A day of exploration that started with a post
breakfast trundle through Lotzaria where two Kingfishers, a Turtle Dove and
some amazingly close Hummingbird Hawkmoth performances were the highlights.
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| Stroppy Kingfishers |
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| Hummingbird Hawkmoth |
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| Hummingbird Hawkmoth |
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| Millet Skipper |
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| Mallow Skipper |
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| An Eristalinus hoverfly and although far stripier on the thorax than back home it would appear that E aenus is the most likely. |
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| If any of my fly friends have any additional thoughts please let me know! |
From here I
headed up to Agia Paraskevi and then on a track meandering out east into the
olive groves on the trail of the very early Christian Basililka of Halinados
(or St George to us Brits) that Michael J had posted images of the other day.
The aisles and well weathered lichen encrusted columns of this wonderful monument
were worthy of the winding road and you could still see the crosses at the top
of each capital.
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| Inside the little Chapel |
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| With its George and the Dragon iconography |
A fine pine stood at the head of the ruins and shaded the
visit and the surrounding groves were full of Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Cirl Buntings,
Sombre Tits and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers. Eastern Black-eared Wheatears fed
under the trees and two Ravens and two Black Storks circled overhead.
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| Sombre Tit peering into a dry thistle |
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| They would extract a seed and then take it to a perch to process |
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| Essence of Eastern Black-eared Wheatear |
I stuck to the track east from here as it wandered its way
through the increasing pine woods. I stopped frequently to listen for Kruper's
Nuthatches but had no joy and the woods were largely silent bar a few Tits,
Short-toed Treecreepers, Chaffinches and Spotted Flycatchers around the edges.
Four Woodlarks moved along in front of the car like little brown automatons.
They are still one of my favourites.
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| Woodlarks |
The bumpy track popped out onto a shining white forestry or
quarry haul road that blazed its way through the trees and it was an ‘entertaining’
run back South to the main Mytilini road! I turned left at the end (the sign
lies!) and dropped down to the Karini road for lunch at the bridge over the
River Evergetoulas.
The water level was very low but a poke around the river
bed produced two each of Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail and a single White
Wagtail. Violet Dropwings, Red-veined and Scarlet Darters and Keeled and
Southern Skimmers zipped around and Levant Water Froglets abounded while a
Giant Asian Mantid is was my prize find.
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| Scarlet Darter |
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| Scarlet Darter |
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| Violet Dropwing |
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| Violet Dropwing |
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| The Skimmers are a headache but I am pretty sure these are as labelled. Keeled Skimmer |
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| Keeled Skimmer |
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| Keeled Skimmer |
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| Southern Skimmer |
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| Not sure on this Grasshopper |
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| Levant Water Frog |
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| Freshwater Snails |
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| Giant Asian Mantis - Hierodula membranacea |
A party of at least six Hawfinches were in the Oriental
Planes but proved very tricky to see other than occasional flight views and
Black Stork and Bee-eaters were overhead. After lunch I continued alongside the
river down to the next road passing quite a few Spot Flys, both Whitethroats,
Blackcap and Willow Warblers on the way before swinging back west on the main
road.
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| Spotted Flycatcher |
A brief stop at the Mesa archaeological site gave great views of a
juvenile Masked Shrike before finding a smart Marsh Sandpiper at the Pump House
Corner on the way back through the middle.
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| Masked Shrike |
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| Masked Shrike |
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| Keeled Skimmer again I think |
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| Anthophora bimaculata or similar |
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| Long-tailed Blue |
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| Greater Flamingo |
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| Greater Flamingo |
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juv Black-winged Stilt
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| Marsh Sandpiper |
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| Marsh Sandpiper |
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| Little Ringed Plover |
A respite of ice cream and a nice cup of tea at the Pela was
interrupted by 17 Bee-eaters, Black Stork and Marsh Harrier going over and the
constant twittering of Red-rumped Swallows before heading back out onto
Lotzaria where I had a good walk with Leo T. Three Hoopoes showed very well in
a field edge and the juvenile Montagu's Harrier once again performed admirably
while the slightly odd Buzzard was joined on his wires by another.
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| Crested Lark |
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| Tawny Pipit |
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| Hoopoes |
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| Hoopoe |
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| Corn Bunting - not as easy to get close to in the autumn |
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| Red-backed Shrike |
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Red-backed Shrike
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| Montagu's Harrier - if only the Buzzard had not pounced on it! |
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| Montagu's Harrier |
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| The odd Common Buzzard |
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| The odd Common Buzzard |
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| The odd Common Buzzard - ACV |
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| The odd Common Buzzard seeing off a rival |
Four Blue Butterflies were on the Brambles with Long-tailed, Lang's Short-tailed, Common and Holly along with Millet and Mallow Skippers, Small Whites, a Meadow Brown sp and Red Admiral. |
| Lang's Short-tailed Blue |
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| Common Blue |
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| Long-tailed Blue |
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| Holly Blue |
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| Mallow Skipper |
Two
Short-toed Eagles passed south and a female Peregrine put the huge number of
flava Wagtails into a proper tizz. The other usual suspects were around and
both Masked and Lesser Grey Shrikes seen. A single Cretzschmar's Bunting was
down by the river where four Little Ringed Plovers had gathered.
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| Two different Short-toed Eagles |
Dinner at the Pela was made more interesting by Thekla
finding some Alpine Swifts heading high South in the blue.
There was time for one last look at Lotzaria as the light
faded and by stopping in the track with my lights on I began to attract moths
and then Bats and then two female type Nightjars that careened around the car
in the strengthening wind. It was amazing and probably ranks highly on my most
amazing wildlife experiences. Stone Curlews wailed from the fields and Green
Sandpipers were once again heard before retreating to Nancy's for an aperitif.
Full screen and volume up... enjoy
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