders and a coach too! We had brilliant views in the sunshine of Orphean Warbler and Rupelle’s Warbler (see pic) and our best views so far of blue rock thrush on the far rocks silhouetted against the blue sea. Also here, black eared wheatear, black headed bunting, crag martin and turtle dove.
We left here to go an area east of Molyvos in hope of seeing a roller that had been sitting there on view all last night - (bother, bother, bother) (someone at Rupelle’s site had told us) ohhhhh do I wish they had pagers in Lesvos!!! AND also a great spotted cuckoo that favours the garden of a big yellow house near a dried up reservoir!!! The lads had got a bit tired of me going on about seeing a roller this week! We looked and hoped and waited, but alas neither were found. We did see a lesser grey shrike near the yellow house on wires though and 1 cettis warbler, 2 sub alpine warblers (10am) and a red rumped swallow.
We then made our way to the Napi Valley - the track we were looking for (for the olive tree warbler site) (after several discussions!) did not get found until MUCH later in the day and we went completely off track - BUT it did pay off as we found some more stonking birds! Anyway along our narrow very bumpy track, we heard that magical ‘hooooo poooe’ sound! yes you’ve guessed it - a Hoopoe (my first for many many years anywhere!) - in all its vivid black, white and salmon colours flying amongst the olive trees up a slope. In fact we had 3 hoopoes (12.45pm) altogether in this area and also several bee eaters - there were lots of bee hives here! I got some spectacular shots of a hoopoe sitting on a dead tree round a sharp corner (see pic). 4 rock nuthatches were playing by a dry stone wall in a meadow and our first Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Pete spotted) paraded on a tree trunk for us (1.15pm), also spotted flycatcher, persian squirrel (see pic) and a sparrowhawk. We continued along this track which was deteriating all the time and we felt like The Flintstones! We came to a very pretty spot with bridge and fast running river (see pic) and olive grooves, so we stopped here to have lunch. Parked the car by some shade and sat and had our lunch. Coudn’t believe it when I spotted a baby tortoise was slowly walking over some small rocks next to us (see pic). We all went off for half an hour by ourselves and I followed a farm track up hill and photographed a cricket and a powder blue coloured dragonfly. I also saw a hooded crow and a black eared wheatear. We left here and had to return on the same track to get back to the main road and then found our track that we had wanted several hours ago, but never mind we had seen some fantastic birds.
After leaving Napi we should have followed the road north and taken a turn off sharp right (almost back on itself) just after the radio mast track on the left. As soon as we turned off we came to a farm building with 2 little owls sitting on the roof! We drove to the first cattle grid and parked the car. Some hardcore/twitcher/birders we spoke to had not seen any olive tree warblers - they then left. We walked along the track up hill and walked 100 metres past the next cattle grid to a big sweeping left bend and we sat here overlooking oaks and olives in hope of an olive tree warbler. At 5.30pm I spotted the big head of the Olive Tree Warbler pop out of a bush and show itself long enough to ID - Glyn and Pete saw it too, but Graham sadly couldn't pick up on it before it disappeared from view. We sat and waited for ages in hope that Graham could see it too but it wasn’t to be. A cuckoo called at 5.40pm. Alpine swifts flew by and a hoopoe flashed by amongst the olive trees! (6pm). Also here, Cretzschmar's bunting, heron, cirl buntings, red backed shrike and a masked shrike sat proudly on the top of a tree for quite a while.
We got back home at 8.45pm. The lads went out to dinner, but I decided to stay in the apartment and had some bread and cheese sandwiches in bed while writing diary.
Pic 1. Rupelle's Warbler. Pic 2. The Yellow house near Molyvos (favoured GS Cuckoo). Pic 3. Hoopoe. Pic 4. Hoopoe. Pic 5. Lizard.
Kalloni Upper East River and Napi Valley
We left at 8.15am to go to the Rupelle’s Warbler site which is in a layby north of Petra, (the Amphitheatre site) the next village to Anaxos where we were staying. It was like being at Titchwell here, there were lots of birders and a coach too! We had brilliant views in the sunshine of Orphean Warbler and Rupelle’s Warbler (see pic) and our best views so far of blue rock thrush on the far rocks silhouetted against the blue sea. Also here, black eared wheatear, black headed bunting, crag martin and turtle dove.
We left here to go an area east of Molyvos in hope of seeing a roller that had been sitting there on view all last night - (bother, bother, bother) (someone at Rupelle’s site had told us) ohhhhh do I wish they had pagers in Lesvos!!! AND also a great spotted cuckoo that favours the garden of a big yellow house near a dried up reservoir!!! The lads had got a bit tired of me going on about seeing a roller this week! We looked and hoped and waited, but alas neither were found. We did see a lesser grey shrike near the yellow house on wires though and 1 cettis warbler, 2 sub alpine warblers (10am) and a red rumped swallow.
We then made our way to the Napi Valley - the track we were looking for (for the olive tree warbler site) (after several discussions!) did not get found until MUCH later in the day and we went completely off track - BUT it did pay off as we found some more stonking birds! Anyway along our narrow very bumpy track, we heard that magical ‘hooooo poooe’ sound! yes you’ve guessed it - a Hoopoe (my first for many many years anywhere!) - in all its vivid black, white and salmon colours flying amongst the olive trees up a slope. In fact we had 3 hoopoes (12.45pm) altogether in this area and also several bee eaters - there were lots of bee hives here! I got some spectacular shots of a hoopoe sitting on a dead tree round a sharp corner (see pic). 4 rock nuthatches were playing by a dry stone wall in a meadow and our first Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Pete spotted) paraded on a tree trunk for us (1.15pm), also spotted flycatcher, persian squirrel (see pic) and a sparrowhawk. We continued along this track which was deteriating all the time and we felt like The Flintstones! We came to a very pretty spot with bridge and fast running river (see pic) and olive grooves, so we stopped here to have lunch. Parked the car by some shade and sat and had our lunch. Coudn’t believe it when I spotted a baby tortoise was slowly walking over some small rocks next to us (see pic). We all went off for half an hour by ourselves and I followed a farm track up hill and photographed a cricket and a powder blue coloured dragonfly. I also saw a hooded crow and a black eared wheatear. We left here and had to return on the same track to get back to the main road and then found our track that we had wanted several hours ago, but never mind we had seen some fantastic birds.
After leaving Napi we should have followed the road north and taken a turn off sharp right (almost back on itself) just after the radio mast track on the left. As soon as we turned off we came to a farm building with 2 little owls sitting on the roof! We drove to the first cattle grid and parked the car. Some hardcore/twitcher/birders we spoke to had not seen any olive tree warblers - they then left. We walked along the track up hill and walked 100 metres past the next cattle grid to a big sweeping left bend and we sat here overlooking oaks and olives in hope of an olive tree warbler. At 5.30pm I spotted the big head of the Olive Tree Warbler pop out of a bush and show itself long enough to ID - Glyn and Pete saw it too, but Graham sadly couldn't pick up on it before it disappeared from view. We sat and waited for ages in hope that Graham could see it too but it wasn’t to be. A cuckoo called at 5.40pm. Alpine swifts flew by and a hoopoe flashed by amongst the olive trees! (6pm). Also here, Cretzschmar's bunting, heron, cirl buntings, red backed shrike and a masked shrike sat proudly on the top of a tree for quite a while.
We got back home at 8.45pm. The lads went out to dinner, but I decided to stay in the apartment and had some bread and cheese sandwiches in bed while writing diary.
Pic 1. Rupelle's Warbler. Pic 2. The Yellow house near Molyvos (favoured GS Cuckoo). Pic 3. Hoopoe. Pic 4. Hoopoe. Pic 5. Lizard.
Attachments
Last edited:
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Wednesday 14th May
Skala Kalloni and Saltpans
We left at 8.10am to spend the last full day in Skala Kalloni. Today was the first time it started off overcast, but it was still warm. We started off at the West River arriving at 9am - here we had corn bunting, black headed wagtail, kentish plover, purple heron, common terns and a cuckoo.
We heard from other birders that the rose coloured starlings had arrived and had been seen in the trees of a house/garden nearby - so we drove to where this was and I got out of the car to squat down and look through some gaps of the trees that lined the said garden. I shot back into the car like grease lightening as a massive alsation came bounding out, growling out at me ferociously. Pete said it was the quickest he had ever seen me move! We then had a quick look at Skala Kalloni beach where a naked man was doing his morning exercises!!!
After that unexpected incident! we moved on quickly to East River where we saw 3 ringed plovers, wood sandpipers, bee eaters, nightingale, crested larks, red backed shrike and a black stork right in front of us walking along in the river bed and also 2 squacco herons (11.45am). Then we had a fantastic sight of 24 Rose coloured Starlings fly over our heads and landed into a Mulberry Tree (see pic)!!! Also we then had a little ringed plover, olivaceous warbler and about 30 little stints and 2 temmincks stints. At one time there was a tree with both rose coloured starlings and bee eaters in together! I photographed a bee eater sitting on a fence (see first day pics). An Alpine swift was flying about too.
We then decided to go out to lunch at a very very nice cafe/bar in the main central square (see pic with dishy Greek owner!) and we sat outside and I had a greek vegetarian omelette and the best olive bread I have eaten anywhere. A house sparrow sat on my seat next to me in hope of bread crumbs (he didn’t get many!) It was lovely sitting here and it was a good people watching place. We took some pictures on the quay (see pics) and then moved on to the Kalloni II Hotel where we added some bird notes to the log book in reception. I bought a bee eater teashirt form here.
We then went to the saltpans where there were loads of black winged stilts and avocets (4.15pm). Along the long straight road by the hide we watched 9 Red Footed Falcons perched on the wires and on the saltpans were 2 stone curlews, 183 flamingoes (Graham counted these) (see flight shots on day one posting) 1 White Stork walking about near the road side, but I couldn’t get a good shot of this as it was half behind long wavering grass, 3 whiskered terns, 1 white winged black tern, 5 ringed plovers, 7 grey plovers, 1 med gull, 1 greenshank, a turnstone and a cormorant. We then went to have a look in the ‘Sheep Field’ where we saw 6 Kentish Plovers, lots of crested larks and 3 Collared Pratincoles and then we had something spectacular - an AUDOUIN'S GULL flew over the saltpans!!! After Pete had calmed down from seeing this, with as he put it ‘a stonking great red bill’ we then went to look in the hide on the other side of the saltpans on the main road where we saw a bar tailed godwit along with the usual black winged stilts, avocets, wood sandpipers and flamingoes distantly. It was now raining for the first time since we had arrived.
We went back to the apartments and went to eat at Tropicana restaurant and had a spectacular evening meal washed down with more Ouzo! I took several photos of the sad stray cats who come into the restaurants when they see people sitting down, in desperate hope that someone might drop them some scraps. We did feed them every time we went out to eat and they will eat literally anything including garlic bread! - poor things. When we got back to the apartments we packed most things up ready to go tomorrow.
Pic 1. Rose Starling. Pic 2. Owner of restaurant at Skala Kalloni. Pic 3. Skala Kalloni Harbour. Pic 4. Skala Kalloni Harbour. Pic 5. Skala Kalloni Harbour.
Skala Kalloni and Saltpans
We left at 8.10am to spend the last full day in Skala Kalloni. Today was the first time it started off overcast, but it was still warm. We started off at the West River arriving at 9am - here we had corn bunting, black headed wagtail, kentish plover, purple heron, common terns and a cuckoo.
We heard from other birders that the rose coloured starlings had arrived and had been seen in the trees of a house/garden nearby - so we drove to where this was and I got out of the car to squat down and look through some gaps of the trees that lined the said garden. I shot back into the car like grease lightening as a massive alsation came bounding out, growling out at me ferociously. Pete said it was the quickest he had ever seen me move! We then had a quick look at Skala Kalloni beach where a naked man was doing his morning exercises!!!
After that unexpected incident! we moved on quickly to East River where we saw 3 ringed plovers, wood sandpipers, bee eaters, nightingale, crested larks, red backed shrike and a black stork right in front of us walking along in the river bed and also 2 squacco herons (11.45am). Then we had a fantastic sight of 24 Rose coloured Starlings fly over our heads and landed into a Mulberry Tree (see pic)!!! Also we then had a little ringed plover, olivaceous warbler and about 30 little stints and 2 temmincks stints. At one time there was a tree with both rose coloured starlings and bee eaters in together! I photographed a bee eater sitting on a fence (see first day pics). An Alpine swift was flying about too.
We then decided to go out to lunch at a very very nice cafe/bar in the main central square (see pic with dishy Greek owner!) and we sat outside and I had a greek vegetarian omelette and the best olive bread I have eaten anywhere. A house sparrow sat on my seat next to me in hope of bread crumbs (he didn’t get many!) It was lovely sitting here and it was a good people watching place. We took some pictures on the quay (see pics) and then moved on to the Kalloni II Hotel where we added some bird notes to the log book in reception. I bought a bee eater teashirt form here.
We then went to the saltpans where there were loads of black winged stilts and avocets (4.15pm). Along the long straight road by the hide we watched 9 Red Footed Falcons perched on the wires and on the saltpans were 2 stone curlews, 183 flamingoes (Graham counted these) (see flight shots on day one posting) 1 White Stork walking about near the road side, but I couldn’t get a good shot of this as it was half behind long wavering grass, 3 whiskered terns, 1 white winged black tern, 5 ringed plovers, 7 grey plovers, 1 med gull, 1 greenshank, a turnstone and a cormorant. We then went to have a look in the ‘Sheep Field’ where we saw 6 Kentish Plovers, lots of crested larks and 3 Collared Pratincoles and then we had something spectacular - an AUDOUIN'S GULL flew over the saltpans!!! After Pete had calmed down from seeing this, with as he put it ‘a stonking great red bill’ we then went to look in the hide on the other side of the saltpans on the main road where we saw a bar tailed godwit along with the usual black winged stilts, avocets, wood sandpipers and flamingoes distantly. It was now raining for the first time since we had arrived.
We went back to the apartments and went to eat at Tropicana restaurant and had a spectacular evening meal washed down with more Ouzo! I took several photos of the sad stray cats who come into the restaurants when they see people sitting down, in desperate hope that someone might drop them some scraps. We did feed them every time we went out to eat and they will eat literally anything including garlic bread! - poor things. When we got back to the apartments we packed most things up ready to go tomorrow.
Pic 1. Rose Starling. Pic 2. Owner of restaurant at Skala Kalloni. Pic 3. Skala Kalloni Harbour. Pic 4. Skala Kalloni Harbour. Pic 5. Skala Kalloni Harbour.
Attachments
Last edited:
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Thursday 15th May
North Coast and Departure!
I got up at 6am and finished packing and we checked out of our apartments and left main suitcases in the reception room to be collected later - I didn’t want to leave at all!
We left at 7am to go back to the Yellow house north/west of Molyvos in hope of one last chance of seeing the great spotted cuckoo, but we were out of luck again. BUT we did have 31 Rosy Coloured Starlings fly over our heads!!! We also saw a common whitethroat, subalpine warbler, spotted flycatcher, hooded crows, red backed shrike and an alpine swift.
We then put another 10 euros of petrol in the car and then got some food/goodies from a very good mini supermarket on the outskirts of Molyvos - I bought some chocolate croissants, figs and bars of chocolate to take home. We then decided to go up to Molyvos castle which is mean’t to be a good migration watch point (8.45am). Fantastic views up here of the villages and the bay below at both Molyvos and Petra/Anaxos. There were lots of stray cats around up here in the fields - I took several pictures (see my first day posting) including one that looked really scary with a scarred nose he must have been top cat I decided! One of the cats climbed out of rusty bin and another was stalking another cat, whilst others just sat looking sad and painfully thin. I got some record shots of hooded crows and also of a black eared wheatear by a viewing area round the one of the walls of the castle. We made our way back down around the castle and continued our journey towards Efthalou.
Just after Efthalou we stopped to view the sea - very high cliffs here. It was very hot today, probably the hottest. Pete and Graham were looking out to sea and I walked up a hillside a few yards because the olive groove/trees behind this garden by the track looked potentially good and I thought if I climbed up a bit I would be able to look into them. I was right, they were good, as all of a sudden Glyn who was standing on the track below me, shouted up to me ‘female golden oriole Penny going over your head’ - well I looked in every direction but I couldn’t see it!!!!!!! Massive dip but there we go, Glyn was the only one to see it and Pete and Graham were round the corner - basically I flushed the oriole for Glyn to see!!! Further along the coastal road we reached a deep culvert (recommended in RB’s book as a migrant trap) where Glyn spotted a Scarce Swallowtail fluttering amongst the roadside flowers - it was beautiful and I took lots of pictures (see pic).(10.30am) This was the highest point on the island and it certainly seemed it! The road followed high hairpin bends overlooking the sea a long way below! This was the most spectacular breathtaking scenery. The road then started to ascend on approach to Skala Sykaminias. Along this stretch of road, the sea was close to our left and to our right the road was lined with tall thick bamboos with olive grooves behind and the sound of birds up here, even this late in the morning was tremendous - I really wish we had had time to stop and I bet this area is very underwatched, goodness knows what was in there! As Skala Skyaminias came into view it was like a picture postcard - the scene of the locals and the harbour and colourful boats was magical. There were locals sitting passing the time of day on seats (see pic) a very old lady dressed completey in black was killing a squid in the water’s edge and then proceeded to beat it with a stick on the wall, she looked up as I was taking photos (see pic). Yellow leg gulls sat on rocks by the harbour wall (see pic) and big colourful flowers were climbing out of pots by cafe doors with wafts of coffee filling the air. We went into a classy craft shop and we all bought something out of there - I bought a string/shell bracelet.
We tore ourselves away from here and took the minor road south to Sykaminia and then turned right onto the main road which took us through Argenos and Mithuymna. We stopped on route at a viewing point (with tables and chairs and gazebo type building) and we had amazing views of a short toed eagle being mobbed by a raven! We could see several falcon sp. in the heat haze far away, but could not ID them. I took a picture of a clouded yellow butterfly and also of a sparrow who had in his beak one of the colourful crickets! We left here to do some tourist shopping in Molyvos, but decided to carry on to Petra as your needed a parking ticket it seemed. We passed the great spotted cuckoo site for the last time and tried once more but didn’t see it! But we did have a Lesser grey shrike on the wires near the yellow house along with a sub alpine warbler and turtle doves. We then went to Petra where I bought a book on Lesvos and a small pressent for Pete and Glyn for driving us round all week.
We then went back to Anaxos Gardens to re-sort our our baggage. Totally packed now and main luggage had been taken at 4.15pm and we were left with our hand luggage (bins, scope and camera) we decided to have our last lunch out. We walked to Anaxos beach and ate in the nearest restaurant that overlooks the sea. I choose vegetarian spagehitti bolognese and bread and the others asked for omelette with chips - which is literally what they got - when the plates came out they were screeching with laughter as the chips were embedded and cooked into the omelette!!!!!!! The food was lovely though and we had a SPECTACULAR send off - at least 20 bee eaters suddenly came into view and flew straight over the restaurant in the very blue skies - annoyingly I wasn’t quick enough to photograph them. After our lunch we took a few quick pictures of Anaxos beach and on the way back I bought a couple of bottles of olive oil and cashew bars. We walked to the end of the road of Anaxos Gardens joining other holidaymakers to wait for our transfer coach at 5pm. Whilst waiting I photographed 4 red rumped swallows sitting on wires overhead and swallows and house martins flew all around us. A black eared wheatear was in the olive grove right next to us and a bee eater landed on a wire for a second half way down the road! The coach turned up at 5pm and we reluctantly left. The lads slept most of the way to Mytellini airport - but I kept my eyes open the whole time and scanned every wire and dead tree in hope of seeing a roller, but nothing! Quite a good ‘coach list’ though! - 2 rock nuthatches, black eared wheatear, masked shrike, hooded crows, turtle doves and flamingoes.
Mytellini airport is very small and situated right next to the sea. At check in, security staff looking at the scanner immediately said ‘tripods - you are birdwatchers?’ - they looked amused. We then were allowed to go outside until our flights had been called, so we did and I walked across the road to the beach just to take a picture.
Our flight left at 8.50pm (6.50 UK time). Had a tomato pizza and tea on plane. Take off was extremely quick which didn’t do my head alot of good! We landed at 10.30pm. Left airport at 11.15pm. Graham and Glyn went back to Leicester and Pete and I went back to Norfolk. I had to sing most of the way home to my ‘dance’ CD’s with window open just to get us back - we got back at 3am absolutely shattered! Thats the last time I arrive back at that time!
Lesvos is the most beautiful island I have been to so far and extremely rich in natural history - my best holiday abroad yet.
I have booked for next year for 2 weeks this time. I didn’t realise how big an island Lesvos was and I want to go to all the places we didn’t have time for and to do lots of photography. Hopefully I will have a dedicated macro lens then aswell!
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
Pic 1. Scarce Swallowtail. Pic 2. Yellow Leg Gull. Pic 3. Skala Skaminias. Pic 4. Old lady preparing a squid. Pic 5. Locals at the habour at Skala Skaminia
North Coast and Departure!
I got up at 6am and finished packing and we checked out of our apartments and left main suitcases in the reception room to be collected later - I didn’t want to leave at all!
We left at 7am to go back to the Yellow house north/west of Molyvos in hope of one last chance of seeing the great spotted cuckoo, but we were out of luck again. BUT we did have 31 Rosy Coloured Starlings fly over our heads!!! We also saw a common whitethroat, subalpine warbler, spotted flycatcher, hooded crows, red backed shrike and an alpine swift.
We then put another 10 euros of petrol in the car and then got some food/goodies from a very good mini supermarket on the outskirts of Molyvos - I bought some chocolate croissants, figs and bars of chocolate to take home. We then decided to go up to Molyvos castle which is mean’t to be a good migration watch point (8.45am). Fantastic views up here of the villages and the bay below at both Molyvos and Petra/Anaxos. There were lots of stray cats around up here in the fields - I took several pictures (see my first day posting) including one that looked really scary with a scarred nose he must have been top cat I decided! One of the cats climbed out of rusty bin and another was stalking another cat, whilst others just sat looking sad and painfully thin. I got some record shots of hooded crows and also of a black eared wheatear by a viewing area round the one of the walls of the castle. We made our way back down around the castle and continued our journey towards Efthalou.
Just after Efthalou we stopped to view the sea - very high cliffs here. It was very hot today, probably the hottest. Pete and Graham were looking out to sea and I walked up a hillside a few yards because the olive groove/trees behind this garden by the track looked potentially good and I thought if I climbed up a bit I would be able to look into them. I was right, they were good, as all of a sudden Glyn who was standing on the track below me, shouted up to me ‘female golden oriole Penny going over your head’ - well I looked in every direction but I couldn’t see it!!!!!!! Massive dip but there we go, Glyn was the only one to see it and Pete and Graham were round the corner - basically I flushed the oriole for Glyn to see!!! Further along the coastal road we reached a deep culvert (recommended in RB’s book as a migrant trap) where Glyn spotted a Scarce Swallowtail fluttering amongst the roadside flowers - it was beautiful and I took lots of pictures (see pic).(10.30am) This was the highest point on the island and it certainly seemed it! The road followed high hairpin bends overlooking the sea a long way below! This was the most spectacular breathtaking scenery. The road then started to ascend on approach to Skala Sykaminias. Along this stretch of road, the sea was close to our left and to our right the road was lined with tall thick bamboos with olive grooves behind and the sound of birds up here, even this late in the morning was tremendous - I really wish we had had time to stop and I bet this area is very underwatched, goodness knows what was in there! As Skala Skyaminias came into view it was like a picture postcard - the scene of the locals and the harbour and colourful boats was magical. There were locals sitting passing the time of day on seats (see pic) a very old lady dressed completey in black was killing a squid in the water’s edge and then proceeded to beat it with a stick on the wall, she looked up as I was taking photos (see pic). Yellow leg gulls sat on rocks by the harbour wall (see pic) and big colourful flowers were climbing out of pots by cafe doors with wafts of coffee filling the air. We went into a classy craft shop and we all bought something out of there - I bought a string/shell bracelet.
We tore ourselves away from here and took the minor road south to Sykaminia and then turned right onto the main road which took us through Argenos and Mithuymna. We stopped on route at a viewing point (with tables and chairs and gazebo type building) and we had amazing views of a short toed eagle being mobbed by a raven! We could see several falcon sp. in the heat haze far away, but could not ID them. I took a picture of a clouded yellow butterfly and also of a sparrow who had in his beak one of the colourful crickets! We left here to do some tourist shopping in Molyvos, but decided to carry on to Petra as your needed a parking ticket it seemed. We passed the great spotted cuckoo site for the last time and tried once more but didn’t see it! But we did have a Lesser grey shrike on the wires near the yellow house along with a sub alpine warbler and turtle doves. We then went to Petra where I bought a book on Lesvos and a small pressent for Pete and Glyn for driving us round all week.
We then went back to Anaxos Gardens to re-sort our our baggage. Totally packed now and main luggage had been taken at 4.15pm and we were left with our hand luggage (bins, scope and camera) we decided to have our last lunch out. We walked to Anaxos beach and ate in the nearest restaurant that overlooks the sea. I choose vegetarian spagehitti bolognese and bread and the others asked for omelette with chips - which is literally what they got - when the plates came out they were screeching with laughter as the chips were embedded and cooked into the omelette!!!!!!! The food was lovely though and we had a SPECTACULAR send off - at least 20 bee eaters suddenly came into view and flew straight over the restaurant in the very blue skies - annoyingly I wasn’t quick enough to photograph them. After our lunch we took a few quick pictures of Anaxos beach and on the way back I bought a couple of bottles of olive oil and cashew bars. We walked to the end of the road of Anaxos Gardens joining other holidaymakers to wait for our transfer coach at 5pm. Whilst waiting I photographed 4 red rumped swallows sitting on wires overhead and swallows and house martins flew all around us. A black eared wheatear was in the olive grove right next to us and a bee eater landed on a wire for a second half way down the road! The coach turned up at 5pm and we reluctantly left. The lads slept most of the way to Mytellini airport - but I kept my eyes open the whole time and scanned every wire and dead tree in hope of seeing a roller, but nothing! Quite a good ‘coach list’ though! - 2 rock nuthatches, black eared wheatear, masked shrike, hooded crows, turtle doves and flamingoes.
Mytellini airport is very small and situated right next to the sea. At check in, security staff looking at the scanner immediately said ‘tripods - you are birdwatchers?’ - they looked amused. We then were allowed to go outside until our flights had been called, so we did and I walked across the road to the beach just to take a picture.
Our flight left at 8.50pm (6.50 UK time). Had a tomato pizza and tea on plane. Take off was extremely quick which didn’t do my head alot of good! We landed at 10.30pm. Left airport at 11.15pm. Graham and Glyn went back to Leicester and Pete and I went back to Norfolk. I had to sing most of the way home to my ‘dance’ CD’s with window open just to get us back - we got back at 3am absolutely shattered! Thats the last time I arrive back at that time!
Lesvos is the most beautiful island I have been to so far and extremely rich in natural history - my best holiday abroad yet.
I have booked for next year for 2 weeks this time. I didn’t realise how big an island Lesvos was and I want to go to all the places we didn’t have time for and to do lots of photography. Hopefully I will have a dedicated macro lens then aswell!
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
Pic 1. Scarce Swallowtail. Pic 2. Yellow Leg Gull. Pic 3. Skala Skaminias. Pic 4. Old lady preparing a squid. Pic 5. Locals at the habour at Skala Skaminia
Attachments
Last edited:
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Similar threads
