Lesvos trip report 19th to 26th of April 2026

 19th April 2026

Another spring, another trip to the wonderful isle of Lesvos. Chose the first flight out this time and arrived just after lunch and headed to our usual first stop of Charamida on the south of the island. Usual but excellent birds of Orphean Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Sub alpine Warbler and Woodchat Shrikes. The main bird we wanted to see was the Ruppell's Warbler, this year it was tricky with flight and had briefly perched views. Rach walked off down the hill and flushed 2 Chuckers, I missed them. Other bits here were Shor toed eagle, Black eared Wheatears and Cretzmar Buntings.

Onwards to Loutra, our usual spot for lunch which fed the Laughing doves was taken up by the locals this time so we had a quick look at the Laughing Doves (3) outside the taverna.

Then headed to the area around Kalloni Saltpans for some real birding. From hide 3 a great start with 35 distant Marsh Sandpipers, a bird id only seen a handful of times and never well. 3 Then showed in the channel giving good scoped views. 

Other highlights 2 Spotted Redshank, 75 Ruff, 5 Little Gull, 6 Gull billed Terns, 30 Whiskered Terns, and a Bar tailed Godwit. Great Start. We then headed to the Aegeon Hotel to check in and have our first look over the Cristou river. Another 11 Gull billed Terns, which would be a pattern here for the rest of the week, 29 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Great White Egret, 2 Garganey, and the usual Black headed Wagtails, Waders including 2 Curlew Sandpiper and a Stone Curlew. A look on the sea showed 20 Yelkoun Shearwaters. The evening held our first Scop's and Barn Owl of the trip.

20th April 

Breakfast is always good here as i can see the Christou river whilst eating breakfast, 11 Gull Billed Terns still, 1 Whiskered Tern, a Long Legged Buzzard sat on a pole. The sea again had some Yelkouan Shearwaters but numbers upto 80 now, $ Black necked Grebe and a Great crested Grebe. 

Onto the saltpans starting at hide 3, 15 Marsh Sandpipers still, a Male Red Footed Falcon was an early surprise. Hide 2 held 2 Spotted Redshank, a surprise showy Greater Bittern. The floods here were superb, the wet spring had filled the area up nicely, i've never seen so much water. 8 Purple Heron, 4 Squacco, 8 White Stork, 6 Glossy ibis 2 Collared Pratincole over 200 Wood Sandpiper with a single Marsh Sandpiper that i could see, plenty of Red Throated Pipit. Garganey numbers had to be the best part of today with over 60 birds present in one flock, just awesome.

Headed towards and passed Mesa to special views of 125 Glossy Ibises, 3 Spoonbill, 2 Purple Heron, and 6 Flamingo. Back to Skalla kalloni and on checking the pools outside Kalloni bay 2 Garganey, probably the same 2 from last night's Christou river birds, a Little crake under my feet was a stunner. Back at the Aegeon And the Christou river my first harrier, a surprise 2cy male Hen Harrier.

2cy Hen Harrier

21st April

Started at Metochi lake which was excellent for Little Crake with no less than 7 birds seen, 4 Female and 3 Males. A savis' Warbler singing was a nice surprise. Little Bittern showed and a pair of Ruddy Shelduck had 14 young. A European Starling was also an excellent find. Usual Warblers. 

Moved onto Alkaderi Forest for Krupers Nuthatch with no less than 6 birds seen. Short toed treecreeper, Serin, Woodchat, Masked and Red backed Shrikes seen. Cirl Buntings everywhere. We were here to find some Orchids though  Yellow Bee, Lesser Yellow Bee, Dense Flowered, and Anacamtis papilionacea orchids being the ones we found.

Headed back to Skalla Kalloni passing Papiana School for the usual roosting Long eared owls with 2 seen but no Scop's. Back at the Aegeon hotel a Spur winged plover had been seen which I eventually got on the river though it was being difficult and illusive.

22nd April

From the hotel this morning now 2 Spur winged plovers which showed much better. 

Today was a day trip out to Petra and Molivos, At the start of the road to Molivos res i found 3 Roller, they didn't show very well and weren't very photographic, up at the res, a Great Spotted Cuckoo, Ruddy shelducks, Hoopoes, Red Backed Shrikes, Alpine Swifts, Buzzards, Ravens and a variety of usual Warblers.

A walk into Molivos harbour and what I can only presume was a Blue Shark feeding on the surface, not something I expected.  After lunch and a walk around Molivos and Petra we headed back to the saltpans and watched both Monties and a Pallid Harrier from the pump house corner, both 2cy birds. A very nice male Monties too. Other bits on show were 2 Red footed falcons, 300 Ruff and 15 Marsh Sandpiper. A single Marsh Sandpiper in the channel gave me my best views ever. 

2cy Montagu's Harrier

2cy Pallid Harrier

Male Montagu's Harrier

23rd April

Time was going by fast, so another look on the Christou river, 2 Little Terns were a trip tick, 15 Glossy Ibis over. Usual Waders. The Hoodies always put on a show. Red throated Pipts too. Curlew sand showed better and the Gull Billed were still around as was a Whiskered Tern. Spanish Sparrow all around the hotel.

We headed for Parakila where we had Wood Nuthatch, Woodchat shrike, Sub alps and Great Reed Warblers. 

Onto Eresoss for lunch where we sat with 2 Laughing doves above us. Out to Sea was great with over 2000 Yelkouan and over 100 Scopoli's Shearwaters past, Impressive.

Finished back at the hidden res near Potamia, 3 Night Herons were on our list, with a mix of various shrikes and Warblers.

Back at the Aegeon, Gull Billed Tern numbers up to 26 now. 4 White Winged Black terns were a trip tick and a few Med Gulls again and Stone Curlew. 

24th April

Christou River totals, 1 Spur Winged Plover, 2 Little Tern, 2 Curlew Sandpiper and a Stone Curlew again,

We headed for Faneromeni and the Sigri area today, on the beach were 1 White wagtail,  4 showy Little Stint when 26 Wood Sandpiper dropped in alongside Little Ringed Plovers and 2 Common Sand. 1000 Yelkouan and 75 Scopoli's shearwater on the sea. 

The road to the ford held 2 Collared Flycatcher with a few pied, Spotted fly and a few shrikes. 2 Lesser Kestrel were our first. On the upper track another birder pointed me towards a tree with a Thrush Nightingale in it.  When I arrived it was rightly singing its heart out but I never did see it.  On the hill my first ever Adult Barred Warbler With its beautiful yellow eyes, only ever seen 1st winters in the UK so i had to watch this bird feeding on the fennels for sometime. Sub alpine and Orphean Warblers  were plenty-ful as were Lesser Whitethroats. A Tree Pipit was our last bird in this area for today. 

Barred warbler

Jay

Lesser Whitethroat

Orphean Warbler 

Sub Alpine Warbler

Tree Pipit

On the top of Ipsolu Monastery were all the Wheatears, Northern, Isabelline and Black eared of both races, Sombra Tits, Wood Warblers With Bonelli's Warbler, Redstart, Golden Orioles, Woodlark,  Corn Bunting, Cretzmars Buntings and Blue Rock Thrush were a host of other things. Cinereous Buntings were seen and heard but not well this time. A Lesvos Orchid with just the 1 spike left was almost over. 

Lunch over at Sigri but nothing much else bird wise. 

25th April 

Wanted to do the Saltpans again to clear up any remaining birds or just have some easy birding, on the east side 2 Great Spotted Cuckoo flew over showing well, a Male Monties harrier again, Ducks were 3 Shoveler, 9 Slender billed Gulls, 2 Whiskered, 3 Black Tern, and 4 White Winged Black Tern, Grey plover, a few Dalmatian Pelicans to finish.

Over at Hide 3 7 Red Footed Falcons, and then at hide 2 1 Temmincks stint, our first Redshank, with 2 Spotted Redshank and 2 Dalmatian Pelicans. Little Gull, Snake Eyed lizards, and Squacco.

Only had a half day birding so as to just chill and relax back in Skalla Kalloni. A Scop's owl late at night whilst having drinks on the balcony. 

26th April

Last morning before heading for the airport, had a short walk along a river towards the Potamia valley, a nice Male Collared Flycatcher, a Sunbathing Persian/Caucasian Squirrel, then a singing Olive Tree Warbler which again I could see, such skulkers, Finally here we spotted a Hobby over. 

Back at the Airport, we checked in and spent a short time on the beach watching 5 Scopoli's, Shags and lots of Yellow legged gulls.

Had a great week here again UNTIL as we were waiting in the terminal just about to board the plane other birders had found a bird i had searched Spain's Saltpans earlier in the year and dipped, also only a 4th for Lesbos i believe, it was only a bloody Lesser Flamingo, a bird on my most wanted list, this unfortunately ruined my whole week and sent me packing disappointed. 

Still as I write this blog many months later I feel blessed at seeing so many good birds during this week. 

I felt like I had not seen that many birds but after checking I had actually surprised myself with 170 Species. List here....