My wife Helen and I decided to head back to the beautiful Aegean Island of Samos for our usual weeks holiday. This was to be our 4th visit, to the same hotel and location and we really like our little Shangri-la. This year the bird activity around and over the hotel was rather quiet and a little disappointing in comparison to the other years we have visited. Still I managed around 50 Bee-eater during the week, 6 Eleonora’s Falcon, 2 Long-legged Buzzard, 2 White Stork, 1 Short-toed Eagle, 1 Red-footed Falcon, several Red-rumped Swallow, 1 Sardinian Warbler, 4 Chukkar, 5 Peregrine, lots of Hooded Crow, lots of Yellow-legged Gull, several “Samos” Jay, pair of White Wagtail, Tawny Owl, large numbers of migrating Swallow & House Martin, all being the main highlights. Butterfly highlights were a Southern Swallowtail, Common Swallowtail, Long-tailed Blue, Cleopatra, Ilex Hairstreak, Holly Blue, Large Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Painted Lady, Clouded Yellow, probably Aegean Meadow Brown and Large White. Two Dragonflies – Odalisque and Beautiful Demoiselle.
Interestingly there are a number of races of Jay across Greece, but the black crowned race – Garrulus glandarius samios is exclusive to Samos and Ikaria.
European Bee-eater – above 2 images – Samos, Greece. Tony Davison©
Hooded Crow – Samos, Greece – Tony Davison©
“Samos” Jay – This “Black-Crowned” race is exclusive to Samos & Ikaria – Tony Davison©
White Stork – Samos, Greece – Tony Davison© – This bird was one of 2 that were migrating over the island one morning.
Yellow-legged Gull – above 2 images – Samos, Greece – Tony Davison©
Long-tailed Blue – Samos, Greece – Tony Davison©
Aegean Meadow Brown – Samos, Greece – Tony Davison©
Odalisque– Epallage fatime – Samos, Greece – Tony Davison© – A mature male, recognised by the blue body.
Beautiful Demoiselle – male – above 2 images – Samos, Greece – Tony Davison©
Beautiful Demoiselle – female – Samos, Greece – Tony Davison©
