[Steve Dudley]

There might be little on here in recent times about Lesvos, but our Lesvos Birders Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/groups/271104122899599/ is very active. Come and have a go and join in.

And we'll soon be setting up a Lesvos 2013 thread once we have confirmed flight schedules! Planning for next spring already? I am!

[Steve Dudley]

ref. my earlier post (here) I have posted my own personal opposition response to the proposed wind farm developments in western lesvos on my Lesvos Birding website at http://athene-birdinglesvos.blogspot...on-lesvos.html

I'm in the process of distributing this to key individuals and it ialso being used by local campaigners on the island (transleted in to Greek for local consumption and posted on websites, presented at public meetings, etc).

Please feel free to use what you want from my letter to help you form your own responses to those individuals I have previously listed on the website.

[Steve Dudley]

Other news from the island this week includes a new law which provides increased protection for 380 wetlands throughout the Aegean, including 43 on Lesvos, and the road contractor who damaged the Kalloni wetlands during the recent road-widening scheme has been fined €81,950 by the Environmental Control Department for damaging a Natura protected site and the public prosecutor is working on legal measures to make remove the offending sections and restore the habitat. Also, the EC is pursuing the Friends of Green Lesbos, Nautilos, WWF, HOS major complaint about failure of the Greek government to enforce Natura protected site status in Lesvos. This is all excellent news and I hope we can add the wind farms to the list of good news.

[Mick Sway]

Originally Posted by Steve Dudley

ref. my earlier post (here) I have posted my own personal opposition response to the proposed wind farm developments in western lesvos on my Lesvos Birding website at http://athene-birdinglesvos.blogspot...on-lesvos.html

I'm in the process of distributing this to key individuals and it ialso being used by local campaigners on the island (transleted in to Greek for local consumption and posted on websites, presented at public meetings, etc).

Please feel free to use what you want from my letter to help you form your own responses to those individuals I have previously listed on the website.

Lets hope that any Lesvos petition is as successful as that relating to the Norfolk Docking Scheme.
Mick

[Steve Dudley]

Hi again

The situation is quite fluid as you can see from my increased communications on this!

Please read this even if you have already sent emails of objection. There is still more you can do.

I have updated my online opposition letter slightly. After consultation with others (inc. advice from BirdLife and HOS) I have added additional information within my letter about the impact on the specific Special Protection Area and then number of turbines which will fall within the SPA. I have also revised by benefits to the local economy. See my letter here.

Please use parts of my submission for your own objections.

Some VERY important notes to bear in mind.

WWF have advised us that we must be specific in on our objections to the developments on the basis of threats to bird life since the developments impact on Special Protection Area (SPA) GR4110010SPA with 95% of the proposed turbines falling within the SPA.

This is the ONLY argument in law against the proposals. The problem we face is that in opposition to a proposal we cannot take the issue to law as now infringement of any existing laws have taken place. We just need to be strong in our message that we understand the law and we understand the infringements of the relevant protection in this case. Recourse to law can only go ahead if the proposal goes through, but which time it likely to be too late to stop the development, only have the company and Greek government fined after any development takes place. You know what they say, the laws is an ass!

This said, given the diverse nature of those we are contacting to voice our opposition we should continue to press both the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the developments. If what we are doing filters down to the electorate then that is the second route of challenge that can happen during this process (and more and more people on the island are being mobilized against these proposals – you’d be amazed how quiet they have kept this until we woke various people up to it).

Another development is that we are being advised to write and post our opposition submissions to:
Hellenic Republic, Perifereia Voriou Aigaiou (North Aegean Prefecture) at Perifereiaki Epitropi Perivallontos, Kountouriwti 1, 81100, Mytilini, Lesvos, Greece

Feel free to post your objection to them if you wish, but I’ve now been provided with a name and email to send this to – Lemonos Giorgos - perivallon@pvaigaiou.gov.gr

You might also want to copy your emails general office of the North Aegean Prefecture - vorioaigaio@mou.gr and pba@otenet.gr.

Lastly, on individual emails, can I please ask that your submissions should be focussed and should express clearly your objection to the impacts on the bird life and nature in the areas to be developed (as above), and your concerns for the decline in eco-tourism the developments might inflict and thus the impact on the Lesvos economy. Please don’t just state that you love the island and its a beautiful place and they’re wrong to be ding what they are doing. The latter will be registered at the lowest level and is pretty well useless to the campaign (sorry!). So, please be specific and feel free to use sections from my submission. Don’t be afraid to send in a second submission if you feel your first may not be hitting the mark for us.

I’m waiting for details of an online petition to be send to me and I will pass these details on as soon as I get them.

Thanks for all your support and encouragement.

[Steve Dudley]

THANK YOU!

Thanks to all those who sent in their opposition to the wind farm proposals on Lesvos and neighboring islands (the deadline for submissions passed last Friday, 20 July). Many people copied me in to their emails so it was good to see so many people actively engaged on this issue.

We have a second opportunity now to record our opposition to these and other proposals threatening the Aegean islands. A petition as been set up (link below). Please sign it. The petition is very loosely worded and is aimed at the general public rather than from conservationists and is a general opposition to the proposed expansion of wind farms and solar farms (we now have several on Lesvos) which threaten to engulf large areas of many islands because these areas are not deemed to be economical.

The petition will run up to the vote on this until the North Aegean Periferia vote on the major wind farm proposals. We don't know when this vote will take place so please vote now to ensure you don't miss it! Thanks.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/a...nergy-industry

[Steve Dudley]

I've added the first trips from spring 2012 to my Lesvos Birding website - see here.

With the Travellingbirder site down (gone for good?), those of you with trip reports hosted by them will know that these are effectively lost and the links form my site to them no longer work. If you are able to find somewhere else to host your report please send me the new URL.

I'm looking at ways of hosting reports as part of Lesvos Birding. I'll keep you informed.

[Steve Dudley]

Having uploaded my Lesvos bird reports for 2009, 2010 and 2011 to Scrib (www.scribd.com), I can offer to host Lesvos trip reports on the Lesvos Birding account (so all Lesvos reports appear together).

Send me a Word doc or PDF and I will do the rest.

[Steve Dudley]

A plea for 2012 records to be sent to me asap. I start work on the 2012 report during the autumn evenings so that I can get it out as soon as I can in 2013 - aiming for end of Feb as usual.

All records to me direct via my Lesvos Birding website (see link down left hand side).

Thank you!

[Steve Dudley]

I know folk are beginning to head out to Lesvos for their autumn hols, so I've just added sightings for July and up to 14 August to my Lesvos Birding website - see here.

Feel free to email me your records from Lesvos or on your return so we can keep things as up to date as possible for others going out throughout August and September.

[Steve Dudley]

Details of my 2013 spring day trips now available on my Lesvos Birding website.

[Steve Dudley]

I've just added half a dozen reports to my Lesvos Birding trip report page linked to Scribd hosted items. This seems to work very well.

I've removed a further four reports which were linked to the now defunct Travellingbirder.com website and I'm trying to obtain copies of these to host myself.

But don't worry, there are still over 100 reports listed and linked to from 1997 right up to 2012!

[Steve Dudley]

The only report for which I don't have an email address for the author is Hans Martin Holby for trip 3 - 10 August 2011. If your on here Hans, or you know Hans, can you let me have his email address please. Thanks.

[Steve Dudley]

Another request for records for 2012 please. As the dark evenings begin to draw in I will begin work on the 2012 annual bird report, Lesvos Birds 2012. I need all records from the spring submitted asap please so I can make a start and stay on track for my end of Feb 13 publication date.

You can contact me via my Lesvos Birding website (links down both sides of the site)

Many thanks!

[Steve Dudley]

A reminder that many of the regular Lesvos birders are on Facebook and some of us are on Twitter.

Our Lesvos Birders Facebook group has daily posts and chat on all things Lesvos - birds, butterflies, dragonflies, maps, etc. Come and join in.

Twitter is used more for announcements and we can be found at @LesvosBirding (http://twitter.com/#!/LesvosBirding)

[Steve Dudley]

I've already started a thread for 2013 here.

But I will cross post for the time being, so here is a heads up for my day trips which are already nearly fully booked for the period 28 Apr - 10 May (a handful of places left on odd days).

No problem with the first week though, 21 - 26 Apr - plenty of places on each trip.

A reminder that the first charter flight runs from Gatwick on 20 April, and judging by the lack of enquiries I'm getting for that week, there are lots of seats left on it!

[Steve Dudley]

This is a completely updated set of species accounts for all species that have been recorded up to the end of 2011. It updates and replaces the species accounts in my book, A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos, and incorporates the three annual bird reports I've published to date, Lesvos Birds 2009, Lesvos Birds 2010 and Lesvos Birds 2010.

The plan is that as of next year, once I have published the annual bird report I will then update this document annually.

Sorry, no pics in this issue as I ran out of time as I need to start work on the 2012 bird report! the 2013 issue will contain images if folk are happy to llow me to use their images.

As ever, this is a completely free publication which can be downloaded from Scribd via the link below.

If you spot any errors please email/message me privately. Thanks.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/112345082/...of-Lesvos-2012

[Steve Dudley]

Last call for your 2012 records. I need all records for the annual report by 31 December. Thanks.

You can email via my Lesvos Birding website via the contact me links.

[Steve Dudley]

With over 26,000 records submitted this year we have a bumper amount of reports for scarce and rare species that the Lesvos Birds Records Committee and Hellenic Rarities require additional information (photos and forms).

I've followed up around 60 records and from these we now have around 40 already submitted or promised to LBRC and HRC which is fantastic.

What is also great is that out of this mass of data I am down to only a handful of individual records for which I know nothing and require additional information. These are as follows:

Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus) Χρυσογέρακο
Kalloni Raptor Watchpoint 23 Apr
Ipsilou 4 May

Little Swift (Apus affinis) Μικροσταχτάρα
Metochi Lake 26 Apr

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater ([Merops persicus) Πράσινος Μελισσοφάγος
Vatousa 31 Aug

If you saw any of these birds, or have contact details for someone who did, then please message me privately or email me at stevedudley@btconnect.com.

Thanks.

[Steve Dudley]

If you would like to submit any images from 2012 for the report then please email them direct to me please. Send to: stevedudley@btconnect.com.

I prefer not to publish species I've published before in the 2009-2011 reports, but I'll consider all good species images and images of landscapes. Below is a list of preferred species (just a guide).

For each image I need date and location. Thank you.

Garganey | Anas querquedula
Little Grebe | Tachybaptus ruficollis
Great Crested Grebe | Podiceps cristatus
Scopoli’s Shearwater | Calonectris diomedea
Greater Flamingo | Phoenicopterus ruber
White Stork | Ciconia ciconia
Glossy Ibis | Plegadis falcinellus
Spoonbill | Platalea leucorodia
Purple Heron | Ardea purpurea
Honey-buzzard | Pernis apivorus
Short-toed Eagle | Circaetus gallicus
Marsh Harrier | Circus aeruginosus
Hen Harrier | Circus cyaneus
Montagu’s Harrier | Circus pygargus
Booted Eagle | Hieraaetus pennatus
Lesser Kestrel | Falco naumanni
Peregrine | Falco peregrinus
Lapwing | Vanellus vanellus
Common Snipe | Gallinago gallinago
Marsh Sandpiper | Tringa stagnatilis
Greenshank | Tringa nebularia
Common Sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos
Turnstone | Arenaria interpres
Little Stint | Calidris minuta
Ruff | Philomachus pugnax
Slender-billed Gull | Chroicocephalus genei
Audouin’s Gull | Ichthyaetus audouinii
Mediterranean Gull | Ichthyaetus melanocephalus
Turtle Dove | Streptopelia turtur
Great Spotted Cuckoo | Clamator glandarius
Barn Owl | Tyto alba
Alpine Swift | Apus melba
Pallid Swift | Apus pallidus
Kingfisher | Alcedo atthis
Wryneck | Jynx torquilla
Middle Spotted Woodpecker | Dendrocopus medius
Red-backed Shrike | Lanius collurio
Lesser Grey Shrike | Lanius minor
Masked Shrike | Lanius nubicus
Golden Oriole | Oriolus oriolus
Jay | Garrulus glandarius
Sombre Tit | Parus lugubris
Icterine Warbler | Hippolais icterina
Barred Warbler | Sylvia nisoria
Subapline Warbler | Sylvia cantillans
Ruppell’s Warbler | Sylvia rueppelli
Sardinian Warbler | Sylvia melanocephala
Wren | Troglodytes troglodytes
Common Nuthatch | Sitta europaea
Rose-coloured Starling | Pastor roseus
Northern Wheatear | Oenanthe oenanthe
Isabelline Wheatear | Oenanthe isabellina
Black-headed Wagtail | Motacilla flava feldegg
Blue-headed Wagtail | Motacilla flava flava
Grey Wagtail | Motavilla cinerea
Serin | Serinus serinus
Ortolan Bunting | Emberiza hortulana
Cretzschmar’s Bunting | Emberiza
Cinereous Bunting | Emberiza cinerea

[Steve Dudley]

2012 Lesvos Bird Records Committee (LBRC) and Hellenic Rarity Committee (HRC) decisions are now online on the LBRC website -

http://lesvosbirdrecords.blogspot.co.uk/