28th September
Well this trip felt like it wasn't going to happen, we were due to fly out on the 24th (my birthday), however it turned into the worst birthday since time began...330am we were checking in our bags only to be met with a huge wall of people waiting to get through Security, this was Stansted airport. Unfortunately a small fire had occured in one of the lounges which had then shut the gates, shops and Security. Somehow it took 3 hours to clear the area, at which time the plane had left without any passengers.... ********** ***********!!!!!! So we eventually got to baggage control where my bag was now lost for another 2 hours.... then it just appeared out of nowhere, any flights that had been cancelled all went through this one baggage belt causing absolute chaos. Finally we got our bags and headed home
After a fight with jet 2s live chat who were totally useless, I ended up calling them up and getting a rebooking but flight only as they had mucked up the hotel bit as it was now showing full so, i booked the hotel separately. We then waited till Sunday and instead had a Sunday to Sunday holiday. What a mess, and as usual no ones taking the blame,
Anyway Sunday came and this time all went smoothly until we picked up our hire car which had a puncture, Alison and the team were great however and soon sorted it after following them to a garage.
The holiday was just about to start. We headed straight to Loutra for the easy and 100% guaranteed Laughing Doves whilst sitting in a tavern eating pork and meatballs for lunch. 2 Dove seen but i didn't get any pictures this time. Short toed eagle were circling the village. After lunch we headed for Skala Kalloni Salt Pans and found 32 Slender Billed Gulls with a Juvenile Little Gull in the channel. Very few Waders but as 2 years ago, many Willow Warblers and Spotted Flycatchers. It had been a long day so we checked into the hotel Aegeon to be welcomed with a birthday cake and bottle of wine, such a wonderful gesture.
We nipped out for something to eat and drink but returned to the hotel for a hug from the hotel staff and more drinks, a Scops Owl and a Barn Owl.
29th September
Our hotel room, which we get each visit is almost perfectly situated so we can look over the Gulf of Kalloni and hills and fields, birding is easy with views of Red backed shrike, Cetti's warbler loads of Corn Buntings and Wheatears with the Whinchats. A Cuckoo sat on irrigation pipes. Down for breakfast overlooking the Cristou river watching Flamingos, Yellow legged gulls with waders such as Little Ringed, Ringed and Kentish Plovers. Great White Egret too.
After breakfast we had to do the Tsiknias River, it was dry until we got to the section by the sea, a Great white egret on the river, but on the shingle ridge the bird id hoped to see after seeing reports and pictures from a few weeks back was you'll be surprised an Oystercatcher..... Not just any Oystercatcher but a Siberian/eastern Oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus longipes, a subspecies of the Eurasian Oystercatcher and very rare indeed.
As well as the rare Oyk, 6 Med Gulls of varying ages, 2 noisey Sandwich terns, a Lesser black backed gull with the Yellow legged, 2 Shag and a clear movement of Corn Buntings with 1 flock of over 100 birds. A Greensandpiper flew over which was the only one I saw all week. First of many Kingfishers. Moved onto the saltpans where I spotted 4 Red Footed falcons in the distance, on the pans themselfs Grey Plover, Curlew and a 12 Stone Curlew. The Little Gull was still here as were many Slender billed gulls.
Back to Skala Kalloni for lunch then back to the pans for the rest of the day, this time the east side. Saw the Pelicans in the distance, i just had to check them all out, nice views of 26 Dalmatian Pelicans then I was able to pick out a Juvenile White Pelican, bingo..other birds on show were 19 Spoonbill, 170 Sinensis Cormorant, 6 Black Stork, 12 Great White Egrets, Grey Plovers, Turnstones, Curlews and 12 Black Necked Grebes. Another Kingfisher, 3 Alpine Swifts, was special or so I thought, another Kingfisher, a zitter, was the last bird from the track when the rain came, so we retreated to the hotel for the afternoon.
The rain had stopped by the time we got to the hotel which is when over 100 Alpine Swifts flew over calling, a more incredible sight than the earlier 3. I decided to sit on the balcony of our room watching the rain showers mover over and off watching many more Alpine Swifts in groups of 20 to 50, 6 Pallid Swift was a surprise with the Red Rumped, Sand and House Martins, Raptors were moving in between showers with Short toed eagle, 3 Honey Buzzard, 2 Hobby, Marsh Harrier and a nice female Red Footed Falcon. Many Sparrowhawks and a massive Goshawk. Finally on the raptor front a dark Eleonora's Falcon. Tree Pipits were on the move with a couple of Red Throated Pipits, and hundreds of Corn Buntings and Yellow Wagtails. The night draws in with the Scops owl close by again to finish off an amazing day.
30th September
Something different today, we headed towards Mount Olympus and a small picnic areas near Agiasos, Percian squirrels everywhere and as it was in the mountains this was Robin territory with many seen and heard, lots of Spotted flycatchers and heard with a few flyby Middle Spotted Woodpeckers. The stream was flowing holding a couple of Grey Wagtails. The Butterflies were good here with 3 types of Grayling. Eastern Rock, Woodland, and Freyer's Grayling. We spent most of the day here until we moved off to Molyvos for the evening for food and drinks. Second best sighting of the week after the Oyk was a Monk Seal just outside the harbour of Molyvos, Lifer for me and made my day as I know how hard it is to find these. Lovely day.
1st October
Headed for Filia and the Filia mast where I saw pics of Hawfinch coming down to a trough, we immediately spotted a female then a juv and a male as we parked on the track. These were coming down to a trough alongside many Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Cirl Bunting and a single Common redstart. Further up the track another lesvos tick for me, Mistle Thrush. Back at the trough, 2 Eurasian/Wood Nuthatch and 4 Rock Sparrow briefly.
Moved onto a very quiet Sigri for lunch, or not as everywhere was closed until we visited the Museum who had Sandwiches and some lovely biscuits, saved the day there. Tried the Faneromeni tracks but nothing at all of note except over 100 Eastern Jackdaws and a showy Yellow legged gull. Cracking looking things. Returned via the Petrified Forest road, Chucker here, 2 Rock Nuthatch, Northern Wheatear and a Stonechat were the notable birds.
A Walk around Ipsilou Monastery, Rock Nuthatch, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Sombra tit, which showed nicely. Ravens and Sparrowhawks circling the Monastery. Not like the spring which is normally full of birds.
Back at the hotel, 2 Whinchat still, Wheatear, a Fan tailed warbler (zitter) and more Alpine Swifts with a close Common Swift. Tree Pipits too.
2nd October
Stayed local again, Skalla Kalloni had Kingfisher, 3 Tree Pipit, Aegeon Lizard, and 2 Swallowtails. At the Wildlife center, 50+ Stripe-necked Terrapin and a Great White Egret sat on a light pole. Rach went back to the hotel and I headed for the saltpans where I found another 31 Red Footed falcons, 3 Kestrels were with them and I felt these could have been Lesser but it was getting dark and hard to check them properly. The Little Gull was still here and an adult winter Whiskered Tern flew up the channel, another good finish to the day.
3rd October
Outside the Hotel again, 12 Alpine Swift, with Crag martin and many other Hirundines. Red backed Shrikes, and Whinchats still. Headed to Metochi lake which was again fairly quiet but a dark Eleonora's falcon with a juv Red Footed falcon. Between the new and old reservoir 40 Little Grebe was notable. 8 Teal on the res. 2 Rock Nuthatch.
Took a trip to Skalla Eressos but no birds of note. Headed to Molyvos again for the evening and watched the 300 Yelkouan Shearwaters with at least 6 Scopoli's following the evening fishing boats to Petra. On the drive back up the mountain it was amazing to spot a Nightjar warming itself on the road, flying off in the headlights before we ran it over, thought we had missed em.
4th October
Last day on this wonderful island already but we had another walk up the east side of the Skala Kalloni pans, More pelicans had dropped in with no fewer than 48 Dalmatian and now a 3rd winter White Pelican had joined the Juvenile, pleased to find 2 now this week. Spoonbill numbers were also up to 32 8 Grey Plover, a small movement of teal coming in with up to 48 birds, Black necked grebe up to 14, and 12 Great white egret, 8 Black Stork 2 Osprey, and a female Pintail. A Single Glossy ibis distantly dropped into the pans to roost. Over to the west side past hides 1 and 2, 3 Tawny Pipit, 1 Red throated pipit and loads of Yellow Wagtails. Counted the Flamingos as you do, just over 800, 32 Slender billed gulls, 12 Little Stint, a few Dunlin, Sand martins and 4 Ruff. 3 Jackdaw with one looking like a Western, no white collar on show.
So that's really the end of another great week on Lesvos, 123 Species seen with a few more Island ticks. The major highlights being the Oyk, Hawfinch, Mistle Thrush, Monk Seal and White Pelicans.
Few more extra pics, mainly waders such as Little Stint and Dunlin, Juv LRP, Hooded Crow, White Wagtail, Med Gulls and an Agama Lizard
