Pluvius said:
The only time I can get summer holidays is late August. I have two teens and a wife all non birders. Would I get to see a reasonable amount and variety of birds if I visited Lesvos as well as keeping rest of family entertained with swimming etc
Thanks
Don't despair, though not as good as april/may a visit in late august still has a lot to offer a Northern European birder. I managed 102 species on a early/mid-august family holiday at Lesvos in 2003 with a non-birding wife & 2 kids ( 7 & 11 at the time).
I would suggest 2 provisos:
1) Try to get accommodation in Skala Kalloni
2) Hire a vehicle for at least 1 week if going on a 2 week trip.
This map shows the island (Skala Kalloni is adjacent to Kalloni) :
www.lesvos.com/map.html
A hotel such as Kalloni II (in S.K.) has a good pool, is very handy for the beach & only a short walk from the village -which has a number of excellent restaurants.
The various coastal villages such as Sigri, Vatera & especially Skala Sikaminias are all well worth a visit as is Skala Eressos which being the spiritual home of lesbianism may yield some very peculiar bird sightings!!
In late august the buntings will probably all have departed & it will be very difficult to track down Masked Shrike. However anywhere with standing water should yield good birds. If the inland lake at the foot of the Potamia valley still holds water then some good waders such as Temmincks Stint, Wood & Broad-billed Sandpiper are likely. The East river may also still hold some stagnant freshwater pools which can pull in good stuff & of course the Kalloni saltpans will attract large numbers of quality passage waders along with good numbers of Gt. Flamingo, Great White Egrets, etc. There should also still be a few Black Storks about though the White Storks get a bit scarce after early august.
In late august I would expect some good passage waders such as those listed above as well as Stilts, Avocets, Kentish & Little Ringed Plover. Returning passerines will include various Yellow Wagtail races; Woodchat, Red-backed & Lesser Grey Shrikes; various warblers (Cetti's, Gt Reed, Olivaceous will be easy but Olive-tree & Ruppell's will be a real struggle); Rufous Bush Chat, etc.
Bee-eaters should still be about as will Hoopoes & possibly the odd passage Roller. Resident species such as Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Nuthatch, Middle spotted Woodpecker, Short-toed Treecreeper, Sombre tit, Crested Lark & Cirl Bunting should also be evident though you may need a bit of luck to find a family party of Kruper's Nuthatch in late august.
Raptors will still be very much in evidence with Short-toed Eagle & Long-legged Buzzard both common around Skala Kalloni. The north of the island between Anaxos & Sigri has cultivated areas which are irrigated in august > this draws in migrant passerines & large insects which in turn attract a few Lesser Kestrels & Eleonora's Falcon. Lanner are scarce but present & if you put a bit of time in around the saltpans you may eventually see one.
If you decide to go with it & want more info please feel free to get in touch.
I found Lesvos in august to have plenty of stuff of interest & though the range & numbers don't match the spring migration through the island you will have the birding to yourself. There are also lots of photo-opportunities especially from the window of a car. I would rise at first light, bird the East River/saltpans or Potamia valley & return for a late breakfast before spending the day with the family. If time allowed a short afternoon trip back to the saltpans usually provided some new interest from that seen in the mornings.