Lesvos synopsis.
01st May 2025
Bird watching and photographic opportunities on Lesvos are many and varied and I can understand why people go there every year. I try when possible not to do that because anywhere can become stale irrespective of its wildlife. Lesvos has become more popular than ever in the last few years, especially with tour companies, and I personally think it's diluting the allure of the island as big groups of people are inevitably noisy and intrusive.
I remember well one day on the Kalloni Saltpans road where a few people were watching and photographing a very nice selection of waders up close from the confines of their vehicle when this white minibus screeched to a halt as the driver could see the birds we were watching. The sliding door was noisily slung open and this 'Oaf' jumped out brandishing a large 'White Lens' and immediately entirely spooked the waders, he might have had a large lens but he had no fieldcraft or regard for other people whatsoever and I suppose looking back this was a sign of things to come.
However, if you know the geography of the island it's still quite easy to have a very quiet day away from people. This may seem selfish but in reality if you want to see and photograph wildlife 'anywhere' it's best to be on your own. I accept everybody has a right to look at wildlife but unequivocally twenty people e.g. are far more intrusive than one or two.
At the airport you can see these buses dropping off one group and then immediately loading the next group on, it's almost like a shuttle service.
The logistics of this tour company bird watching is horrible as well, you may be stuck in the back of a mini bus with no outlook for an hour or so as you are ferried from one 'Hotspot' to another. We witnessed a convoy of five of these buses in a line driving to the latest birding location and it's really off-putting. There's no freedom of choice for the individual and these companies also charge the earth, up to £2300 for a week's guided birding!!
For the last few years now a 'WhatsApp' group has been operating during the main birding weeks and you can see these 'tour leaders' with their bus loads of people lurching from one location to another based on these WhatsApp posts. This group then has the obvious number of opinionated people who criticise other members, and the groups moderators are also telling members what or where they cannot do or go.
We have been members previously for a short time, just perusing the App and not really reacting to any info and it is quite amusing to see the antics of some members. In addition, as with other social media groups you get the inevitable arguing, back biting, sarcasm and veiled insults etc.
Alternatively we have been enjoying driving around the island on and off for over twenty years, just finding our own birds and we much prefer that. If we find something worthwhile we will always tell people e.g. when I found a White Throated Robin in the Meladia Valley in 2023 I told as many people as I could, but highlighting birds that are in good numbers, like Bee Eaters is pointless, these Apps discourage people from finding their own birds.
When Richard Brooks pioneered birding in Lesvos after first visiting the island in 1991 it must have been so quiet, and he basically must have had the island's birds to himself.
Richard is a rather blunt character and he has undoubtedly upset many people, personally I don't mind him, once you understand that he has difficulty suppressing his feelings (It's called, 'saying it like it is') which has become unacceptable these days, bordering on being illegal even, and you then speak the same way to him then everything is fine. Undoubtably though, without his insight and forethought birding on Lesvos wouldn't be what it is today - good or bad.
I remember well one day on the Kalloni Saltpans road where a few people were watching and photographing a very nice selection of waders up close from the confines of their vehicle when this white minibus screeched to a halt as the driver could see the birds we were watching. The sliding door was noisily slung open and this 'Oaf' jumped out brandishing a large 'White Lens' and immediately entirely spooked the waders, he might have had a large lens but he had no fieldcraft or regard for other people whatsoever and I suppose looking back this was a sign of things to come.
However, if you know the geography of the island it's still quite easy to have a very quiet day away from people. This may seem selfish but in reality if you want to see and photograph wildlife 'anywhere' it's best to be on your own. I accept everybody has a right to look at wildlife but unequivocally twenty people e.g. are far more intrusive than one or two.
At the airport you can see these buses dropping off one group and then immediately loading the next group on, it's almost like a shuttle service.
The logistics of this tour company bird watching is horrible as well, you may be stuck in the back of a mini bus with no outlook for an hour or so as you are ferried from one 'Hotspot' to another. We witnessed a convoy of five of these buses in a line driving to the latest birding location and it's really off-putting. There's no freedom of choice for the individual and these companies also charge the earth, up to £2300 for a week's guided birding!!
For the last few years now a 'WhatsApp' group has been operating during the main birding weeks and you can see these 'tour leaders' with their bus loads of people lurching from one location to another based on these WhatsApp posts. This group then has the obvious number of opinionated people who criticise other members, and the groups moderators are also telling members what or where they cannot do or go.
We have been members previously for a short time, just perusing the App and not really reacting to any info and it is quite amusing to see the antics of some members. In addition, as with other social media groups you get the inevitable arguing, back biting, sarcasm and veiled insults etc.
Alternatively we have been enjoying driving around the island on and off for over twenty years, just finding our own birds and we much prefer that. If we find something worthwhile we will always tell people e.g. when I found a White Throated Robin in the Meladia Valley in 2023 I told as many people as I could, but highlighting birds that are in good numbers, like Bee Eaters is pointless, these Apps discourage people from finding their own birds.
When Richard Brooks pioneered birding in Lesvos after first visiting the island in 1991 it must have been so quiet, and he basically must have had the island's birds to himself.
Richard is a rather blunt character and he has undoubtedly upset many people, personally I don't mind him, once you understand that he has difficulty suppressing his feelings (It's called, 'saying it like it is') which has become unacceptable these days, bordering on being illegal even, and you then speak the same way to him then everything is fine. Undoubtably though, without his insight and forethought birding on Lesvos wouldn't be what it is today - good or bad.