2nd half of March '22

Interesting sightings from the 2nd half of March 2022. Data from the Kalloni EIC monitoring program unless stated otherwise.

This has been the coldest March for Greece in the last 35 years! All month was prevailed by north winds and only by the 25th did it change to south winds and 15+ degrees rise of temperature (it had reached as low as 2 degrees above zero in most seaside areas until then).

KALLONI GULF AREA

Messa

Ruddy Shelduck 4, Common Shelduck 18

Ferruginous Duck 5 (Mar 18)- 1st SPRING ARRIVAL

Pochard 1 (Mar 18)- actually this is a rare bird species for Lesvos!

Garganey 35-40, Teal 20 (Mar 18)

Shoveler 34 (Mar 23)- a clear passage

Dalmatian Pelican 1 (Mar 18)

Black-winged Stilt 2 (Mar 18)- 1st SPRING ARRIVAL

Spotted Redshank 3, Green Shank 2, Ruff 1 (Mar 26)

Black-tailed Godwit 2 (Mar 26)

Hen Harrier 1, Marsh Harrier 2, Common Buzzard 1

Kalloni Salt Pans E parts (NE hide and track)

Black-winged Stilt 3 (Mar 23)

Kalloni Salt Pans W parts (NW hide and road)

Spoonbill 7  (Mar 23)

White Stork 2 (1 by Agia Paraskevi road conjunction nest and 1 by Agia Paraskevi village chimney nest)

Pied Avocet 55 (Mar 31)

Curlew 3  (Mar 23)

Kalloni Salt Pans S parts (pans, canal, fields, and coast)

Ruddy Shelduck 90+

Spoonbill 4

Ringed Plover 3, Dunlin 10, Ruff 30+

Mediterranean Gull 60+ (Mar 18), 30+ (Mar 23)

Yellow Wagtail 2 (Mar 31, Mirsini Kladogeni)

Arisvi village

Woodchat Shrike 1 (Mar 31, Mirsini Kladogeni) - 1st SPRING ARRIVAL

Hoopoe 1 (Mar 31, Mirsini Kladogeni)

GERA GULF AREA

Dipi-Larsos reedbed (Gera Gulf)

Mallard (definitely released birds) 25- a really tame group...

Ring-necked Pheasant 1 (male, definitely a released bird)

Mediterranean Gull 300+ (Mar 23)- by the Evergetulas river estuary and the sea

EASTERN LESVOS

Haramida marsh

Ruddy Shelduck 2 (Mar 30, Valerie Karameta-Triboulot)

Ferruginous Duck 3 (Mar 20 to 31, Valerie Karameta-Triboulot)

Garganey 8 (Mar 20 to 31, Valerie karameta Triboulot)

Grey Heron 5 (Mar 31)

Coot c.10 (Mar 31), Little Grebe 4 (Mar 31)

Cetti's Warbler 2, Blackcap 4

Woodchat Shrike 1 (Mar 31) - 1st SPRING ARRIVAL

Haramida shrubland

(Mar 31)

Ruppell's Warbler 2 males - 1st SPRING ARRIVAL. seen foraging and 1 ind. observed singing a couple of times.

Sardinian Warbler 6+ (several singing males)

Northern Wheatear 5

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear 2 - 1st SPRING ARRIVAL

Cretzschmar's Bunting 7+ (5 males singing)- 1st SPRING ARRIVAL

Cirl Bunting 2

Raven 6

Short-toed Eagle 2 (a pair flying together)

Chukar 1 (singing male)

WESTERN LESVOS

Psaropotamos (Skala Eresos)

(all records by Steve Bird)

Glossy Ibis 1 (Mar 25)

Garganey 20 (Mar 22-25)

Complete checklists submitted online can be accessed here:

e-bird  (updated throughout the year and where we submit the Kalloni EIC records in the long term)

observado- lesvos (active during April-May and September by Dutch visitor birders)

bird-track (by British visitor birders)

Share your own records

Please, submit your records via the above databases, share them on Facebook (Lesvos Bird News or Lesvos Birders groups), or send them directly to us here.