Lesvos Bird News 2021 (4 Viewers)

[Mick Sway]

Our Regular UK Birder last full day on the island :
15th September 2021
Metochi and Potamia Valley
Shrikes
Stonechat
Red-rumped Swallows with Barn Swallows
Spotted Flycatchers
Whinchats
Metochi Lake -apparently pretty empty
Grey Herons
Little Egrets
Greenshank
Green Sandpiper
Spotted Redshank
Blackcaps
Common and lesser Whitethroat
Odenata:
Eastern Willow Emerald and Migrant Hawker were both new Odonata for this visit.
Kerami Reservoir
Mallard 22
Teal 4
Garganey 2
Steppe Buzzard
Short-toed Eagle c

Lotzaria and Alykes
Lesser Grey and a juvenile Woodchat Shrike
Ortolan bunting t

Kalloni South Eastern Salt Pans
Dalmatian Pelicans 2
Spoonbills 22
Black Storks 2
Grey Plovers 2
Curlew 2
Med & Yellow legged Gulls

Other Reports
Sikiminia Watch Point
Common buzzard 6
Sparrowhawk 5
Marsh Harrier
Kestrel
Short-toed Eagle 2
Raven
Bee-eater ( heard)
flava Yellow Wagtails 7

Eresos reservoir
Crag Martin 40w

Andissa
Blue rock thrush 3 ( 2 singing)

16th September 2021
Kalloni South Eastern Salt Pans
Howard took one last dawn trip passing through Lotzaria , with sightings of all the afore mentioned passerines
and flamingos, herons and waders at the Salt Pans , which held a final surprise ,of one final tick of a Eurasian Bittern.

 

[Mick Sway]

UK Birder , new arrival first day.
15 September 2021
Charamida and Loutra.
Chuckar and Hoopoe

Mesa
Osprey
Green sandpiper
Greenshank

Achladeri
Krüpers nuthatch - family
Serin
Middle spotted woodpecker
Cirl bunting
Greenfinch
Short toed treecreeper.

Lotzaria
Red backed shrikes
Whinchats
Willow warblers
Tawny pipit
Northern wheatear

Alykes sheep fields
Little stint 4
Spotted redshank
Ringed and Kentish plovers too.

Tsiknias River
Reed and sedge warbler
Adult little gull
Black headed
Slender Billed
Kingfisher
Curlew

15 September 2021 - notable Observado Records
Alykes Wetland "Pumphouse" corner 13:00
Red-footed Falcon - Falco vespertinus
Black Kite - Milvus migrans 11:00
Lotzaria
European Honey Buzzard - Pernis apivorus 10:58
Tsiknias River
Purple Heron - Ardea purpurea 08:49
Kerami area
A very unlikely Great spotted woodpecker was reported

NOTE:
From now on I will only report rare/scarce migrants
The passage of shrikes, passerines and hirundine is bound to continue for a couple of weeks.

 

[Mick Sway]

Lotzaria 17/09/21
Juvenile goshawk copyright Pia Schrader

 

[Mick Sway]

18 September 2021
Reports from Lesvos Birders
Sikiminia Watch Point
Black kite
Common buzzard
Honey buzzard
Sparrowhawk 4
Goshawk

Metochi Lake
Northern lapwing - a scarce bird, small flocks, during winter months only
Wood sandpiper
Green sandpiper

North West - seasonal pond -undisclosed
Hawfich

 

[Mick Sway]

19 September 2021 - early morning rain storm over Turkey
ALL am sightings
Raptor watchpoint near Lepetimnos village (am)
Honey buzzard 4
Common buzzard 4
Elonora' s Falcon
Peregrine falcon
Marsh harrier
Eurasian sparrowhawk 2
Raven 30 birds
Also worth noting a few small groups of bee-eaters high over.

Skala Kalloni Village
Golden oriole

Kalloni Salt Pans
Dalmatian Pelican 4
Spoonbill 14
Marsh Sandpiper
Grey Plovers 3
Eurasian Curlew 3
Little Stints
Redshanks
Greenshanks
Common Kingfisher
Slender-billed Gulls 4
Black-headed Gulls 100
Wigeon
PM
Little gull
Osprey 2

From Observado - am
Bar-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica - Scarce Vagrant to Lesvos
Reported this morning ,the observer has stated that he has phonescoped it and will check the sighting later.
Confirmed as bar-tailed late afternoon.

Lotzaria pm
Red footed falcon 2


Late record of a rare Autumn sighting - observer has images
5th september 2021 Great reed warbler, upper Potamia River

 

[Mick Sway]

20 September 2021
A few notable sightings :
Mesa
Osprey

Kalloni Salt Pans
Spoonbill 14
Dalmatian pelican 2
Bar tailed godwit
Gull billed tern cy1
Broad billed sandpiper
Slender billed gull
Little gull 1cy
Curlew 5

 

[Mick Sway]

Raptor watch 20 September 2021
Sikiminia am
Honey Buzzards 5
Sparrowhawk
Common Buzzards 3
Anaxos.
Honey buzzard 2
Common buzzard
Petra
Common Buzzard 3
Sparrowhawk
Short toed eagle

Christou River
Stone curlew 7

 

[Mick Sway]

Good passage today
Raptor watch 21 September 2021
Sikiminia am - Lunch time estimates :
Honey buzzard 60
Common buzzard 15
Marsh harrier 15
Sparrowhawk 12
Eleonora's falcon 2
Short toed eagle 4
Hobby 7
Black kite 1
Red footed falcon 2
Common kestrel 1

Perivolis monastery
Serin 12
Redstart 4
Hawfinch,

Lapsarna beach
Squacco herons 3

Tsiknias Ford.
Little crake

Alykes Wetland
Black kite

As reported on Lesvos Birders Facebook Group

 

[Mick Sway]

21 September 2021
Further report on Lesvos Birders by a respected tour guide
Achlederi
2 Kruper’s Nuthatch

Cristou River
2 Curlew
3 Grey Plover
1 Ringed Plover
5 Stone Curlew
5 Greenshank
14 Redshank
2 Dunlin
2 Ruff
5 Little Stint
23 Kentish Plover
12 Little Ringed Plover
1 Tawny Pipit
1 Kingfisher
25 Bee-eaters overhead

Lotzaria track to pumping station
24 Red-backed Shrikes
4 Woodchat Shrikes
2 Hoopoe
4 Tawny Pipits
3 Tree Pipits
15+ Willow Warblers
2 Lesser Whitethroats
8 Northern Wheatear
20+ Spotted Flycatchers
2 Whinchat
3 Black Storks overhead

 

[Mick Sway]

22 September 2021
Report from a visiting bird tour guide :
Parasma Reservoir. - water level very low
10 Little Grebes
1 Teal
1 Garganey
1 Common Snipe
1 Greenshank
62 White Wagtails !!!
8 Yellow Wagtails
2 Great Cormorants
6 Hoopoe

Sikamineas North coast raptor Watch
15 Honey Buzzards
2 Hobby
2 Eleanora's Falcon
1 Marsh Harrier
1 Goshawk
11 Sparrowhawk
13 Common Buzzard
4 Steppe type Buzzard
1 Black Stork
20 Crag Martins
2 Red-rumped Swallow

Skaa Sikamineas
10 Squacco Herons

Skala Kalloni (Hotel)
17 Honey Buzzard
1 Eleanora's Falcon

Cristou River
Stone Curlew 2

Pumping Station, Kalloni Salt Pans
4 Tawny Pipits

 

[Mick Sway]

Lesvos watchers may be interested to know that there was a conversation in the Facebook groups about
a plan to create a road linking Petra and Agia Peraskevi ,through to the main Mitilini Road at the Salt Pans.
In addition, a dam , creating a reservoir at the upper Tsiknias River. Unfortunately the conversation did
not translate well , so my understanding of the timescale is unclear. However there does appear to be some local opposition
to the scheme. Please refer to the screen shot below.

 

[Mick Sway]

23 September 2021
Sigri Sanatorium
Roller
Sigri -Meladia- Eresos track
A big fall of spotted flycatchers

 

[Mick Sway]

25 September 2021
Tsiknias Ford
A blue throat was found here this morning,
by a local birder/academic.
This is a scarce
Also at Tsiknias Ford
1 Savi's Warbler
1 Reed Warblers
1 Cetti's Warbler
2 Water Rails
4 Black Storks
1 Greenshank
1 Green Sandpiper
1 Little Ringed Plover
1 Kingfisher
1 Little Owl on nearbye farm building.

 

[Mick Sway]

26 September 2021
Loutra Village
Laughing Dove
According to the Lesvos Bird News Facebook group , a “hunter”
posted an image of a laughing dove on the roof of a house.
The fate of the dove is unknown.

 

[Mick Sway]

28 September 2021
Mesotopos
A golden eagle was found here and photographed by respected birding guides.
Achladeri
Krupers nuthatch family reported as active along with several parties of Eastern long tailed tits.

 

[Mick Sway]

28 September 2021
Our visiting bird guides report on Lesvos Birders Facebook Group
track
1 female Red-footed Falcon - on wires
1 adult Lesser Grey Shrike
8 Tree Pipits - on wires
1 Meadow Pipit - perched with the Tree Pipits
40+ Willow Warblers - 20 on one fence together
30+ Yellow Wagtails
2 Whinchat
2 Lesser Whitethroats
1 Common Whitethroat
1 Long-legged Buzzard
2 Common Buzzard

Raptor watchpoint near Sikaminia
12 Sparrowhawks
4 Hobby
1 Marsch Harrier
2 Long-legged Buzzard
5 Common Buzzard

A separate contributor reported and photographed at :
Loutra
Laughing doves x 2

 

[Mick Sway]

Last couple of days reports by visiting birding guide.
28 Sept 2021
Polichnitos Salt Pans :
1 Black-tailed Godwit
27 Sandwich Terns
7 Mediterranean Gulls
3 Dunlin
8 Little Stints
5 Black Storks
Mesa
Sedge Warbler and Kingfisher

29th Sept 2021
Metochi
Garganey
Night heron
Mt Olympus
Robins
Wren
Pied Flycatcher
Short-toed Eagle

Observado Web Site report 30/09/21
Potamia Reservoir - 3 Common pochard

 

[Mick Sway]

Visiting birding guide reports, on Lesvos Birders Facebook Group:
1st Oct 2021
Tsiknias river ford in morning.
1 Water Rail
1 Common Snipe
2 Eurasian Sparrowhawks
1 Green Sandpiper
1 Red-throated Pipit - overhead

NE Corner of Kalloni Salt Pans track
9 Dalmatian Pelicans
15 Spoonbills
3 Sandwich Terns
1 Wigeon
1 Garganey
30 Mallard
3 Curlew
1 Slender-billed Gull
3 Tawny Pipits

 

[Mick Sway]

Lesvos Bird News Facebook Group update
Loutra
The pair of laughing doves were found to be on the nest 30/09/21
Spotted eagle x 2 , discovered by Eleni Galinou and Valerie Triboulot
Images by kind permission of Valerie

Regards the laughing doves, it is unknown whether the pair are escapes from a collection
or have migrated from the nearbye Turkish mainland where there is an established population.

 

[Mick Sway]

Not many reports coming through right now, however the following have been recorded:
08/10/21 Perasma Reservoir
Eleonora's falcon x 4
09/10/21 Kalloni Salt Pans
White pelican , juvenile