Lesbos in Autumn Naturetrek Tour Report 26 September - 4 October 2014 Gull & terns at Kalloni Bay Eastern Bath White Watching Kruper’s Nuthatch Female Red-veined Darter Report compiled by Chris Murphy & Reg Thorpe Images by Chris Murphy Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Lesbos in Autumn Tour Leader: Chris Murphy Reg Thorpe Participants: Charles Scholefield Vivien Yule Donald Osborne Sandra Hartley Gillian Wilson Patricia Strauss Juliet Barrows Maggie Gilvray Elvira Araya Om Araya Jim Hartley Steve Jones Andy McLoughlin Carol Robertson Brian Morris Introduction We enjoyed a week looking at the birds, scenery and culture of Lesbos, as autumn migration filled the fig groves and hedgerows with Lesser Whitethroats, Red-backed Shrikes and Spotted Flycatchers. Crowds of Avocets and Flamingos graced the saltpans, sometimes joined by Black Storks, White and Dalmatian Pelicans, Stone Curlews and Marsh Sandpiper. Sixteen species of birds of prey were recorded, as were many of the island’s fascinating resident species including the diminutive Krüper’s Nuthatch. After a breezy start the temperature settled around 24 degrees, ideal for walking in light clothes. In addition to some quality birding, there was a good variety of butterflies, and time to relax over an ice cream or coffee in a village square. Day 1 Friday 26th September A day of travel culminated with the Aegean Airways mid-day flight from London to Lesbos via Athens, arriving 10pm in Mytilini, the capital and home to the majority of the island’s 87,000 inhabitants. From Mytilini, in the southeast, we had an hour’s drive west to the Hotel Pasiphae in Skala Kallonis. Bird-wise, there were swifts and Yellow-legged Gulls over Athens airport, and 1,064 House Sparrows roosting on the south-facing balconies of the Sofitel hotel. It was midnight by the time our heads hit the pillow. Day 2 Saturday 27th September We woke to a bright but overcast morning with a light northerly wind, increasing in strength after lunch. Where there was shelter from the wind, it was surprisingly warm. We began the day’s birding with a visit to the nearby Kalloni Saltpans, always a good place to start. How fortunate that there should be such an extensive, bird-rich site so close to our hotel. First up, we had a close look at the Crested Larks and Corn Buntings, which would be our constant companions as we travelled across the island. Recently harvested fields adjacent to the saltpans were © Naturetrek November 14 1 Lesbos in Autumn Tour Report full of these larks and buntings, together with Whinchats and wagtails, whilst overhead were hundreds of hawking Swallows. To judge by their typical flava calls, at least the majority the ‘yellow’ wagtails were of the Blue- headed or Grey-headed race, though it was impossible to tell since that the adult males had lost their distinctive head markings. Hundreds of Avocets and Greater Flamingos waded in the shallow brackish water, and a Black Stork excited us as it flew overhead. At the back of the saltpans, we walked across damp, grazing meadows, stopping frequently to watch waders -Redshank, Greenshank and Little Ringed Plover – or to admire spectacular autumn thistles. Highlights included a Dalmatian Pelican, two Red-footed Falcons and a flock of Ruddy Shelduck. A juvenile Purple Heron was the pick among a host of egrets and herons on view. Good views of Kingfisher and Wheatear were also had here, as well as two attractive dragonflies, Violet Dropwing and Red- veined Darter. We had lunch in a taverna beside the small fishing harbour of Skala Kallonis, afterwards paying tribute to Aristotle (322-384 BC) who lived here for two years. During this time he recorded the natural history of Kalloni Bay, his observations and deductions forming the basis of one of his ideas: Biology. Brian stood next to the statue of his Macedonian hero at the harbour, as he explained why Aristotle would have been a top birder in his day– he could name 300 species! Yet Aristotle makes no reference to Flamingo presumably, in part, because there were no saltpans then. Energised and enlightened, we searched for migrants in the fields to the east of Skala Kallonis soon finding Lesser Grey and Red-backed Shrike, Kingfisher and Hoopoe. It was then a short walk to the mouth of the Tsiknias River where we found a Bar-tailed Godwit, an island rarity! Vibrant vermilion Salicornia provided a stunning background as we focused our scopes on a mixed flock of Black-headed, Mediterranean, Slender-billed and Yellow-legged Gulls and Sandwich Terns. We had dinner at the hotel. A wedding party of 240 was in full swing as most of us prepared to turn in. Day 3 Sunday 28th September We woke to a howling force 7 wind, and the need to find somewhere that offered shelter. We found it at the west end of the Lardia Valley, in the grounds of a former nuns’ monastery at Perivolis, on the bank of the Voulgaris River. Lots of migrants here: Black Stork, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Red-backed Shrikes, Spotted Flycatchers and Redstarts, together with Rock Nuthatch, Middle Spotted Woodpecker and Stonechat which are island residents. Splashes of pale pink in the autumn leaf litter were Greek Sowbread (Cyclamen graecum). From Perivolis, we continued west to the small harbour of Sigri, where we had lunch in a taverna named ‘Australia’ because members of the owner’s family, like many Lesviots, had emigrated there. Afterwards, we walked by fields of Lucerne and potatoes, and orchards of fig, lemon, pomegranate, quince and walnut. In these habitats we found more shelter from the wind, and with it a profusion of small migrants and butterflies, with Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat now swelling the ranks of Red-backed Shrikes and Spotted Flycatchers. Butterflies included Small White, Clouded Yellow, Swallowtail, Lang’s Short- tailed Blue and Long-tailed Blue, Millet and Oriental Marbled Skippers, Balkan Grayling and Aegean (Persian) Meadow Brown. A harmless 7ft Montpellier Snake caused some excitement as it crossed our path and temporarily found its way blocked. A Blue Rock Thrush was spotted on the way back to the hotel, where an Eleonora’s Falcon hunted bats over the swimming pool. 2 © Naturetrek November 14 Lesbos in Autumn Tour Report Day 4 Monday 29th September The first of a succession of warm, sunny days with a gentle breeze for comfort – just perfect! Breakfast, as usual, was between 7.30 and 8.30, which allowed time for some early birding in the hotel grounds ahead of our usual 9am departure. With the sun behind us, we began with a look over the Kalloni Saltpans. Grey and Kentish Plovers, Little Stint and Dunlin were all new here, as was a juvenile Woodchat Shrike. Overhead soared a Short-toed Eagle with a freshly caught snake dangling from its bill, and a Red-rumped Swallow was picked out from a flock of hirundines: “focus on the rump”, insisted Sandra. Continuing around Kalloni Bay, a Kingfisher was keenly spotted by Carol on the approach to the pinewoods of Achlederi Forest. The dry rattle of Cirl Buntings and melancholy yodel of Wood Larks greeted us, soon followed by nasal trumpeting of our target species, Krüper’s Nuthatch. Lesbos is the only part of Europe where this largely Turkish species can be found. Following their calls, we soon found one, then another, and another: much easier than in spring. Feeding high up among pine-cones, it was not always easy to get a clear view of these restless birds but, with a little perseverance, we managed to see the black cap, white supercilium and rusty red breast patch. Even more restless were the Short-toed Treecreepers. We could hear them everywhere, but few of us managed to see one. It was much the same story with the Middle-spotted Woodpeckers. We had a packed lunch with us today, which allowed us spend some time in a more open part of the forest, where Reg alerted everyone to two Lesser Spotted Eagles passing overhead. There are two saltpans on the island and, this afternoon, we visited our second such habitat at Polichnitos. Almost immediately, a pale-phase Eleonora’s Falcon sped along the shore panicking the gulls and terns, shortly followed, in quick succession, by a Red-footed Falcon and a Hobby. Fifteen Black Storks was another good sighting, and a Tawny Pipit obligingly called as it flew past, as we slowly made our way along a track that led to the shore of Kalloni Bay, still rather choppy after yesterday’s wind. Black-winged Stilt and Spotted Redshank were new, though numbers of waders in general seemed to be down on previous years, perhaps having moved through earlier? Unlike in the spring, there are very few birdwatchers in autumn with whom to confer. We ate out in Skala Kallonis, entertained before and after dinner by a family of Barn Owls living in a chimney off the square. The two fully-grown juveniles were unfazed by having all our binoculars trained on them, or by a procession of village cats and dogs, shoppers and children. On the ten-minute walk back to the hotel, Scops Owl and Little Owl were also heard. Day 5 Tuesday 30th September Another warm and sunny day began with breakfast by the pool, followed by a stop at the bakery to pick up some spanakopita (spinach) and other pastries to have with our picnic. Our first birding stop was at a well-known viewpoint known as the ‘bandstand’, where we saw Rock Nuthatch, Wood Lark, Cirl Bunting and a Starred Agama.