ERESOS TO SIGRI COASTAL TRACK THROUGH THE MELADIA VALLEY AND ACROSS THE FORD – SIGRI FIELDS AND UPPER FANEROMENI FORD
WEATHER: an abrupt change! We had rain until 9am and a cold wind prevailed all day.
Yes our weather bubble burst today and the predicted rain came in, the temperature dropped to 11C and the wind was very chilly. But every cloud has a silver lining, with heavy cloud and rain we get a fall of migrant species, the best place to look for them is out west near Sigri, so that is where we headed.
We stopped once along the way at a lovely place near Agra but the wind and rain prevented any birding really, we heard an Orphean Warbler singing and that was all. As we approached Eresos the rain stopped, in fact it hadn’t rained at all, the roads were dry!
At Eresos we stopped to look for a recent addition to the Lesvos bird-list, the Laughing Dove! We found three of them, quite charming little doves, they are now found in several towns across the island.
Laughing Dove - a new addition to the Lesvos list
Once on the track we soon realised that there had been a ‘fall’ of shrikes, it was amazing, every bush seemed to have, either a Red-backed Shrike, or a Woodchat Shrike, sitting on it. As we progressed we saw a good number of Cretzschmar’s Buntings and one or two Cirl Buntings.
Bl;ack-headed Bunting - we saw dozens of these today
We crossed the ridge and headed down into the Meladia valley and the ‘shrike’ density increased. Back-eared Wheatears were numerous too. We stopped to watch a Little Owl sitting on a window ledge and we found more Cretzschmar’s Buntings also a single Cinereous Bunting. Our first stop in the valley was rewarded with our first Masked shrike sighting, what a beauty! We watched a pair of Rock Sparrows feeding young in an abandoned Rock Nuthatch nest, pair of Cirl Buntings were collecting food close by.
Rock Sparrow using a Rock Nuthatch nest!
We walked a fair way along the track which gave us good views over some dense scrub and bushes, the whole place was dripping with birds. Lots of Common and Lesser Whitethroats dashed around the bushes with fewer Olivaceous Warblers. Shrikes were all over the place, dozens of them. We added Lesser Grey Shrike to complete the four-shrike Lesvos collection.
Red-backed Shrike
Masked Shrike
During the journey we had seen Lesser kestrels and a single Eleonora’s Falcon we added Marsh Harrier to our raptor list.
As we approached the ford I took the bus ahead whilst the group continued to walk. In a large roadside bush I found a male Barred Warbler, it was a stonking, well marked bird, but is disappeared as I fumbled to get a photo of it, doh!!
We all met up again and the next large bush held two Rollers, wowza! The group loved those, luckily they stayed for their picture to be taken.
European Roller
The area around the ford was alive with birds, our fifth Bunting of the day appeared in large numbers, the migrant Black-headed Bunting, we saw six of them in one small bush! All four shrikes were in view too, with warblers dashing around in the bushes it was magical. I have seen this valley as good as this.
We ate our picnic lunch in the van, it was too windy and cold to sit outside, the sky brightened and patches of blue appeared, but that didn’t entice us out.
Lesser Whitethroat
We drove further west stopping at a small chapel where we flushed our only Common Cuckoo of the trip. We also found a Common Nightingale, a Great Reed Warbler and a couple of Olivaceous Warblers.
As we approached Sigri the track climbed high, we had views of the off-shore islands and a sheltered valley below us, there we saw more birding magic! A group of Red-footed Falcons were wind-hovering and dropping down to the ground to catch insects. They were joined by a few Lesser Kestrels, a single Hobby and an Eleonora’s Falcon. Four Rollers sat on some wires with more Red-footed Falcons!
male Red-footed Falcon
At Sigri we drove through the village and onto the track to the fords. Shrikes were all over the place there too! At the ford was counted eight Spotted Flycatchers, a bunch of Yellow Wagtails and many Swallows were feeding over the water. It was very windy in the area and our walk didn’t last long.
Lesser Kestrel
record shot of a Hoopoe
We found a single Hoopoe (our third of the day), more shrikes and more Spotted Flycatchers, but not much else.
three Rollers and a Red-footed Falcon
We called it day at 5pm and spent an hour getting back to the hotel, wind-swept and tired we all agreed that it had been a fantastic day!