APRIL 29TH - LESVOS DAY 3 OF 7 -DAY TOUR

LARDIA VALLEY- ERESSOS JUNCTION - PETRIFIED FOREST - SIGRI - FANEROMENI FORDS UPPER AND LOWER - PETRIFIED FOREST

A MEGA BIRD FOR OUR LESVOS LIST   - WHITE THROATED ROBIN  (see below)

We took an early breakfast at 7am and was on the road by 8am. It was another superb day of unbroken sunshine and warm temperatures. We set off through the centre of the island and then turned west towards Sigri. We stopped first at the telecoms tower just above Filia where our target bird was the Eastern bonelli's Warbler which we saw almost straight away, in fact at least 3 birds were singing, very nice. We also saw a Whichat, Cirl Bunting, Woodlark, Subalpine Warbler and a few common species.

Next we stopped in the steep sided Lardia valley where rocky outcrops tower above a deep, wooded ravine. We quickly located a few Crag Martins, then a Blue Rock Thrush sang from its high perched and performed its parachute display flight. Then a Black-eared Wheatear did the same. We watched a pair of Masked Shrikes building a nest, then we saw a Short-toed Eagle perched high up followed by a Long-legged Buzzard which circled over the ridge.

Our stop at the Eressos junction was quite brief, it is a well known spot for Isabelline Wheatear which showed very well as soon as we arrived. At the same time we had great views of a Hobby which was perched on a telegraph pole.

Our drive to the entrance to the Petrified Forest was punctuated by stops to look at a number of birds whcih included: Chukar, Ortolan Bunting, Little Owl and a good number of Cretzschmar's Buntings. At the Petrified Forest we spent an hour seasrching for a White-throated Robin which failed to show, this bird is a very rare breeder on Lesvos and therfore a very desirable tick! We vowed to return.

Collared Flycatcher

At Sigri we stopped at the sea front where we found two to three Eurpoean Shags and a very large flock of Jackdaws. We ate lunch a little further along the beach and soon we were on our way. For the next two or three hours we visited the Faneromeni Upper and Lower Fords and a couple of walks along quiet tracks. We saw many flycatchers, mainly Collared Flycatchers but also Pied and Spotted varieties. Little Bittern, Night Heron, Wood Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover and a few Moorhens.

WHITE THROATED ROBIN digiscoped from about 100 meter range

 

Other places visited enhanced the list with sightings of Red-backed, Woodchat and Lesser Grey Shrikes, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Honey Buzzards and another Short-toed Eagle.

Lastly we re-visited the entrance to the Petrified forest and finally caught up with the WHITE THROATED ROBIN, what a great bird in super breeding plumage. This is a very rare breeding species with very few past records (only 4 records up to 1995 - and only 4 accepted records since then - ref:  Greek rarity records), this species has a sparse distribution in Southern and Eastern Turkey and is still classes as a 'vagrant' and sporadic breeder in Greece.