Thursday ramblings

 My second foray out into the Pefkohori countryside was always going to be a bit of an anticlimax after yesterday’s effort. Absolutely no way will this terrain be able to provide eighteen year ticks, in a single day, again on this trip. My choice, entirely, but I’m restricted to the area which I am physically able to walk to and now, fast  approaching seventy, that ain’t as far as it used to be I can tell you! 

My route today took me up to a small, but very sacred, Greek Orthodox Church with restricted access for visitors and a strict dress code which certainly prevented a long haired hippy, carrying camera and binos from treading on the haloed ground within the boundaries. No big deal as it was the road which got me up there which provided the birding opportunities.

The two new additions were Olive-tree and Eastern Olivaceous Warblers, Pefkohori being the only place I’ve ever seen them previously. Plenty of other birds to look at as I made my way around and I’m hopeful that some of the images obtained today are an improvement upon those of yesterday? It seems really crazy when I’m not sure whether to look at a Black-headed Bunting, a Red-backed Shrike or a Turtle Dove? All of which are present within a tiny Olive Grove or garden. 

What a start

 Until we get back home I won’t be able to accompany these posts with any images. It’s certainly not beyond technology, just my complete inability to use it! My first wander around the Pefkohori countryside produced a superb series of avian encounters. I’ve got eighteen additions to my self found list which includes my very first Greek Little Bitten. Sadly, no photo’s were obtained, still there’s plenty of time yet.

The real stand out sighting came when I stumbled across a sow Wild Boar with a litter of boarlets in tow and this I did manage to get photos of. Most of the usual suspects have been seen, but it is a very sorry reflection on my UK efforts when I have to come to Greece to year tick Common Swift, House Martin and Whinchat?

Ten more days to go, so I’m very hopeful of getting more additions to the list and securing some decent images to accompany my trip report which will be a posted once we get back home!

Some moths at last

May has finally started to deliver warmer overnight temperatures and with it has come a very noticeable increase in moths attracted to the garden MV trap. Still a long way short of the catch numbers that we'll experience later in the year, last night's total of thirty-seven individuals, eleven species, is the best haul of 2023, thus far. Common Quaker and Early Grey continue to make up the bulk of the catch but Least Black Arches (2), Swallow Prominent, Large Yellow Underwing, Bloxworth Snout, Sulphur Tubic (2) and Triple-barred Argent were all new for the year with another two Silver Y's providing evidence of some migrant activity. 

The "Adidas Moth" - Triple-barred Argent

Not what I expect to see in May - Large Yellow Underwing

Sulphur Tubic

Swallow Prominent

Least Black Arches

My macro photography skills remain very basic, but still I am able to capture the odd record shots required to support my blogging efforts if nothing else? Back out Eel fishing this evening so, fingers crossed, there will be another blog entry before Bev and I fly off to Greece where I'm hoping for eleven days of full on birding, oh and a few Mythos!

Round up

 I'll get this started with a quick review of my first, 2023, Eel session. I blanked but, it wasn't time wasted as, there were several occurrences which provide learning opportunities as the project moves forward. A couple of stand out lessons were the requirement of isotopes within my bobbins and a complete rethink of my rig mechanics due to reeling in my left-hand rod, at the end of the session, to discover there was no bait on the hook. I'd dismissed the savage bobbin movement as a "liner" from the venue's numerous small Carp. I've spent some time re-reading the John Sidley chapter, Big Eel Mania, in The Big Fish Scene (Published by Ernest Benn 1979 ISBN 0 510-21006-6) where he describes very similar events at Earlswood Lakes, in the midlands, which he was able eradicate with a program of pre-baiting. Food for thought indeed and, before I left, all the bait I'd taken for the session was deposited in the swim ready for my return on Sunday, all being well? It would be absolutely pointless trying to draw any conclusions from what has happened, thus far, yet remain confident of a decent outcome if I stick to my task.

Away from angling, the garden continues to provide the bulk of my natural history fix. The moth trap is slowly starting to produce a few interesting results with a couple of Diamond Backs, yesterday, and a Silver Y and Pearly Underwing today. Odd Swallows have been spotted as they whiz over the gardens along Vine Close, whilst the undoubted birding highlight was provided by a pair of Greenfinches which dropped onto the feeding station on Wednesday afternoon. 

Birds and birding still play a massive role in my daily routine. That I am now completely removed from any formal involvement just makes it that much more enjoyable. What I do, and don't, see matters not a jot to anyone else, thus, exactly how I want it to be. Please don't think that I've an axe to grind with those who also enjoy their birding, but with a completely different outlook to getting involved. It really must be a case of each to their own. From my current position I do find myself smiling when scanning the various local birding web sites. Tales of Eleonora's Falcons, Hoopoes, Bee-eaters, and the like, just serve to ensure my own year listing efforts take on a very satisfying role. I no longer feel the need to go scampering off seeking a lonely waif or stray, I'm confident that I'll see them in good numbers, in all their splendour, because of my choice of holiday destinations. Birds have no concept of where they are, so why should it play a part in my own enjoyment? My game, my rules - or complete lack of them!

We head off to NE Greece, early next week, whilst Bev's God-daughter, partner and newly born  (another Harry!) are house sitting, thus getting a seaside break away from their home in Sheffield.  I'm totally happy to include those birds I encounter, on my self-found list, because it doesn't matter to anyone else.

The start of a new adventure

 At around 19.00 hrs, this evening, I'm heading off to undertake the first Eel session of 2023. A completely untried venue, with no history of eel captures, but one that isn't too far away from the Heronsview syndicate fishery, which has done fish to 6 lbs plus. My plan is to fish short sessions, just a couple of hours after sunset, thus meaning I'll be packing up around 23.00 hrs I guess. 

Short hook-links and small dead baits will be my opening gambit, purely because the fishery is absolutely crammed full of "silvers" and there are no Pike present. I've watched the Steve Pitts ESP offering, on Youtube, and fully embrace his stance on Eel conservation and the need for rigs which reduce the possibility of deep hooked fish. Certainly not likely to spend 130 nights, as he states, for just three Eels but, then again, I ain't obsessed with these slimy critters, just want to spent some time in their pursuit in the hope of landing a specimen in excess of four pounds. Too much to ask? Only by trying will I ever find the answer. What I would like, as an aside, is a decent photo of me actually holding an Eel for the camera as opposed to wrestling the bloody things. The intervalometer gizmo should certainly be of great help in this particular aspect of the project.

I'm hoping to improve upon this pitiful type of self-take result.

Carp Puddle fun & frolics

 Absolutely no intention of going fishing on Tuesday until a crazy turn of events produced a short, but very viable, window of opportunity. After collecting Harry from school, he stayed with us because there was no-one at home until after 17.00 hrs. Although there had been a moderate easterly breeze, for the entire day, with the sun shining brightly it felt very pleasant out of the wind. My quickly concocted plan was to get Harry back home by 17.30 hrs then continue my journey down to the club fishery where I would have an hour, or so, before packing up and heading for home prior to the Arsenal vs Chelsea game. It worked like a charm and with the venue to myself I was able to have the choice of swims. Eight Carp in seventy minutes was my reward and included a further two doubles. 

At 13 lbs 4 oz, this gnarly looking Mirror was the best of the bunch

I didn't learn a single thing, just enjoyed myself using a 1959 Mk IV, Dick Walker split cane rod, Allcock's Match Aerial centrepin, 5 lbs b.s. line and a size 8 Korda "Widegape". Bait was my standard wholemeal bread with my freebies being a mix of "Happy Shopper" (now rebranded as Jack's?) and Tesco dog and cat biscuits. It doesn't get any simpler, or cheaper?

These fish seem to have ridiculously large tails which they use to good effect when hooked

The garden moth trap continues to disappoint but with a definite improvement in overnight temperatures I'm hopeful that the local moths will become more active and I can also make time to cast a baited hook in the direction of an Eel, or two.

May Day morning

 I'd said to Bev, last night, that if I woke up early then I would take a drive down to the "Carp Puddle" to see if my May "double" could be done and dusted so leaving me free to do something different. That's exactly how it panned out. On my way before 07.20 hrs, fishing by 08.00 hrs with the same floater set-up as on the previous visit. With the club's barbless hook rule, I started off with a size 8 Pallatrax  "Gripz" curve shank but lost six of the first ten fish I hooked. It was only when I changed over to a size 8  Korda "Widegape" that this issue was resolved and I didn't lose another fish. By 10.00 hrs I'd achieved my goal with an 11 lbs 6 oz Common and a 10 lbs 14 oz Mirror visiting the unhooking mat. 

I decided that I'd pack up and have a quick circuit of the site to see what birdlife might be around. There had been two Cuckoos calling when I arrived but they'd gone quiet (or continued north) well before 09.00 hrs. A pair of Common Terns were seen on two separate occasions and there was a trickle of Swallows passing through. A Raven croaked loudly as it flew south so there was definitely potential for discovering something lurking in the surrounding area. As it turned out the best I could do was an absolutely stunning male Yellow Wagtail feeding around the remains of a puddle in the corner of a previously flooded field. 

Back at the van, very happy with my morning, a flat tyre greeted me and somewhat took the shine away from a thoroughly enjoyable session up until that point! Still, these things are there to test us, if you don't experience the lows then you'll never appreciate the highs?