Paul's Blog - All comments and views are my own,

Just a few more photos, its not all about birds! Small Skimmer, Orthetrum taeniolatum Swallowtail,  Papilio machaon gorganus Red-veined darter, Sympetrum fonscolombii ♀ Red-veined Darter ♀ "head on" Balkan Terrapin Mauremys rivulata Common Blue pair, Polyommatus Icarus   

Do I start with the fact that this has been one of the most successful trips I have made to the "magical isle" of Lesbos, YES I will, with two memorable days in the week, perfect weather, a mix of dry and sunny and wet and overcast, great wildlife and enjoyable company. Red-footed Falcons passed through in huge numbers with probably 1000+ birds over two days, White Pelican,and my first  Osprey and Ferrunginous Duck on the island The avifauna stole the show as expected for a mainly birding trip with a total of 120 species seen and one (Long -eared Owl heard), Common Shelduck, Mallard, Garganey, Teal, FERRUNGINOUS DUCK, Scopolis Shearwater, Yelkouan Shearwater, Little Grebe, Greater Flamingo, Black Stork, Eurasian Spoonbill, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Great White Egret, Little Egret, GREAT WHITE PELICAN, Dalamtian Pelican,Great Cormorant, WESTERN OSPREY, European Honey-buzzard, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, Montagus harrier, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Lo

Today we set off West to visit the Meladia Valley area and the Ipsilou Monastery, On route we found the four European Rollers I read about on Facebook this morning, it pays to check!! believe me its a Roller European Roller in flight, look at the colours! Whilst the photos are rubbish it was thanks to Nick (again, he's been on form this week spotting odd birds, I just wish he would identify them!!) that the first one was spotted so followed by the others. Short-toed Snake Eagles, Marsh Harrier, Eleonoras Falcon, Common Buzard and Common Kestrel made up the raptor list today. Red Backed Shrike, cropped to hell Common Buzzard  The Meladia valley has a few hotspots, and by checking them we found Wood Warbler, and an un identified flycatcher..... Bird, Butterfly, Reptile, and Dragonfly  wise it was quiet by great quality in Wood Warbler made up for it. Pithariou reservoir and monastery

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 Les

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  

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??

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 compan