Trip Report Lesvos July 7 – July 20 2011
This visit to Lesvos was primarily a family holiday with occasional birding ventures to Lesvos’s well known birding sites. We were based at the Sunrise Hotel between Molyvos and Eftalou. This was classed as a 4 star hotel by Thomson’s, the tour company, and I can’t disagree with their rating as it was very comfortable with friendly staff, and was located looking over the channel separating Lesvos with Turkey, ideal for a bit of sea watching. My only reservation was that the brochure indicated that it was within walking distance of Molyvos but this was not really the case, it was nearer 2 miles to the town centre which was just too far for my family to walk in 35 – 40 degrees. However there was a courtesy bus that ran to and from the town 3 or 4 times a day (although not in the early evening) and a good local bus service from outside the hotel that passed at 19.45 and was ideal for an evening in Molyvos.
Prior to arriving in Lesvos I read Steve Dudley’s “A Birdwatching Guide To Lesvos” which gave a good deal of information about all of the sites visited during my trip and of course I read trip reports made available by others, which likewise were very helpful. New birds for the trip list are marked in bold.
Day 1 (7 July) – Mytilene – Molyvos
After arriving at Mytilene and exiting the terminal building a quick look around produced House Martin, House Sparrow and Yellow-legged Gull about the car park and the trip across the island to Molyvos by coach produced Hooded Crow, Barn Swallow, Collared Dove, Black-eared Wheatear and Feral Pigeon (These first eight birds were seen every day). As we passed Kalloni Saltpans I managed a brief look at Avocet (c300), Kentish Plover, Greater Flamingo (c60), Black Stork (flying overhead}, and White Stork. While over Kalloni Red-rumped Swallow was added to the list. That evening we ventured into Molyvos and while dining at one of the cliff top restaurants we were treated to c400 Swifts feeding above our heads.
Day 2 (8 July) – Molyvos
A walk around Molyvos produced one new bird, a Shag diving for fish in the harbour, and later that day Goldfinch and Common Kestrel were added to the list at the hotel. From the balcony at the hotel I was able to observe a pair of House Sparrows that were busy feeding young at a nest situated in the eaves of the building opposite. Over the course of the next few days the parents tirelessly attended at the nest with food items for the chicks that fledged during our stay.
Day 3 (9 July) – A walk to Molyvos landfill site. (2 hours)
This morning after breakfast with the family (9.30) I went for a wander up the hill to the rear of the Hotel and discovered the local dump. The walk up the hill gave me Blue Tit, Crested Lark and Rock Nuthatch (L), as well as a pair of Kestrel, and at a small pool to the rear of the land fill site there were more Crested Lark, Black-eared Wheatear, Rock Nuthatch and Cretzschmar’s Bunting (L). Back at the hotel a pair of Turtle Doves were perched on the telephone lines outside the hotel giving me another bird for the list. That evening the Swifts were again present in numbers above Molyvos but I was unable to pick out anything other than Common Swift.
This visit to Lesvos was primarily a family holiday with occasional birding ventures to Lesvos’s well known birding sites. We were based at the Sunrise Hotel between Molyvos and Eftalou. This was classed as a 4 star hotel by Thomson’s, the tour company, and I can’t disagree with their rating as it was very comfortable with friendly staff, and was located looking over the channel separating Lesvos with Turkey, ideal for a bit of sea watching. My only reservation was that the brochure indicated that it was within walking distance of Molyvos but this was not really the case, it was nearer 2 miles to the town centre which was just too far for my family to walk in 35 – 40 degrees. However there was a courtesy bus that ran to and from the town 3 or 4 times a day (although not in the early evening) and a good local bus service from outside the hotel that passed at 19.45 and was ideal for an evening in Molyvos.
Prior to arriving in Lesvos I read Steve Dudley’s “A Birdwatching Guide To Lesvos” which gave a good deal of information about all of the sites visited during my trip and of course I read trip reports made available by others, which likewise were very helpful. New birds for the trip list are marked in bold.
Day 1 (7 July) – Mytilene – Molyvos
After arriving at Mytilene and exiting the terminal building a quick look around produced House Martin, House Sparrow and Yellow-legged Gull about the car park and the trip across the island to Molyvos by coach produced Hooded Crow, Barn Swallow, Collared Dove, Black-eared Wheatear and Feral Pigeon (These first eight birds were seen every day). As we passed Kalloni Saltpans I managed a brief look at Avocet (c300), Kentish Plover, Greater Flamingo (c60), Black Stork (flying overhead}, and White Stork. While over Kalloni Red-rumped Swallow was added to the list. That evening we ventured into Molyvos and while dining at one of the cliff top restaurants we were treated to c400 Swifts feeding above our heads.
Day 2 (8 July) – Molyvos
A walk around Molyvos produced one new bird, a Shag diving for fish in the harbour, and later that day Goldfinch and Common Kestrel were added to the list at the hotel. From the balcony at the hotel I was able to observe a pair of House Sparrows that were busy feeding young at a nest situated in the eaves of the building opposite. Over the course of the next few days the parents tirelessly attended at the nest with food items for the chicks that fledged during our stay.
Day 3 (9 July) – A walk to Molyvos landfill site. (2 hours)
This morning after breakfast with the family (9.30) I went for a wander up the hill to the rear of the Hotel and discovered the local dump. The walk up the hill gave me Blue Tit, Crested Lark and Rock Nuthatch (L), as well as a pair of Kestrel, and at a small pool to the rear of the land fill site there were more Crested Lark, Black-eared Wheatear, Rock Nuthatch and Cretzschmar’s Bunting (L). Back at the hotel a pair of Turtle Doves were perched on the telephone lines outside the hotel giving me another bird for the list. That evening the Swifts were again present in numbers above Molyvos but I was unable to pick out anything other than Common Swift.