Lesvos 21st to 28th September 2023

Very excited to visit Lesvos for the second time this year and my first autumn trips. I was very interested to see just how different it would be. I found it to be very different, Raptors were plentiful but Warblers, Terns and Waders were not. The heat was up to 36 degrees and made some birding days uncomfortable, but this heat is unusual apparently. However it wasn't all about the birds so the heat was a good excuse to visit some indoor museums and sometimes just chill out and relax. 

21st September Day 1

Arrived via Jet2 again just after lunch and picked to car up to driver south along the coast to Loutra, first birds of note were Red backed shrikes and Sardinian Warblers. These would be plentiful all week. In Loutra it didn't take long to find 2 Adults and a Juvenile Laughing Dove among the many Collard Doves.  A Few Short toed Eagles were our first raptors.

Our next stop would have been Mesa bridge but it was empty so headed straight to Kalloni Salt-pans and hide 2 and 3. A good variety of birds such as Spotted Redshank, 7 Slender billed Gulls, lots of Flamingos, and lots of Willow Warblers, the most numerous warbler of our trip. 

Headed for Potamia old Res for the Pygmy Cormorant that had been their for 2 weeks at least with a second visiting it yesterday, unfortunately and typically the day i arrive it buggers off never to be seen again. Not a very good start with a lifer dipped. Grrrrrrr A few Tawny Pipits, Whinchats, Wheatears and Red Backed shrikes here in Good numbers. Slightly disappointed we headed to our Hotel this time the Aegeon to check in and for drinks and something to eat. 

22nd September Day 2 

I Started at Potamia Reservoir hoping the Pygmy cormorant had come back but still no luck, 1 of many Middle Spotted Woodpeckers, Ravens and our one and only Lesser Grey Shrike briefly. 2 Turtle Doves were great and 3 Crag Martin circled the area with a Black Stork. Red Rumped swallows and House Martins showed well.  A Tree Pipit was also 1 of many seen and heard. A target was Mesobuthus Gibbosus Scorpion which i found under the first rock i lifted, bonus.

Nipped into the Harbour at Skalla Kalloni, hoping to find some Seahorses, we weren't disappointed finding at least 4. Superb. A great White egret showed stupidly well on the beach by the taverns.

Next headed for Kalloni Saltpans again but this time walking the tack east of hide 1 picking out 14 Dalmation Pelicans, 28 Spoonbill, a Fan tailed Warbler, and my best ever views of a Marsh Sandpiper. An Osprey put in an appearance and finally 6 Great White Egrets and about 577 Greater Flamingos.

Onto Hides 2 and 3 where we ticked off, Little stints, Curlew Sandpipers a Wood Sandpiper and more Slender billed Gulls. 

23rd September Day 3

Drove the road via Mantamados to Petra via Skalla Sikamineas, which is a beautiful little fishing village and amazed we haven't found it before, its turned into a favorite of ours, being able to sit in the tavern over looking Turkey watching Raptors on there migration across to Lesvos. 20 Honey Buzzards were our first a few Common Buzzards 6 Short Toed Eagles, 3 Kestrels 1 looked good for Lesser Kestrel, 2 Elenoras falcons were great and a Black Kite drifted past. In the trees, Cirl Buntings, Turtle Doves, and a Sombra Tit. On the chapel at Skalla Sikamineas i spotted this superb Convolvulus Hawkmoth. 

Back at Potamia Old Res still no Pygmy Cormorant but a Night Heron made up a little for it. Plenty of common Warblers such as Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warblers on the figs. Turtle Doves were still here as were a few Red backed Shrikes. a Little Bittern was a nice bonus. 

24th September Day 4

This would normally be a full on birding day due to it being my Birthday. however, it was so hot 36 degrees that we opted for some of the culture of the island such as Olive Press Museum and Mesa Roman Museum, still managed 12 Bee eaters, Stone Curlews, Marsh and Montague's Harriers, more Honey Buzzards and plenty of Tree and Red Throat pipits with many Yellow wagtails.  Then early return to the hotel and Skalla Kalloni for food and Drinks.  It was nice to receive a birthday cake compliments of the Aegeon Hotel.  Thanks so much.

25th September Day 5

Headed once again towards Sigri, stopping at Skala Sikamineas for lunch, then onto a watch point up on the hill where i met up with some fellow British birders to do a short Raptor watch, i wish i had more time to do this sort of thing but as its a family holiday time like this is short. Anyway birding was great, 12 Honey Buzzards a juvenile Pallid Harrier, 3 Marsh Harriers, 32 Red Footed Falcons, 3 Sparrowhawk and a couple of Kestrels with another possibly being a Lesser, were the best of the bunch. The guys had much more before and after i left for Sigri. 

At Sigri the added bonus of a perched Long legged Buzzard, another 6 Honey Buzzards and a few more Red Footed Falcons. 

Towards Fenamenori beach a ploughed field held 3 Short Toed Lark, 8 Spanish Sparrow 2 Red throated Pipits and loads of Yellow and White Wagtails, the light was great for the wagtails.

Moved onto Petra for a cracking Sunset but not before flocks of 17 and 22 Spoonbill came in off. Then a single Alpine Swift over the town. Finally had some food in Molyvos and returned to our hotel in Skalla Kalloni but not before picking up a Beech Martin in the headlights coming back over the tops. 

26th September Day 6

Quick visit to Achladeri forest where we picked up 2 Krupels Nuthatch in the car park, 20 Long tailed tits and 2 Short toed tree creepers, Serin were noticeable in the pines also.  

We then headed to Policinitos Hot springs so no real birding done here. 

Back towards Kalloni we drove the Tsiknias track, our first and only Wryneck seen, a juv Montague's Harrier was a bonus, more Great White egrets and Dalmation Pelicans at the end otherwise quiet. 

27th September Day 7

Missed Breakfast for some Balcony birding, plenty of Red throated and Tree pipits going over, always think about the calls being pzzzz in Red throated and tzzzzz in tree, seems to work i think. A Black kite one of a few seen in the area, though not by me other than this 1, a White stork one of very few seen this time, Ravens and a 2 Dalmatian Pelicans in flight. Flock of Grey herons dropped in (33) and a few Black Storks. After the rain the Stone Curlews and Kentish Plovers showed well, finally some Ruddy Shelducks too, lastly the now familiar call of the Corn Bunting. up-to 50 Hooded Crows off out of its roosts were quite spectacular. 

Finally found a Mantis, although not one i was expecting, this one was tiny, the size of my 2 finger nails, a Miniature Praying Mantis, (Ameles Decolor) Cracking little beast, i almost stood on it and nearly mistook it for a Lily Bush Cricket.

The rest of the day was spent around Ipsolu Monastary, fairly quiet but did see Black eared Wheatear, plentry of Rock and Wood Nutchatch Spotted flycatchers and Red backed shrikes. A Redstart was my only one. Raven showed well. Managed to get a brief view of a snake, on a google search it was a ring headed dwarf snake.

Back to the hotel earlish but nipped into the pans but it was quiet, Ruff showed well from hide 2. A Snake eyed Lizard.

 

28th September Day 8

It was time for home but it was nice the flights had moved to a later time slot so we were able to walk the east side of the salt pans one last time, although id started with a dip in the form of the Pygmy Cormorant today i was able to make it up with finding my only lifer if the trip. I watched as 4 Pelicans dropped into the pans, they seemed to have more black in the wings than any Dalmatian Pelican id bee seeing, these 4 birds dropped onto the pans and showed me they were all Juveniles, the faces were different and the size was slightly off for DPs too. These had to be White Pelicans, never seeing any sort of white Pelicans other than in books i was slightly tentative to be 100% sure but put the news out anyway with back of the camera pics, of coarse i was correct after confirmation from the one and only Killian Mullarney.  He was also able to learn a few bits about stages of color of the pouch in juveniles from my pictures. 

After a short while a crack of thunder put the birds up and moved them towards the pans by the road, but unfortunately again they took flight and headed off East over the mountains.  Just Howard and his family were able to connect. The rest of the birds were pretty much everything we had seen previously. Fan tailed Warbler being a highlight, 16 Dalmatian Pelicans and many Spoonbills still. 

Back at the airport we had time for a quick Sea-watch, highlights being the 6 Scopoli's Shearwaters out in the Bay. 

Summary

So to finish, although the hot weather was a bit of a hindrance, the birding was excellent, the heat wouldn't stop me coming back again in the Autumn, and maybe put some time aside to have a real good go at Raptor Watching for the day. 

Bird numbers were lower, however the birds that were about did show better, for example Middle Spotted Woodpeckers, Wood Nuthatch and Dalmatian Pelican. Raptors were excellent too with my best ever views of Honey Buzzard.  

We also explored more of the island and its historical parts and museums giving us a fresh look at what the island is really all about. A well round trip to the wonderful Lesbos.... And yes ive already booked for April 2024. 

Species list here total 120 Species