MNAY SPECIES SEEN ON OUR LAST DAY WITH CITRINE WAGTAIL TOPPING THE BILL
The last full day of our holiday began early, we packed a lot into our last excursions which began at 6:30am at the Kalloni Salt Pans. the weather was superb as usually, T-shirt and shorts even at 6:30am. We stopped along the main feeder channel of the salt pans because we saw a flock of Black Storks feeder in the shallow water, there were 24 of them, a record number for Lesvos!
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| beautiful flower meadows hold poppies and corn cockle |
In the Alykes Sheep Fields we walked along way for very little, a few Short-toed Larks ans the odd Red-throated Pipit but not the Tawny Pipit we were looking for. We also saw, Kentish Plover, Marsh Harrier, White Stork, Glkossy Ibis, Ruddy Shelduck, Ruff, Wood Sandpiper and lots of Crested larks (my favourite species?).
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| LESSER SPOTTED FRITLLARY |
After breakfast we set off for the other set of Salt Pams found on the southern side of the island. at Polichnitos. We made several stops along the way to view roadside pools and open meadows. We also stopped in an olive grove because we heard an Olive Tree Warbler singing, but it never showed. Masked Shrikes were common as were Black-headed Bunting. At one large lagoon found on the beach we watched some nice species. White-winged Terns were joined by Whiskered Terns, Little Terns and Common Terns. There were a few waders around the shore, Little Stint, Temminck's Stint, Wood Sandpiper and a couple of Sanderling in breeding plumage, very nice too!
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| SPOTTED REDSHANK AT ALYKES WET-MEADOWS |
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| STONE CURLEW SEEN AT POLICHNITOS SALT PANS |
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| ORCHID SPECIES |
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| A ROBBER FLY SPECIES EATING A LOVELY AMANDA'S BLUE BUTTERFLY - HOW AWFUL |
At the Salt Pans we found a couple of Stone Curlew, Kentish Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff and good numbers of Avocet and Black-winged Stilts.
For lunch we drove down to Vatera, we ate our picnic sitting on benches looking out to sea, there was a lovely breeze blowing onshore. We watched European Shag and Yelkouan Shearwaters in the bay before driving onto a headland at Aghios Fokas. On a quiet track we managed to find a couple of Sardinian warblers, this species is quite restricted in its range on Lesvos and is only found in small pockets, unusual really as it is widespread everywhere else in Europe.
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| KENTISH PLOVERS - PERFORMING WHAT IS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS "TREADING" |
At the headland we had great views of both Scolopi's and Yelkouan Shearwaters, the latter were passing through in good numbers whilst the former came passed in singles. We watched Black-headed Bunting and Black-eared Wheatear on the rock slopes and bushes.
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| SOME OF THE 60+ LITTLE EGRETS SEEN AT KALLONI SLAT PANS LATE AFTERNOON |
During the return trip we stopped again at the seasonal pools near Achladeri because we had news of a Great Snipe being there, we dipped on the snipe but found a Citrine Wagtail, some consolation at least.
Finally we stopped back to the Kalloni Salt pans about 5pm, as usual there was plenty to see, the light was perfect it made the birds look exquisite in their summer garb especially the Ruddy Turnstone, Curlew Sandpiper, Grey Plover and Black-tailed Godwit. We also found some distant Collared Pratincoles, a very close Spottted Redshank and two more Temminck's Stints. The whole area was alive with Little Egrets (63 counted in one small area), Prulpe heron, Black Storks, Great White Egrets, Greater Flamingos and hundreds of Ruff, Avocets, Black-winged Stilts and the ubiquitous Wood sandpiper. Many White-winged Terns graced the sky with Whiskered Terns, Common Terns and Little Terns, what a fantastic place, I will miss it!!
I'll miss it too!
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