PeterHG's seventh Big Year

[pedro maia]

On 5/2/2022 at 1:56 AM, Kitsafari said:

 

 

me too!! but i wouldn't count myself as a photographer, more an amateur photographer. 

And there there are those like me .

 

[Dave Williams]

The standard you set motivates us all to do better Peter.

[PeterHG]

During the first week of May, wy wife and I revisited the island of Lesvos. We had been there 7 years ago and had always wanted to return. The weather could have been better, especially with regard to the strong winds and the temperatures, but we enjoyed our stay anyway. We stayed near the village of Skala Kalloni, which is probably the perfect base for getting to the birding hotspots of the island. Let's start with some birds from the trip:

 

143 /L 01. Wood Sandpiper. Lesvos, May. A common wader, seen on most days, especially in the saltpans and the Tsknias river.

 

 

144 / L 02. Great Reed Warbler. Lesvos, May. Very vocal and often singing from the top of the reeds near the river.

 

 

L 03. Spanish Sparrow. Lesvos, May. Already seen in Portugal earlier in the year.

 

 

145 /L 04. Temminck's Stint. Lesvos, May. Only seen twice.

 

[PeterHG]

146 /L 5. Whinchat. Lesvos, May. Seen a few times, but not very common.

 female:

Male, just visible between the waving grass

 

L 06. Greater Flamingo. Lesvos May. Already seen in Portugal. Present in considerable numbers in the saltpans

 

 

147 /L 07. Reed Warbler. Lesvos, May. Quite a few could be heard in the reedbeds along the rive, but taking a photo was another matter...

 

148 /L 08. Cetti's Warbler. Lesvos, May. Heard everywhere. I attempted a photo before in the thread, but on second thoughts I removed the count as it probably was another bird. Well, I at least got part of it now...

 

[PeterHG]

149 /L 09. Black-headed Bunting. Lesvos, May. Of one the most beautiful buntings. It had only just arrived days before we came, but there were nmore every day. Quite vocal and fortunately also quite visible.

 

 

150 /L 10. Little Bittern. Lesvos, May. One of the birds we had most been looking forward, too. We saw quite a few, actually and we enjoyed each sighting thoroughly!

 

 

[Soukous]

Interesting Peter. I had not associated Lesvos with good birding

[Galana]

Some good stuff there @PeterHGThe bunting is especially striking.

[michael-ibk]

Great additions Peter, especially the Bunting - have only seen ever seen exactly one (in Bulgaria). I´ve heard that Lesvos is a good birding place - you certainly prove that.

[xelas]

5 hours ago, Soukous said:

Interesting Peter. I had not associated Lesvos with good birding

On the contrary, Lesvos is a birding hotspot! 
 

Splendid photos, Peter! Zvezda has mentioned your gear just a few hours ago; the zoom started to play some tricks, and body is not performing on BIF as she would like. If the lens will become a door holder, she will move to OM-1 . That much she likes the output you are showing to us .

[PeterHG]

Thank you @Soukous@Galana@michael-ibk@xelas.

Lesvos is certainly a birding hotspot and there were many birders/photographers present, especially near the saltpans.

 

On 5/17/2022 at 9:34 PM, xelas said:

she will move to OM-1

In the hands of a good photographer like Zevzda, I am sure we can look forward to many excellent photos!

 

A few terns from the saltpans:

 

151 /L 11. Whiskered Tern. Lesvos, May

 

152 /L 12. White-winged Tern. Lesvos, May. 

 

 

They would often hunt for insects in groups over the adjacent fields.

 

 

153 /L 13. Gull-billed Tern.  Lesvos, May. Not common at all. Only 2 present at quite a distance, surrounded by a multitude of whiskered terns.

 

154 /L 14. Little Tern. Lesvos, May. Fairly common, though in small numbers. Delightful little creatures.

 

 

 

 

 

[pedro maia]

Beautiful photo of the White-winged Tern.

[Kitsafari]

8 hours ago, pedro maia said:

Beautiful photo of the White-winged Tern.

 

X2

[xelas]

And also of the Little Tern. They are a PITA to get them sharp and with a sparkle in the eye!

[TonyQ]

Excellent Tern in flight shots, really well done

[PeterHG]

Thank you @Kitsafari@pedro maia@xelas@TonyQ!

 

155 /L 15. Purple Heron. Lesvos, May. Only seen a few times.

 

156 /L 16. Black Stork. Lesvos, May. Fewer than the last time we visited the island, but still fairly regular sightings.

 

 

157 /L 17. Squacco Heron. Levos, May. Common along the Tsknias River, but not often seen anywhere else.

 

 

-- /L18. Black-crowned Night Heron. Lesvos, May. Only 2 or 3 sightings. Already counted.

 

[PeterHG]

158 /L 19. European Bee-eater. Lesvos, May. I can't remember having seen so many bee-eaters at any location we've visited. We saw and heard them virtually everywhere on the island, most of them passing through. There were certainly a lot more that on our previous visit, which provided us with some good photo opportunities of this beautiful bird.

One of the first we saw, when it was till overcast:

And , of course, I couldn't resist tspending soem time getting flight shots.

 

 

 

Sorry for the overload.... I just love them

[michael-ibk]

So do we all Peter - great shots!

[xelas]

Beautiful Bee-eaters!

[Soukous]

On 5/24/2022 at 10:21 AM, PeterHG said:

Sorry for the overload.... I just love them

no apology needed for beautiful photos

[PeterHG]

159 /L 20. Red-throated Pipit. Lesvos, May. Seen only once near the saltpans.

 

 

 

160 /L 21. Eastern Olivaceous Warbler. Lesvos, May. Fairly common.

 

 

161 /L 62. Short-toed Lark. Lesvos, May. Unfortunately they did not come close enoug for a good shot, but I'm happy to have seen them.

 

 

162 /L 23. Red-footed Falcon. Lesvos, May. Another record shot. Only seen once.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dave Williams]

Some superb shots, the Flamingo and White-winged Tern are outstanding.

I have been contemplating a return to Lesvos...maybe next year perhaps.I believe the package tours are starting earlier with flights from 20th of April but the weather can be iffy then. It's one to take Claire along too.

[shazdwn]

Stunning BIF shots once again 

[PeterHG]

Thank you @Dave Williamsand @shazdwn!

 

Well, I'm trailing @michael-ibkonly by 338, so the race is far from over yet. Let's get going again.

163 /L 24. Cretzschmar's bunting.  Lesvos, May. Only seen a few times.

 

164 /L 25. Spotted Flycatcher . Lesvos, May

 

 

165 /L 26. Chukar. Lesvos, May. We saw them on several occasions, but they were mostly very shy. This one, at least, gave me a chance for a photo.

 

[PeterHG]

166 /L 27. Isabelline Wheatear. Lesvos, May. Only seen on one occasion in the middle of the day, so distance and atmospheric haze made a good shot impossible. But I'm glad we saw one.

 

 

Well, I may as well deal with the other EBC's. I really don't mind as they were both lifers.

 

167 /L 28. Rock Nuthatch. Lesvos, May. We had searched the rocky slopes in vain for some time, when two other birders kindly showed us one in their scope.

 

We had been told a Great Snipe had been sighted in a small wetland area near the bay. We drove there, parked the car and patiently searched the edge of the reed beds. No luck. Then the drivers of anothr car, an English couple, waved us nearer and told us to occupy their spot exactly after they left and scan a little inlet on the other side of the little lake. Very kind of them and it paid off. 

 

168 /L 29. Great Snipe. Lesvos, May

 

[PeterHG]

Lesvos was definitely shrike country.

 

169 /L 30. Red-backed Shrike. Lesvos, May. This is the female.

 

170 /L 31. Woodchat Shrike. Lesvos, May. Not as common as the previous one. I only saw it twice, I think.

 

171 /L 32. Masked Shrike. Lesvos, May. Smaller than the Red-backed and probably equally common. I did not get good views last time i visited Lesvos, but I was luckier this time.