EGYPTIAN LOCUST or EGYPTIAN GRASSHOPPER (Anacridium aegyptium) immature at Moni Gouvernetou Monastery, Akrotiri Peninsula, Crete, Greece

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The Egyptian Locust or Egyptian Grasshopper (Anacridium aegyptium) is of the family Acrididae which is in the genus Anacridium. In Europe, it mainly occurs in countries that boarder the Mediterranean Basin. It is also found in North Africa as well as Southwestern Asia. After hatching from an egg, an immature locust (called a nymph) goes through five moult stages known as instars and then becomes an adult. Unlike some other types of locust, this species poses no treat to agriculture. This is Europe's largest grasshopper with some females reaching up to 70mm in length and it overwinters as an adult.
  

  Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

COMMON BLUE BUTTERFLY [Female] (Polyommatus icarus) Archea Poli Falassarna, Phalasarna, Crete, Greece

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The Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It occurs throughout the temperate regions of Europe (including The Canary Islands) Asia and North Africa. In Europe, it is absent from Iceland, the Atlantic islands of Madeira and the Azores. As its name implies it is one of the most widespread and commonly encountered blue butterflies in the Palaerarctic  region. In 2005, it was discovered breeding in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada and it has since increased its distribution there. In southern Europe, it is on the wing from late March to early November but it has a shorter  flight (May to September) season in the northern parts of its range. 

 Reference: Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

COMMON BLUE BUTTERFLY [Male] (Polyommatus icarus) Barranco de Betancuria, Betancuria, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain

The above male Common Blue Butterfly was photographed on Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain

WOODLARK (Lullula arborea) Kaminia River, Nikiforos Fokas, Rethymno, Crete, Greece

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The Woodlark or Wood Lark (Lullula arborea) is a small passerine in the lark genus Lullula.  It breeds across the Middle East, Western Asia as well as parts of northern Africa and most of Europe but is absent from Iceland, Ireland, Northern Britain, Northern Scandinavia and Northern Russia.  
There are two subspecies recognised L. a. arborea and L. a. pallida.
The western population is sedentary whereas the eastern population is semi migratory and winters in the warmer part of its range. 
It can be confused with other species of lark but it has quite a short tail and has a very distinctive black and white mark along the edge of the closed wing. In flight it shows a noticeable dark patch at the bend of the wing as well as a narrow white trailing edge to the tail. 

Reference: Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

COLLARED FLYCATCHER (Female) (Ficedula albicollis) Moni Gouvernetou, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) is an Old World flycatcher in the family Muscicapidae. It is a summer resident in central/eastern Europe and south western Asia. This species occurs in well-established deciduous woodland as well as parks and gardens where old woodpecker nesting holes are readily used. In late April/May, it returns from its wintering areas in southern Africa. Main prey items include caterpillars and small flying invertebrates. By September with its food supply in decline, the return migration south begins.
  
 Reference: Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

BANDED DEMOISELLE DAMSELFLY (Male) (Calopteryx splendens subspecies C. s. cretensis) Kaminia River, Nikiforos Fokas, Rethymno, Crete, Greece

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The Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) is a large damselfly in the family Calopterygidae. The range of this Eurasia species extends in a wide band from the Atlantic coast of Ireland eastwards to north western China but is absent from the colder northern regions. In Europe, it doesn’t occur in Iceland, northern Scandinavia, northern Russia or the Iberian Peninsula. Like all species of damselflies and dragonflies the major part of its life cycle is spent as an aquatic nymph. From late April to October (May to August in northern areas) it is on the wing, frequenting streams and rivers edged with aquatic plants which are used for egg laying and roosting. It has a widespread distribution and a number of races are recognised including Calopteryx splendens cretensis which is endemic to the Greek island of Crete.
  

Reference: Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

EUROPEAN STONECHAT (Saxicola rubicola subspecies S. r. rubicola) male at Techniti Limni Agia, Agia Lake, Agia, Crete, Greece

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The European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) is of the chat family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Saxicola. Preferred habitats include rough grassland, sand dunes and heathland where it is typically seen perched on brambles, gorse or shrubs within the breeding area. 

In the temperate part of its range, nesting commences in late March and up to three broods are raised. It is a partial migrant. Populations from the colder regions move to spend the winter in southern Europe and northern Africa. Successive hard winters, as was the case in 2009/10 and 2010/11 caused severe losses in the mainly sedentary northwestern populations. 

There are two subspecies generally recognised, Saxicola rubicola rubicola occurs in central, eastern and southern Europe as well as northern Morocco and southeastern Turkey. Saxicola rubicola hibernans occurs in northwestern Europe including Britain, Ireland, France and Norway.
   
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

LESSER KESTREL [First summer male on left and 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.

Reference: Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

RED RUMPED SWALLOW (Cecropis daurica) Techniti Limni Agia, Agia Lake, Agia, Crete, Greece

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The Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica) is a migratory member of the family Hirundinidae which is in the genus Cecropis. World wide, there are 74 species of Hirundines (Swallows and Martins). In addition, the only known record of the Red Sea Cliff Swallow (Hirundo perdita) was of one found dead at Sanganeb Lighthouse, Sudan in May 1984. 
 It is mainly a summer resident in the temperate regions of southern Europe, Morocco in northwest Africa as well as parts of western, central and eastern Asia. Its range extends from the Iberian Peninsula eastwards to Japan. There are also non migratory populations resident in tropical Africa and in South East Asia. 
 This insectivorous species feeds exclusively on small flying insects, mainly flies and midges. Outside of the breeding season, it is a very rare but annual overshooting spring and autumn migrant to northern Europe. 
 The European, Moroccan and northern Asian populations migrate south in the autumn to spend the winter in sub Saharan Africa, the India sub-continent and northern Australia. 

Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa striata) Pelekaniotikos River, Koundoura, Crete, Greece

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The Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) is a small Old World passerine in the family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Muscicapa. It is the commonest and the most widespread flycatcher found in Europe and western Asia. It is one of five species of migratory flycatcher which are summer breeding residents in Europe. In late spring, it returns from its wintering areas in southern Africa and southwestern Asia. Its preferred habit is open deciduous woodland. Main prey items include small flying invertebrates and caterpillars. By September with its food supply in decline, the return migration south begins.  

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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 in 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.

Reference: Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY or LARGE CABAGE WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris brassicae) Katholiko Monastory, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The Large White Butterfly (Pieris brassicae) or Large Cabbage White Butterfly is of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Pieris. It occurs very commonly through out Eurasia and North Africa as well as an introduced species in South Africa. Although larger, it can be confused with the Small White Butterfly (Pieris rapae) which has a much reduced black edge to the upper forewing.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

WOOD SANDPIPER (Tringa glareola) Moronis River Lagoon, Souda, Crete, Greece

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The Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) is a medium sized shorebird or wader in the family Scolopacidae.  It is a summer resident which breeds across a wide band that stretches eastward from Scandinavia to the Pacific coast of Asia. This long distant migrant spends the winter in sub Saharan Africa, southern Asia and parts of Australia.  During spring and autumn, it is irrregularly encountered outside its normal range as a scarce/rare overshooting migrant. 

Reference: Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
 

WOODCHAT SHRIKE (Male) (Lanius senator) Katholiko Monastory, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator) is a medium sized migratory perching bird in the family Laniidae and is one of 31 species of shrike  found worldwide. It is a summer resident in southern Europe, the Middle East and north western Africa which spends the winter in sub Saharan Africa.
  
Reference: Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea) with CORKWING WRASSE (Symphodus melops) at Palaiochora Harbour, Palaiochora, Crete, Greece

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The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) is of the family Ardeidae and is in the genus Ardea.  It is resident in the temperate regions of Eurasia as well as eastern and sub Saharan Africa. The more northern populations are migratory and move south for the winter. Wetlands are its main habitat and commonly occurs along estuaries, streams, rivers and lakes. Aquatic as well as terrestrial creatures are preyed upon. Prey items include amphibians, insects, reptiles, small mammals and birds which are swallowed whole.

This species nests in tall trees in colonies which are known as heronries. Upto five eggs are laid and are incubated for 25 days. Fledging takes place after 60 days.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

 Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) distribution map

 

 Breeding     Resident     Winter     Vagrant      Introduced resident 

 

SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons