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Lesvos Information Please... (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter alle
- Start date
Rob Smallwood
Well-known member
Skala Kalloni is probably the best centre for birds and young children, I would suspect that teenage children might find it too quiet - if so somewhere like Anaxos might fit the bill - but the birders in your party will end up driving to Kalloni a lot!
Steve G
RAINBIRDER
Another vote for Skalla Kalloni. Probably the Kalloni II hotel is the most comfortable - it has a good restaurant & a decent pool, also only a stone's throw from the beach (but almost all of the hotels are fine; also self-catering appartments in the village are good). A 10 minute stroll leads into the village which has a number of excellent restaurants -particularly Mariana's & don't forget to visit the wee man at the local bakery -my kids loved his produce!!
Its worth hiring a car at the resort. Driving on the island is easy & straight-forward away from Mytilene. There are lots of places to visit & as S.K. is almost at the centre of the island it is the perfect base.
Ceratin of the birding sites highlighted in trip reports & in the Brookes book are better suited to Spring birding however a high summer visit in july or august should still yield a triplist of 100+ species including a few of the island specialities. The buntings & Masked Shrikes can be hard to track down after the 2nd week in july though a few linger into august. August sees some good returning waders -including Broad-billed Sandpiper, Temminck's Stint, etc -which can be easy to find in the few dwindling wet areas.
Its worth hiring a car at the resort. Driving on the island is easy & straight-forward away from Mytilene. There are lots of places to visit & as S.K. is almost at the centre of the island it is the perfect base.
Ceratin of the birding sites highlighted in trip reports & in the Brookes book are better suited to Spring birding however a high summer visit in july or august should still yield a triplist of 100+ species including a few of the island specialities. The buntings & Masked Shrikes can be hard to track down after the 2nd week in july though a few linger into august. August sees some good returning waders -including Broad-billed Sandpiper, Temminck's Stint, etc -which can be easy to find in the few dwindling wet areas.
Andy Thatcher
Well-known member
Sk
Another vote for S.K.
You couldn't get away with a whole week without a car being based there but you can certainly get most of the specialities of the island without one. Cretzchmars Bunting and Kruepers Nuthatch would be tricky for example.
Another vote for S.K.
You couldn't get away with a whole week without a car being based there but you can certainly get most of the specialities of the island without one. Cretzchmars Bunting and Kruepers Nuthatch would be tricky for example.
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Skalla Kaloni is the place without doubt although you can read trip reports from other locations which seem interesting although less intense from a species point of view.
As the previous comment noted most self-catering accomodation is studio based which os not so good with small children.
One note of warning is that I have heard of people who have booked packages to SK finding that their resort was changed at the last minute and ending up in somewhere quite inconvenient for birding.
Lesbos as a whole is delightful. Enjoy.
As the previous comment noted most self-catering accomodation is studio based which os not so good with small children.
One note of warning is that I have heard of people who have booked packages to SK finding that their resort was changed at the last minute and ending up in somewhere quite inconvenient for birding.
Lesbos as a whole is delightful. Enjoy.
Mick Sway
Well-known member
Lesvos Info
:hi:
If it's not too late , Petra in the North is as goos as any where.
With nearby Annaxos and Molyvos to visit it's an excellent family holiday
spot.
Plenty of good walking and sight seeing in the area.
Be sure to walk up to Petri and visit the only Taverna there, with excellent
views of over the plain of Petra and the Church on the Rock.
Great as a Raptor view point to with Lond Legged and Common Buzzard
showing well, and Short Toed Eagle too.
Masked Shrike, Rock Nuthatch, Black Eared Wheatear, Sub Alpine Warbler
Nightingale and Cirl Bunting are fairly common.
There's the Ruppells sight near Molyvos with views of Peregrine almost
guarenteed.
The truth is that anywhere in early May is good.
Mick Sway
Staffs Moorlands
:hi:
alle said:
If it's not too late , Petra in the North is as goos as any where.
With nearby Annaxos and Molyvos to visit it's an excellent family holiday
spot.
Plenty of good walking and sight seeing in the area.
Be sure to walk up to Petri and visit the only Taverna there, with excellent
views of over the plain of Petra and the Church on the Rock.
Great as a Raptor view point to with Lond Legged and Common Buzzard
showing well, and Short Toed Eagle too.
Masked Shrike, Rock Nuthatch, Black Eared Wheatear, Sub Alpine Warbler
Nightingale and Cirl Bunting are fairly common.
There's the Ruppells sight near Molyvos with views of Peregrine almost
guarenteed.
The truth is that anywhere in early May is good.
Mick Sway
Staffs Moorlands
Pie Face
Well-known member
Steve G said:
We used to call him "maybe tomorrow" every time we wanted something that he
hadn't got in (such as cheese and spinach pasties) he would say "maybe tomorrow." Quite possibly the most laid back bloke I've ever met, he used to stand there kneading his bread in time to the dance music playing on his radio.
First choice had (11 years ago) some cracking apartments that looked towards the East River. The upstairs ones had massive balconies where you could sit with the scope set up, as the sun went down, watching Storks and Herons flying to roost along with the occasional Elenora's.
cassowary
Well-known member
I'm visiting there in a few of weeks (so will probably miss little crake/pallid harrier) staying in petra/skala kaloni - See Richard Brooks book titled "Birding on the Greek Island of Lesvos".
Note: Car Hire seems to vary in price. I managed to hagle 30 euros a day for a family size (mondeo or similar) car (unlimited milage etc..) from one of the larger companies.
Note: airport code MYT (Mytlini). Useful for booking flights
Note: Car Hire seems to vary in price. I managed to hagle 30 euros a day for a family size (mondeo or similar) car (unlimited milage etc..) from one of the larger companies.
Note: airport code MYT (Mytlini). Useful for booking flights
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Rob Smallwood
Well-known member
Mytilini is the name of the airport I think?
Sandra (Taylor)
Well-known member
Only just noticed your request John and you've probably got all the info. you want now, but here's some more:
I'd endorse many of the replies and say SK is the best place to stay for birding but also has nice beach for family too. We are staying at the Aegeon this year for the third time. Skala Kalloni II was good too but the famous pool was no more last year - it is drying out rapidly. nd we were told that the management had stopped the swallows nesting under the eaves of the outside dining terrace - so they went down in our estimation. Maybe we'll find that the Aegeon has stopped swallows nesting INSIDE the foyer this year. Hope not.
There are at least two car hire firms in the village and a good one in Petra. One of these does the lowest bracket car at 20 euros a day. Ask for details if you want them. We had already booked with Avis which was a much better price than last year.
Roll on 4th May....................
Sandra
I'd endorse many of the replies and say SK is the best place to stay for birding but also has nice beach for family too. We are staying at the Aegeon this year for the third time. Skala Kalloni II was good too but the famous pool was no more last year - it is drying out rapidly. nd we were told that the management had stopped the swallows nesting under the eaves of the outside dining terrace - so they went down in our estimation. Maybe we'll find that the Aegeon has stopped swallows nesting INSIDE the foyer this year. Hope not.
There are at least two car hire firms in the village and a good one in Petra. One of these does the lowest bracket car at 20 euros a day. Ask for details if you want them. We had already booked with Avis which was a much better price than last year.
Roll on 4th May....................
Sandra
Rob Smallwood
Well-known member
Sandra,
We stayed there 2 years ago - and the Swallows were nesting in the gent's toilets in the basement - accessing via the hotel lobby then flying down the stairs to get in and out!
We stayed there 2 years ago - and the Swallows were nesting in the gent's toilets in the basement - accessing via the hotel lobby then flying down the stairs to get in and out!
Sandra (Taylor)
Well-known member
Wonderful Rob. That's where they were going was it? So they had nests on ground floor and basement! One day last year it was very, very windy and the outside door was closed. The swallows were swooping round the closed door but it wasn't long before the staff opened it again for access to their nests.
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Sandra
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Sandra
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