Honeycombed rock

I only saw this one example but it was quite large, we spotted it on Makara beach whilst trying to photograph the alpine swifts that came past at regular intervals.

Clouded yellow

These are quite common but difficult to find 'landed' normally flashing past to seemingly vanish into thin air.

buttterflies

I am unsure as to the first picture but number two is a type of marbled white and I think number three is a Lattice brown. There were less species of butterfly than we expected to see but the unseasonal damp weather may have played a part in this.

Long legged buzzard

Having almost got stuck in the mud on a side track, we were just getting back to the main track when this juvenile flew in and perched about 50 yards away.

Snakes

Sadly most of the snakes we saw were dead on the road, according to one local they should be run over as they are deadly, I did try to educate him differently but snakes have a bad rep unfortunately.

I have been unable to id these yet.

The green snake (Montpelier?) allowed me to pass it as it laid by the roadside, reverse up and then take a picture but as soon as I stepped out from behind the car I became a danger and it vanished into thin air.

Little bittern

This juvenile had no fear of us at all, quite happy to fish at less than four feet distance, it had to be wary of the hordes of European pond terrapins that shared these waters at Metochi lake, they were quite capable of biting off a toe or two.

Jay

One of a pair that graced the hotel Aegeon grounds in Skala Kalloni, our base for the fortnight.

Great reed warbler

This bird was giving fantastic views at Skala Eressou............as long as you stayed in the car.

Rufous bush robin

These birds were right in the middle of courtship, displaying and mating and seemingly oblivious to us.

Broad bodied chaser

This is one of many species of dragonfly we encountered, I just wish I knew more about them.

Greenfinch

Once again the car made a great hide to watch as this fine male delicately picked thistle seeds from the roadside.

Bee eaters

Colourful and real posers, a photographers dream, this pair were happy for me to be parked twenty feet from them and carried on with their mating rituals.

Crested lark

Everywhere one goes in the lowlands one finds these larks, singing from perches and also whilst flying over their territory, and they are so confiding, I drove out of our hotel early one morning and there was one asleep at the side of the road, I drove past it two feet away (carefully) and did not disturb it at all!

Ruff

These were one of the few remaining species of small waders still on passage by the third week in May, the early morning light gave wonderful reflections.

Subalpine warbler

Another colourful Greek songster, happy to belt out his song from the top of a tree.

Olivaceous warbler

These are very common anywhere around water with some scrub alongside, and by using the car as a hide, they are very confiding, no great beauties but nice little songsters.