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The Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) is a small bird of prey in the family falconidae which is in the genus falco. It breeding range extends from Eastern Europe eastward to Central Asia. In the autumn it migrates south to spend the winter in Southern Africa and in April/May the following year returns to its breeding grounds. Its scientific name, vespertinus, is Latin for ‘of the evening’ and may refer to the time of the day when it can be seen hunting. Text reference: http://www.arkive.org/red-footed-falcon/falco-vespertinus/ |
Sunday 30 October 2016
RED FOOTED FALCON [Female] (Falco vespertinusi) Katholiko Monastory, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece
Monday 24 October 2016
ITALIAN SPARROW [Male] (Passer italiae) Palaiochora Harbour, Palaiochora, Crete, Greece
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The Italian Sparrow (Passer italiae) or Cisalpine Sparrow is a small perching bird in the family Passeridae which is in the genus Passer. It is very closely related to and is intermediate in appearance between House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis). Some authorities treat it as a subspecies of House Sparrow but recent DNA research strongly supports its status as a full species. The Italian Sparrow occurs in Italy and small populations are also found in the adjoining countries of Austria, France, Slovenia and Switzerland. It is also resident on the Greek island of Crete and other Mediterranean islands including Corsica and Malta. Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com |
Friday 14 October 2016
WHINCHAT [Male] (Saxicola rubetra) Pelekaniotikos River, Koundoura, Crete, Greece
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Tuesday 11 October 2016
LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta) Palaiochora Harbour, Palaiochora, Crete, Greece
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The Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) is a small member of the heron family Ardeidae
which also includes Bitterns and Herons. It is found in the temperate
parts of Eurasia and Africa as well as Australia and New Zealand.
Over the last 60 years or so this species has greatly expanded its range
including recolonising its former breeding areas in Northern Europe. It
first bred in the Caribbean in the mid 1990’s and is increasingly being
recorded along the North American eastern seaboard.
Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Rawbirds.com |
Monday 3 October 2016
LESSER KESTREL [Female] (Falco naumanni) Katholiko Monastory, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece
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The Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) is a small migratory bird of prey of the family Falconidae which is in the genus Falco. It is a summer resident which occurs across a narrow band that stretches from the Iberian Peninsula eastwards as far as Mongolia and north western China. This colonial breeder has a patchy distribution in southern Europe. It arrives back from its wintering areas in sub Saharan Africa and Pakistan during April and early May. In addition, there are small non migratory populations mainly in southwest Spain and northwest Africa. Prey items include small birds, invertebrates, reptiles, mice, shrews and voles. It remains in the breeding areas until late August and early September when the return migration south begins. Where their ranges overlaps, it can be easily confused with the closely related Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) especially the females as they are very similar in appearance. The European population is in serious decline probably as a result of overuse of pesticides and rodenticides. Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com |
Sunday 2 October 2016
CANDIA TULIP (Tulipa saxatilis) Samariá Gorge, Mousoures, Crete, Greece
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The Candia Tulip (Tulipa saxatilis) is primarily a plant of the Southern Aegean Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. It is also native to the limestone areas of the Greek Islands of Crete, Karpathos and Rhodes as well as the Datça peninsula in Western Turkey. It grows at the edges of fields, scree slopes and rock faces up to 900 m. It is naturalized on the Greek mainland as well as parts of Italy and in Britain it occurs on the Scilly Isles. This bulbous species is widely cultivated in gardens. The flowering period extends from March to May.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulipa_saxatilis
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