Birding in Lesvos 2024 - Part 1

So we have been back from Lesvos a couple of weeks now and I have finally finished sorting through my photos, so it's time to do a post!

It was a fabulous two weeks, we saw a record amount of bird species (for us!) Mind you some people take it very seriously and are up at the crack of dawn and go out for two or three hours before going back to their hotel for breakfast, then heading out again and not coming back until dusk,

That's not for us. We go down to breakfast as late as possible, after all we are on holiday. Then back to our room, sort coffee and snacks then head out, so most days we were out about 10.30. After a days birding we then like to get back and have a swim the pool, while the sun is still shining, the sun being out is a must as that early in the year the water is freezing!

Going back to the record for us, we recorded 137 species. This included two never before seen by us, which is a bonus, more of that in a later post. Also for some species we had the best views that we have ever had, although that doesn't always mean good photos (Sorry). For those interested I will do a full list in the end of the last post.

So where to start, chronologically I suppose;

The Tsikinias River just outside Skala Kallonis is always the first port of call and will be visited most days during the two weeks as its a nice way out of the village, it got us off to a great start, with a Purple Heron,

Little Egrets,

Yellow-legged Gull

and Glossy Ibis.

Unfortunately out first day was quite dull so the colours of the Glossy Ibis, don't stand out like they can, here's another photo of an individual,

hopefully it show the colours a little better.

From there its on to the Kalloni Salt Pans to see what's about:

A White stork,

Passing Ruddy Shelduck,

a Whinchat,

there are always Flamingos and Avocets,

Salt!

and a Reed Warbler.

Other birds would have been Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, Black-winged Stilt, Bee-eaters, Crested lark and Corn Bunting.

Despite what I said earlier we did do one pre-breakfast trip, as Tina couldn't sleep so we went out to Metochi Lake; 

It was a dull morning and there wasn't much about, so much for going out early, very over rated if you ask me. But we did see two scurrying Little Crakes in the reeds, getting a photo was nigh on impossible!

There were a few Squacco Herons about, but again photography was difficult as there was a mist coming off the water.

After Breakfast we took an all day trip to Makara and the nearby valley, this is one of our favourite drives, in places you would think your on another planet!. Here are some of what we saw:

Woodchat Shrike,

Little Owl,

Lizard!

Juvenile Stonechat,

a very distant Sardinian Warbler,

Grasshopper,

Wood Sandpipers,

Little Bittern,

Crested Lark,

Turtle Dove,

Rock Nuthatch

Tortoise,

Black-eared Wheatear and

Ruddy Shelduck.

I think I will leave it there for this post, it's a lot of stuff!

Part 2 to follow...............................

Lesvos Birding - Part 1 of 2

We have just returned from two weeks on Lesvos, luckily Thomas Cook managed to keep going and brought us home! On the unlucky side for out first week there we were quite poorly, but thanks to the local pharmacist in Skala Kallonis, and a rest day we managed to get out and about.

Because of being under the weather we kept things pretty local for the first few days, but that's the advantage of staying in Skala Kallonis there is lots on the door step. The Salt Pans, The Christou & Tskinias Rivers, Metochi Lake and the Potamia Valley & Reservoir.

Before I go on I have to say firstly that for those who haven't been and are thinking of going for the birding, Steve Dudley's book, A Birdwatching Guide to Levos is a must, also joining the Lesvos Birders Facebook and Whatsapp Groups are also a good idea.

So to start off we had a great couple of weeks amassing 112 species of birds, plus loads of other stuff, I am going to keep it simple and just post a few photos, with what and where, rather than a detailed day be day account. Firstly we were staying in the Kalloni Bay Hotel overlooking the Kalloni Pools that are now sadly rather overgrown and silted up, but there us still some good birding to be had there...this first batch of photos were taken from our hotel room balcony.
Great Egret & Grey Heron,

 Squacco Heron,

 House Martin, (one of three actives nests on our balcony)

the Squaccos liked to roost about 5:30pm on the far side of the Kalloni Pools, this time joined by a Night Heron, (if you can find it!)

and if you found the Night Heron, now find the Purple Heron!

Only a 10-15 minute drive from the hotel are the Salt Pans, we visited these regularly, these are some of the highlights.....
Corn Bunting,

 White Stork,

 Common Tern,

 Black Stork,

 Ruff,

 Curlew Sandpiper,

 Wood Sandpiper,

 Black-winged Stilt,

 Avocet,

 Greater Flamingo,

 European Bee-eaters,

 Little Tern,

 Ruff en-masse,

 Squacco Heron,

 White-winged Tern,

 Whiskered Tern,

 and Little Stint

That's not the lot but it gives you the idea how fantastic the Salt Pans are.

Again near Kalloni are some other great sites, Potamia Valley and Reservoir, Metochi Lake, Tsiknias River, Achladeri Forest and the Christou River, we visited them all. So here are some more good bits from those visits.
Bee-eater,

 Little Ringed Plover,

 Black-headed Bunting,

 Krüpers Nuthatch,

  Kentish Plover,

 Cettis Warbler,

 Marsh Frog,

 Little Bittern, (if you can find it!)

 Little Grebe,

 Crested Lark,

 Jay,

 Woodchat Shrike,

 Little Owl,

 Nightingale,

 Black-eared Wheatear,

 Masked Shrike,

 Sand Boa,

 Long-legged Buzzard,

 Olive-tree Warbler,

 Long-eared Owl,

 Short-toed Treecreeper,

 Poppies!

 Scops Owl,

 Middle-spotted Woodpecker,

 Short-toed Eagle,

 Yellow Wagtail

 and Crested Lark.

So that covers a lot of the birds close to Skala Kalloni, in part 2 we will go further afield.