We booked on the first direct flight to Mytilene, avoiding Aegan change at Athens, for our stay from 23rd April to 8th May. We had some very good birding days, keeping one eye on the birders' Whatsapp group while putting a lot of time into finding our own birds. Highlights were Chris's Red-necked Phalarope on the Kalloni saltpans that a few others who'd not gone back for dinner at the end of the day also managed to see, his Barred Warbler that managed to evade everyone else but us, and my Marsh and Icterine Warblers both located by song. We managed to get most of what we wanted to see with Red-breasted Flycatcher being the only thing we hoped to see but missed.
All told we saw 182 species. Here are a few images from the fortnight.
Ruppell's Warbler
Woodchat Shrike
Black Storks
Rock Nuthatch
Ipsalo Monastry
Poppies
Med on the rocks
Black-winged Stilt female
Driftwood on the beach
Marsh Sandpiper
Collared Pratincole
Algerian Hedgehog
Red-backed Shrike female
Collared Flycatcher female
Masked Shrike
Scops Owl
Dark Spreadwing
Red-backed Shrike male
Odalisque
Common Tree Frog
Small Skipper
Balkan Pond Turtles
Zitting Cisticola
Spotted Flycatcher
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler
Barred Warbler
Black-headed Bunting
Wood Warbler
Nightingale
T|HCP - a regularly seen ringed Flamingo on Lesvos
Long-eared Owl
Still as many strays on the island as when we visited 30 years ago
There are Scorpions if you know where to look
White Stork
Purple Heron
Beautiful Demoiselle
Little Bitterns were seen regularly on the river
Hummingbird Hawkmoths
Black-veined White Butterfly
Scare Swallowtail
Eastern Subalpine Warbler
Bee-eaters, seen and heard every day.