CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE Click here for detailed site information The Samariá Gorge is a National Park on the Greek island of Crete and is also a World's Biosphere Reserve. It became a national park in 1962, as a refuge for the rare Kri-Kri, the local name of the wild Cretan Goat (Capra aegagrus cretica Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samari%C3%A1_Gorge |
Saturday, 30 April 2016
SAMARIA GORGE Σφακιά, Chora Sfakion 730 11, Crete, Greece
Thursday, 28 April 2016
COMMON CHAFFINCH (Fringilla coelebs subspecies F. c. schiebeli) male, Agia Marina, Crete, Greece
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The Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) is a small tree nesting finch in the family Fringillidae which is in the genus Fringilla. It is commonly found throughout Europe (but is absent from Iceland), Western Asia and parts of North Africa. The northern populations are migratory and winters in the southern part of the range. There are many subspecies recognised including Fringilla coelebs schiebeli which occurs on Crete as well as in Southern Greece and Turkey.
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Tuesday, 26 April 2016
WESTERN (ROMANIAN) YELLOW WAGTAIL (Male) (Motacilla flava subspecies M. f. dombrowskii) Palaiochora Harbour, Palaiochora, Crete, Greece
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Saturday, 23 April 2016
WHITE SPOTTED ROSE BEETLE (Oxythyrea funesta) Cape Kutri, Phalasarna, Crete, Greece
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The White Spotted Rose Beetle (Oxythyrea funesta) is plant eating (phytophagous) beetle in the family Cetonidae which is in the genus Oxythyrea. It is also known as The Mediterranean Spotted Chafer. Over wintering larvae, which feed on plant roots, emerge as beetles in late Spring. They feed on the flowers of a wide variety of plants up until early Autumn.
Text © www.rawbirds.com
Distribution
Albania, Andorra, Austria, Balearic Is., Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canary Is., Channel Is., Corsica, Croatia, Czech Republic, European Turkey, French mainland, Germany, Greek mainland, Hungary, Italian mainland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, North Aegean Is., Poland, Portuguese mainland, Romania, Russia Central, Russia East, Russia South, Sardinia, Sicily, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spanish mainland, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, Near East, North Africa (Fauna Europaea 2013).
Source: Stefanelli S, Della Rocca F, Bogliani G (2014) Saproxylic beetles of the Po plain woodlands, Italy. Biodiversity Data Journal 2: e1106. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.2.e1106Saproxylic beetles of the Po plain woodlands, Italy
Text © www.rawbirds.com
Distribution
Albania, Andorra, Austria, Balearic Is., Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canary Is., Channel Is., Corsica, Croatia, Czech Republic, European Turkey, French mainland, Germany, Greek mainland, Hungary, Italian mainland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, North Aegean Is., Poland, Portuguese mainland, Romania, Russia Central, Russia East, Russia South, Sardinia, Sicily, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spanish mainland, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, Near East, North Africa (Fauna Europaea 2013).
Source: Stefanelli S, Della Rocca F, Bogliani G (2014) Saproxylic beetles of the Po plain woodlands, Italy. Biodiversity Data Journal 2: e1106. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.2.e1106Saproxylic beetles of the Po plain woodlands, Italy
Thursday, 21 April 2016
WOOD WARBLER (Phylloscopus sibilatrix) Moni Gouvernetou Monastery, Akrotiri Peninsula, Crete, Greece
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The Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix) is an Old World warbler in the family Phylloscopidae which is in the genus Phylloscopus. It is a summer resident which breeds in the temperate regions of Europe and Western Asia. This long distant migrant arrives back from its wintering areas in sub Saharan in mid-April. The preferred habit of this insectivorous species is mature oak woodland with mainly open under story. Up to two broods are raised by this ground nesting leaf warbler. By late August the breeding areas are vacated and the return migration south begins.
Text © www.rawbirds.com
Friday, 15 April 2016
HOLLY BLUE BUTTERFLY [Female] (Celastrina argiolus) Archea Poli Falassarna, Cape Kutri, Phalasarna, Crete, Greece
CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE Click here for detailed species information The Holly Blue Butterfly (Celastrina argiolus) is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenids which is in the genus Celastrina. It is a widespread species and occurs in Eurasia as well as North America but is absent from the colder northern parts of this range. There are two generations and it is one of the earliest blue butterflies to be seen, emerging in late spring. Later in the season, it can be confused with similar coloured species but it has very distinctive black speckling on its under wing. It is on the wing up to late July. There are 14 subspecies generally recognised which are sub divided geographically into four groups as follows:
Text © www.rawbirds.com HOLLY BLUE BUTTERFLY [Male] (Celastrina argiolus) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland
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Male Holly Blue Butterfly seen here on Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna)HOLLY BLUE BUTTERFLY [Female] (Celastrina argiolus) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, IrelandCLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGEFemale Holly Blue Butterfly seen here on Whitethorn (Crataegus monogyna) |
Monday, 11 April 2016
CRETAN WALL LIZARD (Podarcis cretensis) Moni Gouvernetou Monastery, Akrotiri Peninsula, Crete, Greece
Sunday, 10 April 2016
JERUSALEM SAGE (Phlomis fruticosa) Archea Poli Falassarna, Cape Kutri, Phalasarna, Crete, Greece
CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE Click here for detailed species information Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis fruticose) is a flowering shrub in the family Lamiaceae that is in the genus Phlomis which includes shrubs and herbs with flowers in dense or lax whorls. It is native to the European countries that border the Adriatic Sea in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as Turkey and the islands of Sardinia, Cyprus and Crete. This yellow flowered shrub is in bloom from April to June and has evergreen leaves. It can grow up to 1m tall with a spread of 1.5m. It is widely cultivated as a garden plant. Phlomis cretica and Phlomis lanata are two similar and closely related species that also occur on Crete. Text © www.rawbirds.com |
Thursday, 7 April 2016
COMMON SANDPIPER (Actitis hypoleucos) at Palaiochora Harbour, Palaiochora, Crete, Greece
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The Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) is a small shorebird or wader in the family Scolopacidae which is in the genus Actitis. This Eurasian species is a summer resident that returns from its wintering areas in April. It breeds around fresh water lakes and has a scattered distribution that extends from the Atlantic coast of Europe to Eastern Asia. Unlike most other shorebirds or waders seen on passage, it does not occur in flocks, single individuals are normally encountered. It migrates south in late Summer to spend the winter in Africa, southern Asia and Australia. Small numbers over winter in western and southern Europe.
The Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) is an almost identical species that is a summer resident in North America which winters in South America and to a lesser extent in parts of southern USA. It is a rare but annual vagrant in Europe. Remarkably in 1975, a pair attempted to breed on the Isle of Sky in Scotland but alas the eggs failed to hatch.
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
Tuesday, 5 April 2016
BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica) Techniti Limni Agia, Agia Lake, Agia, Crete, Greece
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The Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is of the family Hirundinae which is in the genus Hirundo . It is a summer
resident which breeds in the Northern Hemisphere. There are small
sedentary populations in some of the tropical parts of this range but
during the summer it is mainly absent from the Indian sub-continent and South
East Asia. This common and widespread insectivorous species feeds exclusively on small flies and
midges. In late autumn with the onset of colder weather, when its prey items
begin to diminish, it migrates south to its wintering areas. The North American population winters in Central and South America. The Eurasian population winters in sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian sub-continent, South East Asia and parts of Northern Australia.
In early spring the return migration north begins. At least
races are recognised. There are 74 species of hirundines which includes Swallows and Martins. In additional, the only known record of the Red Sea Cliff Swallow (Hirundo perdita) was of one found dead at Sanganeb Lighthouse, Sudan in May 1984.
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds |
Sunday, 3 April 2016
WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba subspecies M. a. yarrellii) Agia Marina, Crete, Greece
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Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
PIED WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba subspecies M. a. yarrellii) male at Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland
White Wagtail (Montacella alba) subspecies distribution map CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGECC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons |
Saturday, 2 April 2016
HOODED CROW or GREY CROW (Corvus cornix) Agia Marina, Crete, Greece
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The Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) also known as Grey Crow is a member of the crow family Corvidae which is in the genus Corvus. Four subspecies are generally recognized. Despite the fact that it is heavily persecuted, it occurs throughout Western Asia including parts of the Middle East as well as along the Nile Valley in North Africa. It is also commonly encountered and has a widespread distribution in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. It is resident in Ireland, the Isle of Man and Northern Scotland. In the rest of Britain as well as Southwestern and Western Europe, it is replaced by the closely related Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) from which it was split in 2002 and was recognised as a separate species. Where their breeding ranges overlap, they may hybridise. Some of the northern populations are migratory and move south for the winter. Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds
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Labels:
Agia Marina,
April,
Birds of Crete,
Birds of Europe,
Birds of Greece,
Corvus cornix,
Crete,
crow,
Crows,
Greece,
Grey Crow,
Hooded Crow,
Hoodie
Tuesday, 29 March 2016
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
Sunday, 27 March 2016
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
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 |
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