Mick Sway
Well-known member
LESVOS (ANOTHER) TRIP REPORT : 7 – 21 MAY 2009
For those who haven't had enough, here's what happened later.
As we have done for the last few years, we stayed at the Anaxos Hotel at the north of the island. The hospitality of the family; Paul, Effy, Frank and Tony, who run the hotel is always of the highest standard.
The weather, unlike the preceding two weeks which we were led to believe was cool and windy, was for the most part hot, in the high 20’s C and sunny. During the night of the 18th May we had thunder, lightening and rain in the night, from the 19th to the 21st there were occasional localised light rain showers interrupting the sunshine. On the morning of 19 May, following the thunder storms, the fences and wires at Sigri were dripping with spottedflies and red backed shrikes. It’s also worth noting that those due to fly back on 14 May got a bonus extra day’s birding, on account of the Greek national strike preventing flights in and out of Mitilini airport on the normal Thursday transfer day.
For some reason the authorities on Lesvos decided to under take work on the roads for the start of the season, including the beach road at Faneromeni, which was getting a newly concreted road. The scops owl eucalyptus tree site at the Kalloni mini soccer pitch, was the subject of major tree cropping during the second week of May, rendering our decision to leave a visit to a later date fatal, since the birds were no where to be seen when we did call on a Sunday when no work was being done.
As returning Lesvos birders will know, birding on the island can be different every season. Whilst last years May visits to the Skala Kalloni Salt Pans were characterised by good views of red foots, pratincole, red throated pipits, rose coloured starlings and spur winged plover, on the largely dry “sheep fields”, this year following one of the islands wettest winters for some years, the same area this year had now turned into a lively fresh water marsh. It became home to numerous species of heron, ducks, waders and terns. In fact we never saw a red foot nor rosy, the latter you could almost say would be guaranteed the second week of May – though to our surprise for the first time in years though, they never turned up in any numbers and we dipped!
There are some species however, which are guaranteed and evocative of a spring visit to the island.
It’s hard to imagine travelling the length of the UK to see a crested lark, the object of a major twitch on the south coast in April, when they are so common on Lesvos. Black headed, corn and cirl bunting are easily seen along with black eared wheatear, subalpine and olivaceous warbler. Nightingale sing from cover, anywhere near water.
You can also practically run into short toed eagle and long legged buzzard anywhere. Bee-eaters are profligate and many species of waders and herons easily seen at Skala Kalloni.
On a positive note, the rivers and streams on the island were all running a lot clearer and cleaner than we have previously seen. This was particularly noticeable of the previously “smelly” Voulgaris at Perivoli, which appeared to have been utilised by the town of Andissa as an open sewer. I cannot however confirm whether this is due as we hoped, to the local government cleaning up its act, or the purging effect on the rivers of a very wet winter. On Sunday 17 May however, the only bird on the river was a single ruddy shellduck.
It was also nice to bump into Bob and Sandra Taylor, Jenny and Bob, Frank and Sheila and finally Steve and Diane Gibson, who kept us entertained over the two weeks. I would also like to thank Jenny and Bob for their birding tips, through which we were able to add some species, which we might have otherwise have missed.
SITE REPORTS:
1. Anaxos;
Common at this site were:
Woodchat and red backed shrike. Black eared wheatear, crested lark, finches, swifts, barn and red rumped swallow, olivacious warbler, blackbird, blue and great tit. Hooded crow and jackdaw.
Friday 8 May 2009
Arising at 6.00 and taking an early morning walk part way along the coastal path to Ambelia which was largely quiet, highlighted by a lesser grey shrike, 6 sombre tits, sub alpine, sedge and orphean warbler.
Rock nuthatch, sub alpine and orphean warbler were also present.
A kestrel flew over the headland.
Tues 12 May
A little bittern was present at the “Anaxos pool” every time we passed over the next week.
As we walked into the Petra at dusk, for a meal at the wonderful Ladies Co-operative, a nightjar was hawking over the rocky outcrop near the Alma Hotel.
Wed 13 May
Whilst walking to Petra on the “valley of the mills” walk, a white wagtail was at one of the Petra streams along with some water snakes.
2.Achladeri
Friday 8 May:
The army was at the site, disrupted our plans for an early morning visit.
A pair of Krupers nuthatch were feeding young, appearing every half hour or so. A short toed tree creeper climbed a near bye tree, whilst woodchat and masked shrike flitted in the pines.
Near bye at the “Derbyshire” 2 common shell duck were at the beach along with 5 little egret, whilst on the salt marsh there was also a count of 26 ruddy shell duck.
Friday 15 May:
The Krupers were still at the nesting site.
For those who haven't had enough, here's what happened later.
As we have done for the last few years, we stayed at the Anaxos Hotel at the north of the island. The hospitality of the family; Paul, Effy, Frank and Tony, who run the hotel is always of the highest standard.
The weather, unlike the preceding two weeks which we were led to believe was cool and windy, was for the most part hot, in the high 20’s C and sunny. During the night of the 18th May we had thunder, lightening and rain in the night, from the 19th to the 21st there were occasional localised light rain showers interrupting the sunshine. On the morning of 19 May, following the thunder storms, the fences and wires at Sigri were dripping with spottedflies and red backed shrikes. It’s also worth noting that those due to fly back on 14 May got a bonus extra day’s birding, on account of the Greek national strike preventing flights in and out of Mitilini airport on the normal Thursday transfer day.
For some reason the authorities on Lesvos decided to under take work on the roads for the start of the season, including the beach road at Faneromeni, which was getting a newly concreted road. The scops owl eucalyptus tree site at the Kalloni mini soccer pitch, was the subject of major tree cropping during the second week of May, rendering our decision to leave a visit to a later date fatal, since the birds were no where to be seen when we did call on a Sunday when no work was being done.
As returning Lesvos birders will know, birding on the island can be different every season. Whilst last years May visits to the Skala Kalloni Salt Pans were characterised by good views of red foots, pratincole, red throated pipits, rose coloured starlings and spur winged plover, on the largely dry “sheep fields”, this year following one of the islands wettest winters for some years, the same area this year had now turned into a lively fresh water marsh. It became home to numerous species of heron, ducks, waders and terns. In fact we never saw a red foot nor rosy, the latter you could almost say would be guaranteed the second week of May – though to our surprise for the first time in years though, they never turned up in any numbers and we dipped!
There are some species however, which are guaranteed and evocative of a spring visit to the island.
It’s hard to imagine travelling the length of the UK to see a crested lark, the object of a major twitch on the south coast in April, when they are so common on Lesvos. Black headed, corn and cirl bunting are easily seen along with black eared wheatear, subalpine and olivaceous warbler. Nightingale sing from cover, anywhere near water.
You can also practically run into short toed eagle and long legged buzzard anywhere. Bee-eaters are profligate and many species of waders and herons easily seen at Skala Kalloni.
On a positive note, the rivers and streams on the island were all running a lot clearer and cleaner than we have previously seen. This was particularly noticeable of the previously “smelly” Voulgaris at Perivoli, which appeared to have been utilised by the town of Andissa as an open sewer. I cannot however confirm whether this is due as we hoped, to the local government cleaning up its act, or the purging effect on the rivers of a very wet winter. On Sunday 17 May however, the only bird on the river was a single ruddy shellduck.
It was also nice to bump into Bob and Sandra Taylor, Jenny and Bob, Frank and Sheila and finally Steve and Diane Gibson, who kept us entertained over the two weeks. I would also like to thank Jenny and Bob for their birding tips, through which we were able to add some species, which we might have otherwise have missed.
SITE REPORTS:
1. Anaxos;
Common at this site were:
Woodchat and red backed shrike. Black eared wheatear, crested lark, finches, swifts, barn and red rumped swallow, olivacious warbler, blackbird, blue and great tit. Hooded crow and jackdaw.
Friday 8 May 2009
Arising at 6.00 and taking an early morning walk part way along the coastal path to Ambelia which was largely quiet, highlighted by a lesser grey shrike, 6 sombre tits, sub alpine, sedge and orphean warbler.
Rock nuthatch, sub alpine and orphean warbler were also present.
A kestrel flew over the headland.
Tues 12 May
A little bittern was present at the “Anaxos pool” every time we passed over the next week.
As we walked into the Petra at dusk, for a meal at the wonderful Ladies Co-operative, a nightjar was hawking over the rocky outcrop near the Alma Hotel.
Wed 13 May
Whilst walking to Petra on the “valley of the mills” walk, a white wagtail was at one of the Petra streams along with some water snakes.
2.Achladeri
Friday 8 May:
The army was at the site, disrupted our plans for an early morning visit.
A pair of Krupers nuthatch were feeding young, appearing every half hour or so. A short toed tree creeper climbed a near bye tree, whilst woodchat and masked shrike flitted in the pines.
Near bye at the “Derbyshire” 2 common shell duck were at the beach along with 5 little egret, whilst on the salt marsh there was also a count of 26 ruddy shell duck.
Friday 15 May:
The Krupers were still at the nesting site.
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