The nature of Lesvos with its birds and all

Lesvos is a magical island. It is unspoilt and sparsely populated and a more friendly, welcoming people you will not find. Within all this wild and cultivated space is a diversity of wildlife befitting an island that sits on the boundaries between East and West.

It is renowned for its Spring birdlife with a myriad of species funnelling into this horseshoe shaped landmass on their way to much more northerly climes. Passerines get the most attention with falls of all three black and white Flycatchers, Shrike dotted bushes, flicking Warblers and dashing splashes of Golden Orioles but it also has some breeding specialities too with a triumvirate of Buntings with grey and sulphur Cinereous, Beethoven loving Cretzschmar’s and bold gaudy Black-headed. Ruppell’s Warblers tantalise on the northern coast and Olive Tree Warblers gurk in the groves with tail waving Masked Shrikes for company. Dinky, tooting Krüper’s Nuthatches forage in the pinewoods all year round, while Sombre Tits and Western Rock Nuthatches are both key target species. Bee-eaters move through in large flocks and with luck a turquoise Roller will materialise on some roadside wires. Out West flashy Eastern Black-eared Wheatears and fizzing Isabelline Wheatears occupy the hillsides.

Waders and Terns utilise the two main salt pan complexes with flocks of Ruff and Stints while circling above are hawking Pratincoles. Every ditch or pondlet can house any of the three Crake species along with lemon shaped Little Bitterns and Squaccos while Glossy Ibises probe the reedy areas and stately Flamingos parading across the pans. There are birds wherever you look.

There are always raptors with the resident Short-toed Eagles and Long-legged Buzzards patrolling and Pallid Harrier has become an expected spring find amongst the other three Harrier species. Red-footed Falcons often line the wires after a long over sea flight and Eleonora’s hunt the coast with languid ease. Scanning the skies will give you descending Black and White Storks and the chance of a rare Eagle or Vulture or perhaps a local pair of Goshawks displaying over the pines.

There are Owls too with the inevitable ‘poop poop’ call of a Scops Owls throughout the night along with hard staring Little Owls and the chance of Long-eared and Barn.

Latest Bird News

The Kalloni Environmental Centre website will have latest bird news, on a best endeavours basis as follows.

Out of season when there will be fewer birders on the island.  January – March, June – August and October to December the news will be posted weekly.

In April, May and September news will be posted daily.

This will supplement the multi national Lesvos Birders FaceBook Group and the largely Greek Lesvos Bird News Group that Eleni Galinou manages.

Here is the link to the sightings page.

https://www.lesvosbirds.gr/en/bird-news

Throw into a Spring visit between mid April and mid May the plethora of Butterflies, Dragonflies and other insects, a glorious spread of flowers (including the much sought after Orchids), some impressive Reptiles and Amphibians, an imposing volcanic landscape, fascinating ancient history, great people and wonderful food and hospitality and a little bit of you will never leave Lesvos and you will be compelled to return.