COMMON MOORHEN (Gallinula chloropus) Palaiochora Harbour, Palaiochora, Crete, Greece

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The Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) or Waterhen is a member of the rail family Rallidae which is in the genus Gallinula. Its name derives from the old English name word 'moor' meaning 'marsh' as it doesn't occur on moorland. It is commonly encountered in marshlands, ponds, lakes, canals, estuaries as well as wet areas in reed beds. This species is a partial migrant and the northern populations move south for the winter. It occurs in most of Europe and in many parts of Asia and Africa. There are several sub species recognised. The former sub species found in the Americas, the Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata), is now treated as a full species.

Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) world distribution map

Yellow: breeding summer visitor. Green: breeding resident. Blue: non-breeding winter visitor

 Source: Map By Viktor Kravtchenko - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,

Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) world distribution map based on data from Handbook of the Birds of the World (del Hoyo et al), Birds of the Western Palearctic (Snow et al) and regional field guides. Updated with the split in 2011 by the American Ornithologists Union of Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) which occurs in the Americas that was formally treated as a subspecies of Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

ITALIAN SPARROW [Female] (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. 


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BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON [1st summer] (Nycticorax nycticorax) Palaiochora Harbour, Palaiochora, Crete, Greece

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The Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), more commonly known as Night Heron, is a medium sized heron in the family Ardeidae which is in the genus Nycticorax. It is the most widespread heron in the world but is absent from large parts of North Africa, Northern Eurasia and Australasia as well as the more northern and colder regions. There are four subspecies or races generally recognised. The northern populations are migratory and winter in the southern parts of the range.

PERSIAN BUTTERCUP (Ranunculus asiaticus) Cape Kutri, Kisamos district, Crete, Greece

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The Persian Buttercup or Turban Buttercup (Ranunculus asiaticus) is in the family Ranunculaceae which is in the genus Ranunculus. This perennial plant is native to the eastern Mediterranean region, including the Greek island of Crete. It is in bloom from March to May, height from 25 to 70mm and flower colour can be white, yellow, pink, purple or scarlet. It is widely grown as a garden cultivar.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

DRAGON ARUM (Dracunculus vulgaris) Akrotiri Peninsula, Crete, Greece

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The Dragon Arum (Dracunculus vulgaris) is a tuberous perennial
plant in the family Araceae which is in the genus Dracunculus. Alternative names include the Black Arum, Black Dragon, Black Lily, Common Dracunculus, Dragon Arum Lily, Dragonwort, Ragons, Snake Lily, Stink Lily and Voodoo Lily. It is the largest arum found in Europe with a height of up to 1.5m and a spread of 1.0m. It is native to Southeast Europe and occurs in the Balkans, Greece including the island of Crete, Southwest Turkey and the Aegean Islands. It is absent from Cyprus. It has been introduced to other parts of Europe as well as Canada and the USA. It also grown as a ornamental garden plant.
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BLUE ROCK THRUSH [Male] (Monticola solitarius) Kokino Chorio, Crete, Greece

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The Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius) is in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Monticola. Although superficially thrush-like in appearance, it is a species of chat that was formerly placed in the thrush family Turdidae. It breeds in  northwest Africa, southern Europe and across central Asia in a narrow band to Japan. There are five races or sub species recognised. The western population is sedentary but the eastern population is mainly migratory, wintering in sub Saharan Africa and southern Asia.
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EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE (Streptopelia decaocto) Palaiochora Harbour, Palaiochora, Crete, Greece

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The Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) is of the family Columbidae which is in the genus Streptopelia.

Over the last 150 years or so this dispersive species has greatly expanded its original range which stretched from Turkey eastwards to southern China and the Indian sub-continent. The first record for Europe was from Bulgaria in 1838 and by the end of the 20th century it had colonised the rest of Europe with the exception of Iceland but including the Canary Islands as well as the North African countries from Morocco to Egypt and parts of the Middle East. First record for Britain was in 1953 followed by the first for Ireland in 1958.   

To the east of its original range, it has also spread northeast to most of central and northern China as well as Japan. 

In 1974, less than 50 escaped from captivity in the Bahama Islands and from there it spread to Florida. It is now found in nearly every state in the USA, as well as in Mexico. 
 

Patrick J, O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

(EASTERN) BLACK EARED WHEATEAR [Male] (Oenanthe hispanica subspecies O. h. melanoleuca) Cape Kutri, Kisamos district, Crete, Greece

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The Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) is a migratory passerine in the family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Oenanthe. Two subspecies are recognised, the Western Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica hispanica) breeds in Northwest Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, Southeast France, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. and the Eastern Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica melanoleuca) occurs in the rest of the Balkans eastwards to the Caspian Sea and south as far as Iran. Some males of both subspecies are of the pale throat-ed form. It winters in sub Saharan Africa.

CRETAN FESTOON BUTTERFLY (Zerynthia (Allancastria) cretica) male at Cape Kutri, Phalasarna, Crete, Greece

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The Cretan Festoon Butterfly (Zerynthia (Allancastria) cretica) is an Old World swallowtail butterfly of the family Papilionidae which is in the genus Allancastria. This endemic species is found only on the Greek island of Crete but some authorities consider it to be a subspecies of the Eastern Festoon (Allancastria cerisyi) and give it the scientific name (Allancastria cerisyi cretica).  

Having overwintered as a chrysalis, the butterfly emerges from mid-March. The flight season can extend into early June. Eggs are layed on Birthworts (Aristolochiae).Two species occur on Crete which are also the larval food plants, Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia sempervirens) and Cretan Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia cretica) which is endemic to Crete as well as Karpathos.

 

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POPPY [CROWN] ANEMONE (Anemone coronaria) Samariá Gorge, Mousoures, Crete, Greece

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The Poppy Anomone (Anemone coronaria) is a perennial plant in the family Ranunculaceae which is in the genus Anemone. Alternative names are Crown Anomone or Spanish Marigold. This tuberous herbaceous flowering plant is the commonest anemone that occurs over most parts of the Mediterranean Region. The flowering period is January to April. Height is 35 to 75mm and flower colours include blue, lavender, pink, purple and red. It is widely cultivated as a garden plant.