Lesvos: Kalloni Saltpans & Skala Kallonis

Bob Knight and I arrived in Lesvos this afternoon along with what appeared to be almost a Gatwick flight made up of mostly birders and nature photographers based on the equipment packed into the overhead storage compartments on board!

At the airport we'd already seen many Kent-based birders, many commenting on Brenda's absence caused by her work commitments as a primary school teacher and lack of leave at this time of the year! We spoke with Mick Southcott, Richard Smith, Brendan Ryan, Geoff Burton and Mike Gould; we were to meet all of them again later over the week in the field at various sites, but we met with Mick and Richard most frequently as we were sharing the same hotel and we shared news and enjoyed their company most evenings over dinner.

Stopping off at a couple of sites on route from the airport to the hotel 'Pela' in the resort of Skala Kollonis in our hire car we started to see many expected species including: Black-eared Wheatear, White and Black Storks, Squacco and Purple Herons, Black-winged Stilts, Ruddy Shelducks, Kentish Plovers, Crested Larks, Spanish Sparrows, Black-headed Wagtails, Olivaceous Warblers and Red-rumped Swallows.

Eurasian Jay (of the black-crowned race: Garrulus glandularius atricapillus)