Crete - Odonata

 Crocothemis erythraea - found in small numbers near water.

My recent two-week trip to Crete netted ten species of Odonata, in addition to the eight species photographed here we also recorded Anax imperator (scattered singles) and Hemianax ephippiger (recorded on four dates).  Surprisingly the latter species was the most frequently observed Anisopteran - my first sightings in the Western Palearctic but sadly no photo opportunities came my way. Found some good spots for a return trip in summer to chase after the two endemic Odonates found on this fantastic Mediterranean island.

 Orthetrum brunneum - only recorded at the stream outflow on Triopetra beach.

Ischnura elegans - the commonest Zygopteran on Crete during our trip.

Lestes barbarus - found at one ephemeral wetland near Viglotopi.

Calopteryx splendens - found on the Preveli river at the bridge en route to the monastery of that name. This individual had a malformed hindwing sadly. The cretensis subspecies may well be elevated to a full species as the genetic distance between this form and other splendens forms is apparently larger than recent splits from the complex like syriaca.

Orthetrum cancellatum - recorded at just two sites.

Sympecma fusca - just one recorded during the trip at the Petres River on the north coast.

my day off in Crete

A day spent ferrying various clients not coming on the Crete extension to their respective destinations gave me five hours in the field on my own yesterday and I made the most of it! First stop was Georgiopolis lake which produced some great birds in a short session. I was excited about the great views of spotted crake (1) and pygmy cormorant (1 - vagrant in Crete I think?) but then this great snipe wandered out of the Juncus briefly. I have never seen a great snipe wading about before but this might reflect the lack of suitable habitat in Crete I suspect.

Nearby Kournas Lake gave me a chance to photograph black-winged stilt.

Other birds at Kournas Lake included this greenshank and also a lone whiskered tern.

Next stop was Petres, where the sun finally came out after nearly a week of very poor weather and a wander along the river was great for invertebrates.

Petres finally produced a single Sympecma fusca for the dragonfly triplist. 

 Ischnura elegans was abundant at Petres but I am still looking for a pumilio for my Crete list.

The first of two reptile lifers at Petres came in the form of great views of Cretan wall lizard (at last!).

Thistles accommodated the splendid Cretan endemic sub-species of Agapanthia cyanarae - longhorns rock!

Been busy photographing Orthoptera in Crete and will do a separate post once I have them sorted out. Not sure on the id on this one yet...

Finally whilst enjoying watching the Cory's shearwaters and a flyby male red-footed falcon offshore I came across another new reptile on the beach - Balkan whip snake. Sweet! The day was rounded off nicely by a flyby Eleonora's falcon as I drove to my last pick-up of the day. Driving through Crete at night to get to the next hotel was excellent too with three beech martens on the road as well as nightjar and Scops owl. Great 'day off'.

Crete - reptiles & amphibians

 Balkan green lizard (Lacerta trilineata) - never easy to photograph...

After a great deal of effort today we finally got some rewards on the amphibian and reptile front. Balkan green lizards have been no problem to find since we started looking but the other reptiles have been trickier (although some of the group have had fleeting glimpses of Balkan whip snake over the last three days). Today though I managed my first ocellated skink and a nearby small reservoir contained my first Cretan water frogs.

 An endemic! Cretan water frog (Pelophylax cretensis).

Ocellated skink (Chalcides ocellatus)

Crete!

Eastern dappled white (Euchloe ausonia) one of the highlights of my first full day in Crete.

Spent yesterday looking at orchids at the famous Spili mound on Crete - the focus of this particular tour. Great flora and a few birds, butterflies and reptiles to keep me happy too.  We are way too early for the exciting invertebrate endemics unfortunately but it promises to be a pleasant trip nevertheless.

The cretica sub-species of Eastern festoon (Zerynthia cerisyi) - a potential split down the line with any luck.