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International Summer School of Geoparks visit to the Kalloni Salt Pans

Posted on by Eleni Galinou
Kalloni Salt Pans; Lesvos

Let’s not forget that the whole island of Lesvos is designated as a Global Geopark by Unesco!

Participants in the International Summer School of Global Geoparks visited the Kalloni salt Pans on the morning of June 24. They were presented about the wetlands of the Aegean and Lesvos and birdwatched at the East parts of the Kalloni Pans. We watched together: Flamingos, 5 DALMATIAN PELICANS, 15+ Slender-billed Gulls, nesting Black-winged Stilts, a magnificent Short-toed Eagle that flew low over us all, Black Storks, Common and Little Terns etc.

The summer school that was entitled “Unesco Global Geoparks”was hosted by the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest and the Geography Dept of the University of the Aegean. It had participants from all parts of the world (Iran, Brazil, Indonesia, France, Greece, Cyprus, Portogal, Senegal etc.).

The previous evening Lesvos Birdwatching participated in a panel discussion about the alternative activities on the island of Lesvos.

For more about the summer school see here.

Birdwatching at the Kalloni Salt Pans

School visit at the Kalloni Salt Pans

Posted on by Eleni Galinou
School birdwatching at the Kalloni Salt Pans; Lesvos

The Primary School of Nees Kydonies (east part of the island, near Mitilini) wanted to have a look at the Kalloni Salt Pans birds as part of their yearly long-distance excursion. There was a great influx of Flamingos in the pans these last period (in contrast with the few hundreds of birds earlier in May) so we were able to observe them really well as a mixed flock of immature and adult Flamingos were feeding/resting at a very close distance. The kids were impressed by the birds themselves, their habits and the journeys they undertake (we even saw a bird with a coloured ring, ringed in Turkey!).

Kalloni Salt Pans; Flamingos; Lesvos

End of May 2016, half-day trip around CENTRAL LESVOS

Posted on by Eleni Galinou
Rose-coloured Starling; Lesvos

The highlights of this half-day (07:30-13:30) guided birding and BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY trip around Agia Paraskevi, Kalloni and the wetlands of the North coast of the Kalloni Gulf were:

ELEONORA’S FALCONS, Scops Owls, Squacco Heron, BLACK TERN, Bee-eaters, family parties of Hoopoes, Sombre Tits and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers, singing males RUFOUS BUSH ROBINS, Black-eared Wheatears, EASTERN ORPHEAN and SUBALPINE WARBLERS, Rock Nuthatches, MASKED SHRIKES, ROSE-COLOURED STARLINGS, several Black-headed Buntings and of course Flamingos, Black Storks, Ruddy Shelducks, Black-winged Stilts etc.

(photo © Vic Duncombe)

Birdwatching with the kids of Kalloni

Posted on by Eleni Galinou
Birdwatching at the Kalloni Salt Pans, Lesvos

The 1st Kindergarden of Kalloni had been playing/studying birds throught 2016 (see: http://stononeironmasthnakrh.blogspot.gr/2016/05/e-twinning-young-scientists.html).

I was really happy to show them some live birds on the morning of 17 May 2016! We watched a group of 15 Black-winged Stilts by the Kalloni Pans NW corner canal with 3 of them trying to establish a nest and a few Common and Little Terns and 2 Avocets feeding close by. Also Flamingos, Little White Egrets and Black Stork!

Mid-May 2016, half-day trip around WESTERN LESVOS

Posted on by Eleni Galinou
Isabelline Wheathear; Lesvos

The highlights of this half-day (08:30-14:30) guided birding trip around SIGRI and ANTISSA areas were:

Short-toed Eagles, CHUKARS, AUDUIN’S GULL, Bee-eaters, ISABELLINE and Black-eared Wheathears, many Red-backed Shrikes, BLACK-HEADED BUNTINGS, Cirl Buntings (a family!), Spanish Sparrows etc and of course CRETZSHMAR’S and CINEREOUS BUNTINGS.

Mid-May 2016, full-day trip around WESTERN LESVOS

Posted on by Eleni Galinou
Black-headed Bunting; Lesvos

The highlights of this full-day (08:30-19:30) guided BIRDING PHOTOGRAPHY trip around AGRA, ERESSOS, SIGRI and ANTISSA areas were:

ELEONORA’S FALCONS, LESSER KESTREL, CHUKAR (a parent with 12+ chicks), Rock Dove, Little Owls, Hoopoes, Bee-eaters, RUFOUS BUSH ROBINS, ISABELLINE, Northern and Black-eared Wheatears, Eastern Orphean Warbler, ROCK NUTHATCHES (among several, a family party!), many BLACK-HEADED BUNTINGS etc. and of course CRETZSHMAR’S and CINEREOUS BUNTINGS.

This trip was part of a 3-day Lesvos trip (a Northern Greece trip extension) for Birding Ecotours. View the full trip report here.

Beginning of May 2016, full-day trip around WESTERN LESVOS

Posted on by Eleni Galinou
Roller; Lesvos

A very warm sunny day with moderate intensity wind towards the afternoon.

The highlights of this full-day (08:30-19:30) guided birding trip around ERESSOS, SIGRI and ANTISSA areas were:

ELEONORA’S FALCONS, LESSER KESTREL, Little Bitterns, Bittern, Yelkouan Shearwaters, Rock Dove, Little Owls, Alpine Swift, Hoopoe, ROLLER, Bee-eaters, Red-rumped Swallows (at mid-day roost!), CITRINE WAGTAIL (a female), RUFOUS BUSH ROBINS, ISABELLINE and Black-eared Wheathears, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Olivaceous Warblers, RED-BREASTED FLYCACHER, many BLACK-HEADED BUNTINGS etc and of course CRETZSHMAR’S and CINEREOUS BUNTINGS.

 

Begining of May 2016, half-day around the E parts of the KALLONI GULF

Posted on by Eleni Galinou
Black Stork; Lesvos

The highlights of this half-day (08:30-14:30) guided birding trip around KALLONI GULF:

RED-FOOTED and ELEONORA’S FALCONS, LEVANT SPARROWHAWK, Little Bitterns, Squacco and Purple Herons, Little Owl, Temminck’s and Little Stints, Curlew Sandpipers, Mediterranean Gulls, Bee-eaters, Alpine Swifts, Masked, Red-backed and Woodchat Shrikes, Black-headed Buntings etc.

Beginning of May 2016, half-day around CENTRAL LESVOS

Posted on by Eleni Galinou
Hoopoe; Lesvos

The highlights of this half-day (08:30-14:30) guided birding trip around AGIA PARASKEVI:

RED-FOOTED and ELEONORA’S FALCONS, Little Owl, Hoopoes, Bee-eaters, Alpine Swift, Sub-alpine Warblers, Sombre Tits, Masked, Lesser Grey, Red-backed and Woodchat Shrikes, Rock Nuthatch, Golden Oriole etc.

End of April 2016, half-day around the E parts of the KALLONI GULF

Posted on by Eleni Galinou

The highlights of this half-day (08:30-14:30) guided birding trip around the KALLONI GULF with a short stop in the MIKRI LIMNI pine forest:

Squacco and Purple Herons, COLLARED PRATINCOLES, Temminck’s Stints, Curlew Sandpiper, Bee-eaters, Red-rumped Swallows, Sombre Tit, Masked, Red-backed and Woodchat Shrikes, KRUPER’S NUTHATCH, Black-headed Buntings, etc.