Crete (April 2013) | ||
Paleohora | ||
A fairly low-key (and windy!) trip to the largest of the Greek islands - lots of migrant birds (including Thrush Nightingale and Collared Flycatcher, plus lots of Red-footed Falcons), butterflies and endemic plants - plus masses of orchids. For the full report, scroll down below the photo gallery.... |
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Samaria Gorge | The Colossus of Paleohora | |
Towards Sougia | Dragon Arum | |
A wandering hobbit | Goats | |
The hot and windy coastal path to Sougia | Paleohora hotel | |
Swallowtail | Evening Julia | |
Beach Julia - at Elafonisi | Ophrys lutea/siccula | |
Elafonisi | ||
Elafonisi | Elafonisi | |
Like it says on the sign.... | ...and the peaceful walk | |
Deep in the gorge.... | ....a Scops Owl lurked | |
Tired migrant Wood Sandpiper | ||
Sardinian Warbler | Squacco Heron | |
Black-winged Stilt | Woodchat Shrike | |
Male Red-footed Falcon | ||
Female Red-foot - one of a flock of 15+ | Another tired female | |
Striped Hawk-moth | Ophrys episcopalis | |
Italian Man and Man Orchids | Ophrys fusca | |
More Ophrys! | More Ophrys! | |
Plakias | A chasmophyte | |
Plakias | Floral display @ Plakias | |
Yet more orchids! | The endemic Tulip | |
Turban Buttercups | Lax-flowered Orchid | |
Wall Lettuce (endemic) | Orchis quadripunctata | |
Phaistos | Phaistos | |
Knossos | Knossos | |
Knossos | Iraklio Harbour | |
At Iraklio Museum | The "Snake Goddess" | |
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The Phaistos Disk
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Still birding, even in the Knossos café
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Another largely non-birding trip, this time in search of much-needed sunshine with the added attraction of some hiking, migrant birds and endemic plants. We started in the mountains of Omalos, but one day of cold, wind, rain and cold sent us scuttling southwards to the coast. Before we left we did manage to find some flowers, including tulips and several orchid species, and we viewed the top of the Samaria Gorge, even though it was still closed for the winter. Through the murk we did also see at least 8 Wood Sandpipers, Raven, Northern & Black-eared Wheatear, Alpine & Pallid Swifts, Blue Rock Thrush and a large flock of Red-footed Falcons. Simon also managed to fluke a Lammergeier overhead. Hmmmph! Our next stay was in Paleohora in the southwest, which was beautifully deserted, with an almost forgotten feel to it out of season. We picked a hotel near a promontory, which turned out to be a reasonable migrant trap, and as we arrived we found an exhausted Wood Sandpiper by the front door, boding well for future migrant searches! The promontory itself yielded Wryneck, Short-toed, Wood and Crested Larks, Subalpine & Ruppell’s Warbler, Wood Warbler, Griffon Vulture, Squacco Heron, Yelkouan Shearwater, Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, and a Thrush Nightingale right in the town centre . One evening, after another enormous meal, no doubt including the ubiquitous Greek Salad, we stumbled across a Beech Marten foraging on the beach – a first for both of us! More flowers hesitantly identified included the amazing, huge Dragon Arum lily (Dracunculus vulgaris), Gladiolus illyrica, and more orchids including Serapias spp and Orchis spp. We also found several butterflies in spite of the wind, such as Clouded Yellow and an obliging Swallowtail up on the ruins of the Venetian castle above the town. One day we took a boat to Sougia and walked back in the wind (about five hours at a slow botanising pace). On stopping to admire the Lissos ancient ruins, we found Sardinian Warbler, Raven, Whinchat and Wood Warbler. Also here were Wood & Crested Lark, Collared Flycatcher, Red-throated Pipit and Woodchat Shrike. Another expedition was the walk through the beautiful Irini Gorge, which was very sheltered and warm, offering a welcome respite from the wind. Here we saw Collared Flycatcher, Blackcap, Wood & Willow Warblers, Cuckoo, Bee-eater and best of all, a roosting Scops Owl. New butterflies for the trip included Speckled Wood and Wall Brown, and we also enjoyed seeing wild Cyclamen everywhere.
However, we couldn’t quite leave the binoculars behind so we did manage find Golden Oriole and Red-rumped Swallow whilst admiring the frescoes and ruins! So no bird ticks for us on this trip, but one mammal, one butterfly and lots of plant lifers (even if we’re not quite sure of all of their identities!). |