GREECE--MYTHOS BUT NO LEGENDS

Have just returned from a weeks break in Skiathos,not on a birding trip,just a sunny holiday,the weather was perfect,but you always find time for watching birds and butterflies whether on the beach , hiking in the hills,or having an ouzo on the balcony.I have never been to Greece in October before and finding birds was a struggle,most of their summer visitors had departed which meant there was not a lot new to see.Spotted flycatchers were everywhere as were chiffchaffs and blackcaps,red backed shrikes and sardinian warblers were reasonably common as were red rumped swallows.Raptors were infrequent just buzzards kestrel and sparrowhawk with half a dozen elenoras seen at dusk looking for migrants to eat A single Hoopoe  seen flying away, an arrival of whinchats one day, and the resident Kingfisher on the beach was about it really,oh nearly forgot the Scops owls calling in the evening is always special.

IRON MAIDENS WORLD TOUR JET AT GATWICK

DOVER FROM THE AIR

SNOW ON THE ALPS

THE BLUE MOUNTAINS

THE BEER OF GREECE

MIXED SOUVLAKI WITH GREEK POTATOES- LOVELY GRUB!

CATHS SEA FOOD PLATTER.

THERES A SCOPS OWL THERE SOMEWHERE HONEST.
After the high life comes the wild life.

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER

THE UBIQUITOUS HOODED CROW.

RED BACKED SHRIKE

RED BACKED SHRIKE.

CHIFF CHAFF
One morning from the balcony a family group of red rumped swallows were perched on the wires nearby,the three youngsters must have just fledged as they were still being fed by the parents.

Now for butterflies and other insects

CLOUDED YELLOW

I thought this may have been a PALE CLOUDED YELLOW but subsequently think its a female CLOUDED YELLOW.

Not many PAINTED LADIES reached us this year but there were lots here.

SOUTHERN WHITE ADMIRAL

LANGS SHORT TAILED BLUE

LANGS S T BLUE.

HUMMING BIRD HAWK MOTH.

UNIDENTIFIED RED DARTER?answers on a post card please.

One last piece of wildlife;Cathy in cheeky mood after a couple of sun downer Ouzo and Sprites.

AND ITS GOODNIGHT FROM HER AND ITS GOODNIGHT FROM HIM.
SKIATHOS SUNSET FROM THE BALCONY.