Lesvos Bird News 2019/2020 (1 Viewer)

Mick Sway · Mar 19, 2019

Habitat Destruction

18/03/19
Metochi Lake
Images emerged yesterday of the destruction of reed beds and
other vegetation. following authorised excavation work
around the Metochi Lake , by what appears to be the local authorities.
Apparently the work was undertaken back in October and involved
a JCB of some sort.
Local and international wildlife enthusiasts are outraged by the lack
of forethought in this wanton destruction.
This will have disrupted both breeding and migration wildlife populations
of crakes, herons, warblers and reptiles.
Before and after photos below, by Michael Bakas.
Here's a translated quote from one of the local commentators:

"Wetland is protected by a presidential decree but unfortunately in October as part of the project project, the region put bulldozers and flattened"

foresttwitcher · Mar 19, 2019

That is a great shame Mick, I thought it was a great little site and when I was there one afternoon in May 2014 the reeds and fringe vegetation supported numerous Nightingale & Black-crowned Night Heron and I saw both Little Crake & Little Bittern - plus loads of turtles.

Mick Sway · Mar 20, 2019

Metochi

foresttwitcher said:
That is a great shame Mick, I thought it was a great little site and when I was there one afternoon in May 2014 the reeds and fringe vegetation supported numerous Nightingale & Black-crowned Night Heron and I saw both Little Crake & Little Bittern - plus loads of turtles.

Anyone has been , knows what a valuable habitat this is. No doubt it will recover over the coming months . though too late for Spring migrants.
Thanks for your response.

Mick Sway · Mar 21, 2019

20 March 2019 - Yellow Wagtail sub species

20 March 2019 - more evidence of migration
Kalloni Salt Pans
Black-headed yellow wagtail M.f. xanthophrys 1
Black-headed yellow wagtail M.f.superciliaris 1
Black-headed yellow wagtail Moticilla flava feldegg 9
Marsh harrier Circus aeroginosus 2

Gulf of Gera
A movement of:
Garganey Anas querquedula 250
Yelkouan Shearwaters Puffinus yelkuan 30
Ferruginous Ducks Aythya nyroca 55

Sightings by Eleni Galinou & Stylianos Zannetos
As reported on Lesvos Bird News

Jos Stratford · Mar 21, 2019

Was there given reason for the pool excavation? Even from an aesthetic angle, it also looked better before, so strange they saw need to clear the reeds. But on the bright side, at least it still exists, I guess by next season it will be quite some better.

Mick Sway · Mar 21, 2019

Metochi Lake excavation

Jos Stratford said:
Was there given reason for the pool excavation? Even from an aesthetic angle, it also looked better before, so strange they saw need to clear the reeds. But on the bright side, at least it still exists, I guess by next season it will be quite some better.

Jos
The text of the original post, doesn't translate very well in English, though you may have hit the nail on the head, with your comment " it also looked better before". I think that the mayor may have had a pot of money for eco clean up jobs.Last year, the main river (Tsiknias R) that feeds into the Gulf of Gera/Kalloni Bay also suffered the same fate. One thing for certain, the few local wildlife groups and a few businesses reliant on eco tourism , are very unhappy and concerned that they weren't consulted.

I've seen the same thing happen local to me, on a smaller scale. One year I noticed a flowering of Marsh Orchids near a local stream, surrounded by parkland. The area used to be agricultural and I noticed these plants for the first time , but the park land mowing contractors came along and mowed the area , as if mowing a lawn. I notified the Parks Department , requesting that they leave some wider margins on the edges of the stream, but they never followed it up . The contractors just carry on as normal, no knowledge and no interest in contributing, their standard answer is "just doing my job mate".

Thanks for your interest.

Mick Sway · Mar 24, 2019

24 March 2019 - more migration

24/03/19 - some new arrivals
Kalloni Salt Pans
Black-winged Stilts Himantopus Himantopus
Charamida Marsh
Cretzschmar's buntings Emberiza caesia x 4

Source - Lesvos Bird News Facebook Group

There are a few UK Orchid enthusiasts out in Lesvos at the moment too.

Mick Sway · Mar 29, 2019

29 March 2019 - Skala Kalloni Area

29/03/19
Skala Kalloni Area
The first detailed report by a visiting birder.
Orchid expert and wildlife enthuisast, Paul Manning
Reports the following :
29th March - local to Kalloni

Sunny but freezing with a North Easterly gale blowing!

4 Slender-billed Gull on the beach by Skala Kalloni Harbour

Tsiknias River mouth
48 Garganey
4 Mediterranean Gull
Black Stork

Alykes
8 Great Egret
39 Little Egret
34 Ruddy Shelduck
1 Garganey
Gull-billed Tern
3 Spotted Redshank
200+ Ruff
4 Little Ringed Plover
2 Kentish Plover
42 Dunlin
2 Marsh Sandpiper
3 Wood Sandpiper
4 Whimbrel
7 Curlew
6 Northern Wheatear
Black-necked Grebe (offshore)

Potamia hidden lake
2 Ferruginous Duck
Peregrine
Chiffchaff

Metochi Lake
Common Buzzard
2 Little Crake
Flock of swifts circa 15 Pallid & 5 Common, hawking with hirundines

Lotzaria - this evening
2 Male Marsh Harrier
2 Male Hen Harrier
Peregrine
Kestrel
Merlin

Note,
Significant movement (hundreds) of yellow wagtails, inc. one smaller flock of circa 30 with 2 thunburgi and 2 superciliaris.
Significant movement of White Wagtail (almost as many as Yellow Wagtails)
Meadow Pipit several flocks totalling circa 200
Oprhean Warbler on the way back from Achladeri

Mick Sway · Mar 31, 2019

30/03/19 Skala Kalloni Area

30th March - A further report from Paul Manning:

Sunny but with a cold North Easterly

Tsiknias River mouth
4 Sandwich Tern

Tsiknias River
Nightingale

Lotzaria
Male Marsh Harrier
Female Marsh Harrier
Male Pallid Harrier
Male Hen Harrier
Osprey
4 Common Starling
2 Whitethroat

Alykes
3 Northern Wheatear
Curlew
4 Spotted Redshank
Great Egret
25 Little Egret
Stonechat
8 Ruddy Shelduck

Alykes offshore
3 Great Crested Grebe

Mick Sway · Mar 31, 2019

31/03/19 Skala Kalloni Area

31st March

Sunny and a little warmer, but still a cold strong North Easterly wind.

Paul Manning reports

Tsiknias River mouth
Oystercatcher

Lotzaria
2 Grey Heron
2 Black Stork
4 Spoonbill
2 Curlew
3 (2 male & 1 female) Marsh Harrier
Male Hen Harrier
Peregrine
Kestrel
2 Raven
Several flocks of Yellow Wagtail of between circa 30 & 100 birds

Alykes
37 Little Egret
2 Great Egret
39 Glossy Ibis
67 Ruddy Shelduck
19 Whimbrel

Mick Sway · Apr 1, 2019

1 April 2019 Skala Kalloni Area

Visiting birder and orchid expert Paul Manning reports on Lesvos Birders Facebook group :
01/04/19

Clear sky and a moderate cool North Easterly breeze

Lotzaria
2 Whitethroat

Pumping Station corner
5 Green Sandpiper
4 Marsh Sandpiper

Alykes
Great Egret
28 Little Egret
37 Glossy Ibis
Gill-billed Tern
Spotted Redshank
3 Curlew
7 Whimbrel
Lapwing
3 Northern Wheatear

Kalloni Pan main road
Common Buzzard
Female Marsh Harrier
Sparrowhawk

Kalloni Pan East track

Black Stork
Dalmatian Pelican
2CY Male Marsh Harrier
Adult Male Pallid Harrier
6 Green Sandpiper
71 Black-tailed Godwit

Mixed flock
450+ Ruff
13 Marsh Sandpiper
2 Curlew Sandpiper
2 Spotted Redshank

Mixed flock (circa 20)
Common Swift
Pallid Swift

Metochi Lake
Little Crake

Kavaki
Orphean Warbler
Subalpine Warbler
Chiffchaff

Mick Sway · Apr 3, 2019

2 April 2019 - Skala Kalloni Area

02/04/19
Thanks again to Paul Manning for his reporting on the
Lesvos Birders Facebook group.

2nd April

Sunny with a building Northerly breeze

Lotzaria
Black Stork
White Stork
Long-legged Buzzard
Adult male Hen Harrier
Female Marsh Harrier
Peregrine
3 Quail
5 Starling
Whitethroat
Olivaceous Warbler

Kalloni Pans east track
1 male & 1 female Marsh Harrier
Short-toed Eagle
Large mixed flock of waders NE corner of pan
Alykes
71 Glossy Ibis
4 Curlew
Lapwing

Salt Pans Pumping Station side channel
4 Green Sandpiper
Spur-winged Plover

Kalloni pans channel
2 Green Sandpiper
4 Spotted Redshank
14 Marsh Sandpiper

Mick Sway · Apr 3, 2019

02/04/19 Reports from resident birders
From Lesvos bird news Facebook Group
Gulf of Kalloni
Garganey - a flock of circa 100 was photographed on migration.

02/04/2019 Charamida Marsh E Valerie reports.

28 Glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

Eressos resident

Night Heron Flock, 11 total, Eressos, Lower River

Mick Sway · Apr 4, 2019

3 April 2019 Kalloni Area
Paul Manning reports
3rd April

Bright but strong cold Northerly gale, dropping and becoming warmer

Tsiknias River
Bittern

Lots aria
Female Marsh Harrier

Alykes
Black Stork
63 Glossy Ibis
3 Grey Heron
2 Great Egret
9 Whimbrel
Lapwing
6 Northern Wheatear

Wader numbers are rising on the Kalloni pans, a flock on the pumping house corner included
4 Spotted Redshank
1 Greenshank
9 Marsh Sandpiper
4 Green Sandpiper
8 Wood Sandpiper
3 Dunlin
Around 60 Ruff
As reported on Lesvos Birders Facebook group

Forest Ameles
Stiliones Zannetos reports
Common cuckoo 2 first of the season
& individual of black eared wheatear
As reported on Lesvos Bird News Facebook group.

Mick Sway · Apr 5, 2019

4 April 2019 - Skala Kalloni Area

4th April 2019
Paul Manning reports on Lesvos Birders Facebook group :

Clear sky and a light breeze

Tsiknias River mouth
Black-headed Gull
Spur-winged Plover

Tsiknias River Ford
Bittern
Night Heron
Greenshank

Lotzaria
Long-legged Buzzard
Female Marsh Harrier
Male Hen Harrier
Quail
Flock of 300+ Yellow Wagtail

Alykes
Sparrowhawk
Lapwing
4 Curlew
38 Glossy Ibis
2 Short-toed Lark

Kalloni salt pans
Gull-billed Tern
4 Spotted Redshank
7 Marsh Sandpiper
Several hundred Ruff across area

Note
Very few White Wagtail & no Meadow Pipits

Mick Sway · Apr 5, 2019

5 April 2019 - Kalloni Area

5th April Paul Manning reports

Sunny and calm

Offshore Tsiknias River
6 Great Crested Grebe
1 Black-necked Grebe

Tsiknias River
Female Marsh Harrier
4 Mediterranean Gull

Lotzaria
Curlew
2 Starlings

Kalloni salt pan
8 Garganey
1 Greenshank
7 Spotted Redshank
8 Marsh Sandpiper
17 Dunlin
2 Stone Curlew
44 Avocet

Alykes
16 Glossy Ibis
2 Curlew
2 Whimbrel
6 Short-toed Lark
Common Sandpiper

Offshore Alykes race track
9 Great Crested Grebe
5 Black-necked Grebe

Nightingale, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, Little Ringed Plover and Wood Sandpiper numbers increasing

Note
A local observer travelling the Sigri - Eressos coastal road, notes that the road
is in bad condition and unsuitable for normal saloon type cars.

Mick Sway · Apr 6, 2019

6th April 2019 - various locations

06/04/19
Paul Manning reports on Lesvos Birders Facebook Group:

6th April

Increasing rain throughout the day.

Locations from Mytilene to Sigri, via Harimida and Polichnitos

Harimida
Rüppell's Warbler 1
Common Cuckoo 1
Common Redstart 1
Orphean Warbler 1
Subalpine Warbler 2
Sardinian Warbler 6
Hobby 1
Song Thrush 1
Little Grebe 1
Glossy Ibis 28
Savi's Warbler 1
Grey Heron 4
Common Coot 2
Common Moorhen 3
Water Rail 1
Common Buzzard 2

Dipi Larisos
Peregrine 1
Little Ringed Plover 1
Kentish Plover 1
Mediterranean Gull 2
Grey Heron 3
Wood Sandpiper 1
Ruff 1
Black-winged Stilt 1

Polichnitos
Alpine Swift 2
Pallid Swift 6 6
Common Swift 4

Polichnitos Saltpans
Wood Sandpiper 5
Marsh Sandpiper 5
Avocet 6
Black-winged Stilt 3
Greenshank 2
Black Stork 3
Great Crested Grebe 1
Meadow Pipit 22
Yellow Wagtail 8

Alikoudi Pool
Marsh Sandpiper 4
Ruff 21
Wood Sandpiper 2
Avocet 309
Hoopoe 1
Grey Heron 1
Black-winged Stilt 1

Faneromeni
Whimbrel 1
Little Crake 1 male
Water Rail 1
European Robin 1
Sedge Warbler 1
White Wagtail 40
Common Cuckoo 1
Collared Flycatcher 1 male
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Ruddy Shelduck 1
Yellow Wagtail 10
Long-legged Buzzard 1

Note:
According to the internet weather forecasts, rain is set for
the next few days, with daytime highs of 19C.

Mick Sway · Apr 7, 2019

7 April 2019 - Reports from Out West

07/04/19
Paul Manning still out and about , reporting for Lesvos Birders.

Western Lesvos Weather:
Overcast with Ipsilou rarely appearing, but dry (although I expect it rained elsewhere on the island). Fresh southeasterly dropping throughout the day.

Top find of the day was a Hare , when it decided we’d got too close and bolted for cover up the hillside.

Faneromeni

SEMI-COLLARED FLYCATCHER male
Collared Flycatcher 2
Pied Flycatcher 2
Golden Oriole
Raven 1
Marsh Harrier 1
Garganey 1
Green Sandpiper 2
Ruddy Shelduck 3 (Female with 6 young making their way downstream)
White Wagtail 20
Water Rail 1
Little Crake 1
Yellow Wagtail 4
Rock Dove 21
Kingfisher 1
European Robin 1
Long-legged Buzzard 1
Sedge Warbler 2
Blackcap 2
Orphean Warbler 5
Common Redstart 2
Lesser Kestrel 3
Common Kestrel 1
Common Whitethroat 1
Blackcap 8
Common Cuckoo 2
Sardinian Warbler 1
Wood Warbler 5
Blackcap 4
Subalpine Warbler 1
Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1
Short-toed Eagle 4
Alpine Swift 8
Lesser Kestrel 1
Chiffchaff 16
Sedge Warbler 2
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Hoopoe 3
Common Redstart 2
Woodchat Shrike 2

Sigri inlet/fields

Woodchat Shrike 1
Gull-billed Tern 25
Grey Heron 14
Black-winged Stilt 1
Glossy Ibis 1

Sigri Old Sanatorium

Northern Wheatear 6
Woodchat Shrike 1
Whinchat 2
Marsh Harrier 4

Meladia Valley

Common Whitethroat 2
Pallid Swift 4
Lesser Whitethroat 3
Alpine Swift 6
Eurasian Reed Warbler 3
Crag Martin 5
Wood Warbler 4
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1
Mallard 2
Chiffchaff 16
Subalpine Warbler 3
Sardinian Warbler 3
Yellow Wagtail 22
Meadow Pipit 58
Sand Martin 8
Collared Flycatcher 2
Ruddy Shelduck 2
Swallow 40
Peregrine 1 (busily eating a Hoopoe...)

davercox · Apr 8, 2019

So Lesvos is coming into form, great to see.

Mick Sway · Apr 9, 2019

8 April 2019 - Wesward ho!

davercox said:
So Lesvos is coming into form, great to see.

Dave
Weather characterised by unprecedented April rainfall over the past few days.
Thanks

08/04/19
West Lesvos

Paul Manning reports on Lesvos Birders Facebook group:

Bright and sunny morning gave way to a prolonged thunderstorm by early afternoon:

Sigri Old Sanatorium

Grasshopper Warbler 1
Lesser Whitethroat 24
Blackcap 10
Subalpine Warbler 3
Tree Pipit 2
Collared Flycatcher 1
Lesser Kestrel 2
Olivaceous Warbler 1
Rock Dove 4
Sedge Warbler 2
Chiffchaff 35
Song Thrush 1
Orphean Warbler 6
Quail 3
White Wagtail 16
Woodchat Shrike 1
Common Redstart 1
Linnet 6
Ruddy Shelduck 1

Meladia Valley – sanatorium to chapel

Ruppell's Warbler 1 (Male)
Rock Dove 14
Common Whitethroat 2
White Wagtail 1
Peregrine 1
Semi-collared Flycatcher 1
Woodchat Shrike 1
Orphean Warbler 1
Common Kestrel 1
Woodlark 1
Tree Pipit 1

Meladia Valley – ford
Pied Flycatcher 1
Tree Pipit 4
Stonechat 6
Eurasian Reed Warbler 2
Raven 15
Marsh Harrier 2
Woodchat Shrike 2
Collared Flycatcher 4
Olivaceous Warbler 1
Sedge Warbler 6
Blackcap 12
Hoopoe 4
Wood Warbler 1
Peregrine 1
Long-legged Buzzard 1
Lesser Whitethroat 8
Orphean Warbler 6

Meladia Valley – valley north of ford
Collared Flycatcher 3
Wood Warbler 1
Common Whitethroat 2
Lesser Whitethroat 4
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 1
Pied Flycatcher 2
Blackcap 4
Common Buzzard 3
Short-toed Eagle 1

Meladia Valley – chapel
Bee-eater 6

Sigri - south beach
Collared Flycatcher 1

Faneromeni – upper ford
Little Crake 2
Collared Flycatcher 1
Pied Flycatcher 1
Sedge Warbler 2
Moorhen 8

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