April 18, half-day around Central Lesvos

Curlew Sandpipers and Temminck's Stint; Lesvos

Konstantine, an experienced birder from Germany, wanted to see the Kruper’s Nuthatch and some waders. The plan was to visit the pine forest around Mikri Limni and then as many wetlands as we could.

We started from the Kalloni Salt Pans south parts, then continued to the pine forest and followed the coastline from Skala Polichnitos to the north back in the wetlands of the west parts of Skala Kallonis. For the end a route within the pasture land and olive groves around Agia Paraskevi.

We managed to see 80 different bird species, having as highlights: KRUPER’S NUTHATCH (in two distinct breeding territories), Western Rock Nuthatch, MASKED and Woodchat Shrike,  Purple Heron, Glosy Ibis, LITTLE CRAKES, a single BLACK-WINGED flying among 11 COLLARED PRANTICOLES, Curlew and Marsh Sandpiper, Temminck’s Stints, STONE CURLEWS, Whiskered Tern, PALLID HARRIER, Short-toed Eagles etc.

Kruper's Nuthatch; Lesvos
Kruper’s Nuthatch

End of June, 2 full-day trips around Central and Western Lesvos

Motacilla citreola; Lesvos birds; Lesvos birding; Lesvos birdwatching

The highlights of these 2 full-day trips around the wetlands of the Kalloni Gulf and Molivos area (day 1) and Schalochori and Eresos areas (day 2) with Svante and Elizabeth were: DALMATIAN PELICANS, Ruddy Shelducks, Cory’s and Manx Shearwaters, AUDUIN’S GULL, KRUPER’S and Western Rock NUTHATCHES, Sombre Tit, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, ISABELLINE WHEATHEAR, RUFOUS BUSH ROBIN, EASTERN ORPHEAN WARBLER, EASTERN BONELLI’S WARBLERS, OLIVE-TREE WARBLERS, Black-headed Buntings, Woodchat  and MASKED SHRIKES, CRETZSCHMAR’S and CINEREOUS BUNTINGS, Short-toed Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard etc and a bonus of a CITRINE WAGTAIL!

A total of 99 different bird species were recorded.

(photo by Lefteris Kakalis)

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

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.

Beginning of April report- do not wait until May!

Cretzschmar's Bunting

Here is a 2-morning birding report by L. Kakalis and L. Grimbilakou, at the very begining of April (2 & 3/4) with sightings (and photos!) of some of Lesvos most wanted species: KRUPER’S NUTHATCH, CINEREOUS and CRETZSCHMAR’S BUNTINGS, RUPPELL’S WARBLER, ISABELLLINE WHEATHEAR, MASKED SHRIKE and more!

photo ©: Lina Grimbilakou

02 & 03 April, a weekend’s birding

Mid-April 2015, guided birding trip around CENTRAL Lesvos

Here are the highlights of this day’s HALF-DAY guided BIRDING trip around the east and north coast of the Kalloni Gulf and Mikri Limni Pine forest:

Glossy Ibis, Black Storks, Great White Egrets, Flamingos, Ruddy Shelducks, Garganeys, Marsh and Wood Sandpipers, Spotted Redshanks, Black-winged Stilts, GULL-BILLED TERNS, Zitting Cisticola’s and GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO. Kruper’s Nuthatch (of course!).

Mid-April 2015, guided birding around CENTRAL

Here are the highlights of today’s HALF-DAY guided BIRDING trip to wetlands around the northern coasts of the Kalloni Gulf, Molivos and Mikri Limni Pine Forest:

Ruppell’s and Orphean Warbler’s, Little Bitterns, Little Crakes, Black Storks, Glossy Ibisses, Ruddy Shelducks, Short-toed Eagles, Scops Owls and Kruper’s Nuthatch.