• 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.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Lesbos 2012 (1 Viewer)

Good tip on using a jacket in emergencies re. lenses etc.
This was one reason why I bought a large Country Innovations Falcon jacket - it has two large external pockets, and one massive internal zip-up breast pocket. If I had needed to, I could have stuffed 2 large camera bodies and a 300f4 lens (without foot) in this and carried the folded coat under my arm!
As it happened without any emergencies, I used the large internal pocket for the 300f4, without any problems. Other pockets carried Steve's guide, iPod, camera cards, and a couple of camera manuals.
 
Hi. A bit long winded but please read through. Last year we went to Lesbos with first choice out of Gatwick. Our suitcases were under the limit so the checkin girl said she would not weigh our carry on bags. My carry on was a camera bag (lowpro 300 aw) Canon 7d body 500 f4 lens Bino's and netbook for backing up images. As we got to near the auto checkin i was informed by a first choice rep to empty my bag in to my pockets because if my carry on was weighed i would not bt too much over. Then to repack once we had got airside. We had no problems going out. Coming back as we got on the plane and after i had lifted the now repacked bag into the overhead locker i was approached by a member of the cabin crew who told me he knew my carryon would be over 5kgs if weighed. He told me that ALL airlines were cracking down on carryons that are over 5kg. He said that it is an instruction by health and safety so that if a bag falls out of the overhead locker it should not do to much damage to anyone hit. He also said he could not see why anything below 5kg would not hurt and above would. His words were basically if you carry on over 5kgs you are more likely to have to repack into your suitcase or leave stuff behind He said it was well known that Lesbos gets alot of people going there to bird watch/photograph and would have big scopes/lens but he could see lots of problems coming up when people were told to put scopes/camera stuff in the hold. I told him politely that my insurers would not insure my camera stuff in the hold so would first choice promise to insure and make sure all stuff was ok. The short answer was no it is up to you to insure expensive gear. So be warned. I think enough said but i am not too sure wether we will fly anywhere 2012 because i dont want my stuff out of sight in the hold
Stan
 
Hand Luggage Weight - Lesvos return flights

Re Lesvos return check in
This may have already been mentioned, however its perhaps worth revisiting.
It has been our experience that on the return flight, the last two years at Mitlinene Airport, the "check in operators" have weighed both hold and hand luggage together, to check if it totalled more than 25kg.
We were later informed by a rep, that the airports had been charged with raising more cash.
Since we were OK, this was not a problem for us.
Outgoing toiletries either used or discarded we usually come in under on the return.
I'm not saying that everyone has experienced this, but I have seen birders frantically unpacking at the airport on the return leg.
Incidentally having just returned from the Algarve, Thompsons check in weren't interested in our hand luggage on either leg.
Mine weighed about 6.5.
The Lesvos birding is there to be enjoyed in the first instance, anything else that follows from a record point of view is a privilege.
Best & good luck.
Mick



Hi. A bit long winded but please read through. Last year we went to Lesbos with first choice out of Gatwick. Our suitcases were under the limit so the checkin girl said she would not weigh our carry on bags. My carry on was a camera bag (lowpro 300 aw) Canon 7d body 500 f4 lens Bino's and netbook for backing up images. As we got to near the auto checkin i was informed by a first choice rep to empty my bag in to my pockets because if my carry on was weighed i would not bt too much over. Then to repack once we had got airside. We had no problems going out. Coming back as we got on the plane and after i had lifted the now repacked bag into the overhead locker i was approached by a member of the cabin crew who told me he knew my carryon would be over 5kgs if weighed. He told me that ALL airlines were cracking down on carryons that are over 5kg. He said that it is an instruction by health and safety so that if a bag falls out of the overhead locker it should not do to much damage to anyone hit. He also said he could not see why anything below 5kg would not hurt and above would. His words were basically if you carry on over 5kgs you are more likely to have to repack into your suitcase or leave stuff behind He said it was well known that Lesbos gets alot of people going there to bird watch/photograph and would have big scopes/lens but he could see lots of problems coming up when people were told to put scopes/camera stuff in the hold. I told him politely that my insurers would not insure my camera stuff in the hold so would first choice promise to insure and make sure all stuff was ok. The short answer was no it is up to you to insure expensive gear. So be warned. I think enough said but i am not too sure wether we will fly anywhere 2012 because i dont want my stuff out of sight in the hold
Stan
 
Hi Mick. Our trip in may this year was our 4th trip there. This year was the only year that we did not have our hand luggage weighed at Mitlinene. Whilst stood in the queue we were watching the check in girls closely, if your cases were under weight they did not weigh your carryon but if your cases were just over then they weighed your carry on as well. in the three open check in lanes there were 7 people repacking. As you say enjoy Lesvos first anything else a bonus
Stan
 
Have yesterday seen a deal for next spring, Anaxos, substantially discounted. OK its a basic self catering apartment with no frills, but at around the £265 mark (who knows what it will be in March?) got to be worth it as a base for a week's birding. Also, why the huge reduction now rather than a week before the holiday....twas on the Thomas Cook site, so should be properly safeguarded.
 
Last edited:
Thomas Cook £265?

Hi
Couldn't find this deal this am.
Any chance of sending a link?
Thanks
Mick

Have yesterday seen a deal for next spring, Anaxos, substantially discounted. OK its a basic self catering apartment with no frills, but at around the £265 mark (who knows what it will be in March?) got to be worth it as a base for a week's birding. Also, why the huge reduction now rather than a week before the holiday....twas on the Thomas Cook site, so should be properly safeguarded.
 
Haris Studio / Apartments May 2012

Hello Mick,

They must have been watching me as the price for the week from 5th May has gone up since I posted! I jotted it down as £530 for two us. However, the 12th is down as £286 pp whilst the 5th is now up to £326. Just this minute checked. Perhaps someone got in real quick. Its not the best of locations if you are going with a non birder, hence its 2 circle award, but perfect for keen birders, set in a quiet scrubby residential area with lots of overgrown shrubs, bushes and untouched habitat, not too far from the river, from what I recall. At worst, it would be a good base at that price for some. Cheers, P
 
Last edited:
Local island prices for 2012

Increasingly folk are asking me about the financial problems in Greece and how they might impact on us in Lesvos next spring.

I've been discussing this with quite a few folk on Lesvos over the last months. All my friends in the hotels, tavernas and other tourist related areas are rightly worried, but, they are very keen to keep the message positive to visitors - Lesvos is open next spring and prices that the locals control will not be that different to 2011.

Tsalis Car Hire have already told me that they are keeping their rates unchanged from this year for 2012, and don't forget you get 15% off when you mention Lesvos Birding! (prices on the Lesvos Birding website).

Hotels have already set their prices and most are the same as 2011 (as can be seen with the Thomas Cook package prices). Tavernas are unlikely to hike their prices up for the sake of it and risk pushing customers away.

Petrol remains the main thing out of the locals control and all the signs are that the Greek government are likely to continue to increase tax on easy targets such as fuel (sounds familiar doesn't it). But for just a week I suspect most of us wont notice much difference given the high price we are used to in the UK. I probably have one of the largest fuel bills of any spring visitor with four weeks of day trips around the island, and I'm not budgeting on seeing that much of a difference even over four weeks.
 
Last edited:
Just had an e-mail from Thomas Cook. We're booked on the first Manchester flight out on May 5th. They have put both outbound and inbound flights forward by 3 hours. Means we now have to get to Manchester airport for 3 - 4am !! Really annoys me how they change things like this since getting to the airport for that time makes it pretty impossible to arrange without paying large taxi fees.( we normally have an arrangement with friend to take each other to the airport,but can't ask them to take us at that time)
 
Last edited:
Book and DVD reviews

I've recently added a section to the Lesvos Birding website for book and DVD reviews. There's already quite a few on there (inc. Bird Images Birdwatching in Europe DVD which covers Lesvos) and I'll aim to add a few more items over the winter so that folk have any of my recommendations ahead of the 2012 season.
 
5th May From Manchester

FYI - Except for Eressos, can't see any availability now for 5th May packages from Manchester.
Looks like we will be dipping this year.
Mick
 
Last edited:
What is Lesvos like in Oct in late October - as my 50th birthday is then (well 3/11). Is weather ok as my family (non-birders) will want to enjoy it too.
 
What is Lesvos like in Oct in late October - as my 50th birthday is then (well 3/11). Is weather ok as my family (non-birders) will want to enjoy it too.

October can be OK, but migration quietened down considerably (see here for this October's summary).

Weather wise, it will be cool to cold with a 50% chance of rain.

Only the year-round tavernas are open as the summer season tavernas will have closed.
 
FYI - Except for Eressos, can't see any availability now for 5th May packages from Manchester.
Looks like we will be dipping this year.
Mick

Mick no! Surely you can go via Athens from Manchester cant you? Easyjet still do MAN to ATH I think. And book your accommodation direct? The package companies only have so many rooms per hotel/village, the rest up for grabs for those on flight only. But I know the popular options are booking up quite quickly for May already so you would need to be quick.
 
Is there much difference in what's around between w/c 12/5 and w/c 19/5 ? Prices for w/c 19/5 seem much cheaper but what will i miss if i go that week vs 12/5 ? I guess there is more chance of rosy starling too if i go on 19/5 ??

Tony
 
Is there much difference in what's around between w/c 12/5 and w/c 19/5 ? Prices for w/c 19/5 seem much cheaper but what will i miss if i go that week vs 12/5 ? I guess there is more chance of rosy starling too if i go on 19/5 ??

Tony

Yep, you'll stand a very good chance of Rosy Starling, but the main passage will be coming to an end. The main two weeks are the the last week of April and the first week of May. It can start to get seriously warm from w/c 19 May too. Personally if I was going for just one week then I'd choose the earlier one.
 
Yep, you'll stand a very good chance of Rosy Starling, but the main passage will be coming to an end. The main two weeks are the the last week of April and the first week of May. It can start to get seriously warm from w/c 19 May too. Personally if I was going for just one week then I'd choose the earlier one.

Steve - Thanks for your reply. Sadly its the heat that my wife craves so i wont use that line !! I've already had to compromise by staying at Molyvos not skala K so face a 40 min drive each way each morning !

I presume when you say "the main passage will be coming to an end" this means the numbers of shrikes, orioles, beeaters, buntings, migrating waders would have reduced but it would still relatively easy to find the local breeders eg the k nuthatches, cin and cretch buntings ?

thanks
Tony
 
Last edited:
I presume when you say "the main passage will be coming to an end" this means the numbers of shrikes, orioles, beeaters, buntings, migrating waders would have reduced but it would still relatively easy to find the local breeders eg the k nuthatches, cin and cretch buntings?

Yes. Although every year is different, when I've stayed in to mid-May I've noticed a real drop off of passage from the end of the first week in May and when temps do ramp up, then birding through the middle of the day becomes hard work (and sometimes pointless when it gets to 30C).
 
Yes. Although every year is different, when I've stayed in to mid-May I've noticed a real drop off of passage from the end of the first week in May and when temps do ramp up, then birding through the middle of the day becomes hard work (and sometimes pointless when it gets to 30C).


Just started to reply but then read Steve's post and it's exactly what I was writing. We notice it becoming much more difficult from the middle of the month onward. But we'll have had a week of frenetic activity from 5th May.

Sandra
 
Warning! This thread is more than 11 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top