Day twelve - very quiet

Nothing much to report from today's efforts. I took a, mid-morning, stroll up onto the Pentati road and have to say that it was a complete wasted effort. A couple of Common Buzzards, three Ravens, a Peregrine and a frustratingly brief glimpse of what might have been an Eleonora's Falcon about sums up the morning. I'd gone up there in the hope that a butterfly, or two, would pose for the camera kit - what a folly? The brisk wind was, once again, a major factor in the weather conditions despite clear blue skies and glorious sunshine. My only photo, worthy of sharing, was taken yesterday evening. A Mediterranean House Gecko was loafing around on the wall of the entrance staircase. Extension tubes and the 100 - 400 mm lens did the rest.

We've still got well over a week before we are headed back home, surely conditions must get better for encounters with the wildlife of this beautiful island?  One positive today, whilst sitting beside the pool this afternoon, was seeing my first Humming-bird Hawk-moth of 2024. 

Day eleven - slim pickings

What a difference a day makes? I'd spoken to a Greek lady in the supermarket next to our apartment block, yesterday night, and enquired about the weather for today. She said it would be pleasant enough but rather windy. No two ways about it, she should get a job with the BBC weather team. It has been sunny all day but, boy, has there been an accompanying breeze! Down at poolside it was perfectly suited to the vibe, providing a cooling effect to the intense sunshine, but up on the high ground it was a completely different situation. Bev and I had a very leisurely start to the morning, not getting across to the pool until after 10.00 hrs. Once we'd got sorted, I then took the long hike up onto the high ground beyond Kato Garouna. The higher, above sea level, I got, the more intense the wind strength became. Up on the high ground all I could hear was the wind whistling through the overhead power lines. I didn't see more than twenty birds during the three and a half hours I was wandering around, and five of them were House Sparrows as I walked through Kato Garouna! Fortunately, I had made the decision to take the 18-55mm lens along in order to get some scenic images.

Looking north from the high ground above Kato Garouna

Fairly typical terrain away from the coastal resorts.

I also had the extension tubes in a gillette pocket, thus was able to hook up with the 100 - 400mm and grab some token shots of a few butterflies which had found shelter in the lea of various outcrops. I thought one looked a little odd as I was clicking away and turns out to be a new species for me.

Cleopatra - male

So it hasn't been a particularly good day, yet "every cloud" - as they say

Northern Wall Brown (Lasiommata petropolitana) not too much else to say.

Day ten - a day off

Bev and I spent the entire day around the pool as my exertions, of yesterday, had pushed me over the edge and I needed to take a break. So today, knowing that I wanted something to blog about, I took the camera kit with me and pointed it in the direction of whatever was prepared to pose! I apologise for the photo heavy content of this offering and hope that I won't need to repeat it before we come home?  

The lizard was sunbathing on the bridge as I made my way to the pool and the Common Buzzard was perched up right next to The Irene Wellness building and kindly pointed out to me by one of the other guests, as I was in the pool at the time! With the extension tubes close to hane, I made an effort to spend some time with Praying Mantis's which are very numerous around the area.

My final offering is of a very tatty Swallowtail butterfly. Under normal circumstances I wouldn't bother with such a sorry looking example but, because this group of insects is conspicuous by their absence, it needed to be done.

I have seen a couple of African Monarchs flying about the complex yet have not been able to discover a nectar source which they are attracted to. Still plenty of time, so watch this space!

Day nine - more of the same

An absolutely perfect day for those Corfu visitors wanting holiday sunshine. Bev was besides the pool just after 09.15 hrs and I headed off to the high ground above Kato Garouna. Honey Buzzard migration appears to be well past it's peak, as I only recorded eighteen birds today. However, there was plenty of other avian activity to keep me entertained. On my walk up to the high ground I managed to grab a few images of, what appears to be, a Subalpine Warbler sp? I'll certainly be more confident of my id when I'm back home and able to do some further research.

A pale orbital ring and a reddish legs would suggest that Subalpine Warbler is the correct id?

The raptor movement was still something to enjoy as I witnessed nine Sparrowhawks, two Hobby and a Peregrine moving south whilst I was up on the high ground.  

Just a handful of hirundines were noted today, the vast majority being Swallows, and it was an adult Common Buzzard which provided the final photo opportunity of the day when it decided to spiral up from just besides the road as I made my way back to the Irene complex.

Day eight - all quiet

 Bev and I spent a very lazy day around the pool, for the first time this holiday. Birds were, very much, at a premium and I have only one adult Yellow-legged Gull (a trip tick), two Honey Buzzards and a Swallow to report. Around mid-day I did take a short stroll up to the Pentati road to see what butterflies were about. Not a lot would be the summary, if it were not for the fact that Silver Washed Fritillaries are such stunning insects.

Silver-washed Fritillary

Speckled Wood - the Mediterranean version!

Long-tailed Blue

Lang's Short-tailed Blue

Back out birding tomorrow, so hopefully something will turn up?

Day seven - "Lifer"

 The weather had improved substantially from yesterday's deluge and, knowing that the Honey Buzzards are on the move, I thought it would be a good idea to take a stroll up onto the high ground above Kato Garouna. I left Bev settled besides the pool and was on my way by 09.10 hrs. It was little more than an hour later when I reached my chosen destination, high above our resort. I'd already managed to grab a few images of a juv Common Buzzard, perched atop a pine tree, and had already recorded the first HB of the day. Things were certainly looking promising.

I was at my chosen spot, scanning the skies to the north, when my attention was drawn to the rasping contact calls of two Nightingales in the scrub below my position. I managed a couple of fleeting glimpses as they moved through the dense vegetation, but certainly no chance of a photo! Vis mig wise, it seemed that I'd made a major error and my efforts were to be unrewarded. As I continued to look northwards, all of a sudden four huge birds flew past me, headed north, and I quickly raised the binos in their direction. Bloody hell, four Black Storks and a lifer for me. They moved away steadily from where I was standing, pausing to circle a couple of times before resuming their journey. I had to resort to manual focussing, due to the distance involved, yet am happy enough to have managed a record image of this milestone event.

Three, of the four, Black Storks which have provided the highlight of
the holiday, thus far

The weather seemed to be all over the place and with thunder being heard from further south I decided to call it a day and make my way back to the Irene complex. Almost the same as yesterday, as the clouds started to build, so the Honey Buzzards began to appear. I had counted twenty-seven, plus three Sparrowhawks, as I made my way back to Kato Garouna, with another single as I neared Agios Gordios. I'd not seen a single hirundine until after mid-day when three pulses of Swallows passed overhead, probably totalling eighty birds? Bev and I spent a very enjoyable afternoon around the pool as the sun began to win the battle with the clouds. The forecast for the next few days is very good so, hopefully, migration will continue to gather pace?

Day six - crazy!

We awoke to a scene of dampness. Overnight thunderstorms had abated, yet there was thick grey cloud cover and accompanying rainfall. It wasn't until well after 10.30 hrs that Bev and I were able to take the decision to get across to the poolside, as it had ceased raining and the sun was attempting to break through the grey skies. Because of this, it wasn't until well after 11.15 hrs, that I set off on a walk into the higher ground. I'd decided that the Pentati road would be as far as I needed to walk, given the conditions yet it proved to be a pretty good option.

Corfu in September - moody I guess?

The sun tried it's best to push through the thick cloud cover but, sadly, didn't have much of a chance as the thunder clouds began to build again. Initially, my walk was like a venture into a desert, there was absolutely nothing to be seen! Apart from the odd Spotted Flycatcher,, it was the "ticking" of unseen Robins which indicated that there were a few birds about. Once at the Pentati road, very little changed as I wandered southwards in search of something to point the camera at. It was just after mid-day when things kicked off. Firstly a pair of Ravens decided to spiral up into the sky, calling loudly as they did so. Then it was like someone had turned on a switch, hirundines began to pass in huge numbers. Not quite on the scale of yesterday, yet because I was at a much lower level, I'll never really know. I guessed that 2,500 birds had passed in little more than forty-five minutes. The majority being Swallows and House Martins, however, it wasn't until 12.30 hrs that the real show got started. The cloud had thickened and thunder could be heard away to the west when the raptors began to appear. In just over thirty minutes I had spotted two Black Kites, fifty-three Honey Buzzards and a single Marsh Harrier.

Two Black Kites and a Honey Buzzard

Honey Buzzards in the gloom

Back down at poolside, with Bev, it was apparent that there were good numbers of Blackcaps around  and still there were a few hirundines, high overhead, moving in a southerly direction. It would seem that when the urge to migrtae is foremost then the weather doesn't come into the equation?

Marsh Harrier - trip tick number thirty-six!

Day five - absolutely nothing to moan about

Bev's recuperation seems to be headed in a positive direction, thus, she was able to spend another seven hours beside the pool today. The cloud cover built steadily around mid-morning yet had completely burnt off in the early afternoon and it was "el scorchio". We called it a day around 16.00 hrs, not wishing to push our luck. However, I had enjoyed  fabulous morning up on the high ground and had been privileged to witness some hirundine migration on a mammoth scale. In little more than forty minutes I had seen 5,000 House Martins, 2,000 Swallows and 700 Sand Martins moving deliberately southwards. Obviously these aren't accurate counts as opposed to rough guestimates. Either which way, it was bloody spectacular to witness. The crazy thing is that I only managed to pick out a solitary Red-rumped Swallow, from within this melee, and not a single Crag Martin or Swift sp! I've recorded Bee-eaters on every day, thus far, and this morning produced a noisy flock of forty plus birds high overhead, moving leisurely southwards.

The purpose for me trekking back up onto the high ground was in the hope of seeing some more raptor migration. The weather had other ideas, yet I still managed to see another fifteen Honey Buzzards and a Hobby for my efforts. Other birds included a Cuckoo and a Magpie, both trip ticks, so very welcome.under the circumstances. 

It wasn't until I'd made it back to the Irene complex when anything else occurred. There were a pair of Peregrines cavorting about high above the pool. I rattled off a few shots in the hope that I'd capture something worthy of blogging?

 

Day four - a bit of a mix & match

I thought I'd start this offering with a photo of a lizard sp. a sighting which will be repeated on a regular basis throughout the duration of our stay on this fabulous island.Bev pushed herself a little too far, in yesterdays sunshine, so we had a day away from the poolside today. I took an early morning stroll up to the Pentati road where I had a frustratingly brief encounter with a flyover raptor which might well have been a small eagle sp? Not much else to report from the wandering, just a couple of Ravens, a lone Honey Buzzard and another Wood Warbler worthy of note.

The bird of the day was a surreal experience as I was walking back towards our accommodation a Kingfisher flew down the main road and over the local supermarket roof. Madness, although Bev & I heard it calling from the adjacent stream about an hour later when we headed out to grab a light lunch. It was as we were making our way to the Irene pool & bar area that I spotted a smart snake in the dried up bed of the stream. Bollocks! - no camera. Even more frustrating was the fact that it was seen again as we made our way back to the apartment some forty-five minutes later. I was back within ten minutes but, guess what? Got it in one - no sign of the slithering target but, thankfully, there was plenty more subjects happy to pose for the camera kit.

Southern Blue Skimmer is all I've been able to come up with.

The first Praying Mantis of our holiday. I have absolutely no doubts that there will be more.

A Damselfly sp. - "White-legged" possibly?

So there you have it, day four is now consigned to the history books yet, happily, there's plenty more days still to come. I did spend time playing around with some butterflies but, am happy to keep these in reserve in case the weather takes a turn for the worse.

Day three - a super Saturday

With the weather resuming normal service, Corfu style, I'd gotten Bev sorted beside the pool and was on my way up to the high ground by 09.15 hrs. I reached my chosen destination in just under an hour, having already added Red-rumped Swallow, Sparrowhawk and Alpine Swift to the trip list en route. A group of three Bee-eaters flew over, as I was attempting to get some images of a Spotted Flycatcher perched on the overhead power lines. Almost immediately, there were three Honey Buzzards above me and things were certainly looking good for some raptor movement. I should have known better, as I spent three quarters of an hour staring into empty skies, just an odd hirundine breaking the monotony. I managed to add Whinchat to my list whilst also grabbing some shots of a Spotted Flycatcher, aided by the new 1.4x converter.

I slowly retraced my steps, seeing good numbers of butterflies along the way. Although I was carrying the extension tubes they didn't play a part in todays proceedings. A very confiding Silver-washed Fritillary posed nicely for the 100 - 400 mm lens, and I duly obliged with a series of shots.

Just a few hundred yards further along the path, my attention was drawn to an irate Raven, croaking loudly overhead. This lead to the sighting of an Osprey, which was obviously the cause of the Raven's vocalisation. My first Greek sighting, so a very welcome addition to the trip list.

Little more than five minutes later, I had another couple of Honey Buzzards pass overhead followed by a moulting adult Black Kite. Crazy times and another new Corfu tick, although I have seen this species on Kefalonia previously.

On my way back towards the Irene complex I managed to add Cirl Bunting to the tally so, all in all, a very enjoyable session out in the Corfu sunshine.

Day two

 Well, weather-wise, it's certainly a better day with a dry, warm and bright morning followed by thick cloud and thunderstorms, with associated heavy rain, throughout the afternoon. Bev managed a good four hours beside the pool before we called it a day, whilst I did a repeat of yesterday's walk as I strive to get to grips with the local birdlife. As a result my tally has now reached the dizzy total of twenty species!

Despite the conditions I did manage to spot a few interesting birds. Migrating Honey Buzzards are always nice to see, and this morning I counted nine individuals passing, very high,overhead. Added to this was a group of three House Martins and some calling Bee-eaters which managed to avoid my optics. I had deliberately chosen to wear my flip-flops in order to ensure that I wouldn't be tempted to push myself too hard and end up suffering the fall-out for the rest of our stay. There is certainly an obvious increase in Spotted Flycatcher numbers today and I stumbled upon a cracking Wood Warbler, feeding in an Olive grove as I made my way back towards the Irene complex.

Butterflies are conspicuous by their absence, at present, yet I did spot a rather tatty Eastern White Admiral resting in roadside vegetation, as I neared the end of my wanderings.

Corfu - day one

I am not too sure what's going on with "blogger" at present. This is my third attempt to get something posted on the blog, but thus far I'd not been able to attach any photos!

Female Blackcap - if only all birds were as happy to pose for the long lense?

I have managed to take a short stroll upwards into the countryside beyond the apartment complex, but it wasn't too productive. My trip list (birding) has only just exceeded double figures! I did have a bit of fun with a butterfly sp. which should be quite eaasy to get an id - if only I had brought any literature with me, and a very smart European Hornet which was in far superior light conditions than that individual I'd seen down at Seaton GP's a few days previously.

Hopefully the weathee will improve as the days pass, and there will e plenty more oportunities for me to play around with the camera kit whilst on this stunning Greek island.

Counting down the hours

 Bev and I fly off to the, sun-soaked, island of Corfu on Wednesday afternoon. Gatwick isn't a particularly pleasant airport from which to start our latest adventure, yet is certainly better than the Luton alternative when having to drive from Ramsgate. Because of this tonight will be the final time that the garden moth trap will be operated until we return. To be fair, the recent run of blustery winds and cool overnight temps has ensured that very little has been attracted to the light, although I did have another Convolvulus Hawk-moth on the egg trays on Sunday morning. Rusty-dot Pearls are the only migrant species which are now recorded on a daily basis, with singles of Silver Y and Dark Sword-grass this morning plus a Scarce Bordered Straw watched nectaring on Red Valerian yesterday.

Garden birding has been similarly effected by the conditions with very little evidence of autumn migration being noted. Chiffchaffs are, however, now being seen on a daily basis, whilst yesterday morning there was a small, but steady, movement of Swallows headed southwards. The two stand out birds have been a Wheatear, which perched on a neighbour's garage roof on Friday, and a Lesser Whitethroat (another garden year tick) which steadfastly refused to pose for the camera yesterday afternoon. The only other sighting, worthy of mention, was that of two Common Darters which were seen sun-bathing on the metal garden benches, 

Roll on Gatwick - roll on Corfu!

The bird bath does it again!

Bev's not feeling too sparkling, at present, as the after effects of radiotherapy kick in. Nothing that we hadn't been warned about by the Macmillan nurse, yet still not very pleasant. Our holiday can't get here quick enough. Whilst it is Bev who has to endure the physical issues, I am not (as a responsible husband) in a position to head off in search of entertainment, be that angling or ornithological, whilst these symptoms remain. My only, sensible, option, therefore, is to spend time in my study knowing that I can be immediately on hand should Bev need me. So there I was, just after 13.00 hrs, looking at the images I'd captured during our last Corfu holiday, when I glanced out into the garden only to see an imm male Common Redstart in the bird bath. Fortunately the camera was right besides me and I rattled off a few shots, through the double glazing, of only the fourth garden record of this species in twenty-four years!

What with Ring Ouzel and Pied Flycatcher already in the bag, 2024 garden listing seems to be a bit special.

Holiday prep and practice

Our Corfu holiday booking was only confirmed on Monday, thus we've got quite a few bits to sort out before we head off for this, much needed, break. We've been to our local medical practice to ensure that Bev's got enough medication to last for the period we're away. The only other, major, item which now needs to be addressed is that of airport parking, which should get sorted out on Friday? After that it's get the luggage packed and sunshine here we come! 

A holiday for Bev is nothing more complex than sunshine, a sun-bed with towels, a nice pool, a decent book or crossword and being in close proximity to a source of snacks, coffee and/or flavoured "G & T" - whichever takes her fancy. For my part, I just require some open spaces to wander around, looking at whatever nature decides to show me. Having been to this same location on several previous holidays, I am pretty confident that there will be plenty to enjoy. Honey Buzzard migration should be in full flow plus assorted hirundine and passerines will also be moving south through the area at this time of year. My hope is that my newly acquired camera kit will produce far superior images to anything previously obtained but, I am also looking to push the boundaries of my photography by deliberately attempting some macro stuff whilst we're away. Grasshoppers, mantis, dragonflies and lizards  are fairly standard fare on Corfu, yet there are a myriad  of smaller "blue" species and equally diverse numbers of skipper butterflies to explore. On top of this, surely I'll encounter many other invertebrates which have been previously overlooked, or simply ignored?

An Ichneumon sp. - only identifiable by dissection apparently?  

With this desire to explore new photographic opportunities I have been playing around in the garden with an old Sigma 55 - 200 mm lens, in combination with a 30 mm extension tube. Obviously, the lens doesn't have image stabilisation, nor can it be used in autofocus mode because of the lack of technology. All that said, I am well pleased with how it performed today and am now committed to including it in the kit being taken.

Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)

I am hopeful that I'll be able to update the blog on a regular basis, whilst we're away, but am aware of the pitiful internet provision at the resort, so fingers crossed.  If I am able to take my laptop, then any posts I make should be accompanied by images, however, if I am restricted to using Bev's I-pad, then it will be written content only until we return. 

I'm not too sure how I overlooked this image obtained yesterday night. Inspecting the egg trays this morning was a complete wasted effort. Overnight temperatures had plummeted and with them went the moth activity. Probably no more than forty moths to peruse, the vast majority being Large Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Characters and Angle-shades. Thanet is currently being pummelled by blasting westerly winds with impending rainfall cum darkness. I'm not sure that I'll even bother to run the trap tonight given these adverse conditions. The only positive being that I get an extended kip due to not having to get up to switch the trap off in the early morning.

Three's a crowd? (with an up-date!)

 My mention of Porter's Rustic, at the end of yesterday's offering proved to be a major "faux pas". I'd potted it directly off the perspex dome of the trap because it "looked" like the individual which Paul Howe had displayed on Folkestone Birds. In the cold light of day, my moth was nothing more than a very worn and pale example of the Common Rustic clan. Hey-ho! Not the end of my world, I make similar mistakes on an almost daily basis, especially with the bloody micro moths. However, all was not lost as there were three Convolvulus Hawk-moths present on the egg trays when I examined last night's catch. This is almost certainly a direct consequence of me planting Nicotiana in my garden planters.

Three Rush Veneer, five Rusty-dot Pearl and a single Dark Sword-grass were the only other obvious migrant species plus I did have another Old Lady within the trap, whilst two others were resting on the nearby fence panels. Bev and I are headed off to Corfu in little over a week's time, so these next few nights might just prove to be the end of my mothing for 2024? It will all depend upon the weather conditions when we return.

The Old Lady - quite a characterful moth

Rush Veneer

A couple of Chiffchaffs were splashing around in the bird-bath as I was examining the moth trap contents and it is really encouraging to see good numbers of juvenile Gold Finches visiting the garden feeders recently. Hedgehog numbers remain very buoyant, locally, and I guess that six individuals visit our garden feeding station on a regular basis. Although I am seeing the occasional Fox within the garden, I haven't actually seen one at the feeding bowl for several months now.

I hope that the day never dawns when I have seen enough of these wonderful creatures!

The evening up-date 

So, much as I was doing yesterday night, I'm sat in the study, listening to the England v's Finland game and watching the feeding bowls. Almost a case of "de-ja-vu"  there were two Convolvulus Hawk-moths nectaring on the Nicotiana flowers right outside the doorway. This time, however, I had the camera kit readied and close to hand, thus managed to get a few, much improved, images of the moths. I'm fairly confident that these moths were not those seen/caught yesterday as the trap contents were released nearly 400m away from the garden trap.