Thursday 24th September 2015 LESBOS TRIP

Overcast humid conditions this morning found us looking for Pygmy Cormorant, needless to say we failed miserably, but we still had a great day spending most of it at the Kalloni Salt Pans, where we experienced one of the spectacular storms Lesbos can produce.

Storm clouds and Flamingos

There were Sanderling, Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper, Redshank, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Kentish Plover, Ringed Plover, Avocet, and Stone Curlew.

Small waders a distance away!!

The surrounding fields had Red Throated Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Montagus Harrier, Marsh Harrier, R F Falcon, Kestrel, Long Legged Buzzard, and Tawny Pipit.

Yellow Wagtail "flava"

Marsh Harrier and Montagus Harrier

The afternoon was spent in the north west corner, it was very disheartening to see the refugees fleeing persecution in Syria and Afghanistan.
We continued to an irrigation reservoir and travelled on a trekking route to look for dragonflies and reptiles.....

Starred Agama, a Lesbos favourite

European Glass Lizard, this one was over a metre long

will confirm id later



one of the "green" lizards? will confirm

Wenesday 23rd September 2015 LESBOS TRIP

Today has probably been one of my finest days on Lesbos since I stared visiting 10 years ago...

Conditions were perfect for a "fall" of migrants, and so it turned out to be.

With Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Red Backed Shrike, Turtle Dove, Chiffchaff, Whinchat, Northern Wheater and Yellow Wagtails in numbers.

The highlight however has to be seeing over 250 RED FOOTED FALCONS, and incredible and awesome sight.

Red Footed Falcons

Red Footed Falcon

Female/immature Red Footed Falcon

Edible Snail

Common Blue ♂

Grayling spp!

Pine Forest at Achladeri





 

Tuesday 22nd September, 2015 LESBOS TRIP

A really great day with plenty of birds and Nick for company.

Only photos today, all record shots...

Osprey

Great White Egret

Turtle Dove

Crested Lark

Goats!!!

Red-backed Shrike

Western Rock Nuthatch

not sure yet??

Monday 21st September 2015 LESBOS TRIP

Another early start this morning saw us at Metochi lake again, what a contrast with yesterday, there were hardly any birds about, the best we could manage were: one Purple Heron, one Wood Sandpiper, two Spoonbill, two Black Stork, and a Lesser Whitethroat.

After breakfast we drove along the Tsiknias river to the salt pans and picked up Kingfisher and lots of Willow Warbler including a "northern" type bird.

The pans gave us Marsh Sandpiper, three Yellow  Wagtail spp, and two Tawny Pipits, a good adult and a 1st year.
I wanted to count the flamingos today so after a lot of clicking I got to 1535, with a good proportion of immature birds,  a minimum of 18 Great White Egrets, there were many more than this I'm sure. the duo od pelicans and the singleton were still present.

A dodgy shot of some of the 1535 Greater Flamingos

We drove South East,picking up Sparrowhawk and nine Med Gulls to do a bit of raptor watching on a hillside over looking Vatera, in the company of some other birders we managed to get on the tail end of some migration/local birds three Elenoras Falcon, and three Kestrel, poor compared to previous years but we turned up a bit late.

Looking South East from Vatera

An afternoon storm saw us back at the hotel to some great lightening, after the storm cleared a Hoopoe landed on the wires outside the hotel
.

We went back to Metochi and picked up a Common Snipe, three Green Sandpipers and two Wood Sands'.

Sunday 20th September 2015 part 2.

some more pics from yesterday

Red Veined Darter, female

Bedriagas marsh frog

Hornet drinking from reservoir edge

Head on attack from red Veined Darter

 

At the Potamia valley reservoir there were hundreds of Violet Dropwings, mostly displaying males, a mass of Hornets sp and an immature Bedriagas Marsh Frog.

 



Sunday 20th September 2015 LESBOS TRIP

After a safe and decent flight from the UK to Mytilene, we did very little yesterday as it was very warm.

Today saw a 06:30 start with a visit to Metochi lake, which surprisingly, was almost at spring levels.

Present of note were three Spoonbill, 15 Grey Heron, three Purple Heron, three Wood Sandpiper and a green Sandpiper. High and flying southg were four raptors probably long-Legged Buzzard.

After breakfast we visited the Kalloni Saltpans where we were treated to the following selection of wildlife:

thee Zitting cisticola, Five Great White Egret, Greenshank, Redshank, 100's of Avocet, c1500 Greater Flamingo, Two Dalmation Pelicans, 1 Great White Pelican and a Black Tern.

Some photos from this morning

Kalloni Salt Pans, in the picture are Greater Flamingos, Slender-billed Gulls, and Little Egret

Juvenile Red-backed Shrike


 

Friday 18th September 2015

Just been finalizing the packing?, the books alone must weigh 5kg that's without the bins', scope', and tripod. The hold luggage is borderline at 19kg and the hand luggage is close to the limit at 6.1kg opps.

Speaks for itself!!!

I've packed some old but useable clothes to hand in at the refugee centre in Molyvos, its just a gesture but...

I've also been doing some planning, and will aim to visit areas of the island that I have never been too before, and there are quite a few locations to be explored, Steve Dudley's guide to Lesvos has been, as ever, invaluable in the planning process, so it looks like the south west will get explored more this time.

planning in progress........., maybe we won't get lost this time Nick!