Lesvos 2025 Part 4

 The Lesvos adventure continues,...............................

So we start with a beautiful Red-backed Shrike

and a White Stork posing nicely on a shed roof near the Kalloni Salt Pans.

Out Kavaki way, we came across a pair of Turtle Doves, which was delight,

then a Black-eared Wheatear down on the rocks

and a magnificent Blue Rock Thrush, but it never cam close enough for a decent photo.

Another bonus was a an Subalpine Warbler.

Continuing on from Kavaki to Petra/Molyvos resevoir there were plenty of Ruddy Shelduck, with one obliging with a flyby,

Followed by a buzzard.

A nice Black-headed Bunting, but for the life of me I can't remember where!

But this Egret was back at the Tsiknias River,

as were these White Storks.

Curlew Sandpipers at the Saltpans...

Another Stork...

And yet more Bee-eaters

I couldn't resist more Spur-winged Lapwing shots

as well as more Curlew Lapwing Photos.

Spoonbills! At the eastern side of the Saltpans we found 30 Spoonbills in one of the channels,

that then decided to relocate and join the Dalmatian Pelicans and Flamingos.

Another bird we see everywhere, but a rarity in the UK. A Corn Bunting, because they are so common I tend to forget to photograph them, so here's one!

Little Tern catching its lunch.

Yellow Wagtails..

We hunted for this one and were finally rewarded, a Collared Pratincole.

That's a great bird to end part 4 with.

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.