Lesvos Bird Reports 2017 (3 Viewers)

[Mick Sway]

17/08/17 Rufous bush robins & yellow wagtails

17/08/17
Eleni Galinou , after having passed through the track from the Tsiknias River and Kalloni Salt Pans ( known to some as Lotzaria ) reports in the fields:
3 Rufous bush robin and
150 yellow wagtails ( no species assigned)

Any photos shown are with the kind permission of Eleni.
More info here: #LesvosBirds

 

[Mick Sway]

Late News from 10/08/17

10 August 2017
A late report on Facebook, from a visiting birder of:
Ferruginous Duck 5 Potami Reservoir
Ferruginous Duck 1 Petra Reservoir

 

[Jos Stratford]

Steve unfortunately will not be producing these any longer ...

I've never been to Lesvos, but that is a pity. Couldn't a collective of birders, like you , think about producing an annual round up as some/much is on this thread at least?

 

[Mick Sway]

21 August a local migration activity report

I've never been to Lesvos, but that is a pity. Couldn't a collective of birders, like you , think about producing an annual round up as some/much is on this thread at least?

I think that Steve's work on this will be sadly missed Jos.
It is my understanding that long term ill health has very much curtailed his workload and that there is no prospect of him re-engaging with Lesvos in terms of scientific analysis and the forefront of promoting the island and it's natural history. As far as others undertaking it, I know that Steve had a massive data base and access to many records not included here.
For those interested, there are records of sightings throughout the year posted on observado.org.
You ought to visit Lesvos Jos, I'm sure that you'd enjoy it.
By the way , a visit to my late fathers homeland is still on the bucket list.

News of an event on Lesvos 1- 3 Sept.
Eleni Galinou of Kalloni Environmental Information Centre announces that to celebrate the Global Shorebird Day 2017, they have organised birdwatching events on the afternoons of :
1,2 and 3 of September 2017, times 17:30-19:30.
Location : the west (newly built) hide of the Kalloni Salt Pans.
As detailed on Lesvos Bird News

21 August
A late report by a local resident:
Mon 21/08,
"plenty of be-eater activity on Kalloni salt pan from pump station back to the new hide near the entrance,40+"
Skala Vasilika,
9 lesser grey shrike ,on power lines at side of road just past the harbour

 

[Mick Sway]

23/08/17 Rosey starlings reported.

23/08/17 Three reports today, on observado.org, of 13, 50 and 62 rosey starlings flying over Petra:https://lesvos.observation.org/soort/view/199294…

 

[Mick Sway]

Possible New species of Scorpion on the island.

I have been given permission by one of the administrators of the Lesvos Birders Facebook Group to report the following, published on the group yesterday 22/08/17 :
Quote:
An update on the islands small brown scorpion from ****** (name of an employee at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology]:
"The Lesvos population is still Euscorpius sp. Lesvos. I sent specimens to a scientist in USA who has been able to extract DNA from them. The Lesvos population is an unique species, but has not yet been formally described. It is different from the species described from western Turkey and other Greek islands in the area".

 

[Mick Sway]

Another late report from a resident wildlife enthusiast .
Tuesday 22/08/17
Sigri fields:
2 Woodchat shrike,plenty of bee-eater activity,3 groups 10+ high up on hill sides on inland side of road
Faneromeni:
A Marsh Harrier working the fields behind Faneromeni.

 

[Mick Sway]

25 August More Pelicans at Kalloni Salt Pans

25/08/17 Observado.org reports
Alykes Wetland
2 Audouin's Gull
Kalloni Salt Pans
7 Dalmatian Pelicans
from 23/08/17 but only posted today
Potamia res (with photos)
7 Ferruginous Duck ( Aythya nyroca)
See here:https://lesvos.observation.org/index_map.php

 

[Mick Sway]

Late News from ringing on 21/08

Eleni Galinou on Lesvos Bird News, reports that a bird ringing exercise, in pasture land between Agia Paraskevi and the Kalloni Pans,
on 21/8,turned up a Great Reed Warbler and Kingfisher.
Obviously that this is not the usual habitat for this species and an indicator of ongoing autumn migration.
Kingfishers are normally autumn and winter residents on Lesvos, possibly the first record for the late season.

 

[Mick Sway]

27 August 2017 More Damatians

27 August 2017 More Damatians
A report today on Lesvos Birders Facebook group of:
Kalloni Salt Pans
8 Dalmatian Pelicans
Potamia Reservoir
3 Ferruginous Duck ( Aythya nyroca)

 

[Mick Sway]

Migration News

Several reports of Facebook of increased passerine activity, with willow warblers a relatively common sight (not so common on spring passage). Several Lesser grey shrikes have been seen at Kalloni Salt Pans, bee-eaters still present.
A visitor photographed the Krupper's Nuthach at Achladeri Forest and today
29/08/17 a juvenile Goshawk was photographed at Kalloni Salt Pans fields.
See Lesvos Bird News, here.

 

[Mick Sway]

30/08/17 Petra Reservoir

30/08/17 Petra Reservoir
A visiting birder reports this morning:
White -winged black tern juvenile x 1
Short-toed (snake) eagle x 2

 

[Mick Sway]

European roller Kalloni Pans 01/09/17

Eleni Galinou reports a Roller last evening (01/09/17) by the old road north of the Kalloni Pans.
Also in the past few days a garden warbler was ringed.

 

[Mick Sway]

04/09/17 & 05/09/17

Tina and I are currently on Lesvos.
These are our sightings.
I won't mention our disastrous 11 hour wait for a connecting flight, at Athens, with Aegean Air on Sunday Morning, oops there I go anyway.
04/09/17 am
Kremasti valley
Loads of unconfiding spotted flycatchers in, a single turtle dove and jay , several blackeared wheatear and immature red backed shrikes.
Kalloni Salt Pans
7 dalmatian pelicans still present.
2 black tailed godwits*
2 redshank
1 greenshank
avocet, Greater flamingo, yellow legged and black headed gulls.
More small waders that we couldn't ID as we don't have the scope, which brings me to :
* godwits, I am relying on a very distant photo here taken from the main road (East) hide looking north, where they were amongst a small
Group of avocet and flamingo.
Crested larks common
Tina's Track/Lozaria Fields:
Mainly on irrigated fields
4 lesser grey shrike
6 red backed shrike
1 woodchat shrike
1 tawny pipit
good numbers of yellow wags, several willow warblers, whinchat, northern wheatear and a single common kestrel.
Tues 05/09/17
Driving through Petra, a single night heron flew low over the fields.
Called at Kavaki - dead, nothing to report.
Petra/Perasma Reservoir
Still holding water, perhaps about a third full but just guessing.
2 greenshank
2 wood sands
2 ruddy shellduck
1 mallard
2 red backed shrike
1 black eared wheatear
1 common kestrel
A couple of raven flew over.
Several black headed and yellow legged gulls, one of the latter attacking a tortoise that had ventured down to drink.
Grey heron, cormorants, dab chicks, moorhen and common coot building in numbers for the winter?

I met a guy today who had an osprey at Kalloni SP yesterday.

 

[Mick Sway]

06/09/17

06/09/17
Back to the Kalloni Salt Pans via Kremasti again today.
Kremasti valley was very quite except for the first field on the right as you leave the main Petra road.Here there were a middle spotted woodpecker, Jay, hoopoe and lesser grey shrike in the same solitary olive tree. Another three hoopoe in the field, juvenile lesser grey and red backed shrike in the surrounding bushes, plus two northern wheatear and willow warblers in the fennel.No sign of spot flies here.
06/09/17 continued.
So off we tootled down the Lozaria track where the newly mown field , first on the right heading South, held scores of wagtails, many willow warblers, a couple of lesser grey and red backed shrikes, while a single common whitethroat was on a irrigation head.
Further on down the track , more shrikes, including a juvey woodchat, and thanks to Raymond Purser , we managed to relocate the tawny pipit from the other day.
A quick scan from the Salt Pans gates revealed a dozen or so black headed gulls, a single Marsh sandpiper, plus the usual avocet, flamingos etc.
On to Achladeri for a single spot fly and our first short toed eagle.At Skala Vasilikon there were 8 med gulls in the small harbour.
Dipped so far on the monties reported by others at the Salt Pans.
There are a few other birders about and more sharing on here would be a great help.

 

[Mick Sway]

07/09/17
07/09/17
Anaxos am
The day started promisingly with a short toed eagle and monte's over a Anaxos hill, as we were about to get in the car at ten am.The former rapidly disapearing over the hills East and the latter the opposite direction , over the hill on the seaward side.The same area holding several northern wheatear that had appeared overnight.
On the way to Filia mast more shrikes and northern wheatear, the hillsides of the mast drawing a blank except for a single black eared wheatear and 3 sombre tits.
After lunch at Skala , following up on Raymond post ( thanks for the info) , in the field on the right (coming from Papania) immediately before the Tsiknias Ford, scores of yellow wagtails and willow warblers,4 tawny pipits and a single red throated pipit.
Continuing to Lozaria track, more of the same in the mown field West of the track after the Ford, along with numerous whin chats and red backed shrikes . A party of bee eaters passed overhead along with a common kestrel.While stopping for a lesser grey shrike, Tina spotted the long staying monties, which we watched for several minutes as it hawked over Alykes fields, before we heade off.
Still plenty of crested larks about, though I have only seen a single corn bunting.Small parties of goldfinch are feeding of the many dead thistle heads while sparrows are forming winter flocks.

Just a note that a grey phalarope was reported to me as been seen in the Gulf of Kalloni area, elsewhere a roost of 70 is stone curlew and several sightings of hobby at Skala Kalloni Salt Pans, which I am unfortunately unable to confirm.

 

[Mick Sway]

07/09/19

07/09/17
Anaxos am
The day started promisingly with a short toed eagle and monte's over a Anaxos hill, as we were about to get in the car at ten am.The former rapidly disapearing over the hills East and the latter the opposite direction , over the hill on the seaward side.The same area holding several northern wheatear that had appeared overnight.
On the way to Filia mast more shrikes and northern wheatear, the hillsides of the mast drawing a blank except for a single black eared wheatear and 3 sombre tits.
After lunch at Skala , following up on Raymond post ( thanks for the info) , in the field on the right (coming from Papania) immediately before the Tsiknias Ford, scores of yellow wagtails and willow warblers,4 tawny pipits and a single red throated pipit.
Continuing to Lozaria track, more of the same in the mown field West of the track after the Ford, along with numerous whin chats and red backed shrikes . A party of bee eaters passed overhead along with a common kestrel.While stopping for a lesser grey shrike, Tina spotted the long staying monties, which we watched for several minutes as it hawked over Alykes fields, before we heade off.
Still plenty of crested larks about, though I have only seen a single corn bunting.Small parties of goldfinch are feeding of the many dead thistle heads while sparrows are forming winter flocks.
Forgot to mention 2 crag martins , a middle spotted woodpecker and a juvenile masked shrike near the solar array at Skalochori

 

[Mick Sway]

08/09/17 Potamia Valley

Potamia Valley Friday 08/09/17
More red backed shrikes and willow warblers adjacent a newly mowed field.
A single red footed falcon.
At the main reservoir the 7 ferruginous ducks are still present, a scope needed for decent views though.Also present 2 greenshank and a single black tailed godwit. Good numbers of little grebe here too along with a couple grey heron and little egret.The small reservoir is also holds water and should be checked out for migrating herons.
Lozaria
The monties was still patrolling the fields along with good numbers of wags and shrikes.

 

[Mick Sway]

09/09/17 Polichitos Salt Pans

Polichnitos Pans today.
Plenty of migrating waders to be seen including :little and a single temmincks stint, greenshank, redshank and spotted redshank, Marsh and curlew sandpiper, little, Kentish and ringed plover, turnstone, black winged stilts,avocet, flamingos.Also seen were 5 sandwich terns, roosts of med and yellow legged gulls along with a single auduins. The latter best seen south of the beach, near to the salt works.
Along the coastal road were 3 common sandpipers and 6 tawny pipits in field.
As we passed the Kalloni SP entrance, a single eleonoras falcon mobbed by hooded crows.
Tsiknias River am
2 temmincks stints at the Ford.
As we were about to depart from here about 6 honey buzzards were seen by our selves and another birder kettling over the Gulf of Kalloni , soon disappearing in the heat haze.
The monies was still active around the Lozaria track.

 

[Mick Sway]

10/09/17

10/09/17 Lozaria
Many fewer passerine but 16 tawny pipits (maybe more) in stubble field behind Jean 's Mullberry Tree and 3 on the nearby farm building roof.Still lots of mainly willow warblers and some wood warblers.Monties still patrolling the fields at 3:30.
Sunday 10/09/17 am
Filia Track
Eastern bonellis warbler
European nuthatch
Eastern long tailed title
Spotted flycatcher
Cirl bunting
Short toed eagle
Purple hairstreak butterfly - took some finding. They seem to enjoy the shade of oak trees.
Also reported today at Poly Pans
2 slender billed gulls
12 night heron flying over the sea at Skala Kalloni