Dates and species!
Find here a “calendar” of the birds arriving on the island for this Spring.
In bold are the species on their 1st date observed.

(RON MACDONALD)
Summer visitors/passage migrants recorded so far:
58 species
Find 2024 1st spring arrivals HERE
Apr 12
Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola) 4, Kalloni Pans SW fields (Ron Macdonald & Henri Quarfood)
Ruppell’s Warbler 1+, Haramida shrubs (Ron Macdonald)
Apr 11
Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 1, Metochi lake (Henri Quarfood)
Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)) 4, Skala Kalloni (Ron Macdonald)
Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)) 1, Meladia valley, near chapel, Eressos to Sigri track(Ron Macdonald)
Ruppell’s Warbler (Curruca rueppelli) 1+, Haramida shrubs (Kevin Hazelgrove)
Masked Shrike 1, Metochi lake (Henri Quarfood)
Apr 10
Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla) 1, Kalloni Pans SW fields (Ron Macdonald)
Gull-billed Tern 12, Kalloni Pans NW corner pan- hide 3 (Ron Macdonald)
Apr 09
Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) 2, near Eressos
Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) 5, near Eressos
Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus) 1 m, Kalloni pans SW fields (Ron Macdonald)
Apr 08
Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) 3, Ennia Kamares (Christou) wetland, Skala Kallonis (Anders Elmfors)
Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix) 1, Faneromeni (Ron Macdonald)
Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) 1+, Faneromeni (Ron Macdonald)
Gull-billed Tern 1, Ennia Kamares (Christou) wetland, Skala Kallonis (Anders Elmfors)
Masked Shrike (Lanius nubicus) 1, Faneromeni (Ron Macdonald)
Apr 05
Spur-winged Plover 4, Kalloni Pans south canal (Efterpi Marmarou)
Apr 04
Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) 1, Perama marsh, Gera Gulf
Alpine Swift 1, Meladia valley, Eresos to Sigri track (Jacco Slomp)
Eastern Orhpean Warbler 1 m, Apothika (Gavriil Kalargialis)
Apr 03
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) 6, Faneromeni, Sigri & 1 (Jacco Slomp)
Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis) 1, Eresos to Sigri track
Masked Shrike (Lanius nubicus) 1, (Jacco Slomp)
Cinereous Bunting (Emberiza cineracea), Eresos to Sigri track
Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus) 1, Kalloni Pans SW fields (Myrsini Kladogeni)
Woodchat Shrike 3, Eresos to Sigri track
Lesser Kestrel 31, Eresos to Sigri track
Apr 02
Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus) 1, Kalloni pans SW fields (Jacco Slomp)
Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus) 1, Kalloni Pans SW fields (Myrsini Kladogeni)
Apr 01
Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis) 6, Kalloni Pans south canal
Wimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) 1, Kalloni Pans SW fields (Mike- Lesvos Birders 2025 WhatsApp group)
Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus) 2, Kalloni Pans SW fields
Mar 31
Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) 1, Kalloni Pans (Jacco Slomp)
Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) 2, Kalloni Pans (Jacco Slomp)
Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus) 1, Kalloni Pans (Jacco Slomp)
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) 5, Kalloni Pans (Jacco Slomp)
Tawny PIpit (Anthus campestris)) 1, Kalloni Pans SW fields (Jacco Slomp)
Winchat (Saxicola rubetra) 1, Kalloni Pans SW fields (Jacco Slomp)
Mar 30
Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)) 1, Faneromeni, Sigri (Jacco Slomp)
Mar 29
Savi’s Warbler (Locustella luscinioides)) 1, Tsilnias river (Jacco Slomp)
Mar 28
Winchat (Saxicola rubetra) 1, Charamida shrubland (Jacco Slomp)
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) 35, Kalloni Pans SW fields (Jacco Slomp)
Mar 27
Little Crake (Zapornia parva) 1, Tsiknias river (Juha Katajamaki)
Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus) 2, Kalloni Pans south canal (Jacco Slomp)
Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) 3, Skala Eressos (Steve Bird)
Mar 26
Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus) 1, Parakila marsh (Jacco Slomp)
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) 1, Parakila marsh (Jacco Slomp)
Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus) 1, Kalloni Pans south canal (Myrsini Kladogeni)
Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)) 1, Parakila marsh (Jacco Slomp)
Mar 25
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) 1, Tsiknias river (Jacco Slomp)
Mar 24
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) 1, Kalami marsh
Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)) 2, Faneromeni, Sigri (Jacco Slomp) & 1 Tsichliontas (Meladia) valley
Eastern Orphean Warbler (Curruca crassirostris) 1, Tsichliontas (Meladia) valley
Little Crake (Zapornia parva) 1, Tsiknias river (Michael Jackson)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) 1, Tsiknias river ford (Jacco Slomp) & 1 Kalami marsh
Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) 2 Kalami marsh
Common Swift (Apus apus) 50+, over the Kalloni Pans south fields
Mar 23
Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) 2, Kalloni Pans SW fields ( (Myrsini Kladogeni)
Mar 22
Little Crake (Zapornia parva) 2, Tsiknias river (Jacco Slomp)
Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) 1, Kalloni Pans SW fields ( (J. Slomp)
Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris) 2, Kalloni Pans south fields (M. Jackson)
Garganey 1, Skala Kalloni pool (J. Slomp)
Ruff 30, Kalloni Pans SW fields (J. Slomp)
Common Swift 5, Mytilini
…
Mar 17
Garganey (Spatula querquedula) 1, Kalami marsh pool (E. Galinou)
Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus) 2, Faneromeni- Sigri
Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)) 1, near Messa
Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica) 6, Faneromeni-Sigri
Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina) 2, Eresos to Sigri track
Glossy Ibis 7, Kalloni Pans south fields
Lesser Kestrel 1, near Sigri
Hoopoe 1, Meladia valley chapel
Black-headed Yellow Wagtail 8, Faneromeni- Sigri
Eastern Sub-alpine Warbler 2 (pair), Vafeios (Anita Pronk-Rietvink) & 1 f, Eresos to Sigri track
Mar 16
Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava feldeg)) 1, near Nifida (E.Galinou)
Lesser Kestrel 1, near Nifida (E. Galinou)
Black-winged Stilt 15-20, near Nifida (E. Galinou)
Mar 15
Sand Martin (Riparia riparia) 1, near Antissa (Dane Portolou)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) 2, Dipi-Larssos reedbed (T. Akriotis)
Eastern Sub-alpine Warbler (Curruca cantillans) 1, near Vatousa (Danae Portolou)
Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) 1, Molivos reservoir (Anita Pronk-Grietvink)
Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus) 1 male, near Ipsilou Monastery (Danae Portolou)
Common Swift 5+, Mytilini (G. Karagiannopoulos)
House Martin 6, Mytilini (E. Galinou)
Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) 1, Dipi-Larssos reedbed (T. Akriotis)
Lesser Kestrel 1, near Vatousa (Danae Portolou)
Mar 14
Eastern Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe melanoleuca) 1, near Mytilini (G. Karagiannopoulos)
Hoopoe 1, Skala Eressos (Michael Bird)
House Martin 3, Mytilini (E. Galinou)
Mar 13
Common Swift (Apus apus) 1, over Papiana (M. Jackson)
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) 3, Messa (E. Galinou)
Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) 2, Messa (E. Galinou)
Hoopoe 3, Skala Kallonis to Tsiknias river track (M. Jackson)
Mar 12
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) 6-7, Kalloni Pans south fields (Alex Van Schaik)
…
Mar 10
Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba) 1, over Papiana (M. Jackson)
Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) 1, near Agiassos (G. Karagiannopoulos)
Barn Swallow 3, over Mytilini (E. Galinou)
Mar 9
Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumannii) 4, near Agra (E. Galinou)
Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) 1, Voulragis river (E. Galinou)
Little Ringed Plover 1, Voulgaris river (E. Galinou)
…
Mar 7
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) 1, Kalloni village square nest (Myrsini Skiadelli)
Little Ringed Plover 1, Ennia Kamares -Christou (Efterpi Marmarou)
…
Mar 5
Hoopoe (Upupa epops) 1, near Tsiknias river (M. Smith)
…
Mar 2
Mediterranean Gull 200+, Ennia Kamares -Christou (M. Jackson)
House Martin 4, Filia (E. Galinou)
Mar 1
Little Ringed Plover (Thinornis dubius) 1, Kalloni Pans NW corner pool (M. Smith)
Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) 51, Kalloni Pans (M. Smith)- a winter visitor in very small numbers, makes a notable passage in early Spring
…
Feb 27
House Martin 3, Kerami (M. Jackson)
Feb 26
Ruff (Calidris pugnax) 3, Kalloni Pans SE fields (M. Jackson)
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) 1, Kalloni Pans SE fields (M. Jackson)
Oystercatcher (Haematopus haematopus) 2, Kalloni Pans SE seacoast (M. Smith)
Feb 25
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 1, flying near north coast village (Martin Smith)
House Martin 1, near Molivos reservoir (E. Galinou)
…
Feb 18
House Martin (Delichon urbicum) 1, flying over Papiana village (Michael Jackson)
NOTE: Before mid April, when numerous foreign birders arrive in Lesvos, sightings are made by a handful of local birdwatchers that go in the field at an irregular basis.
You may contribute to the list of spring arrivals in one of the following ways:
- sending a message via the contact form
- submitting your sightings to eBird or Observation
- posting about it on Lesvos Bird News or Lesvos Birders FB groups
Thank you!






