Recent Sightings highlights some of the most interesting bird records of Lesvos, focusing on scarce or migratory species, as well as noteworthy counts, unusual dates and other observations of interest.
NOTE: for site names, see page “Best birding sites“
24 August 2026
37 °C hot!
KALLONI SALT PANS
26 Dalmatian Pelicans
6 Black Storks
1 Marsh Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank
1 Broad-billed Sandpiper
18 Little Stints, 1 Ruff
2 Wood Sandpipers, 25+ Redshanks
2 Curlews, 2 Grey Plovers
2 Stone Curlews
6 Little Terns
1 Lesser Grey Shrike, ad.
3 Short-toed (Snake) Eagles, flying together!
2 Common Kestrels
Pied Avocets, Greater Flamingos,
LOTZARIA TRACK – Kalloni Pans to Tsiknias river
30+ Bee-eaters
2 Middle- Spotted Woodpecker, on electricity pole & tree
1 Spotted Flycatcher
1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warblers
2 Zitting Cisticolas
3 Woodchats, 2 Red-backed Shrikes
2 Masked Shrikes
Yellow Wagtails, Corn Buntings, House Sparrows, Crested Larks etc.
KERAMI (POTAMIA) RESERVOIR
3 Dalmatian Pelicans
25 Little Grebes, 4 Cormorants
POTAMIA OLD (HIDDEN) RESERVOIR
1 Mallard
1 Peregrine Falcon
METOCHI LAKE
8 Little Egrets
1 Common Sandpiper
23 August 2026
TSIKNIAS RIVER– near ford
(by Michael Hojgaard- eBird)
2 White Storks
1 Greenshank
15 Bee-eaters
1 Eastern Olivaceous Warbler
3 Common Buzzards
SKALA ERESSOS – river
(by Roger Hackney)
1 Kingfisher
1 Whinchat
1 Spotted Flycatcher
22 August 2026– see post!
KALLONI SALT PANS
19 Dalmatian Pelican
16 Spoonbills, 8 Black Storks
6 Curlews
3 Wood Sandpipers
8 Slender-billed Gulls
3 Lesser Grey Shrikes
1 Red-backed Shrike
1 Common Buzzard
LOTZARIA TRACK – Kalloni Pans to Tsiknias river
28 Bee-eaters, 1 Hoopoe
4 Reed Warblers
3 Great Reed Warblers
1 Savi’s Warbler
1 Whinchat, 3 Willow Warblers
2 Golden Orioles
2 Lesser Grey & 3 Masked Shrikes
6 Woodchat Shrikes
2 Cretzschmar’s Buntings
1 Common Kestrel
ENNIA KAMARES (CHRISTOU)– Skala Kallonis
(by Michael Hojgaard- eBird)
1 Greenshank, 1 Wood Sandpiper
1 Tawny Pipit
FILIA track (one starting from the village)- pm
1 Black Stork (flyover)
2 Turtle Doves (1 juv)
3 Long-tailed Tits
4 Robins, 1 Wren
4 Red-backed Shrikes (all ad. males!)
PYTHARIOU RESERVOIR near Eresos
(by Roger Hackney)
Several Bee-eaters
3 Eleonora’s Falcons
Willow Warblers
21 August 2026
PYTHARIOU RESERVOIR– near Eresos
(by Roger Hackney)
1 Squacco Heron
4 Bee-eaters
1 Middle- spotted Woodpecker
2 Eleonora’s Falcons
1 Short-toed Snake Eagle
20 August 2026
ENNIA KAMARES (CHRISTOU)– Skala Kallonis
(by Michael Hojgaard- eBird)
1 Stone Curlew, 3 Eurasian Curlews
2 Kentish Plovers, 2 Greenshanks
1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Willow Warbler
PAPIANA – village area
(by Micael Hojgaard- eBird)
2 Scops Owls- heard only
SKALA ERESOS – west end
(by Roger Hackney)
2 Whitethroats
Red-backed & Woodchat Shrikes
MELADIA VALLEY
(by Roger Hackney)
2 Pallid Swifts
2+ Yellow Wagtails
juv. Woodchat Shrikes
18 August 2026
(by Michael Hojgaard- eBird)
SKALA KALLONIS – village
150 Spanish Sparrows
TSIKNIAS RIVER – ford
3 Bee-eaters
1 Yellow Wagtail
1 Willow Warbler
1 Lesser Grey Shrike !!! – 1st for this autumn
1 Woodchat Shrike
LOTZARIA TRACK – Kalloni Pans to Tsiknias river
15 Bee-eaters
9 Yellow Wagtails
1 Whinchat
KALLONI SALT PANS- by Hide 2
1 Little Stint, 1 Wood Sandpiper
17 August 2026
POLICHNITOS SALT PANS
1 Dalmatian Pelican
23 Greenshanks, 15 Redshanks
100+ Pied Avocets
2 Black-tailed Godwits
KALLONI SALT PANS
22 Dalmatian Pelicans
7 Black Storks, 16 Spoonbills
1 LIttle Ringed Plover, 1 Kentish Plover
1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpipers
1 Short-toed Eagle
LOTZARIA TRACK – Kalloni Pans to Tsiknias river
2 Bee-eaters
30+ Yellow Wagtails
4 juv Woodchat Shrikes
TSIKNIAS RIVER– ford
1 Ferrugineous Duck
1 Common Sandpiper (M. Hojaard- eBird)
35 Bee-eaters (M. Hojaard- eBird)
3 Common Buzzards (M. Hojaard- eBird)
NAPI– over village
2 Alpine Swifts, 2 Common Swifts
PETRA– village
(by Ph. Broughton- eBird)
1 Laughing Dove
15 August 2026
KALLONI SALT PANS – west side
6 LIttle Ringed Plovers, 3 Little Stints
2 Redshanks, 1 Greenshank
1 Wood Sandpiper
22 Pied Avocets, 7 Black-winged Stilts
1 Slender-billed Gull
1 Zitting Cisticola
LOTZARIA TRACK – Kalloni Pans to Tsiknias river
1 Hoopoe
6 Bee-eaters
70+ Yellow Wagtails
9 juv Woodchat Shrikes
40+ Corn Buntings
1 Eleonora’s Falcon
2 Common Kestrels
1 Common Buzzard
2 Short-toed Eagles
TSIKNIAS RIVER – ford
1 Turtle Dove
14 August 2026
KALLONI SALT PANS – west side
4 Dalmatian Pelicans – flying over east end
6 LIttle Ringed Plovers, 4 Little Stints
2 Redshanks, 1 Greenshank
16 Pied Avocets
2 Black-winged Stilts
4 Slender-billed Gulls
LOTZARIA TRACK – Kalloni Pans to Tsiknias river
2 Tawny Pipits !!! – 1st for this autumn
35+ Yellow Wagtails
1 Rufous Bush Robin
4 juv Woodchat Shrikes
13 August 2026
KALLONI SALT PANS
23 Dalmatian Pelicans
16 Ruffs
4 Little Stints, 1 Common Sandpiper
60+ Yellow Wagtails !!! – 1st flocks for this autumn
1 Willow Warbler !!! – 1st for this autumn
LOTZARIA TRACK – Kalloni Pans to Tsiknias river
25 Bee-eaters
1 f. Red-backed Shrike !!! – 1st for this autumn
TSIKNIAS RIVER – ford
1 Glossy Ibis
AGIA PARASKEVI village – north
1 m. Red-backed Shrike !!!- 1st for this autumn
5+ Eastern Black-eared Wheatears
1 juv Goshawk
12 August 2026
POLICHNITOS SALT PANS
2 Dalmatian Pelicans
1 juv. Greater Flamingo
1 Black Stork
8 Kentish Plovers
9 LIttle Stints
1 Black-tailed Godwit
3 Slender-billed & 16 Mediterranean Gulls
56 Sandwich Terns
11 August 2026 – see post!!
KALLONI SALT PANS
18 Dalmatian Pelicans
8 Spoonbills
15 juv. Greater Flamingos
106 Pied Avocets
10 LIttle Stints
13 Slender-billed Gulls
1 Kingfisher !!!- 1st for this autumn
1 or 2 Honey Buzzards
1 Winchat !!!- 1st for this autumn
10 August 2026
(by Michael Jackson)
KALLONI SALT PANS
1 Gull-billed Tern
3 Glossy Ibises
Sand Martins, 1 Yellow Wagtail
7 August 2026
MITILINI town
1 Laughing Dove
6 August 2026
SKALA KALLONIS village
(by J. Howe/ eBird)
1 Laughing Dove
TSIKNIAS RIVER – ford
1 Squacco Heron
KALLONI SALT PANS
(by E. Galinou & C. Fantana- Observation)
7 Dalmatian Pelicans
3 Glossy Ibises (SW corner pan)
1 juv. Greater Flamingo– 1st of this year
3 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Kentish Plovers
8 Little Stints, 3 Dunlins
1 Ruff
1 Wood Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpipers
15 Redshanks, 4 Greenshanks
5 Slender-billed Gulls
4 August 2026
KALLONI SALT PANS – west side
(by Michael Jackson/Lesvos Birders WhatsApp group)
1 Black Stork
9 Black-winged Stilts, 1 Pied Avocet
5 Little Ringed Plovers, 1 Kentish Plover
6 Little Stints, 2 Dunlins
1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper
1 Marsh Harrier
3 August 2026
(by Michael Jackson/Lesvos Birders WhatsApp group)
PAPIANA village – near Skala Kallonis
1 Nightjar
2 August 2026
(by C. Fantana- Observation)
SIGRI – village
1 Laughing Dove
Lesvos BIRD NEWS 