Birds of Lesvos by Oliver Smart

Tuesday 11^th November 2008

The talk introduced us to the delights of bird watching on the small island of Lesvos. The island though probably better known to us as a holiday destination or the land of the Greek legends, Lesvos is only 45 by 95 kilometres, but has a wide variety of habitats suitable for stopovers by migrating birds. I cannot possibly list all of the 110 species shown in a beautiful series of photographs, so hope to give you a taste of what you might see if you visit the island. Oliver chooses to stay in the town of Kalloni, as it is relatively central and allows easy access to all the different hot spots. Although there are no bird hides, a car provides very good cover especially if one breaks up the human outline with a camouflage net.

You will see birds not only on south north migration, but some like black headed bunting which migrate from east to west, or the Spanish sparrow going the opposite way. An added advantage of visiting in the spring is the carpets of wild flowers seen as one drives between the hotspots. Hoopoes and European bee-eaters are among the birds to spotted in the meadows.

We were treated to tour of the different island habitats, illustrated by photographs, of the various hot spots round the island. There are two large gulfs, Kallonis and Geras, mountain areas rising to 968 metres, salt pans and rivers, as well as cultivated meadows.

Around the gulfs the likelihood is that you will spot avocets, wood sandpipers, marsh sandpipers, collared practicoles, kingfishers, short toed larks and tawny pipits. Not to forget flamingos, and glossy ibis, red throated pipits and many others.

Up the river valleys and in ponds, other wildlife can be seen such as the European pond terrapin, the striped terrapin and marsh frogs, besides little grebes and water rail.

At the western end of the island, cettis are expanding their range, little owls and black eared wheatears can be seen, along with cretzschmar's buntings. Whereas if you travel up to the pine forests, you may well espy a sparrow hawk at the end of its winter visit. Cirl buntings, chaffinches and gold finches abound. Sardinian warblers breed in this area.

The seashores are not to be ignored, as there are terns, Kentish plovers. If birds of prey are your favourite you can see at least four species of harriers, buzzards, sparrow hawks and peregrines.

Oliver whetted any bird watchers appetite to visit an amazing island in the North Aegean Sea and we all enjoyed his extremely informative talk.

Claire Edey