essex buzzard

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks Trevor. It was touch and go throughout the run up. Thank goodness it did go, the images and memories should help get me through the winter.

Hi Wurzel, no. Nothing plain about them whatsoever, far from it. They were a joy to behold!

Thanks David. Perhaps the fact I didn’t expect to see them made those Plain Tigers even better! They would be splendid at any time of year, let alone November!

Of course, the main target of this trip was to see the glorious sight of the autumn flowering bulbs in this part of Europe. Especially for those of us who are more used to seeing bulbs in spring!

Here is Crocus mazziaricus. Normally the large flowers are pure white, but occasionally they are pale lavender, as in this picture.

Crocus melantherus is smaller, with black currant stripes on the outside.

Cyclamen hederifolium is the one which grows happily in British gardens. This was the first time I had seen it in the wild.

Here is Colchicum boissieri. It looks like a crocus, but is in fact a smaller species of our meadow saffron.

And these are Sternbergia. These also look like a crocus, but are actually much more closely related to the daffodils. Even in Greece, they usually found on hot, dry sites. En masse, they make a splendid sight.

[David M]

Hard to believe that's autumn rather than spring, Mark.

That must have been a rewarding trip, particularly given the circumstances?

[essexbuzzard]

It was David, I can assure you!

[essexbuzzard]

Autumn squill was common in the Peloponnese. I have also seen it growing on the coast path in Cornwall!

The next crocus we found was Crocus hadriaticus.

The delicate flowers of Allium callimischon were quite attractive.

This is cyclamen crassifolium. It is very similar to hererifolium, but the flowers are scented.

The blooms of crocus boryi were small, but abundant in many places. Easily recognisable by the white stamens.

In contrast, the blooms of the endemic Crocus goulimyi come in varying shades of purple. A great rarity but, where found, it is often abundant.

Here is another of the small Colchicums, this time the endemic Colchicum psaridis.

[David M]

Such an eye opener these images, Mark. The good old Greeks must feel like it's spring practically all year round!

Factor in the rare butterflies and it makes you feel like relocating permanently.

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks David. Well, I don’t know about permanently, but relocating for autumn and winter would do for me!

The last Crocus we found was the largest of all, Crocus niveus. Usually white, but sometimes lavender.Splendid!

The first Narcissi were starting. Here, we have the scented Narcissi tazetta.

[essexbuzzard]

The other daffodils we found were the rather dainty Narcissus obsoletus.

A highlight of the tour was seeing the Greek cyclamen, Cyclamen graecum. These really need hot, dry conditions. Even here, they were growing in full sun.

One of the things I was really looking forward to in Greece, was seeing the autumn flowering snowdrops, Galanthus Reginae- olgae. And they didn’t disappoint. Autumn snowdrops are distinctive, not only by flowering in autumn, but also the leaves are small or absent at flowering time.

[David M]

...One of the things I was really looking forward to in Greece, was seeing the autumn flowering snowdrops, Galanthus Reginae- olgae. And they didn’t disappoint. Autumn snowdrops are distinctive, not only by flowering in autumn, but also the leaves are small or absent at flowering time.

Fascinating, Mark. I never knew there was such an array of autumn-flowering bulbs in that part of the world. Those snowdrops are delightful, but I guess they never actually see any snow?

I saw my first UK snowdrops this morning and it's hard to imagine them being anything other than early season flora.

Looks like you had a productive trip which, in a year like this, is worth double! Hope you had a good Christmas and all the best for the New Year. I'll be in touch soon.

[Goldie M]

Hi! essex, HAPPY NEW YEAR, YOUR SHOTS OF THE FLOWERS ARE LOVELY, I've got Snow Drops in the Snow here they look lovely, we've had the Snow here since the 28th December and the Snow Drops ( which I expected to disappear under the Snow) are still poking there heads up through it
Just waiting now for the Vaccine!!! all the best Goldie

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks David. This was a slightly different kind of trip for me, though I’ve always had an interest in plants and flowers. With a good sprinkling of butterflies as well, this was a great trip for me, and I’ve been living off it ever since.

I certainly knew of this type of snowdrop, and I’ve tried to grow them in my garden, without success. My clay soil is probably too wet, the late winter, more normal ones are more adaptable.

Thanks Goldie, hope you are well. We’ve had a bit of snow too, but nothing much.

Yes, the vaccine is on its way to you, but until then, keep warm and stay safe.

To finish, we saw a few lizards, mostly peloponenese wall lizards

We also found this black one in the mountains, not quite sure what it is.

[essexbuzzard]

And a couple of mantis. I’m not sure is these two are different species, or different colour forms of the same species. Here is a brown one, in the southern Peloponnese.

And here is a green mantis.

[Mikhail]

I've just been looking at your Greek lizards and I'd say the green-backed individual is the Balkan Wall Lizard Podarcis tauricus ionicus' The very dark one (the lighting is unhelpful) is probably a female Peloponnese Wall Lizard.

M

[Wurzel]

A belated Happy New Year Essex Those Mantis shots are great - I've only ever encountered one in the wild before - another species I would like to see a bit more of - hopefully the Vaccine will work wonders and we all might get a chance for a bit more travel this year, even getting to see a Large Blue in 2021 would be nice

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks very much.

I wasn’t sure about the identification of these, so that’s a great help!

Thanks Wurzel, yes, let’s hope for a bit more travel this year, even within Britain.

Happy new year to you, to!

[essexbuzzard]

It was another poor year for autumn colour in 2020, perhaps the very wet October contributed to this. However, the weather had improved by November, and the trees in Epping Forest still looked splendid!

[essexbuzzard]

In the low, weak November sunshine, the beech leaves look particularly stunning.

[Wurzel]

Love the second shot from the last post Essex - you can practically smell the 'mellow fruitfulness'

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Freezing fog Saturday and overnight into Sunday had lifted a little by morning, leaving behind a fairyland scene. Makes a most attractive change from wind and rain!

[David M]

Lovely, homespun seasonal views, Mark.

Much as winter depresses me, I think my depression would actually be worse if I lived in a country that didn't experience it.

There's something cathartic about the frost and the ice (and even the snow).

Mind you, we've had precious little in the way of winter round my neck of the woods and my spring bulbs are starting to grow prodigiously.

I reckon in three weeks we will have lift-off here.

[essexbuzzard]

Well David, as I often say to people, you have to have the winter to get the spring!

Speaking of which, there are the first tentative signs that spring is on its way. On my morning walk today, I found these hazel catkins on a south-facing side of a wood.

And although it’s mid-winter, the days are getting longer.