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Lesvos Bird News 2019/2020 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Mick Sway
- Start date
Mick Sway
Well-known member
1 November 2020 - black kite, pelicans
1st November 2020 - Lesvos Bird News Facebook Group
Local expert Stylianos Zannetos reports at
Lotzaria - the area between the Tsiknias River and the Salt Pans
Black Kite - juvenile
Hen harrier male 1
Common buzzard 4
Long legged buzzard
Sparrowhawk 2
Common kestrel 2
Eleni Galinue reports at :
Kalloni Salt Pans
Dalmatian pelican 60
White pelican
Worth noting that over recent weeks there has been an influx of
Black Redstarts.
1st November 2020 - Lesvos Bird News Facebook Group
Local expert Stylianos Zannetos reports at
Lotzaria - the area between the Tsiknias River and the Salt Pans
Black Kite - juvenile
Hen harrier male 1
Common buzzard 4
Long legged buzzard
Sparrowhawk 2
Common kestrel 2
Eleni Galinue reports at :
Kalloni Salt Pans
Dalmatian pelican 60
White pelican
Worth noting that over recent weeks there has been an influx of
Black Redstarts.
Mick Sway
Well-known member
3 November - Great Grey Shrike, Cristou River
3 November Christou River
News from visiting naturalist Antony Powell
- via Howard Vaughn and Lesvos Bird News
With permission.
Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor), possibly aucheri from middle east
Seen at the top end of the Christou River.
A great record for the island, possibly only one record previously.
A bereavement to report.
I hear from his wife Eleanor, that long standing Lesvos and Lancashire birder Steven Brown has sadly passed away, through Covid.
Our thoughts go out to his family.
3 November Christou River
News from visiting naturalist Antony Powell
- via Howard Vaughn and Lesvos Bird News
With permission.
Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor), possibly aucheri from middle east
Seen at the top end of the Christou River.
A great record for the island, possibly only one record previously.
A bereavement to report.
I hear from his wife Eleanor, that long standing Lesvos and Lancashire birder Steven Brown has sadly passed away, through Covid.
Our thoughts go out to his family.
Attachments
Mick Sway
Well-known member
3 November 2020
Kalloni Area
A UK resident did a spot of birding and photographed a number of species including:
Dalmatian pelican
Eurasian spoonbill
Slender billed gull
Common kingfisher
Wren
Hen harrier
Marsh harrier
Greater flamingo
Potamia Reservoir
Ferruginous Duck
Kalloni Area
A UK resident did a spot of birding and photographed a number of species including:
Dalmatian pelican
Eurasian spoonbill
Slender billed gull
Common kingfisher
Wren
Hen harrier
Marsh harrier
Greater flamingo
Potamia Reservoir
Ferruginous Duck
Mick Sway
Well-known member
Black-winged kite (Elanus caeruleus) - 18 November 20
18 November 2020
Black-winged kite (Elanus caeruleus) - a Lesvos First
Tsiknias ford to Kerami track
A local enthusiast spotted a small grey harrier yesterday , smaller than crow.
and reported it on the Lesvos Bird News Facebook Group, via a expert birder.
Unfortunately the only photographs that were available are
via a mobile phone and are not of the best quality . However both
the local experts and those taking an interest in Lesvos Wildlife have
been sufficiently satisfied to endorse the sighting as a first for Lesvos
and a rare record for Greece.
A record will be submitted to the Hellenic Records Committee (HRC)
the question remains whether the evidence will be sufficient to accept it.
A search this morning in adverse weather conditions (19/11/20) has
drawn a blank.
FYI 3 are overwintering and have been well photographed on Cyprus.
18 November 2020
Black-winged kite (Elanus caeruleus) - a Lesvos First
Tsiknias ford to Kerami track
A local enthusiast spotted a small grey harrier yesterday , smaller than crow.
and reported it on the Lesvos Bird News Facebook Group, via a expert birder.
Unfortunately the only photographs that were available are
via a mobile phone and are not of the best quality . However both
the local experts and those taking an interest in Lesvos Wildlife have
been sufficiently satisfied to endorse the sighting as a first for Lesvos
and a rare record for Greece.
A record will be submitted to the Hellenic Records Committee (HRC)
the question remains whether the evidence will be sufficient to accept it.
A search this morning in adverse weather conditions (19/11/20) has
drawn a blank.
FYI 3 are overwintering and have been well photographed on Cyprus.
Mick Sway
Well-known member
18 November 2020
Black-winged kite (Elanus caeruleus) - a Lesvos First
Tsiknias ford to Kerami track
Images with permission, sadly not great, basically thumbnails
Black-winged kite (Elanus caeruleus) - a Lesvos First
Tsiknias ford to Kerami track
Images with permission, sadly not great, basically thumbnails
Attachments
Mick Sway
Well-known member
25 November 2020
White-tailed eagle - Haliaeetus albicilla
White-tailed eagle - Haliaeetus albicilla
Local naturalist, Stylianos Zannetos,reports on Lesvos Bird News that a juvenile White-tailed eagle (haliaeetus albicilla),ringed in Bulgaria and previously seen on the island in January 2020, has been GPS tracked to a location on Lesvos today.
Mick Sway
Well-known member
Lesvos Duck news :
3rd December 2020
Kerami Reservoir (I think that this maybe the small one at the Potamia Valley)
Male Shoveler (Spatula clypeata),
Pintail (Anas acuta) 2
Teal (Anas crecca) 2
Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) 2
Wigeon(Anas penelope) 5
as reported by a currently residing Brit. On Lesvos Bird News
3rd December 2020
Kerami Reservoir (I think that this maybe the small one at the Potamia Valley)
Male Shoveler (Spatula clypeata),
Pintail (Anas acuta) 2
Teal (Anas crecca) 2
Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) 2
Wigeon(Anas penelope) 5
as reported by a currently residing Brit. On Lesvos Bird News
Mick Sway
Well-known member
7th December 2020
Petra
Cattle egret Bubulcus ibis
A single of this scarce vagrant to Lesvos, photographed by a local yesterday.
Skala Kalloni , Arianna
Long eared owl Asio otus
Reported as being present in the local pines where a pair have successfully raised young the past 2 years.
General Skala Kalloni Salt Pans area
A big influx of black redstarts and sardinian warblers this winter.
The former is practically unknown in Spring and the latter a highly localised breeder.
All the above were recorded and photographed on Eleni Gallinou's Lesvos Birders Facebook Group.
Petra
Cattle egret Bubulcus ibis
A single of this scarce vagrant to Lesvos, photographed by a local yesterday.
Skala Kalloni , Arianna
Long eared owl Asio otus
Reported as being present in the local pines where a pair have successfully raised young the past 2 years.
General Skala Kalloni Salt Pans area
A big influx of black redstarts and sardinian warblers this winter.
The former is practically unknown in Spring and the latter a highly localised breeder.
All the above were recorded and photographed on Eleni Gallinou's Lesvos Birders Facebook Group.
Mick Sway
Well-known member
Up date for past fortnight , up to 13th December 2020.
Over the past few days Lesvos has been deluged with rain and " rising waters have moved most bird on this weekend" .
Reported by a currently resident UK birder , no specific dates given.
Tsiknias River Mouth
Slender-billed Gulls (Chroicocephalus genei) 17
Sandwich Terns (Thalasseus sandvicensis 50
Greater Flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus) 20
Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta) 3
Great White Egrets (Ardea alba)3
Curlews (Numenius arquata) 2
Redshank (Tringa totanus) 5
Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) 2
Ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula) 5
Little Grebes (Tachybaptus ruficollis) 4
Kingfishers (Alcedo atthis) 2
Ennia Kamares complex (Christou River )
Redshank (Tringa totanus), Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) and Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) all present
Greater Flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus) 47
Spoonbills(Platalea leucorodia) 15
Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) small numbers
Slender-billed (Chroicocephalus genei) 32 recently reducing to 13 at the weekend.
Kalloni Bay
Great Crested Grebes (Podiceps cristatus) 4
Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) 1
Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) 150
Tsiknias and Christou Rivers
Shoveler (Spatula clypeata),
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Teal (Anas crecca)
Wigeon (Mareca penelope)
Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)
Kerami Reservoir (Potamia)
Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)
Pintail (Anas acuta)
Coot (Fulica atra) 60
Little Grebes (Tachybaptus ruficollis) 20
Other Reports from the general Kalloni Salt Pans surrounds
Two Long-legged Buzzards (Buteo rufinus) are still around, and up to seven Common Buzzards (Buteo buteo) are seen daily
along a female Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) and four Hen Harriers (Circus cyaneus) – an adult male and female and two juveniles favouring the olive groves. Sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus) and Kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) are seen most days.
My thanks to Howard Vaughn on Lesvos Birder News Facebook Group for collating these reports.
Over the past few days Lesvos has been deluged with rain and " rising waters have moved most bird on this weekend" .
Reported by a currently resident UK birder , no specific dates given.
Tsiknias River Mouth
Slender-billed Gulls (Chroicocephalus genei) 17
Sandwich Terns (Thalasseus sandvicensis 50
Greater Flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus) 20
Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta) 3
Great White Egrets (Ardea alba)3
Curlews (Numenius arquata) 2
Redshank (Tringa totanus) 5
Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) 2
Ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula) 5
Little Grebes (Tachybaptus ruficollis) 4
Kingfishers (Alcedo atthis) 2
Ennia Kamares complex (Christou River )
Redshank (Tringa totanus), Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) and Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) all present
Greater Flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus) 47
Spoonbills(Platalea leucorodia) 15
Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) small numbers
Slender-billed (Chroicocephalus genei) 32 recently reducing to 13 at the weekend.
Kalloni Bay
Great Crested Grebes (Podiceps cristatus) 4
Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) 1
Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) 150
Tsiknias and Christou Rivers
Shoveler (Spatula clypeata),
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Teal (Anas crecca)
Wigeon (Mareca penelope)
Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)
Kerami Reservoir (Potamia)
Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)
Pintail (Anas acuta)
Coot (Fulica atra) 60
Little Grebes (Tachybaptus ruficollis) 20
Other Reports from the general Kalloni Salt Pans surrounds
Two Long-legged Buzzards (Buteo rufinus) are still around, and up to seven Common Buzzards (Buteo buteo) are seen daily
along a female Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) and four Hen Harriers (Circus cyaneus) – an adult male and female and two juveniles favouring the olive groves. Sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus) and Kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) are seen most days.
My thanks to Howard Vaughn on Lesvos Birder News Facebook Group for collating these reports.
Mick Sway
Well-known member
23 December 2020
Lesvos Birders Facebook group (over 3k members) founded by Steve Dudley .
Sad to say that Steve Dudley announced yesterday that he was severing all contacts in relation to
Lesvos related wildlife groups, for personal reasons .
As many reading this post will know, Steve Dudley wrote and published the definitive "Guide to Birdwatching on Lesvos"
( Arlequin Press) 10 years ago.
Carrying on from the foundations laid by naturalist, photographer and writer Richard Brooks, Steve had worked tirelessly
for many years , promoting Lesvos island as European eco tourism destination, working with local officials to promote conservation,
as a member of the Hellenic Bird Records Committee and by selflessly bringing some scientific order to/ and collating annual bird
reports for the island. I have no doubt that as an ambassador for Lesvos he will be sadly missed.
Yesterday's announcement also included reference to the fact that he had completed work on a revised edition of his Guide Book.
However due to the fact that he had been unable to secure the publication rights to some technical illustrations in the original edition
(for carrying over to the revision) it would sadly, not be published
I would like to offer my best wishes to Steve Dudley for his future ventures and our thanks for shining a light on
the bio-diversity that Lesvos can offer the travelling birder.
Lesvos Birders Facebook group (over 3k members) founded by Steve Dudley .
Sad to say that Steve Dudley announced yesterday that he was severing all contacts in relation to
Lesvos related wildlife groups, for personal reasons .
As many reading this post will know, Steve Dudley wrote and published the definitive "Guide to Birdwatching on Lesvos"
( Arlequin Press) 10 years ago.
Carrying on from the foundations laid by naturalist, photographer and writer Richard Brooks, Steve had worked tirelessly
for many years , promoting Lesvos island as European eco tourism destination, working with local officials to promote conservation,
as a member of the Hellenic Bird Records Committee and by selflessly bringing some scientific order to/ and collating annual bird
reports for the island. I have no doubt that as an ambassador for Lesvos he will be sadly missed.
Yesterday's announcement also included reference to the fact that he had completed work on a revised edition of his Guide Book.
However due to the fact that he had been unable to secure the publication rights to some technical illustrations in the original edition
(for carrying over to the revision) it would sadly, not be published
I would like to offer my best wishes to Steve Dudley for his future ventures and our thanks for shining a light on
the bio-diversity that Lesvos can offer the travelling birder.
Last edited:
Sandra (Taylor)
Well-known member
Would just like to say that we agree with the whole of Mick's response to Steve's news. We always found him so friendly when we came across him on the island, and he was so generous with news of bird sightings. We send our very best wishes to him for any future ventures. Thanks again Steve.
