Lesvos 2025 Part 3

So onwards with the Lesvos Stuff! 

 Had to go back and see how our young Long-eared Owls were doing, very well, thank you! 

Then a nice Great Egret at the Tsiknias River,

A Jay in the Potomia Valley,

there always plenty of Terrapins in any water around the island.

At Parakila Marsh you can usually find some Greater Flamingoes that don't want the hustle and bustle of the Kalloni Saltpans,

and is it's a marsh, it was nice to find a Marsh Sandpiper.

Back at the Saltpans, down the side channel behind the pumping station, there were a pair of Spur-winged Lapwing, gorgeous bird.

The young Ruff stayed around for the whole two weeks that we were there,

as did the Avocets.

Can never get enough of Bee-eaters, I hope you feel the same, as I'm sure that I'll add a few more along the way. 😀

Another favourite of ours.... a Little Tern fishing in the salt pan channels.

Kentish Plover.

Another iconic bird, most of which had already moved on before we arrived, but we finally stumbled across a lone bird at the salt pans.

Told you there'd be more Bee-eaters!

This attached itself to our car door! If anyone knows what it is let me know!

Black-eared Wheatear.

There were plenty of White Storks around but these Black Storks were much harder to find.

Back at the marshes, these Flangoes have lost their heads.

Swallows collecting mud for nests.

One of our favourite days out is down the Makara Valley, where for the last 3 years we've always seen Little Owl at the same farm. We thought we were out of look this time, but we found one, hiding behind one of the power line poles.

Lizards are everywhere on the rocks...

At the end of the valley you drive along a beach track and come to a bridge (used to be just an impassable ford without a proper 4x4) we stop there and go for a wander. Birds can be heard everywhere, finding them though is a different matter. However Goldfinch will always show off.

It was nice to find a couple of Shelduck at the river mouth

and of course because there was water there were terrapins.

A couple of Ringed Plover were about too.

A very secretive Little Bittern kept popping out of the river margins.

We could hear Reed Warblers all the time, one finally stayed up long enough for me to get a couple of shots.

There are always tons of butterflies down the valley too

and poppies.

The Reed Warbler popped up again..

The froglets liked the river as well.

Swallows were coming down regularly to get a drink.

Then my favourite sighting of the day! Tessellated Water Snake. Awesome!!!

Cretzschmar's Bunting again at Makara.

Lesvos 2025 Part 2

 So on with more birding from Lesvos! Well the first one isn't a bird, but it's pretty!

Gulls and Terns down at Tsiknias River mouth,

Bee-eater,

White Stork in the fields by the river,

as was this Yellow-legged Gull,

Couldn't resist photographing more storks.

Shelduck are always wonderful to see wherever you are.

As are Black-headed Buntings.

A well camouflaged Ringed Plover in the gravel at the river.

The Kallonis Saltpans are always reliable for Black-winged Stilt.

There were also plenty of Juvenile Ruff about.

Now a Dalmatian Pelican up close is an amazing thing, with a 3 metre wingspan, they are very impressive.

Further afield we stopped at the Petrified Forest visitor centre in case there were any Little Owls in the adjacent farm buildings and weren't disappointed. 

From there we carried on to Faneromeni and the fords, it was very quiet (and hot!) with not much about, but this Squacco showed briefly.

We then stumbled across a pair of Rufous Bush Robin delivering food to a very well hidden nest, we watched from a distance for a while, it was awesome!

They were closely watched by this female Red-backed Shrike.

A break from birds. A butterfly!

From Faneromeni, we went for a fantastic late lunch in Sigri, then took the track to Eresos.

With plenty to see, this Cretzschmar's Bunting posed nicely for us.

And at the Meladia Chapel we found Pied Flycatcher

and a nice Wood Warbler.

Then as we approached Eresos, a well hidden Little Owl presented itself to us!

That's enough for the moment... part 3 tomorrow perhaps!