I found birding hard work. The weather was gloriously fine for the whole of our stay which meant migrants were scarce; it is a big island which means lots of driving and the wetlands are mostly small and few and far between. I met only  a handful of birders in the fortnight so the exchange of information was rather limited.

Anyone who has birded Lesbos in the spring will be disappointed by the number and variety of birds if my experience is typical. But on the positive side, the island has a star attraction in Lammergeier (fairly easy to see), the mountain scenery is spectacular and holidays early in the season can be very cheap.

We took an Argos Holidays package deal and stayed at Sfakaki, about 11kms east of Rethymnon on the north coast, which had the advantage of being reasonably central but the disadvantage of not being close to a decent wetland that could be checked regularly for migrants.

A two-centre holiday, with a week in the west and a week in the east might be the best option for those seeking a bigger list. It certainly would have been nice to have birded Agia Reservoir and the Creta Sun Lagoon more frequently.

I used A Birdwatching Guide to Crete by Stephanie Coghlan (2001 revised edition) published by Arlequin Press. It recommend it but it is frustratingly vague on both directions to sites and the status of species on the island. There are a few useful trip reports on the web.

SYSTEMATIC LIST 
(English names as in Collins Guide, Svensson et al; site names mostly as in A Birdwatching Guide to Crete, Coghlan)

Black-necked Grebe: One Lake Kournas May 3

Little Grebe: Many Agia Reservoir, a few at Kournas and Georgioupolis lakes

Shag: One off Palm Beach on south coast May 11

Little Bittern: Two Agia Res May 2 and 9; one Georgopoulis Lake May 3 and 6; one

Creta Sun lagoon May 5 and 7; one Heraklion power station area May 7; one Petres river May 6

Cattle Egret: A breeding-plumaged bird in olive groves just W of the castle at Frangocastello May 12

Squacco Heron: One W over the sea at Platanes April 30; two Agia Res May 2 and 9; five Creta Sun lagoon May 5; three Heraklion power station area May 7; two Frangocastello  May 12

Little Egret: Three Agia Res May 2 and three Tersanas Pool May 6; ones and twos at most of the larger wetlands

Grey Heron: Eight flew N high over the Kourtaliatiko Gorge May 4; two Lake Kournas May 10; singles Agia Res, Omalos Plateau, Georgoupolis Lake

Purple Heron: Three Creta Sun lagoon May 7; singles Agia Res, Elounda salt pans and Lake Kournas

Glossy Ibis: Five Creta Sun lagoon May 5; three there May 7

Mallard: Max four Agia Res; one Lake Kournas

Garganey: Ten Agia Res May 2 (two females); two Heraklion power station area May 7

Ferruginous Duck: A male and a female Agia Res May 2

Lammergeier: One Kourtaliotiko Gorge 9.25am May 4; one 11km south of Prasses in the Amari Valley 12.20pm May 8

Griffon Vulture: A common bird in the mountains, more than 20 seen some days with 16 soaring together Kourtaliotiko Gorge May 4. Nest visible from Turkish Bridge near Mon Prevelli

Golden Eagle: Two together between Omalos and Lakki May 2. Adult and immature

Bonelli's Eagle: One immature at gorge just beyond Prasses May 1

Marsh Harrier: One female over olive groves above Geropotamus river mouth April 30;  one female Agia Res May 2, two females there May 9

Long-legged Buzzard: One 11km south of Prasses May 8

Common Buzzard: Common and widespread, seen daily

Kestrel: Widespread in small numbers, preferring the higher ground

Eleonora's Falcon: One Omalos Plateau May 2; two olive groves at Kato Gouves May 7; one on road to Omalos May 9

Peregrine: One cliff face on back roads SW of Geropotamus river mouth April 30

Chukar: Two seen well from track from Turkish Bridge to Palm Beach May 11; birds heard at a few other sites

Little Crake: Six at Agia Res May 2 and one May 9; one  Creta Sun lagoon May 5 and May 7

Moorhen: Small numbers on most of larger wetlands

Coot: Small numbers on most of larger wetlands

Stone-Curlew: One in flight over beach at Frangocastello May 12

Little Ringed Plover: Pair Platanes river April 30; one Perama river May 3; two Creta Sun lagoon May 5; one Petres river May 6

Ringed Plover: Two Creta Sun lagoon May 5 and 7

Temminck's Stint: One Georgoupolis Lake May 9

Little Stint: Seven Creta Sun lagoon May 5; three Elounda salt pans May 5; one Georgopoulis Lake May 3; two Agia Res May 9

Wood Sandpiper: One Agia Res May 2 and two May 9; two Creta Sun lagoon May 5; five Tersanas Pool May 6

Common Sandpiper: Two Sfakaki beach April 30 and three there May 3; one Agia Lake May 2; one Geropotamus river mouth May 3; one Georgopoulis Lake May 3 and two there May 9

Marsh Sandpiper: Two breeding-plumaged birds at Creta Sun Lagoon May 5 and at least one still May 7

Common Snipe: One Tersanas Pool May 6

Ruff: Twenty at Creta Sun Lagoon May 7 the highest count; eight Tersanas Pool May 6; one Agia Res May 2 and two May 9; singles Geropotamus river mouth and Sfakaki beach May 3

Yellow-legged Gull (L.c.michahellis): Common and widespread; the only larid seen

White-winged Tern: Four Agia Lake and two Georgoupolis Lake May 9

Whiskered Tern: Seven Agia Lake May 9

Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon: Many obviously feral birds with some pure-looking examples nesting in cliff faces

Wood Pigeon: Small numbers, mainly on higher ground

Collared Dove: Small numbers near houses

Turtle Dove: Ones and twos widespread, some singing, with a peak count of 29 on wires SW of Geropotamus river mouth May 3

Common Cuckoo: one singing Omalos Plateau May 9

Common Swift: Large colonies in cities of Rethymnon and Chania; fairly widespread in first week on lower ground

Pallid Swift: One Thronos in the Amari Valley May 1

Alpine Swift: Heavy passage, with many birds on the coast in first week. Widespread in small numbers in gorges and mountains

European Bee-eater: Eleven over Mon Prevelli May 4 and one Frangocastello May 12 were the only birds seen. Heard at three other sites

Crested Lark: Common and widespread

Wood Lark: Six Omalos Plateau May 2

Short-toed Lark: Three Creta Sun Lagoon May 5

Sand Martin:  Only six seen in the two weeks

Crag Martin: Widespread in small numbers in the gorges

Red-rumped Swallow: Widespread in small numbers on the slightly higher ground

Barn Swallow: Common and widespread

House Martin: Small numbers only

Tawny Pipit: One singing and display flighting at Omalos Plateau May 2; one Sfakaki shore May 3; two Creta Sun Lagoon May 5

Red-throated Pipit: Recorded in ones and twos at Sfakaki shore; Creta Sun Lagoon, Malia headland, above Geropotamus river mouth

White Wagtail: Recorded from the coast only; Geropotamus river mouth, Swallows Canyon beach; Moni Prevelli; Frangocastello

Yellow Wagtail: Many were recorded flying over calling but of those seen well enough to assign to race, six were flava, five feldegg and at least two thunbergi

Wren: A few in the Omalos area and at Chromonastiro

Nightingale: Two Agia Res May 2 and one May 9

Northern Wheatear: Prefers higher ground to black-eared; recorded only from Omalos area where up to four seen

(Eastern) Black-eared Wheatear: Widespread in small numbers in gorges and rocky areas, mostly of the pale-throated form

Whinchat: Three on back roads SW of Geropotamus river mouth April 30 and one May 3; one Omalos Plateau May 2; three Moni Prevelli May 4

Stonechat: Very common and widespread

Blue Rock Thrush: Widespread in small numbers in rocky areas

Blackbird: Scarce, a few only

Blackcap: Scarce, three singers in the Amari Valley the highest day total. Also recorded on road to Omalos, Agia Res, Chromonastiro

Sardinian Warbler: Very common and widespread

Sedge Warbler: One singing Geropotamus river valley May 3;  one Heraklion power station area May 7; one Creta Sun Lagoon May 7

Zitting Cisticola: Six Heraklion power station area May 7

Cetti's Warbler: Very common and widespread, rarely seen

Great Reed Warbler: One Agia Res 2 May; one Lake Kournas May 3; two Heraklion Power Station area May 7

Icterine Warbler: One near church of Agios Eftikios, Chromonastiro, May 10

(Eastern) Oliveaceous Warbler: More widespread in second week, with seven at Heraklion  Power Station area on May 7 the highest site count. Two Platanos river April 30; three Agia Res May 9; five Lake Kournas May 10

Willow Warbler: One Heraklion Power Station area May 7

Spotted Flycatcher: Four at Moni Prevelli May 4 was the only record

Great Tit: Widespread in small numbers

Coal Tit: At least one bird on track to Agios Eftikios church, Chromonastiro, May 10. Seen and heard calling

Blue Tit: Less common than Great Tit, preferring higher ground

Woodchat Shrike:  One on back roads SW of Geropotamus river mouth April 30; two there May 3 and May 7; one Moni Prevelli May 4; one Omalos Plateau May 9

Jay: At least one seen

Jackdaw: Fairly common, highest count 50 on back roads SW of Geropotamus river mouth May 7

Red-billed Chough: One at entrance to Samaria Gorge, Omalos May 2; one Omalos Plateau May 9

Hooded Crow: Common and widespread

Common Raven: Regular in singles and pairs in the gorges and mountains

Golden Oriole: One male Thronos in the Amari Valley May 1; another male flew in front of the car a few miles north of here

House Sparrow (italiae) : Remarkably common and widespread

Chaffinch: Widespread in small numbers

Linnet: Small numbers on the higher ground

Goldfinch: Common and widespread

Greenfinch: Widespread in small numbers

Serin: Birds heard singing at a few sites, one seen well at Agia Res

Ortolan Bunting:  Two singing at gorge just beyond Prasses May 8

Cirl Bunting: Six Omalos Plateau May 9

Corn Bunting: A few singing birds on the lower ground

Ones that got away: A distant harrier in the heat haze above Geropotamus river mouth on April 30 was probably a Montagu's and two distant falcons here were probably hobbies; a large pale-looking falcon at Kourtaliotiko Gorge on May 4 may have been a lanner.