Lesvos Bird News 2019/2020 (1 Viewer)

[Mick Sway]

Welcome to Lesvos Bird News 2019
Well here we are another year.
I will continue to source Lesvos Bird News, by trawling the Net including:
Lesvos Bird News , Eleni Galinou's Facebook group and Steve Dudley's Levos Birders Group along with others.
I have the permissionof many regular contributors to reproduce images from these sources
and will continue to add them to posts as long as that is the case.

I guess we're all wondering what March 29th will bring us travel wise.

Personally, I'll be surprised if visitor numbers to Eastern Europe will
hold up. What about those all inclusive deals , in many Greek Islands ?
Families will possibly have to stump for those new green cards, Mum & dad for
international driving licences and possibly re-visit their travel insurance, as
there's no guarantee that EU countries will honour current medical
arrangements for the European Health Insurance Card.
There's also the question of Europe licences for UK Airlines, travelling
over the 27's airspace.
I've attached Simon Calders advice from last weekend (14/01/2019)
regarding UK Nationals, travelling to Europe, in case it is of any interest.
As spring is just around the corner, I can't wait to see how it all pans out.
Thanks for reading.

 

[Mick Sway]

20 January 2019 - Red breasted Merganser Mergus serrator

20 January 2019 - Mesa Wetland
Red breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator
Mr P Tsakmakis, photographed this
scarce winter visitor.

Weather wise the snow of early January , gave way to slightly higher
temperatures , fore cast for the rest of the month to be in the range
8c -12c. with some rain also on the way . Winter rain is essential to sustain
and attract migrating birds onto the wetland areas in spring.

 

[Mick Sway]

26 January 2019 - Persistent Rain

26 January 2019
Eleni Galinue reports persistent rain, swelling rivers and streams on Lesvos.
See an old photo of mine showing a dry river bed at Kremasti Bridge and
one taken last week by Stavros X Valtas.
Spoonbill 11 Jan 2019
The only bird news of note , were two spoonbill on a river, possibly the
Tsiknias River, taken by local enthusiast Giorgis Laskaridis.

Of course the heavy rain bodes well for spring migration as long as it
persists and temperatures, do not become excessive.

I should mention that Eleni Galinue serves as a bird guide in Spring and
can be contacted via her Facebook Group, Lesvos Bird News.
To see the latest updates on Lesvos Bird News, click here.
Also of interest may be The Lesvos Nature and Landscapes group
and the group founded by Steve Dudley, Lesvos Birders.

Latest on Travel RE Post BREXIT No Deal
Some scares stories circulating , regarding queues at European Airports , of several hours waiting at passport control, for entry.
Others reference a 15 months , minimum on UK Passports for entry.
See here.
I hope that our politicians bring this nightmare of uncertainty to an end soon.

 

[Mick Sway]

28 January 2019 - 140 Med Gulls - Gulf of Gera

28 January 2019 - Gulf of Gera
Mediterranean Gulls
Eleni Galinue had a count of 140 Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

 

[Mick Sway]

3 February 2019 - Little Gull Alykes Wetland

03 February Alykes Wetland Little Gull
Eleni Galinue photographed two little gulls Larus minutus in the fields
below Kalloni Salt Pans .
Little gull are scarce visitors to Lesvos.
See Lesvos Bird News for more information.
If you're looking for a Lesvos Birding Guide this spring, she can be contacted
via her Lesvos Birdwatching , Facebook page. Click here

 

[Mick Sway]

08 Feb 2019 - Black Kite - Mesa wetland

Mesa Wetland 08/02/19
The first :
Black kite Milvus migrans,
(non breeder seen in small numbers through the year)
First of the year was photographed by local environmentalist and bird guide
Eleni Galinou‎ , at Mesa Wetland.
See here
Eleni also reported seeing Kruper's Nuthatch a its Achladeri breeding site.

 

[Mick Sway]

22 January 2019 Red Knot Polychnítos Salt Pans

22 January 2019 Polychnítos Salt Pans
Here's one I've picked up on late.
Eleni Galinou reported the unusual sighting of a Knot (Calidris Canutus)
at Polychnitos Salt Pans.
As at 2016 there were only 7 records accepted, all singles between
April and September, except one record of 9 in 2016.

 

[Mick Sway]

18 February 2019 - First returning breeders

18/02/19
House Martins
Eleftheria Pavli reports 3 house martin ( Delichon urbicum) above Pamfila today.

 

[Mick Sway]

19 February 2019 - Pigmy Comerant

19/02/19
Dipi-Larsos reedbed (Gera Gulf)
Pygmy cormorant (Microcarbo pygmaeus)
One photographed by Eleni Galinou while visiting the site.

 

[Mick Sway]

20 February 2019 - Spring Migration Underway

20/02/19
Petra
Med Gulls
A movement of 550-600 Mediterranean Gulls (Ihthyaetus melanocephalus)
along the North West Coast of Lesvos.

Charadima
Barns swallows Hirundo rustica - have returned to their nests here.

Eleni Galinou reports on Lesvos Bird News .

 

[Mick Sway]

23 February 2019 - Snow hits the island.

A weather update 23/02/19:
Recent reports of incoming birds and the onset of spring,
may have been a little premature.
Large parts of central and northern Lesvos were hit by a few centimetres
of snow today, Molivos and Agiasos included.
The inclement weather is set likely to continue for the next few days.
See photo below by permission of Andreas Efes , who owns a gift shop in Molivos.

 

[Mick Sway]

It's a bit concerning how the number of views and responses to these annual threads have dropped off
on Birdforum over the past 2 years.
Whilst I'm obliged to credit the source of these observations , I'm personally not a great fan of Facebook.

 

[Mick Sway]

24 February 2019 Mesa Wetaland

24 February 2019
While the wintry conditions persist on Lesvos this week, there are
photographs online of the strange site of flamingoes in the
foreground at the Salt Pans along with snow capped hillsides.
On the upside, one hopes that it bodes well for a extensive
wetlands and seasonal pools in spring, holding good numbers
of migrating birds.
Mesa Wetland
Meanwhile local photographer Petros Tsakmakis was out and about
on sunday, photographing a few overwintering species.
See photos for
Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) x 2
Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) x7

Click here for Eleni Galinou's Lesvos Bird News Facebook page.

 

[davercox]

It's a bit concerning how the number of views and responses to these annual threads have dropped off
on Birdforum over the past 2 years.

Don't even think of stopping, Mick, please. I for one always keep reading; even though I'm incapacitated ATM I still hope to get out there again soon.

 

[Mick Sway]

24 February 2019 Mesa Wetaland

Don't even think of stopping, Mick, please. I for one always keep reading; even though I'm incapacitated ATM I still hope to get out there again soon.

Thanks for the encouragement Dave, much appreciated.

below Petros Tsakmakis photo of
Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca)

 

[Mick Sway]

9 March 2019 - First hoopoe - migration 2019

09/03/19
Mandamados (near to)
The first hoopoe (Upupa epops) of the season was reported
on Lesvos Bird News.

 

[Mick Sway]

13 & 14 March 2019 - Migration update

13/03/19
Kalloni Salt Pans Channels
Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) 5

14/03/19
Mitilini port area
Common swifts (Apus apus) x 30
Mitilini Airport
Common swifts (Apus apus) - small parties of passing through

As reported by Eleni Galinou on Lesvos Bird News.
More updates here

Important
If you are looking for an experienced bird guide with superb local knowledge for your Lesvos 2019 birding trip, you can contact Eleni here.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Thanks for the updates, always a pleasure to see the season spanning out

 

[Mick Sway]

10 March 2019 Soumouria soccer pitch Scops Owl

10/03/19
Eurasian Scops Owl (Otus Scops)
Soumouria soccer pitch , near Kalloni Village
A late report, as local enthusiast Stylianos Zannetos noted the
return of a single scops at the copse of old eucalyptus trees, which
is their traditional breeding ground, adjacent the mini soccer pitch.

Thanks once again for your interest Jos.

Thanks for the updates, always a pleasure to see the season spanning out

 

[Mick Sway]

More Migration News

16/03/19
A couple of Spring firsts, as reported by Eleftherios Kakalis:
Karyonas
short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
Napi Valley
subalpine warbler (Sylvia cantillans)
16/03/19
one by Dimitra Anastasaki
Petrifed Forest
Northern wheatear (oenanthe oenanthe)

As first reported on Lesvos Bird News