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BIRDING IN LESVOS, JULY 5-12, 2010

By Michel Rogg from Switzerland

IntroductionObviously, July is not the best month for birding. But on a family holyday in Petra,

Lesvos, I had good time in birding each morning before 10 am. "A birdwatching guide

to Lesvos", by Steve Dudley (Arlequin press) was very helpful. See also

http://athene-birdinglesvos.blogspot.com/

Day by day

July 5

Arrival by boat at Mitilini, followed by some Cory's Shearwaters. Some Common

Terns were in the Harbor, including a juvenile. We got our rental car and took the

road to Petra. In the pine forest about 10 km west of Labou Mili, an emergency stop

for my daughter produced a soaring Honey-buzzard. We had a nice stay in Defkalion

Hotel, between Petra and Anaxos. We saw a flying Little Owl in the evening.

July 6

Unsuccessful search for the Rppel's Warbler at Kawaki, beside the Road between

Petra and Molivos, but to see: Bee-eater, Woodchat Shrike, Sombre Tit, Black-

eared Wheatear, Subalpine Warbler. Back to Petra, I took the road west to

Skoutaros, where I heard Rock Nuthatches. This species appears to be very vocal in

July, unlike most other birds. A Masked Shrike and a Sombre Tit were also present.

July 7

Road to Stipsi (advice: avoid the road through this village !) and Ipsilometopo. Two

Short-toed Eagles were soaring East of Ipsilometopo. Near Petri (not to confuse

with Petra), I heard (calls, iPod helps !) and hardly saw a very elusive Olivaceous

Warbler. In the afternoon, on Petra's beach, a Caspian Tern flying north was the

only nice bird in my sunbed list.

http://athene-birdinglesvos.blogspot.com/http://athene-birdinglesvos.blogspot.com/http://athene-birdinglesvos.blogspot.com/

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July 8

Road West to Skoutaros, Skalochori, Vatoussa and Andissa. A stop in the Lardia

Valley (between Vatoussa and Andissa) was worth to see Crag Martins and Red-

rumped Swallows.

I parked the car at the bottom of the circular road around Ipsilou Monastery. I

walked on this road in clockwise sense. Below tree level were Black-eared Wheatears

in family, Rock Nuthatches, but no Cinereous Bunting to see or to hear. At the

monastery were at least one Rock Sparrow and a few Cirl Buntings.

Going down from the monastery, a long-winged and dark falcon was circling over the

military area. Was it clever to use binoculars ? Fortunately, this bird came in my

direction and yes, it was indeed an Eleonora's Falcon ! In my way back I saw a

juvenile Stonechat with its mother and three Cretzschmar's Buntings. A sudden and

strong northerly wind rise up and I gave no second chance to the Cinereous Bunting.

July 9

Road to Molivos and Efthalou, on the northern coast. I stopped the car where the

tarmac stops and continued on walking for about 2 km. In this area: Middle-spotted

Woodpecker, Black-eared Wheatear, Subalpine Warbler, Sombre Tit, Rock

Nuthatch, Masked and Woodchat Shrikes.

July 10

Road to Kalloni Saltpans, 3 km East of Kalloni. A good birding site with 3 Avocets, 5

Black-winged Stilts including 1 juvenile, 2 Black Storks, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Great

White Egret, and at leat 6 Little Egrets. Also present were 3 Kentish Plovers

including two mating, 6 Redshanks, 2 Little Terns among Common Terns. There were

at least 200 Greater Flamingos. I stopped the car at the end of the road to walk in

Alykes Wetlands, between the Saltpans and Kalloni's Bay. Nice place to see at least 5Short-toed Larks, a Corn Bunting, many Bee-eaters, a flying White Stork, a Kentish

Plover with a chick, and 3 calling Stone-curlews.

Back in the hotel in the late afternoon, two raptors were motionless in the blue sky,

facing the wind. My children were quite angry that I stopped playing cards, but it was

great to admire a Short-toed Eagle and a Long-legged Buzzard in a perfect light,

from our balcony !

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July 11

A walk in the forest 5 km north of Kalloni: a Honey-buzzard and a male

Sparrowhawk, a few passerines but no Krper's Nuthatch.

July 12

For this last morning, a visit to Perasma reservoir, beside a small road between

Molivos and Petra, more inland than Kavaki. There were two very vocal Long-legged

Buzzards, a Short-toed Eagle, 8 Bee-eaters, a Hoopoe, Black-headed Buntings in

family, Cretzschmar's Buntings, 2 adults and 2 fledging Olivaceous Warblers. On the

reservoir itself, a pair of Ruddy Shelducks with two juveniles, a Black Stork, a Green

and a Common Sandpiper.

There was an adult Mediterranean Gull in Mitilini's Harbor, seen before boarding.The ship was, as usual, followed by Cory's Sherwaters. There was a group of low

flying birds far away, of which two came close enough to be told as "Manx-like

Shearwater", so certainlyYelkouan Shearwaters.

Comprehensive List

English name Scientific name Comment

Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna tadorna 12.7, Perasma, 2 ad. 2 juv.

Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea 5.7 and 12.7, off Mitilini.

Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan 12.7, off Mitilini, 2+.

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 12.7, Perasma, 15.

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus 10.7, Kalloni saltpans, 200+.

Black Stork Ciconia nigra 10.7, Kalloni saltpans, 2.

12.7, Perasma, 1.

White Stork Ciconia ciconia 10.7, Alykes wetlands, 1.

Grey Heron Ardea cinera 10.7, Kalloni saltpans, 1.

Great White Egret Ardea alba 10.7, Kalloni saltpans, 1.

Little Egret Egretta garzetta 10.7, Kalloni saltpans, 6+.

European Shag Leucocarbo aristotelis 8.7, Molivos, 1.

European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus 5.7, Labou Mili forest, 1.

11.7, Kalloni forest, 1.

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Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus 7.7, Ipsilometopo, 2. 10.7, Petra, 1.

12.7, Perasma, 1.

Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus 11.7, Kalloni forest, 1 m.

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo ssp buteo

Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus 10.7, Petra, 1. 12.7, Perasma, 2.

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae 8.7, Ipsilou, 1.

Eurasian Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus 10.7, Alykes wetlands, 3.

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 10.7, Kalloni saltpans, 4 ad 1 juv.

Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta 10.7, Kalloni saltpans, 3

Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrines 10.7, Kalloni saltpans, 3.

10.7, Alykes wetland, 1 ad 1 juv.

Common Redshank Tringa tetanus 10.7, Kalloni saltpans, 6.

Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus 12.7, Perasma, 1.

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos 12.7, Perasma, 1.

Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus 10.7, Kalloni saltpans.

Mediterranean Gull Ichthyaetus melanocephalus 12.7, Mitilini, 1 ad.

Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis

Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia 7.7, Petra, 1 ad.

Little Tern Sternula albifrons 10.7, Kalloni saltpans, 2.

Common Tern Sterna hirundo 5.7, Mitilini, 1 juv.

10.7, Kalloni saltpans

feral Rock Dove Columba livia 5.7 and 12.7, Mitilini.

Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur

Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto

Little Owl Athene noctua 5.7, Petra, 1.

Common Swift Apus apus

Alpine Swift Apus melba 8.7, Molivos, 2+. 9.7, Petra, 1.

12.7,Perasma, 2+

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European Bee-eater Merops apiaster 6.7, Kavaki, 1. 8.7, Vatoussa, 1+.

10.7, Kalloni saltpans, Alykes wetlands,

12.7, Perasma, 8.

Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops 12.7, Perasma, 1.

Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius Heard frequently and sometimes seen.Seems to like any wooded area.

Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator 6.7, Kavaki. 8.7, Ipsilou. 9.7, Efthalou.

10.7, Kalloni. 12.7, Perasma.

Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus 6.7, Skoutaros. 9.7, Efthalou.

Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius ssp atricapillus

Western Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Flocks at Petra daily and Perasma 12.7

Hooded Crow Corvus cornix

Northern Raven Corvus corax 12.7, Perasma, 4.

Sombre Tit Poecile lugubris 6.7, Kavaki. 6.7, Skoutaros. 7.7, Ipsilometopo.

8.7, Ipsilou. 9.7 Efthalou. 12.7, Perasma.

Coal Tit Periparus ater 11.7, Kalloni forest

Great Tit Parus major

Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus

Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla 10.7, Alykes wetlands, 5+

Crested Lark Galerida cristata 9.7, Efthalou. 9.7, Petra.

10.7, Kalloni saltpans.

10.7, Alykes wetlands. 12.7, Perasma.

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris 8.7, Vatoussa.

House Martin Delichon urbicum

Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica 5.7, Petra. 6.7, Skoutaros. 8.7, Vatoussa.

8.7, Ipsilou. 10.7, Kalloni saltpans.

12.7, Perasma.

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida 7.7, Petri, 1. 12.7, Perasma, 2 ad 2 juv.

Subalpine Warbler Silvia cantillans 6.7, Kavaki. 7.7, Ipsilometopo. 9.7, Efthalou.

Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes 11.7, Kalloni forest.

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Western Rock Nuthatch Sitta neumayer 6.7, Skoutaros. 7.7, Ipsilometopo.

8.7, Vatoussa, Ipsilou. 9.7, Efthalou.

Common Blackbird Turdus merula

European Stonechat Saxicola torquata 8.7, Ipsilou, 1 f. 1 juv.

Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica 6.7, Petra. 7.7, Ipsilometopo.

8.7, Ipsilou. 9.7, Efthalou. 12.7, Perasma.

House Sparrow Passer domesticus

Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia 8.7, Ipsilou, 1+.

White wagtail Motacilla alba 10.7, Kalloni. 12.7, Perasma.

Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs

European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris

European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina

Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra 10.7, Alykes wetlands, 1.

Cretzschmar's Bunting Emberiza caesia 8.7, Ipsilou, 1 m. 2 ft. 12.7, Perasma, 6.

Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus 8.7, Vatoussa. 8.7, Ipsilou. 9.7, Efthalou.

11.7, Kalloni forest.

Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala 12.7, Perasma, 6.