Lesbos Birding Trip Report 6th – 20th May 2004

(or,  ‘Lesbos III’ – continued ramblings of a middle-aged birder)

by Terry Fenton 

Introduction 

For our third trip to Lesbos we left the expensive tours and first charter from Manchester (First Choice) to either the rich or ‘hard-core’ birders and opted for one of the cheaper packages that flew out on the 6th May. As we were a week later than last year, I expected fewer birds but more settled weather. The birds did not disappoint, but the weather was a surprise compared to last years exceptionally early warm spring. A nippy and sometimes strong wind was almost ever-present, with occasional thunderstorms and evening temperatures requiring three layers for ‘al-fresco’ dinning! There was plenty of sunshine, and Barbara swam in the sea every day, though I only managed a pleasant paddle at Vatera (wimp!).  

The birds were brilliant, with nine lifers (plus two ‘heard only’) including the hoped for Rose-coloured Starlings, and the triumph, for me (after all the hours put in last spring) of Great Spotted Cuckoo on my ‘patch’. As I’d seen the island’s ‘special’ birds last year, my intention was to be more laid-back and investigate my ‘patch’ more thoroughly (which I did) but still couldn’t resist the lure of Kalloni and successfully twitched the Spur-winged Plovers.  

Essential reading 

Birding on the Greek Island of Lesvos, Richard Brooks,  ISBN 0 9527249 2 8

Lesvos Update Spring-Summer 2001,         “          “        ISBN 0 9527249 5 2

Lesvos Update Spring-Summer 2002,        “           “       ISBN 0 9527249 6 0

Lesvos Update Summer ‘02-Summer 2003, “          “       ISBN 0 9527249 7 9

Road Editions 212 Lesbos 1:70,000 road map                 ISBN 960-8481-92-9

Collins Bird Guide, Svensson/Grant                                ISBN 0 00 711332 3

and the old faithful, Peterson Mountford and Hollom

Field Guide to the Birds of Britain  and Europe                 ISBN 0 00 219073 7  

Page numbers in text refer to site descriptions in ‘Birding on the Greek Island of Lesbos’ unless otherwise stated.

Diary 

Thursday 6th May Airport – Aeolis Hotel, Molyvos 

Arrived 15 minutes early at 12:15pm to a stiff southerly wind and bright warm sunshine. From the coach the Derbyshire area looked very wet and held eight Little Egrets. The main channel at Kalloni saltpans was full and the usual Greater Flamingos, Avocets and Black-winged Stilts together with one Whiskered Tern were present, but only two birders were seen - (ominous?). 

At the hotel we relaxed on the balcony with tea and home–made fruitcake (so that’s why my case was so heavy!). We learnt that the Island had a severe winter with temperatures of –10o for 4-5 days, severe wind chill and snow and ice. These low temperatures killed off many sensitive plants including Lemon trees, and severely damaged Oleanders and the supposedly hardy Eucalyptus gunnii around Molyvos. The Eucalyptus at least seemed to be recovering with many new epicormic shoots.  

From the balcony I saw three Black-headed Buntings, Olivaceous Warbler, a male Whinchat, Corn Buntings, Black-eared and Northern Wheatear (nesting in the hotel grounds), 15 Bee-eaters flew west, as did two Cory’s Shearwaters, and a Squacco Heron arrived off the sea!  Giorgio the hotel owner had learned to live with nesting House Martins and had placed shelves under their nests to collect their droppings!    

Below Molyvos castle were three Yellow Wagtails, a Northern Wheatear and two Alpine Swifts and a presumed juvenile Peregrine flew by very low.  

Friday 7th May  - Local ‘patch’ of Petra reservoir (dam) (p58) 

Green ‘way marker’ signs have been erected all over the Island that identify access tracks, which is a great help. I took the ‘donkey farm track’ to Petra dam (leave Molyvos towards Eftalou and turn right below the campsite. Turn left after a blue building, the track has olive groves on the right and open hillside on the left and crosses two rivers before emerging at the Vafios road near the track to the dam). 

The area had Spotted Flycatchers, Whinchats, Black-eared Wheatear, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Red-backed, Woodchat and Masked Shrike, Nightingale, Lesser Whitethroat, Cetti’s, Sedge, Great Reed, Marsh, Olivaceous and Orphean Warbler, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Sombre Tit and my first lifer, a brightly coloured Icterine Warbler working its way along the riverside trees.  

The water level at the dam was lower than last year with about four metres of plastic exposed. The dam wall had a line of netted shingle along its length and the top end had a gravelly ‘beach’. These may be the environmental improvements mentioned in the 2002 Spring-Summer Update (p 18). Being situated in a north–south valley, with clear views to Turkey, and plenty of ‘hot rocks’ for thermals, it would seem an ideal raptor route.  

A Common Sandpiper was present with the usual large flock of Yellow-legged Gulls. Many of the birds listed above were present below the dam and around the scrubby hillside that had suffered a fire. Subalpine Warblers were very numerous here as were Cirl Buntings. My attention was drawn to a ‘Great Reed Warbler-type’ song coming from the dry rocky hillside on the edge of the burnt area. I thought it might have been Olive Tree Warbler but investigation only turned up a Great Reed Warbler! I did flush a Chukar for my trouble.  

Following the reported ‘probable’ Pied Wheatear in the Spring-Summer ‘03 Update (p31), I did a quick ‘recce’ of the ‘Vafios-Eftalou’ valley prior to walking it on the 15th. It held Short-toed Eagle, a Long-Legged Buzzard that hovered on slightly twitching wings in one spot for fully two minutes, Black-eared (not Pied) Wheatear, Cirl and Cretzschmar’s Bunting and another three Chukar.  

Saturday 8th May  -  Kalloni area (via Petra dam)  

My second daily visit to Petra dam turned up a cracker – though I didn’t realise at the time! The river crossings on the ‘donkey farm track’ were much quieter than yesterday – everything moved on? The Common Sandpiper was still at the dam as was a wader I couldn’t readily identify! I made notes, first impression was of a small Dunlin because it had quite a long down-curved bill, but its back was dark with rich chestnut patches and two white lines down its back like a Little Stint, which I thought it might be, (but that bill?) The bird seemed ‘pot-bellied’ (an impression created due to its relatively short legs) as it slowly walked along the waters edge picking at insects. There was a distinct broad supercilium and dark breast-band contrasting with the white belly. I moved position for a closer look and was just getting the ‘scope up when the bird flew uttering a hoarse ‘cheew-eet’. It showed a light wing-bar and had the tail/rump pattern of Dunlin/Little Stint. I’d been looking at a Broad-billed Sandpiper, a good start to the day! 

The birders with me at the time mentioned that a Spur-winged Plover had been seen in the Kalloni area – I was off! 

Rüppell’s Warblers were showing well at the lay-bys (p58) and a pair of Long-legged Buzzards, one carrying prey, circled below Lafionas. From the re-roofed  ‘bandstand’ raptor stop above Kalloni (p61) a distant Short-toed Eagle circled and I gleaned conflicting gen on the location of the plover.  

I started at my favourite spot, the west bank of the West River (p29, location of last years Terek Sandpiper). A new wider bridge had been constructed and unfortunately piles of rubble had been dumped on the salt marsh where four Little Terns, a Black Tern, three ‘Feldegg’ Yellow Wagtails and a Wood Sandpiper were feeding. A Cormorant flew out to sea and beyond the farm buildings were six Kentish Plover, four Curlew Sandpipers, ten Little Stints (the wader at Petra dam definitely wasn’t one), and four noisy Stone Curlews. The last pool before the beach had a Greater Flamingo, Curlew, Greenshank, two Black-winged Stilts, four White-winged Black Terns, but no Spur-winged! 

The growth of vegetation at Kalloni pool (p28) made viewing difficult but I managed to pick out seven Glossy Ibis and nesting Black-winged Stilts.

 Kalloni Pool.  Perhaps official policy is to let ‘natural’ succession take place i.e. marsh – woodland – hotels!  

The East River (p33) had a White Stork, Purple Heron, two Common Terns, three Wood Sandpipers and a group of birders looking at something interesting – a Spur-winged Plover – incredible! It stood on a rock on what seemed like enormously long legs on the opposite bank in full view! Through the ‘scope the red eye was noticeable as was the white-edged eyelid, a truly handsome bird. 

From the main road into the saltpans (p41) Black-winged Stilts, eight Little Terns, 80 Avocet and hundreds of Greater Flamingo could be seen, and a little further - would you believe it – another Spur-winged Plover! (Typical - you wait 30 years for one to turn up and then two arrive together!) Round the corner the main channel had six Curlew Sandpipers and 12 Little Stints. Then three Pratincoles flew by and headed towards the East River mouth. The one bird I focused on had very dark wing-pits, but I failed to take note of any contrast between the coverts and flight feathers nor the trailing white edge so it’ll have to go down as only a possible Black-winged Pratincole. The other two fly-bys, and two birds on the ground (one in a field towards the East River and the other on the ‘flooded sheep field’ were assumed to be Collared Pratincoles. On the ‘flooded sheep field’ itself (p40) there were 11 Glossy Ibis and a dying sheep.

Sunday 9th May  Tsichranda Beach (west of Anaxos)  

At breakfast, two Little Egret headed east offshore, while a Cormorant and small parties of Sand Martins headed west. A planned trip to Skala Sikaminias was changed, as I had to go to Petra for petrol! (the Molyvos garage being closed on a Sunday – doh!). 

A good track down from Skoutaros lead to a pleasant beach with a little chapel. The marshy area behind the beach may be worth a look earlier in the year. The reedy river mouth had Cetti’s Warblers and a very loud Nightingale, which, on reflection, may have been a Thrush Nightingale (I’d forgotten about that possibility). The scrubby hills had the usual range of birds including Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrike and eight Bee-eaters were excavating nest holes in the track cuttings. A pair of Long-Legged Buzzards drifted down off the crags and landed in pines, while a long-winged, dark and fairly non-descript Lesser Spotted Eagle appeared from the east, circled and drifted towards Skalochori. As it clouded over and threatened to rain Swifts, Barn and Red-rumped Swallows appeared with two Alpine Swifts. In the evening a Barn Owl passed over the hotel screeching. 

Monday 10th May  Kalloni area again  

Following a cloudy night with a stiff northeast wind I wondered if there might be any new migrants. 

The ‘Inland Lake’ (p35, found by crossing the West River – as the road swings left - take the 1st right track sign-posted ‘metochi’) was full as were the adjacent ditches that had been dredged. Things were quiet with only Olivaceous, Sedge and Reed Warblers, Little Grebe, Moorhen and an adult and juvenile Night Heron. 

The West River (p29) was also quieter but had a Golden Plover just moulting into summer plumage, and a Little Owl perched on the fence near the parked construction vehicles. The East River (p33) had two Squacco Herons and Little Ringed Plovers. The ‘flooded sheep field’ (p40) was just about dry. The beach had nine summer plumaged Turnstones, and a Rufus Bush Chat singing from one of the few bushes. The dry pools still had six Kentish Plovers, 16 Ringed Plovers, 13 Glossy Ibis, a pair of ‘flava’ Yellow wagtails, two Ruddy Shelducks with another six on the salt-pans. In the distance to the west were 20 White-winged Black Terns. 

On leaving the ‘flooded sheep field’ three gentlemen asked if I’d seen much, and expressed interest in the Rufus Bush Chat. I thought I’d be helpful and show them the bird through my ‘scope. I set it up, found the bird - still singing from the top of the same bush, “There you are, Rufous Bush Chat” I confidently claimed. The first chap peered through and said nothing for a while, then turned slowly and said, “That’s a Woodchat Shrike”. I instantly felt the prickly heat of embarrassment and looked down the scope – sure enough a Woodchat Shrike, but then up popped the Rufus Bush Chat again to save my blushes. “ Woodchat Shrike and Rufous Bush Chat? That’s some bush!” they said, and trotted off for a closer look. 

Tuesday 11th May  Langada Beach, Mandamados 

A quiet day with my beloved. After visiting the Taxiarchon monastery we endured the long and bumpy descent to the Langada beach, which was grubby and littered with plastic of all shapes and colours. The reedy river mouth (“So that’s why you brought me down here”) had Cetti’s, Olivaceous and Great Reed Warbler. The wooded ridge to the south had a Peregrine Falcon, a pair of Ravens and a pair each of hovering Short-toed Eagle and Long-legged Buzzard. Seven Shags headed north, as we did, to the picturesque fishing hamlet of Limani (a smaller version of Skala Sikaminias). 

Wednesday 12th May   target destination – Faneromeni 

First stop, the Olive Tree Warbler site (p 63, 3Km east of Skalochori. After crossing the valley west of Skoutaros and swinging round to the left, when the distant view of Molyvos disappears in your rear view mirror, slow down because you’ve arrived). At least three singing Olive Tree Warblers were present, though difficult to see in the tops of oaks and olives. Also present were Subalpine and Orphean Warbler, Woodchat and Masked Shrike, Woodlarks, Hoopoe, Cuckoo and Long-legged Buzzard (the same bird as the 9th?).

The ‘Grand Canyon’ (pictured right) (p79) had three pairs of Crag Martins and a pair of Long-legged Buzzards mating on one of the northern crags. Just past the turning for the Perivolis Monastery (p78) I stopped at the bridge over the Voulgaris River to check for flycatchers, but wished I hadn’t. The smell of raw sewerage was most unpleasant. If this is what the river’s like after the winter rains I shudder to think what its like at the end of summer! 

The ’Issy Triangle’ (p71) had a female Cuckoo and three Isabelline Wheatears display singing – hovering and fanning out their tail.                                                                       

Ipsilou Monastery (p 72) had a singing Stonechat, a Rock Sparrow, Rock Nuthatch, Black-eared Wheatear, three Blue Rock Thrushes and a Little Owl. The Long-legged Buzzards showed briefly from the crag to the south. Woodlarks sang from the valley below.  

Faneromeni beach (p74) produced my fourth lifer by way of a Tawny Pipit in the dunes. My first visit to the ‘upper ford’ (p74) produced three Little Bitterns and while counting ten Spotted Flycatchers a pale uniformly brown flycatcher with bold white edges to its dark tail briefly showed before disappearing back into the vegetation. I claimed this as my fifth lifer, a female Red-breasted Flycatcher, but would have preferred a longer view! 

Leaving Sigri (p73), I counted 26 Lesser Kestrels swooping and hovering along the ridge, a pair of Kestrels circled and a Peregrine drifted past.

A two-hour scooter drive back to Molyvos left me rather cold and in no doubt that this trip would be better in a car, though speeding along empty roads, it did give me an inkling of how exhilarating the Isle of Man TT course would be! 

Thursday 13th May  Lepetimnos (p61) 

The Yellow-legged Gulls got rather upset as two Ravens flew over Petra dam.

At the ‘bandstand’ viewpoint one km above Klio a two-hour raptor watch produced one Common Buzzard circling with a dark phase Eleanora’s Falcon, one Goshawk, two Ravens, a pair of Short-toed Eagles working the wooded ridge below and a pair of rufous Long-legged Buzzards, one of which carried prey up to Lepetimnos.

I decided to make the trek up the mountain but it was so windy at the top it was difficult to stand in some of the gusts! Below the lookout there were Crested Larks, Chaffinches and a singing Wren! 

Friday 14th May Walk to Petra (p58) 

The ‘donkey farm track’ had three Alpine Swifts, but the rest of the walk to the dam was very quiet with the highlight being three Marsh Warblers singing below the dam. Just beyond the end of the reservoir a very interesting noise came from an uncut hayfield – a loud buzzing song, like a slow Grasshopper Warbler but with a metallic humming undertone. I took this to be the reported River Warbler. The bird never showed and I didn’t want to trample the crop so I’ll have to wait till next year?

The old quarry at the end of the track where it turns downhill to Petra had a pair of Crag Martins building a nest. From Petra beach ten Jackdaws were seen flying out to the cliff on one of the offshore islands. At the Rüppell's lay-by, young were heard as a male Rüppell's Warbler carried in food to the nest by the side of the road.   

Saturday 15th May   circular walk to Vafios 

A fairly uneventful slog up the main road to Vafios produced Cirl and Cretzschmar’s Buntings, plenty of Nightingales, a dead squashed viper and great views. Just over two kms beyond Vafios a track leads down to the left with a new green sign marked ‘Eftalou’ (the white track shown on the Road Editions map). This leads down a beautiful valley and emerges onto the main Molyvos-Eftalou road at the campsite. The author in the ‘Vafios-Eftalou’ valley is pictured below.

A little way into the valley three Alpine Swifts appeared as did a Short-toed Eagle that obligingly posed on a crag. All the Black-eared Wheatears were examined to check for Pied but none were found.  

  Below the sheep farm I saw one Cretzschmar’s singing from a bush and another paler looking bird also singing 20 metres away. The last note of the song was lower, as with Cretzschmar’s, but had a more rolling whistling quality. As I ‘scoped the bird it dropped to the ground but I quickly relocated it. The first striking thing was the large yellow eye-ring and yellow moustache stripe. The head was a much paler grey and the under parts paler brown than Cretzschmar’s. The bird, an Ortolan Bunting crept low amongst the ground vegetation before disappearing.

The area to the north of the track has signs, I’m reliably informed, that say ‘No hunting – protected area’. They clearly wind-up the local hunters as a number of them have been blasted with shot.

Lower down the valley a family party of Rock Nuthatches were noisy and whitewash on a crag may be the nest site of the local Kestrels, a juvenile with a male being seen.

Back at the hotel a 45-minute pre-dinner ‘lager and pistachio’ sea-watch produced three Audouin’s Gulls passing west, one bird pursuing a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull skua style. One Mediterranean Shearwater passed east and one west. 

Sunday 16th May   Molyvos 

A stroll to the castle (p59) along the ‘back lane’ produced an Isabelline Wheatear that flew from the open hillside and perched in an olive grove pretending to be a flycatcher. A Peregrine and two Kestrels circled the castle and below there was a male and a pair of Northern Wheatears feeding young. Black-eared Wheatears were present and a Lesser Grey Shrike perched on the only bush. Two Rock Doves flew by and a juvenile Shag was on rocks below the lighthouse. That evening a Scops Owl hopped around the Plane tree in Kyriakou square. 

Monday 17th May Agiasos via Kalloni and Vatera 

The early bird (er)………………For the last three years Great Spotted Cuckoo’s have been reported in the area bounded by the section of the Molyvos-Vafios road from the garage to the dam turning, the wooded ridge running above the coast road, and the reservoir. The habitat is open sheep grazing with scattered trees and bushes. Following recent sightings I decided on a new strategy never before tried on holiday – the early start! 

I was up at 6am and at 6:20am I’d parked the car at the top of the concrete road leading off the bend in the main road between the two Rüppell's lay-bys. At the top of the hill the road becomes a track, which if followed to the right, leads past a sheep farm overlooking the Petra dam. The track continues downhill and joins the track to the dam.    

Red backed and Woodchat Shrikes were singing along with Subalpine and Orphean Warbler. Jays were out in the open feeding on the ground. Above the sheep farm I heard a chattering and turned to see a very long-tailed bird sitting on a dead branch – bins up - and YES, at 7:08am – a Great Spotted Cuckoo. Scope up - its crest was obvious as were the white spots all over its grey upper parts. It sat for two minutes calling continuously charr-charr-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha delivered noisily and rapidly like machine-gun fire. Another bird replied from bushes behind me and the two birds were mobbed by passerines as they flew down towards the sheep farm. 

I didn’t relocate them, but a Common Buzzard arrived only to be mobbed by the local Kestrel and 80 Swifts glided down to hawk over the reservoir. Speeding home for breakfast the number ‘9’ seemed to ‘cloud’ my thoughts. 

Kalloni saltpans (p41) had 4 Little Stints and 250 Curlew Sandpipers in the first two pans, together with two larger, plump waders with chestnut bellies resting with head tucked back. The only bird I could think of was Red Knot - a scarce visitor? Further on there were fluffy young Avocets, a Whiskered Tern, three Black Storks rose and circled high and 200 Swifts were over the fields. 

‘Derbyshire’ (p42) had seven Shelduck and still quite a lot of water. At Polichnitos the White Stork was on its nest on the Chimney. Many trees in the pinewoods had been ‘tapped’ to collect resin to flavour retzina (that’s why it tastes so rough!).

The Almiropotamos river mouth at Vatera (p48) had ten Little Egrets, Reed and Olivaceous Warbler, nesting Moorhen and a Coot! The tamarisks at Agios Fokas had nesting Spanish Sparrows and a 20-minute sea watch produced four groups of Mediterranean Shearwaters totalling 63 plus one Shag, but no sign of the hoped for Rose Coloured Starlings. 

We arrived at Agiasos (p49) and followed the directions on page 52 to the start of the walk. The directions were fine, though most of the flowers were over. The trees were in full leaf and dripping wet following a thunderstorm. The presence of stitchwort, nettles, bracken, bramble, hawthorn, hazel and toadstools gave the area a very familiar feel to it, as if in Cornwall or the Wye Valley rather than a Greek island (good place to visit if you feel homesick). The bird-life was more familiar as well with Blackbirds, Cuckoo, Nightingales, three Wrens, a Chiffchaff and a Common Buzzard. At the furthest point of the walk where you cross the stream I heard some peculiar noises that I assumed were Jays pushing the boundaries of their vocal chords, and a call sounding just like the ‘chip’ of a crossbill. I took this to be Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler and later heard its single noted rattle, though couldn’t locate it in the dense canopy. The walk took just over two hours, though we were pushing it a bit, as dingy, wet, scratchy, woodlands are not Barbara’s favourite habitat! Agiasos from the Circular Walk is shown on the right.

Tuesday 18th May    The Wild West  

Another early start – 6:20am. Feeling very satisfied I’d seen my Cuckoo at last, I searched for River Warbler (in the rain!) below Petra dam but only found Whitethroat, Cetti’s, Reed, two Great Reed, Olivaceous and three Marsh Warblers. Three Grey Herons were on the dam. The Great Spotted Cuckoo ‘posse’ was six-strong but had no luck. They did turn up a singing Golden Oriole. I got great views of it as it flitted from bush to bush singing it’s fluty yodelling whistle, while unbeknown to me, a Black Stork passed overhead! 

We left the cloud and rain of Molyvos for the sunshine in the west. The ‘Grand Canyon’ (p79) had singing Wren and Black-eared Wheatears and Persian Squirrels clambering over the rocks (earlier lots were seen drinking rainwater from the road). Two Blue Rock Thrushes were present (still no Rock Thrush) and a Mistle Thrush was carrying food, presumably to a nest. 

Two Black Storks were seen just before Ipsilou Monastery and another seen over the Meladia River mouth. Following a tip off I backtracked to the gully just after the ‘Issy Triangle’ (marked ‘Vigla’ on the map). At the head of the gully 15 Rock Sparrows were being noisy in some bushes, three Red-backed, a Woodchat and a Lesser Grey Shrike were hunting from bushes, and above the road sitting on fence wire was a very pale small shrike! It’s head and back were unmarked light sandy brown with slightly darker wings with pale fringes to the coverts. A pale eye ring, eye stripe and vague mask were visible; the white under parts had ever so fine vermiculation to the breast and flanks. The rusty brown tail looked like it had some feathers missing. I checked the book, as did the birder with the yin and yang ear-stud who found it, and came to the same conclusion – a first winter Isabelline Shrike! Many thanks to that birder, and apologies for writing you off as a beginner as I passed you earlier, head in book! A quick search for the reported Rock Bunting proved fruitless. 

Fifteen Jackdaws circled over Sigri (p73) and driving through the village we arrived at the small beach on the south side of the village. As I pulled up above the beach I said to Barbara “ Here we are, this is the beach I thought you’d like. I’ll just reverse into this car park and………..LOOK AT THESE ROSE COLOURED STARLINGS!” Stunned disbelief turned to exhilaration as I counted at least 60 noisy birds devouring the ripe fruit on the adjacent Mulberry tree, and to cap it all a sub-adult Golden Oriole and pair of Blackcaps were also present. 

We ate lunch on the beach watching the noisy spectacle when a sharp ‘ker-splat!’ echoed out and the Starlings took off and landed in the nearby fruit trees. I thought it might have been a local firing a catapult into the tree to (understandably) protect his fruit. It was worse than that. A youth with an air rifle was standing under the tree aiming for another shot! Then the Golden Oriole shot out and into a nearby fig tree. In spite of my glowering the youth continued to stalk the bird. One for the diplomats.    

   The magic mulberry, Sigri. There are 25 Rose-coloured starlings visible – honest!  

A quick visit to the dry lower ford at Faneromeni (p74) proved fruitless, though a Rufus Bush Chat singing from a dilapidated building was nice. The (still wet) upper ford had three Spotted Flycatchers and a Black Stork passing high. More luck at Faneromeni beach where another flock of 60 Rose-coloured Starlings were devouring someone’s unprotected cherries in the beachside villa. 

Wednesday 19th May Petra dam 

The offer of a lift to the dam got me out of bed, and a ‘thrash’ of the bushes below the dam with my two companions produced Cetti’s, Reed, Great Reed, Subalpine, Orphean, and five frustratingly illusive Marsh Warblers. Raptors included a male Kestrel dissecting a lizard, a Short-toed Eagle, two noisy Peregrines and a Little Owl at the sheep farm. I took the ‘donkey farm track’ back to try for a reported Red-footed Falcon but drew a blank. Later that afternoon four Short-toed Eagles were together over Eftalou and another Audwin’s Gull and two Common Terns passed west. 

Thursday 20th May  Coach to airport 

Though packed up and coach-bound the birding continued. A White Stork was on its nest at Arisvi and a chorus of “Rose-coloured Starlings” rang out as a dozen flew past! The Gatwick flight suffered a three-hour delay so I explored the southern perimeter of the airport. A Cuckoo and Common Buzzard were on the hillside and I found five singing Sardinian Warblers, one singing from the fence itself. Three ancient mulberry trees on the eastern perimeter might prove fruitful in the future? 

For the ‘anoraks’ more interested in numbers than in birds, I saw 134 species and now have a total Lesbos tally of 167. The nice round number of 150 should be achievable in two weeks for the dedicated birder - with a bit of luck. 

A big EFHARISTO to all the friendly birders I met and exchanged info with and, at this stage, cannot rule out the possibility of seeing you all next year?

If you have any feedback, favourable or otherwise I can be contacted at terryfenton@blueyonder.co.uk