Rare sightings from autumn ’24

First rainfalls came well in November and so was the cold. Here are the special birds recorded on the island this autumn.

White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala)

First spotted by Jacco Slomp in Metochi Lake on 31 October 2024 where it stayed for a few days (see original entry in Observado here). Later on, it was recorded in the Kalloni Pans eastern canal on 3 Nov by Stylianos Zannetos. All local birders engaged with it at least until 14 Nov.

This was only the 2nd record for Lesvos, the first being from 26 Dec 2017.

Little Bustards (Tetrax tetrax)

Lefteris Kakalis and Kostas Stafylidis were very lucky to be able to engage with 5 Little Bustards on Nov 24 and by the area south of the salt pill of the Kalloni Pans. Several birders went there searching the following morning but the birds were never seen again.

This was the first record for Lesvos. There has been a notable influx of Little Bustards in the country this autumn with many records from Northern, Western and Central Greece.

Wryneck with ring from 2021

This Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) was recaptured 12/11 in the Dipi reedbed, Gera Gulf, Lesvos, only some tens of metres away from its ringing spot in November 2021- it was an adult bird back then!