KALLONI OLD RESERVOIR – POTAMIA VALLEY TO NEW KALLONI RESERVOIR – ACHLADERI PINE FOREST – POLICHNITOS SALT PANS – VATERA AND AGIOS FOKAS
WEATHER; perfect once again, clear sky all day, a nice cooling breeze – top temp 27C
This idyllic island keeps on producing the goods, we had another perfect day in superb weather, you can’t ask for much more than that!
Before breakfast we set out on a short mission to look for two particular species, they were the Night Heron and the Rock Nuthatch. The old Kalloni Reservoir is a regular roosting site for the Night herons and that is where we went first. There were no Herons on show from where we looking through the gaps in the tress and bushes from the track.
Kalloni Bay at 6:30am this morning, we looked for a Black-necked Grebe, but I think it has moved on. Photo taken by Hilary Stokes
Then as we moved further along we flushed a single Night Heron that flew to the far side of the reservoir but sat in full view for a while. Then two more flew out and finally a fourth bird joined them. All four birds were quickly lost to sight.
We heard Great Reed Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Olivaceous Warbler and we saw Squacco Heron, Little Grebe, Moorhen and Coot.
As we drove from the old reservoir to the embankment of the new reservoir we found a lesser grey Shrike on the power wires, a Red-backed shrike on a fence and a Woodchat Shrike in the bushes. At the track leading up to the new reservoir we stopped to watch a nest site of the Western Rock Nuthatch. The information about the position of this nest site was given to me on Sunday by my good friend Mervyn Jones, thanks Merv. The Nuthatches showed really well, everyone got to see them.
Rock Nuthatch at its nest
After breakfast we set off on another ‘Nuthatch-crusade’ and once again the nest site of this bird was given to me by Mervyn. His directions were spot on and we found the nest site straight away on arrival.
We arrived near Achladeri pine woods and parked next to a bridge, along the way we had noted many species the most notable were; Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingo, Avocets and Black-winged Stilts.
The nest hole of the Nuthatches was quite high off the ground and there was a lot of activity around it. Both adult Nuthatches were visiting the hole and so was a pair of House Sparrows!! Soon there was a massive punch-up, the Nuthatches really gave the Sparrows a beating, I saw the male Nuthatch with a mouthful of sparrow-feathers!
the best I could do at the distance this bird was - Kruper's Nuthatch
Moving onto the Achladeri Pine woods we spent an hour looking for typical breeding species. We found many Chaffinches and Greenfinches, also Goldfinches and Serins, we heard Common Nightingales, we saw Turtle Dove, Cirl Bunting, Raven and a WOOD PIGEON. Well Wood Pigeons are very uncommon on Lesvos this late in spring, so it was a biggie! We found both Woodchat and Red-backed Shrikes, but not the masked Shrike or a Short-toed Treecreeper.
two shots of Serin in Achladeri Pine Woods
The coastal track to Polichnitos had been washed away so we had to make our way inland to the town and then we took a short drive back to coast at Skala Polichnitos. We sat and drank a cup of coffee at the harbour before making our way to the Salt Pans.
Many waders were out there, we added Curlew Sandpiper (dozens of them in brick-red summer plumage), also Dunlin and Little Stints. Also present were Greater Flamingo, Common Shelduck, Wood Sandpiper, Avocet, Black-winged Stilts and dozens of YL Gulls.
A ‘mega’ for Lesvos was also present, a Lesvos tick for me and a lifer for the rest of the group – a LESSER FLAMINGO!! It was unringed and an acceptable species, the whole of the bird-watching fraternity on Lesvos had been down to see since its discovery last Saturday. Wowza!
can you find the Lesser Flamingo in this photo??
We stayed in the area for lunch and we spent more time searching the salt pans for a Spotted Redshank, without luck. We added Common Stonechat, Red-footed Falcon, Marsh Harrier, White Stork and other bits and bobs to the list.
our lunch venue, how nice.
For the rest of the afternoon we drove to Vatera and on to Agios Fokas where we sea-watched for a short while. We made a couple of stops as we drove onto the headland at Agios Fokas where we found Sardinian Warbler and a Roller (in flight).
Agios Fokas headland, it was an amazing blaze of colour
During our sea-watch we watched several groups of Yelkouan Shearwaters, we found a group of five Greenshanks on the rocks, we had excellent views of Olivaceous Warbler and we marvelled at the carpets of wild flowers covering the headland.
one of the five Greenshanks found on the rocks below us
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler in full song
On the way back to our hotel we made, a short stop in the pine woods above Achladeri, we searched for a Short-toed Treecreeper and found one after about fifteen minutes.
Back at the hotel the group dispersed and went to their rooms, I walked across the road to view the flooded marsh, there was plenty to see. I found 3 Garganey and my first Mallard of the trip, wowza! A Nightingale was belting out its melodic tune just above the hotel car park and I saw it fly to another tree, my first actual sighting of one this trip!
Its 10pm now and I must get some sleep, a Scop’s Owl is calling outside in the garden, I may have to throw an old boot at him if he doesn’t shut up pretty-dam-quick.