Sunrise
Birding LLC - Birding & Wildlife
Tours
Home | Tours | Trip Reports | News | Team | Calendar | Links | Contact | Store | Mailing List | ||||
![]() ![]() in the Aegean September 26 - October 3, 2021 Contact [email protected] to reserve your space! Trip
Cost & Travel
Planning> Registration
Form> The Greek Island of Lesvos, also known as Lesbos, is renowned for its ancient history, incomparable natural beauty and tradition of hospitality. Known as the Princess of the Northwest Aegean Sea, this stunning island has become known by birders as one of the best locations in Europe to witness bird migration in spring, and as regular birders to Lesvos have found, in autumn as well. In late September and early October as in the spring, the right weather conditions can yield an impressive range of species and some interesting rarities. Raptors, shorebirds, and passerines all pass through Lesvos in the fall and in addition to passage migrants, the resident birds of Lesvos also offer great birding. Whether searching out the island’s special resident birds such as Krüper’s Nuthatch, Sombre Tit, Little Owl, Cetti’s Warbler, Blue Rock Thrush, or Middle-spotted Woodpecker, or marveling at the continual stream of fabulous southbound migrants, you will soon be captivated by the magic of Lesvos. From the slopes of Mount Olympus, to picturesque fishing villages alongside beautiful golden beaches, this island, with its wealth of resident and migrant birds, will charm you and have you longing to return.
Trip Cost and Travel Planning>> Registration Form>> Photos, above: Red-backed Shrike, Little Owl
Days 2–7: Based in the perfect location to explore this wonderfully scenic island, each day we can enjoy short drives to a diversity of habitats that play host to resident birds and attract a variety of migrant birds!
In the coming days, you’ll soon become familiar with the common species of Lesvos including Corn Bunting, Cirl Bunting, European Goldfinch, Common Chaffinch, Cetti’s Warbler, Little Owl, Ruddy Shelduck, and perhaps a lingering Northern or Black-eared Wheatear. And we’ll start to differentiate the various species of shrike including many juveniles of Lesser Grey, Red-backed and Woodchat. Spotted Flycatcher ought to be prominent and the aerial antics of colorful European Bee-eaters should entertain us. Tree, Red-throated and Tawny Pipits will be on our radar as will Wryneck, Common Cuckoo, Lesser and Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, and Chiffchaff. We’ll spend time exploring the fresh and saltwater habitats around Skala Kalloni that serve as a magnet for birds with Purple Heron, Gray Wagtail, Common Teal, Little Grebe, Kingfisher, and Garganey all possible. In the air above, streams of Barn Swallows can often be accompanied by a few Red-rumped Swallows and House Martins.
The rugged terrain of the interior of the island offers rocky habitats where we’ll make sure to look for Eleonora’s and Peregrine Falcons, Western Rock Nuthatch, Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Sparrow, Sombre Tit and Crag Martin. We’ll also keep an eye to the sky for the Alpine Swifts and the brilliant European Roller. Surrounding vegetation could harbor lingering migrants including Eastern Orphean Warbler, Woodlark, Common Redstart, Blackcap, Whinchat, or even the beloved Hoopoe, Golden Oriole or the atricapillus subspecies of Eurasian Jay with a black crown. We’ll hope there are a few Subalpine Warblers and Cretzchmar’s and Ortolan Buntings around and search out Middle-spotted Woodpecker, Chukar, and Sardinian Warbler.
We will also head to the north of the island to take in the fall raptor migration from the castle at Molyvos and the beautiful fishing village of Skala Sikamineas. In the right conditions, raptors can come through in numbers and species possible include Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Montagu’s Harrier, Red-footed Falcon, Long-legged Buzzard, European Honey Buzzard, Golden Eagle, Common Buzzard, and Hobby. Again, weather will determine numbers and we’ll position ourselves in the right place when the right conditions prevail. We’ll also visit the island’s reservoirs that serve as important freshwater sources for birds. The rare Audouin’s Gull is possible around Parasma Reservoir in the north of the island as well as along the north coast road, which could also produce Yelkouan and Scopoli’s Shearwaters.
Photos, above: European Bee-eater, Yellow Wagtail, Black Stork, Pied Avocets, Krüper's Nuthatch, Long-legged Buzzard, Chukar
LEADERS: Gina Nichol & Steve Bird
Above, Black-winged Stilt, Cetti's Warbler, European Scops Owl. Below, Dalmatian Pelican. |
||||
|