Lesvos
Thursday 23 April to Thursday 30th April 2009
Thursday 30th April to Thursday 7th May 2009
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For Spring birdwatching in
beautiful surroundings, Lesvos is hard to beat. The wooded hillsides of
this lovely Aegean island offer welcome refuge for tired migrants, and
it is also home to some sought-after Mediterranean species like
Isabelline Wheatear, Krüper’s Nuthatch, Cretzschmar’s & Cinereous
Buntings. In the valleys, birdsong radiates from bushes that conceal
Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin, Cetti’s and Olivaceous Warblers; Little
Crakes and Little Bitterns feed along the rivers, and Long-legged
Buzzards soar overhead. Looking out to sea, we may see Yelkouan & Cory’s Shearwaters and Audouin’s Gull, whilst inland we hope to find Olive-tree
Warbler amidst the olive groves of the Potamia Valley, as well as
Rüppell’s Warbler on the rocky hillsides. We shall search for breeding
Stone-curlew and Scops Owl, and as we travel up through flowering
meadows and pine forests towards remote hilltop monasteries, four
species of shrike are possible. An exciting prospect - but if this isn’t
enough to whet your appetite, take a look at the long and varied list of
raptors. A birdwatching holiday on the delightful island of Lesvos will
certainly leave you spellbound!Day 1: We fly from London to Mytilini (direct flight) and then transfer to our comfortable hotel at Skala Kalloni, our base for the whole tour and ideally situated for us to explore all the prime birding sites.
Days 2 - 7: We shall explore some of Lesvos’ superb birdwatching areas: the East and West Rivers, with their reedy banks, tamarisk and willow thickets, support an
excellent range of species including Black Stork, Little Bittern, Purple Heron, Stone-curlew, Little Crake, Montagu’s Harrier, Cetti’s & Olivaceous Warblers, Crested Lark, Spanish Sparrow, Black-headed Bunting and colonies of European Bee-eaters. Outside our hotel is a pool which attracts White Stork, Black-winged Stilt, Wood Sandpiper, Glossy Ibis, Garganey and Whiskered Terns. Olive groves in the Potamia Valley are home to Eurasian Hoopoe, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Woodchat Shrike and Sombre Tit, and also a few pairs of Olivetree Warblers. The area known as Derbyshire is the haunt of Krüper’s Nuthatch, Subalpine Warbler and Masked Shrike, while the beautiful hillsides and rocky outcrops on the western side of the island, between Eressos and Sigri, are the haunt of Isabelline Wheatear, Rock Thrush, Rock Nuthatch, Lesser Kestrel, Rock Sparrow, Cinereous & Cretzschmar’s Buntings. The fertile coastal strip around Sigri is excellent for migrants including Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin, Red-breasted Flycatcher, River & Barred Warblers, pipits and wagtails.
Overnights - Skala Kalloni
Day 8: We catch our return flight to London.