LESVOS!!! Diary Part 2; The Gift that Keeps on Giving!

Monday 21st April

Since this was our first visit to Lesvos I knew we'd be leaning heavily on our friends for guidance and advice on where to go and what to look for. Indeed, they had (kind of) agreed to be our unofficial (and unpaid) guides for the week. So our itinerary for the first few days at least, would be set by them. They had all visited Lesvos several times before so knew the best places to go and where to see the special birds of the island. They also knew other regular Lesvos birders, so had first hand information on what birds may be around and where. We also had the local WhatsApp group to glean details from, and with so many visiting birders, that was updated regularly throughout the day.

For our first full day, it was decided that local sites to the hotel and Kalloni would be the choice to allow everybody to recuperate from the journey. Mrs Caley and I were thrilled that we'd be taking it easy and wouldn't be going out until after taking breakfast at the hotel. I was surprised therefore, that I didn't see the others at the breakfast buffet. Once more I'd shown my naivety in being new to this game (birding abroad). Our friends had all chosen to drive out to the Tsiknias at first light (because that's what you do here) for some birding before breakfast. We were somehow managing to miss out on stuff even though we gaining so much more. My FOMO was escalating. I also didn't yet feel confident enough of venturing out to places I didn't know, which seems rather pathetic now I look back on things. So we waited for our friends to return, and it was only when they didn't by the time we'd finished our food, that I messaged Jason to find out what their plans were. Thankfully he agreed to come and collect us from the hotel again and eventually we followed him towards the river and the salt pans. We had at least used some of the time while we waited, watching House Martins and Swallows collect mud to line their nests attached to the hotel building.

Swallow

House Martin

We drove to the Tsiknias River, I vaguely recognised the way from the night before, although I was still agonising after my driving problems from then, so didn't recall too much detail. When we passed the "Bee-eater" tree I remembered a bit more and knew where we were. Jason pulled his car up at the top of the river bank and we followed suit. The three of us then walked down the track towards an open hide that overlooked the river mouth where we could see a small flock of Greater Flamingos. The unmistakable lanky pink birds were mostly asleep but a few were sifting through the water for food. They had an almost as lanky, but much smaller, black & white Avocet for company. 

Greater Flamingos & Avocet

I could hear the excited garble of a Warbler species singing nearby. Jason told me that it was an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, a very common bird on Lesvos and found in just about every habitat where there was scrubland. We had seen an Olivaceous Warbler at Farlington Marshes in Hampshire back in 2019, so this bird wasn't a lifer. We found it singing energetically from a tamarisk bush. Once I'd seen it, I realised that we'd already seen few, in the hotel gardens earlier that morning. I just hadn't twigged what I'd been looking at. Maybe early morning brain fog had affected me, and so far I had allowed myself to get out my depth somewhat. I needed to slow down and take everything in more. Olivaceous Warblers look a bit like washed out Reed Warblers with huge heads. And boy, do they make some noise. I suppose they have to, in an effort to drown out the Nightingales!

Olivaceous Warbler

We did have a lifer to add to our lists a few moments later, when two Pygmy Cormorants breezed past at the mouth of the river. Pygmy Cormorants are recent colonists of Lesvos, and as the name suggests are diminutive members of their family. They were heading west and right out at the river mouth so very distant but I was pleased to grab a couple of record shots. The flight profile was very distinctive with the tail almost as long as the extended neck and head. I could expect to see a few more during the week.

Pygmy Cormorant

We followed Jason up to the Lower Ford on the Tsiknias and parked alongside a small collection of birders, including the rest of our party. Apparently a Little Crake had been seen earlier in the morning but that bird had disappeared. However, there was another bird of note in the reed filled channel, and one that I had really wanted to see; a beautiful lemony-yellow Citrine Wagtail! I had been one Citrine Wagtail before, a bird I actually found myself at Slimbridge WWT during the Covid epidemic, although at the time I blotted my copybook by not realising that the pale grey and white bird was a Citrine Wagtail. The identification was established by a far better birder than myself about half an hour later. At least there was no issues in identifying the bird that was picking its way through the eater and vegetation in the Tsiknias. A definite upgrade on the Slimbridge bird. The grey smudging on the crown and cheek suggested that it was a female, although others supposed it could be an immature male yet to moult into full summer dress. To my eyes it was a Citrine Wagtail, plain and simple, and certainly good enough!

Citrine Wagtail

A commotion in the bushes next to our parked car, revealed a mini-battle going on between two Cetti's Warblers. Cetti's are becoming very common in our area at home, especially on Otmoor. More often than not though, it's only the explosive song that denotes their presence and they seldom actually show themselves. Here, at around ten feet away were two birds brazenly flaunting themselves at each other and oblivious to us standing near watching. It's strange I think, how birds that are furtive back at home, can be so showy on an island a thousand odd miles away. I guess it's all down to the level of disturbance and intrusion created by the much larger population in the UK. The only problem here was the inability to photograph the birds because they never settled and they really were, often too close for me to focus the camera on them!

Cetti's Warbler

We crossed the ford, easily now I had mastered the controls of the car, and travelled via another rough track back to the main road. We drove the short way to the turning for the salt pans. There was more traffic on the road on this working day but still nowhere near the levels we are used to in Oxfordshire. I had to be a bit more wary though, especially as I was still a bit green driving on the "wrong side" of the road. So far I'd waited for Jason in the lead car to pull up before stopping but when I spotted a White Stork stalking around a grassy field I couldn't resist stopping for a better look. Mrs Caley pointed out that there was a pair of the birds feeding amongst the lush meadow. The height of the grass and wildflowers was illustrated by the fact that we couldn't see much of the legs of the birds at all, and they are another "lanky" species. Because of reintroduction and release projects in the UK, any record and sightings of White Storks back home are subject to much scrutiny and very rarely accepted by the records committees. No such issues with White Storks on Lesvos, and we enjoyed watching them catch grasshoppers and other bugs. This was probably the closest I'd ever been to wild White Storks, and I was surprised by how scruffy they looked with their shaggy neck feathers. They are much less prehistoric looking than their cousins, the Black Stork, and look much "kinder", not that would matter one iota to the dozens of insects that they were finding and despatching.

White Stork

We drove on, I could see the others and their car up ahead of us. This was now very relaxing and we were loving it, idling along for a bit and then stopping when a bird and photo opportunity presented itself. A pair (one of many, oxymoron, ha!) of probably the lankiest birds of all, Black-winged Stilts caught my attention, and I happily took photos out of the car window. The male bird sports a black crown and semi-collar. The sun was beaming down, it was going to be a warm day, and I felt calmed, the rigours of the journey and the day before banished from my memory. This was more what I expected from Lesvos, and from myself. 

Black-winged Stilt

We joined our friends parked up alongside hide number 2. There are three hides overlooking various parts of the salt pans, imaginatively named 1,2&3. All of them offer lofty views over the lakes and marshes, since they are all built on stilts (everything here seems to have long legs). We could leave the car for a while, and we stood basking in the warmth while listening to Corn Buntings rattling from all corners of the pans. One of them obligingly perched upon an overhead wire fifty metres along the road, so I sauntered up to take a photo or two for the holiday album. 

Corn Bunting

Better still but only because they're new and I'd been wowed by them the evening before, on my way back to the hide I joined Peter, who was photographing a male Red-throated Pipit that was perched on the same wire. This was what I'd paid up for. Before I'd arrived on Lesvos, Red-throated Pipit was a much wanted bird and one that I'd dreamt of seeing firsthand. Now I was watching my third already. They are gorgeous little birds and comfortably the "best dressed" of all the Pipits that I've seen. The morning was going swimmingly, with birds abounding and my photography opportunities unbounded. Just look at the fabulous blue background to so many of my photos. A far cry from rainy and grey Britain.

Red-throated Pipit

Mrs Caley and I ascended the steps up to the hide. Our friends had their scopes trained on a Gull-billed Tern. Again we'd only seen one before, on a wet day in Birkenhead. This particular Gull-billed Tern was resting on a small island but obliged us soon after by not only taking flight but also by banking and flying right past the hide. My unofficial guides were doing a fine job and my lists of wants was shrinking by the minute.

Gull-billed Tern

We drove on towards the racetrack, near to where we'd seen the Zitting Cisticola the evening before. I made several short stops along the way, confident now that I'd find the others again even if they kept going, the track was a dead end anyway so I couldn't lose them. First I pulled up to get a few more shots of Wood Sandpipers which were once again, everywhere where there was water.

Wood Sandpiper

Next pitstop was to watch an energetic pair of Black-winged Stilts which were cavorting along the drainage channel. I was lucky to get some cracking point blank views of one as it chased the other. There are lots of long-legged birds around the salt pans, but inch for inch, the Stilts must be the leggiest of all of them. Those long red legs trail way behind the tail when the birds fly.

Black-winged Stilt

A Crested Lark landed right by us and began pecking away at the short vegetation on the dried up mud. I remember Peter telling me that I'd really enjoy taking photos on Lesvos and he wasn't wrong. Apart from trundling along the shore of Lochindorb in the Highlands of Scotland where similar opportunities present themselves albeit in usually inclement weather, I'd never been able to witness so many birds as closely from the comfort of a vehicle. The only thing I had to remember was that when I moved on, I was suppose to use the right side of the tracks and not the left!

Crested Lark

We parked up behind by the racecourse, where chariot racing used to take place apparently, and met up with the rest of our crew. There were no other birders around although we could see a few other cars repeating what I'd just been doing along the track. The last section of track beyond the Zitting Cisticola field was very rough and gave us a taste of what was to come when we ventured out into the more remote parts of the island later in the week. Jason suggested we walk along the track into an area which was known as a good spot for a couple of rarer residents of Lesvos, namely Tawny Pipit and Greater Short-toed Lark. Andy & Hannah had also arrived after birding in another part of the complex so as a group of eight, we would have more chances of spotting our quarries. A few hundred metres along the track, I had my first moment of personal glory when a glance upwards, because I'd noticed a shadow pass over the track ahead of me, revealed my first ever Short-toed Eagle. I was a bit slow, and wished I'd seen it a little bit quicker, with the camera, so the shots I captured were of the bird after it had already passed overhead but to be fair, I wasn't expecting the huge bird of prey to even be in this part of Lesvos, thinking I needed to be on higher ground for them. Seeing the bird flying relatively low brought back the slightly agonising memory of standing on a Scottish hill all day near Brora forlornly waiting for one to appear there. Now I had one. Lesvos just kept on giving and I had eagle-eyes for once!

Short-toed Eagle

And neither was it going stop bringing the goodies either. A short while later, Jason pointed out a Greater Short-toed Lark although our viewing was now hampered by the mid-morning heat haze. We'd go on to see several more over the next fifteen minutes. Then Andy announced that he thought he heard a Tawny pipit, and then found the bird perched on a squat prickly shrub. I quickly fired off some shots which confirmed the identity. Our third lifer of the morning and six for the trip already! We also found a couple of Whinchats on the perimeter fence of the salt compound, and a few Red-rumped Swallows flew overhead, a bird which I hoped that I'd see a lot more of and gain some photos of while on Lesvos.

Short-toed Lark

Tawny Pipit

We left an excellent mornings birding behind, and after a brief lunch stop in Skala Kalloni, followed the others out westwards from the village. A mile or so from the hotel we turned off onto a dusty track and seemingly headed into the back of beyond. I had no idea where we were going but when we all pulled up under the shade of a tree next to a small lake, I realised that we'd arrived at Metochi. I'd read about this place in Brook's books, in which it had been referred to as "Kalloni Inland Lake". This I knew from my readings, was a top spot for Crakes and Herons, so my anticipation went up a notch yet again. It was a popular place too, with quite a few birders already there.

The day was very warm for so early in the year, so we stayed under the cool shade of the tree for a while and watched the many Swallows and Swifts that were flying low over the water and dipping in for drinks of water. I now knew this was the place where many photographers would come to try to capture the birds taking the sips of water although none were trying now in the heat of the day. Early morning or late afternoon would be better. After a while we made our way to a grassy area and stood watching the reedy edge of the lake, hoping for the aforementioned birds. A chap told us that there was at least one Little Crake present. Our first reward was a Pygmy Cormorant that flew in and landed in a bare tree at the end of the lake. Closer than the ones seen earlier at the mouth of the Tsiknias but no easier to photograph because of the heat shimmer.

Pygmy Cormorant

Jason spotted the Little Crake first, his eyes are keen, picking its way slowly through the bank side vegetation. I had trouble pinpointing the Crake, a fine blue-fronted male, but after a couple of minutes of guidance from Mrs Caley who had no such problems, I finally got the camera onto it. Not my first Little Crake, I'd seen the juvenile at Milton Keynes a couple of years ago, but my first male. As you may know, I am a blue boy, lover of most things blue, so this bird was a real treat. There are too many birds that sport red as their main colour and not enough blue ones. On Lesvos though, blue was coming good.

Little Crake

Keen-eyes was at it again when he spotted a female Little Bittern secreted amongst the reeds next to a small inlet. This bird was tricky to see, although looking through a scope made it easier (we hadn't packed ours for this trip which in hindsight was a mistake not to). The small Heron species resolutely stayed hidden in the reeds before melting away and disappearing. It was becoming too hot in the open so we sought the refuge of the shade under the tree again.

Little Bittern

There were a pair of Coots on the lake, apparently not a very common bird here, and Common Buzzards soared overhead. I was hoping to see a Long-legged Buzzard while on Lesvos but we couldn't turn any of the ones overhead into one. Another familiar species at home was found in the paddock by the tree. Familiar, and yet not, since the Jay that we were looking at was of the Middle-eastern race (Garrulus glandarius atricapillus) and had a black crown so looked ever so slightly different.

Jay (Greek version)

I stopped to take some photos of Stripe-necked Terrapins which were basking in a muddy stream that flowed under a bridge and into the lake. My daughter loves to see photos of amphibians, turtles and other odd-looking scaly, slimy creatures. There were hundreds of the Terrapins around the lake. Although I'm not entirely fussed by creatures other than birds, it was good to see a new animal species. I was looking forward to seeing some of lizards that are found here too, if we could find some.

Stripe-necked Terrapin

As we drove away, our lead car stopped suddenly, and our four friends were out and pointing at something. We followed suit. The focus of attention was on an olive grove where Peter had spotted a pair of Masked Shrikes on a telegraph wire. This was a bird that was high on my list of wants, so I was more than a bit disappointed to hear that the birds had flown further back and out of sight. Therein lies the only problem of requiring someone to show you the way; by trailing behind those who know where they're going, you inevitably miss stuff because they get to the bird first, and that bird can be gone by the time you reach it, even if it's only a matter of a few seconds. But that was a minor irritation really, we were seeing a lot more by being led to the right places than we would have otherwise, so we were definitely winning and our friends were doing a terrific job on our behalf. Next time we'd be far more independent and be looking for our "own" birds. I was assured that we'd be certain to see a lot more Masked Shrikes once we headed out to the west of the island.

We had more luck a few moments later when we did see a Shrike atop another telegraph pole. This one was a Woodchat Shrike, a male singing, and in full breeding plumage. Not a lifer, not even a year tick since we'd seen one at Newhaven in Sussex just a couple of weeks before, but a smart bird nevertheless, and the closest I'd been to one except for a subdued plumage juvenile bird in dense fog in Cornwall once. I grabbed a few good, not great since the damned midday heat haze was killing photography, and we moved on. I had to continue to follow the others because I didn't want to get lost, and I had no idea where we were at that precise moment.

Woodchat Shrike

We parked at a crossroads junction of tracks. The dusty tracks lead for miles into the hills in this area, courtesy of olive-tree growers, farmers and shepherds. I was beginning to marvel at just how fantastic it was having little to no traffic, unkempt and tiny fields, and insects and birds everywhere. Reminded me of my own childhood a long time ago before mass agriculture and busy roads took over back home. I was already jealous of the inhabitants of Lesvos for being fortunate to live there, although I guess it'd generally be a hard life dominated by hard work. Not that you'd guess that judging by the shepherd we passed, who was laid snoring by the roadside. His dog gave us grief as we passed though. 

We took the left track towards the Potamia Old Reservoir, so named because there was a new one higher up the valley. The Potamia region  was rightly famous for turning up many rare birds on Lesvos; already this week a Griffon Vulture had been reported from pretty much the same spot that were in, so I spent a lot of time looking upwards. It was about a quarter of a mile to the reservoir, a small lake surrounded by trees and bank side scrub. Otherwise the area was one of mainly olive-tree plantations; olives, olive oil and other products made from, are big industry on Lesvos. Andy announced that he could hear a Hoopoe calling further along the track. We stopped at the first gap in the trees and looked out onto the odd-coloured and slightly unappealing looking water. It appeared devoid of any birdlife, but considering the time of day that wasn't surprising; like (sane) people, birds go into siesta mode in the heat of the day. Movement in the trees on the far bank did alert us to a bird and scrutiny revealed a Black-crowned Night Heron clambering through the trees. The Heron then plopped into the water and swam a short way before climbing out and joining a Mallard in another tree. Mallards are thankfully, everywhere!

Black-crowned Night Heron

We walked on and at the next gap, flushed another Night Heron from a tree next to the track. This bird flew out into the middle of lake, calling raucously as it did so; it was clearly annoyed that we'd disturbed it from its daytime roost. So much so that it "offloaded" halfway across! And who knew that a Night Heron's wings were made up of a myriad of beautiful pastel coloured feathers?

I was in luck, we all were, when the Night Heron banked and then flew back towards us, wanting to reclaim its spot in the trees. This led us to believe that it possibly had a nest in the tree, or that it could be feeding on whatever it was that had clearly died in that area since the stench was overpowering. Photos in the bag, we hurriedly moved away, gagging for fresher air.

We couldn't pin the Hoopoe down, although Hannah had a brief view of it amongst the olive trees. Olive trees are densely foliaged and the grass that grows around them is high so there is lots of cover even for garish birds like Hoopoes. They use the trees for nesting, choosing a hole or fissure in the trunks. The only birds that I could see in the olive grove were familiar Great & Blue Tits.

On the walk back we again flushed the Night Heron, it couldn't be helped since the track ran directly alongside the trees. This time the Heron flew straight across the water and settled out of view. Holding our noses against the stink of whatever it was that was dead, we walked quickly on. I looked back and saw the Night Heron flying back across once more.

Back at the cars, Jason asked Mrs Caley and I if we wanted to see some Owls. What? Of course we did! Scops Owl was high on my list of birds to see. And the appetite was whetted even more when he said that there were Long-eared Owls in the same place as well. Was there going to be a dull moment on this holiday? I didn't think so.

It wasn't far to what I would later term, "Owl Alley". I was amazed when we turned right into a residential street which was only half a mile or so from the hotel. The small house lined road gave way to an avenue of eucalyptus trees which ended at a small churchyard dominated by half a dozen or so large pine trees. The cars were parked in the tiny carpark of the sacred ground and we all walked slowly along the road, dodging the occasional road user which in truth was about four cars in the hour we spent there, such is Lesvos. Paul found the Scops Owl first, I think we were all hoping to be the first to find one but I wasn't worrying and was grateful that I had another fine bird to add to the holiday list. The Scops was tucked up inside a hole in one of the eucalyptus trees. Only half of the bird could be seen so it was a very good spot by Paul. Photography was awkward but I tried every angle possible and eventually came up with a couple of decent shots. The Scops Owl eyed us suspiciously back but knew it was safe in its daytime hideaway. I would imagine that there'd be several of the Owls secreted amongst the trees, and all equally as hard to find no doubt. In fact harder because we couldn't find another one!

Scops Owl

Incredibly we had all walked directly underneath a roosting Long-eared Owl. Another birder pointed it out to us. It was perched in one of the pine trees on a branch right over the path that led from the cars to the road! We must have all been Scops Owl blinkered to miss it, but miss it we did. Again it was tricky to get a line of sight that gave a clear view but with a bit of effort, I got there.

Long-eared Owl

I went back for seconds of the Scops Owl because Mrs Caley said that it had moved position slightly while I'd been away from it photographing the Long-eared. It was still fully within the hole but had turned a bit and had opened its eyes more. We saw the famous Scops Owl only ten miles from our home at Thrupp, near Kidlington in June 2006, but then our views were restricted to watching the bird catching moths in the dark with illumination provided by a single dull lamp by the canal. So to see one in daylight was a thrill even though, like all owls, it didn't do a lot!

We returned to the lower ford on the Tsiknias again. A Great Snipe had been reported, a bird I'd never seen before. There was a fair bit of interest with a good sized crowd assembled. More birders were around Skala Kalloni since the Manchester flight in had arrived late the evening before swelling the numbers of British birders. With visiting birders from other countries as well, there was probably well over five hundred birders on the island. A Snipe was found, some people got excited and began claiming it to be the Great Snipe but to my eyes the bird was just a Common Snipe with a bill that was far too long and it was lacking any barring on its belly. I wasn't having that as anything else.

Common Snipe

Our first Little Ringed Plover of the trip was feeding on the dried up muddy edge of the river. I have a soft spot for LRP's. They are charismatic little birds and fairly fearless of people, quite happy to inhabit wasteland in the middle of housing estates and ponds that are passed by countless folk every day.

Little Ringed Plover

The same Citrine Wagtail was still feeding along the strip of reeds and was still giving fine views. A White Wagtail was also feeding nearby. We also had a fleeting view of a female Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail, another subspecies of our familiar Yellow Wagtail. As we drove back towards the hotel, we were blessed by a couple of Whiskered Terns that breezed past flying along the river and out to sea.

Citrine Wagtail

We brought the curtain down on a bird-filled day. Another three lifers to add to that list plus lots of birds that I'd only seen once or twice before back in the UK, and great views of many of them. We went for an early tea and went for a good rest. The plan was to wake early the following day and travel west to Sigri and the birding sites of that area. There we would be visiting another ford where just about anything could drop in for a drink and bathe, and also take a drive along a daunting rudimentary track that followed the Meladia valley. We would be looking for different birds than we'd seen already which would suit me just fine.

Birds seen 21-04-2025; 32) Olivaceous Warbler, 33) Pygmy Cormorant, Greater Flamingo, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, 34) Citrine Wagtail, 35) Black-headed Yellow Wagtail, Cetti's Warbler, Avocet, 36) Gull-billed Tern, 37) Common Tern, Crested Lark, Corn Bunting, Red-throated Pipit, White Stork, Black Stork, 38) Short-toed Eagle, 39) Greater Short-toed Lark, 40) Tawny Pipit, 41) Red-rumped Swallow, Bee-eater, Swallow, House Martin, 42) Sand Martin, 43) Whinchat, Black-winged Stilt, Wood Sandpiper, Shelduck, 44) Little Crake, 45) Little Grebe, 46) Coot, 47) Common Buzzard, 48) Little Bittern, 49) Woodchat Shrike, Common Swift, 50) Yellow-legged Gull, 52) Jay, Hooded Crow, 52) Black-crowned Night Heron, 53) Moorhen, 54) Mallard, 55) Scops Owl, 56) Long-eared Owl, 57) Whiskered Tern, 58) White Wagtail, 59) Little Ringed Plover, Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail