Sites to Visit

If you stay on Lesvos during April & May the visitors to the island will be predominantly birders and photographers so some disturbance to the birds is inevitable. I therefore suggest birding before breakfast and early evening tend to be most productive.

The summary of sites listed below is well documented in Richard Brooks Guide to Birding in Lesvos, together with location maps and directions.

Below is a personal account of the main birding sites:-

Kalloni 2 Pool

If you choose to stay at Skala Kalloni this pool is right on your doorstep and tends to be the first point of call each morning. The pool can be excellent for waders, terns, ducks and herons depending on the water level. Black-winged Stilts, Water Rail and Little Bittern all breed. Spur-winged and White-tailed Plover, Bittern and Garganey have all been seen during our visits.

Birds of note
Spur-winged Plover, Black Tern, White-winged Black Tern, Whiskered Tern, Bittern, Little Bittern, Purple Heron, White Stork, Black-winged Stilt, Garganey, Spotted Redshank, Water Rail.

Kalloni Salt Pans

This area is excellent and probably the premier birding spot of the island for birding at any time, Be aware that disturbance can push the birds to the centre of the pans, it’s therefore best to bird from the car especially along the access road. Most birders will access the site by the metalled road leading to the main entrance. I suggest for early morning trips you go past the garage and turn right down a rather bumpy track, which accesses the rear of the pans. This means the sun is behind you making identification, especially at distance, far easier. The track is narrow but with a little care it was possible to turn around at the bottom when we were last there in 2001. You may find that other birders will note where you are and before to long you have company, which is fine as long as they park sensibly. For late afternoon and evening trips best views are from the access road.

Birds of note
Black Stork, Collard Pratincole, Stone Curlew, Red-necked Phalarope, Avocet, Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Mediterranean Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Common Tern, Little Tern, European Bee-eater, Rufous Bush Robin, Roller, Red-footed Falcon, Tawny Pipit.

East River

A drive or walk along the east river can be very rewarding. The area between the road bridge and the sea is very popular but don’t ignore the river above the bridge as this tends to be less heavily birded and some of the rarer birds have been found here. If you take the track on the left hand side of the bridge with the river on your right and turn left towards the silos and then right the track takes you past a smelly goat farm and up to an area, which will afford good views of the surrounding countryside. This has been a good area for raptors in the past.

Birds of note
Glossy Ibis, Great Snipe, Marsh Sandpiper, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Ruddy Shelduck, Rufous Bush Robin, Golden Oriole, Black-headed Bunting, Citrine Wagtail.

West River

Although not to be ignored, I have found the west river to be the least productive of the sites around Skala Kalloni, although we did see our first Red-throated Pipits there on our first morning.

Inland Lake

Richard Brooks recommends you stay in your vehicle when you visit this site as your target birds, Spotted Crake, Little Crake and several of the Heron family will disappear at the slightest disturbance. This is sound advice not acted on by many birders so my advice is to visit this site either at the crack of dawn or mid to late evening when most of the birders will be feeding their faces.

Birds of note
Spotted Crake, Little Crake, Night Heron, Purple Heron, Alpine Swift.

Parakila Marshes

During my visits to these marshes I have found little of ornithological interest. My advice is to take a cursory glance as you drive slowly past.

Devil's Bridge
The small chapel at Parakila referred to in Brooks’s book as Devil's Bridge is well worth exploring especially the ravine to the rear, this has produced many good birds in the past. As this area can be affected by disturbance my advice is either an early morning / late afternoon visit or stop if there are only a couple of parked cars.

Birds of note
Rock Nuthatch, Sombre Tit, Cinerious Bunting, Ortolan Bunting, Red-backed Shrike. Lesser Whitethroat, Blue Rock Thrush.

Agra Round House

I am not sure if Richard refers to this in his book or not. The term, round house, is used by me to describe a large stone built circular building adjacent to the road as you leave Agra.

Birds of note
Rock Sparrow, Little Owl, Rock Nuthatch, Red-rumped Swallow, Alpine Swift.

Ipsilou Monastery

Another excellent birding spot, I suggest, if you feel confident, drive up the steep metalled road and park at the car park adjacent to the monastery. You can walk through the main courtyard to a large wooden door at the rear, this allows access to the rear of the monastery and lets you look down from an elevated position on the adjacent trees, which tend to attract many migrants. The alternative is to view at ground level which means looking up through the canopy affording restricted viewing.

Birds of note
Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Alpine Swift, Whinchat, Isabelline Wheatear, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Collared Flycatcher, Rock Sparrow.

Petra lay-by

This area is a recognised site for Ruppell’s Warbler, which tend to be seen on the seaward side of the road, although I have encountered them on the landward side too. The area that is not so well documented is the track on the opposite side of the road that takes you up into a hilly area of scrub. This is an excellent area for warblers.

Birds of note
Ruppell’s Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Olivacious Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Pied Flycatcher, Blackcap, Lesser Kestrel, Northern Wheatear

Faneromeni Ford

A personal favourite of mine. This is an excellent area for warblers and heron species, It was a favourite picnic lunch spot for us, especially if you can park the car in the shade of the reeds. Be aware that vehicles do use the ford so leave room for them to pass.

Birds of note
Citrine Wagtail, Nightingale, Olivacious Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Orphean Warbler, Little Bittern, Squacco Heron, Night Heron.

Potamia Valley

The olive groves at the entrance to the valley and en route to the inland lake are superbly carpeted with wild flowers in spring, and a haven for many of the island’s passerines. It’s also the nearest documented site for Olive-tree Warbler to Skala. I have to confess that I have never been able to justify the time to search out this rather elusive bird when there’s so many colourful birds far more confiding. As you climb up through the valley, vantage points are apparent where many of the island’s Raptors can be seen. One of these is known as Frances’s camp, which can be reached by way of a rough track that leads from the main track adjacent to the reservoir.

Birds of note
Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Masked Shrike, Tree Sparrow, Cirl Bunting, Collared Flycatcher, Bee-eater, Short-toed Tree-creeper, Golden Oriole.

Other Sites

There are several other good birding sites referred to in Brooks’s guide such as Derbyshire and the Napi Valley. I find very little to add to what is in the guide.

There is however a marsh referred to as Dipi Larssos and some Salt Pans in the south of the islands. I would suggest you only visit these sites when you have exhausted all the recognised sites, or if you receive reports of good birds being present. Dipi Larssos however does usually hold both Reed & Great Reed Warbler and occasionally Marsh Sandpiper, so if you need either for your trip list a visit could be included with a trip to Derbyshire.

Please note the bird list is for the 2001 trip only and is not a definitive list for our previous trips.

Pat and Judy Hayes

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