Lesvos Trip Report
(3/5/2001 – 11/5/2001)
Peter Jones
Introduction:
This holiday was planned to coincide with the peak of Spring migration through the Island of Lesvos. I hoped to have good opportunities for photography, and see some new European species like Kruper’s Nuthatch and Black-Headed Bunting .
The holiday exceeded all expectations, with a vast number of birds seen on the island.
General information:
Flight: With Air2000 from Gatwick to Mytilene.
Transport: A Hertz Hire Car was used throughout the week. Car was a small Hyundai hatchback, and this was just about suitable for all the roads on the island.
Accommodation: We stayed at Skala Eressos for the week. The area was rich in birdlife, and other parts of the Island were fairly easy to reach. Most Birdwatchers prefer to stay in Skala Kalloni which looked really nice, and more centrally located.
Getting by in Lesvos:
During our stay, we noticed a very laid back atmosphere in Restaurants. The locals were friendly, and we got by ok without any knowledge of Greek language.
The Roads were very quiet, although some of the traffic on these roads was quite erratic. Taxi drivers in particular appeared to drive quite dangerously!
Apart from the main road from Mytilene to Kalloni, most of the roads were of a reasonable quality, but very winding, and progress from A to B was generally slow.
There was usually plenty of opportunity to park by the roadside, and in lay-bys.
The Sites
Many good birds were found from the roadside almost anywhere on the Island. Other sites are described well in the "Birdwatching on the Greek Island of Lesvos" book, by Richard Brooks, and in other trip reports.
Kruper’s Nuthatch was found thanks to a tip off to a nest site from other birdwatchers.
Scop’s Owl was heard rather fortuitously during a driving break, and was seen at close range when we returned to the same site at dusk a few evenings later.
The Birds:
Migration was in full swing during the week, and good numbers of interesting birds were found anywhere and everywhere on the Island.
It was always interesting to note the different species turning up in the area surrounding our apartment each morning.
Most birds were fairly easy to see, an obvious exception being the Olive Tree Warbler which took a good 3 hours to get brief views of! Their song is quite distinctive, but delivered from the depths of very dense trees.
Systematic List
Below is a complete list of all species seen during my trip:
Little Egret
(Egretta garzetta)1 at Kalloni - Derbyshire on 04/05/2001.
3 at Skala Eressos on 04/05/2001.
3 at Skala Eressos on 07/05/2001.
1 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Grey Heron
(Ardea cinerea)1 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 05/05/2001.
Purple Heron
(Ardea purpurea)1 at Skala Eressos on 04/05/2001.
Great White Egret
(Egretta alba)1 at Kalloni - Derbyshire on 04/05/2001.
Squacco Heron
(Ardeola ralloides)1 at Skala Eressos on 04/05/2001.
2 at Skala Eressos on 05/05/2001.
4 at Skala Eressos on 06/05/2001.
1 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
1 at Skala Eressos on 07/05/2001.
Little Bittern
(Ixobrychus minutus)1 at Skala Eressos on 04/05/2001.
2 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
1 at Faneromeni on 06/05/2001.
Black Stork
(Ciconia nigra)1 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 04/05/2001.
1 at Pithariou Monastery on 08/05/2001.
White Stork
(Ciconia ciconia)1 at Skala Eressos on 06/05/2001.
Greater Flamingo
(Phoenicopterus ruber)c.20 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 04/05/2001.
Ruddy Shelduck
(Tadorna ferruginea)12 at Kalloni - Derbyshire on 04/05/2001.
Short-toed Eagle
(Circaetus gallicus gallicus)1 at Agiassos on 05/05/2001.
1 at Petri on 09/05/2001.
Montagu's Harrier
(Circus pygargus)1 at Faneromeni on 06/05/2001.
Northern Goshawk
(Accipiter gentilis)1 at Skalochori Olive Groves on 07/05/2001.
Common Buzzard
(Buteo buteo)1 at Parakila on 04/05/2001.
1 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
2 at Pithariou Monastery on 08/05/2001.
Long-legged Buzzard
(Buteo rufinus)1 at Parakila on 04/05/2001.
1 at Faneromeni on 06/05/2001.
Common Kestrel
(Falco tinnunculus)2 at Faneromeni on 06/05/2001.
1 at Petri on 07/05/2001.
Red-footed Falcon
(Falco vespertinus)1 immature male at Skalochori Olive Groves on 09/05/2001.
Eleonora's Falcon
(Falco eleonorae)1 at Molivos Castle on 07/05/2001. A lifetime First
Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus) 2 Probable sightings
1 at Anaxos Hills on 07/05/2001.
1 at Petra on 07/05/2001.
Peregrine Falcon
(Falco peregrinus)1 at Petra on 07/05/2001.
1 at Petri on 07/05/2001.
Common Moorhen
(Gallinula chloropus)2 at Skala Eressos on 07/05/2001.
1 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Black-winged Stilt
(Himantopus himantopus)2 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 04/05/2001.
Pied Avocet
(Recurvirostra avosetta)1 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 05/05/2001.
Little Ringed Plover
(Charadrius dubius)1 at Skala Eressos on 04/05/2001.
1 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Kentish Plover
(Charadrius alexandrinus)2 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 04/05/2001.
Wood Sandpiper
(Tringa glareola)3 at Skala Eressos on 04/05/2001.
4 at Skala Eressos on 05/05/2001.
2 at Faneromeni on 06/05/2001.
1 at Skala Eressos on 07/05/2001.
Little Stint
(Calidris minuta)10 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 04/05/2001.
15 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 05/05/2001.
3 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Ruff
(Philomachus pugnax)1 at Skala Eressos on 04/05/2001.
1 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 05/05/2001.
Yellow-legged Gull
(Larus cachinnans [argentatus])c.20 at Skala Eressos on 04/05/2001.
1 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
c.100 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Common Tern
(Sterna hirundo)2 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 05/05/2001.
Little Tern
(Sterna albifrons)1 at Kalloni - Derbyshire on 04/05/2001.
White-winged Tern
(Chlidonias leucopterus)c.20 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 05/05/2001.
European Turtle-dove
(Streptopelia turtur)2 at Eressos - Ipsilou Road on 04/05/2001.
1 at Faneromeni on 06/05/2001.
Common Cuckoo
(Cuculus canorus)1 heard at Skalochori Olive Groves on 07/05/2001. Status, H.
Eurasian Scops-owl
(Otus scops scops)1 at Vatousa on 08/05/2001. A lifetime First
Little Owl (Athene noctua)
1 at Ipsilou Monastery on 04/05/2001.
European Nightjar
(Caprimulgus europaeus)2 at Vatousa on 08/05/2001.
Alpine Swift
(Tachymarptis melba)2 at Kalloni - Derbyshire on 05/05/2001.
2 at Skala Eressos on 06/05/2001.
1 at Skalochori Olive Groves on 07/05/2001.
1 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
European Bee-eater
(Merops apiaster)2 at Kalloni - Derbyshire on 04/05/2001.
3 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 04/05/2001.
1 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 05/05/2001.
20 at Skala Eressos on 06/05/2001.
2 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
c.15 at Faneromeni on 06/05/2001.
10 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Eurasian Hoopoe
(Upupa epops)2 at Ipsilou Monastery on 04/05/2001.
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
(Dendrocopos medius)1 at Kalloni - Derbyshire on 05/05/2001.
2 at Skalochori Olive Groves on 09/05/2001.
Short-toed Lark
(Calandrella brachydactyla [cinerea])1 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 05/05/2001.
Crested Lark
(Galerida cristata)4 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 04/05/2001.
3 at Skala Eressos on 04/05/2001.
6 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
6 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Wood Lark
(Lullula arborea)1 at Skalochori Olive Groves on 07/05/2001.
Sand Martin
(Riparia riparia)1 at Skala Eressos on 06/05/2001.
3 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Eurasian Crag-martin
(Hirundo rupestris)2 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
2 at Pithariou Monastery on 08/05/2001.
Barn Swallow
(Hirundo rustica)10 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 04/05/2001.
6 at Skala Eressos on 06/05/2001.
10 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Red-rumped Swallow
(Hirundo daurica)1 at Ipsilou Monastery on 04/05/2001.
3 at Pithariou Monastery on 08/05/2001.
House Martin
(Delichon urbica)6 at Skala Eressos on 06/05/2001.
White Wagtail
(Motacilla alba alba)1 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Yellow Wagtail [sp]
(Motacilla flava)4 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 04/05/2001.
8 at Skala Eressos on 06/05/2001.
2 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Grey Wagtail
(Motacilla cinerea)1 at Agiassos on 05/05/2001.
1 at Faneromeni on 06/05/2001.
Common Nightingale
(Luscinia megarhynchos)2 heard at Skala Eressos on 04/05/2001. Status, H.
1 at Skala Eressos on 05/05/2001.
6 at Agiassos on 05/05/2001.
Whinchat
(Saxicola rubetra)2 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 05/05/2001.
2 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
1 at Skala Eressos on 07/05/2001.
1 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
6 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Northern Wheatear
(Oenanthe oenanthe)1 at Ipsilou Monastery on 04/05/2001.
2 at Eressos - Ipsilou Road on 04/05/2001.
Black-eared Wheatear
(Oenanthe hispanica)2 at Ipsilou Monastery on 04/05/2001.
3 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
Blue Rock-thrush
(Monticola solitarius)2 at Ipsilou Monastery on 04/05/2001.
1 at Pithariou Monastery on 08/05/2001.
Eurasian Blackbird
(Turdus merula)1 at Agiassos on 05/05/2001.
Mistle Thrush
(Turdus viscivorus)1 at Skalochori Olive Groves on 09/05/2001.
Cetti's Warbler
(Cettia cetti)2 heard at Skala Eressos on 04/05/2001. Status, H.
1 heard at Skala Eressos on 05/05/2001. Status, H.
1 heard at Skala Eressos on 07/05/2001. Status, H.
1 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Sedge Warbler
(Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)1 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Great Reed-warbler
(Acrocephalus arundinaceus)1 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Olivaceous Warbler
(Hippolais pallida)2 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 04/05/2001.
2 at Skala Eressos on 06/05/2001.
1 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
1 at Skala Eressos on 07/05/2001.
1 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
2 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Olive-tree Warbler
(Hippolais olivetorum)1 heard at Skalochori Olive Groves on 07/05/2001. Heard Only
1 at Skalochori Olive Groves on 09/05/2001. A lifetime First
Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina)
1 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Blackcap
(Sylvia atricapilla)1 at Pithariou Monastery on 08/05/2001.
Common Whitethroat
(Sylvia communis)1 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Orphean Warbler
(Sylvia hortensis)1 female at Eressos - Ipsilou Road on 07/05/2001.
Rüppell's Warbler
(Sylvia rueppelli)1 male at Petra on 07/05/2001.
Subalpine Warbler
(Sylvia cantillans)1 at Petri on 07/05/2001.
1 at Skalochori Olive Groves on 07/05/2001.
Wood Warbler
(Phylloscopus sibilatrix)3 at Ipsilou Monastery on 04/05/2001.
Spotted Flycatcher
(Muscicapa striata)2 at Ipsilou Monastery on 04/05/2001.
2 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
3 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
4 at Pithariou Monastery on 08/05/2001.
Pied Flycatcher
(Ficedula hypoleuca)1 at Kalloni - Derbyshire on 05/05/2001.
Sombre Tit
(Parus lugubris)1 at Agiassos on 05/05/2001.
4 at Petri on 07/05/2001.
Blue Tit
(Parus caeruleus)1 at Ipsilou Monastery on 04/05/2001.
2 at Agiassos on 05/05/2001.
Krüper's Nuthatch
(Sitta krueperi [canadensis])1 at Kalloni - Derbyshire on 05/05/2001. A lifetime First
Rock Nuthatch (Sitta neumayer)
1 at Ipsilou Monastery on 04/05/2001. A lifetime First
2 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
Golden Oriole
(Oriolus oriolus)1 adult male at Faneromeni on 06/05/2001.
1 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Red-backed Shrike
(Lanius collurio [cristatus])1 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 04/05/2001.
2 at Petri on 07/05/2001.
2 at Skala Eressos on 07/05/2001.
4 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
2 at Pithariou Monastery on 08/05/2001.
10 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Lesser Grey Shrike
(Lanius minor)1 adult at Kalloni Salt Pans on 10/05/2001. A lifetime First
Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)
2 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
1 at Petri on 07/05/2001.
2 at Eressos - Ipsilou Road on 07/05/2001.
1 at Pithariou Monastery on 08/05/2001.
Masked Shrike
(Lanius nubicus)1 at Petri on 07/05/2001.
1 at Skalochori Olive Groves on 07/05/2001.
1 at Pithariou Monastery on 08/05/2001.
1 at Skalochori Olive Groves on 09/05/2001.
Eurasian Jay
(Garrulus glandarius)3 at Petri on 07/05/2001.
1 at Pithariou Monastery on 08/05/2001.
Eurasian Jackdaw
(Corvus monedula)10 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Hooded Crow
(Corvus corone cornix)3 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
6 at Pithariou Monastery on 08/05/2001.
Common Raven
(Corvus corax)1 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
2 at Petri on 07/05/2001.
House Sparrow
(Passer domesticus)1 at Ipsilou Monastery on 04/05/2001.
3 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
4 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Chaffinch
(Fringilla coelebs)1 at Kalloni - Derbyshire on 05/05/2001.
European Goldfinch [sp]
(Carduelis carduelis)4 at Kalloni - Derbyshire on 04/05/2001.
2 at Ipsilou Monastery on 04/05/2001.
2 at Kalloni - Derbyshire on 05/05/2001.
2 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Hawfinch
(Coccothraustes coccothraustes)1 at Petri on 07/05/2001.
1 at Skalochori Olive Groves on 09/05/2001.
Cirl Bunting
(Emberiza cirlus)1 at Anaxos Hills on 07/05/2001.
1 at Petri on 07/05/2001.
Cinereous Bunting
(Emberiza cineracea)1 at Pithariou Monastery on 08/05/2001.
Cretzschmar's Bunting
(Emberiza caesia)1 at Eressos - Ipsilou Road on 04/05/2001.
4 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
2 at Petri on 07/05/2001.
2 at Pithariou Monastery on 08/05/2001.
Black-headed Bunting
(Emberiza melanocephala)2 at Kalloni - Derbyshire on 04/05/2001. A lifetime First
1 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 04/05/2001.
1 at Skala Eressos on 04/05/2001.
1 at Kalloni - Derbyshire on 05/05/2001.
2 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
20 at Skala Eressos on 08/05/2001.
Corn Bunting
(Miliaria calandra)1 at Kalloni Salt Pans on 04/05/2001.
2 at Skala Eressos on 04/05/2001.
3 at Eressos - Sigri Minor Road on 06/05/2001.
Other Wildlife:
Balkan Green Lizard,
Agama,
Stripe-Necked Terrapin
Marsh Frog
Tree Frog
Southern White Admiral
Red Admiral
Small Copper
Marbled White
Large Skipper
Probable Grizzled Skipper
Persian Squirrel