Bio blitz at Glenarm

This is a 24 hour event where scientists and volunteers try to find as many species as possible. We were competing with three other sites in Ireland. Glenarm Castle estate along the north East Antrim Coast was our venue.  It's a big estate in excellent order, we'll managed and with a formal walled garden for visitors to walk in from the popular tea room. 

Packed the car with moth traps and borrowed my son's two man tent. It's about 40 years since I slept in a tent on the ground! Was I looking forward to it? It was disappointingly cold, showery and windy. I helped set out 9 traps to complement the 40 further out along the river and up the hill. Hit the sack at 11:30 and woke at 5:30 to collect them. 

Not much improvement in the weather so on with fleece, waistcoat and waterproof coat. 

My new trap didn't have any moths so I must experiment with he placement of the light as I think that's the problem.  Back at base camp we gradually studied the catch. I took photos. Soup and sandwiches were very welcome for cold hands. People were specialists in moths, butterflies, fungi, lichens, water species, flies, bugs, grasses and botany, birds, and  molluscs. 

Au five pm a halt was called and our team won with 1,100 species found in 24 hours.  Hooray!

..as for the camping......yes I'd do it again in a flash!

Last day out west

We left the hotel at 8:30 and drove to sigri fields. Journey takes one and a half hours. They are Improving the road because permission has been granted for a fast ferry from Athens which will increase tourism. 

We spotted lots of birds including a broad billed sandpiper, pair of rufous bush robin and icterine warbler. 

At the old sanatorium we had redstart but missed a wryneck and the red breasted flycatcher. 

What a lovely time we had on lesvos and today we are off on our long journey home.

Thursday

We were away at 8 am on Thursday to see the little Ruppells Warbler which we missed yesterday. We had waited for two and a half hours the day before. Arrived at the spot and saw it within 20 minutes.  Hooray!

Down the hill to Patra for a bit of culture. Looked at an old house from 1700 and then into the  st Nicholas church with old frescos including st George and the dragon. 

Bought some spinakopitta and a custard pastry for lunch. 

Then set off for a fruitless olive tree warbler hunt. Decided to return to the Tsiknias river along the east bank. Loads of yellow wagtails, both grey and black headed, bee eaters and squacco herons. 

At the river mouth was a collared pratincole posing nicely. 

Collected a few pieces of driftwood off the beach for memories. 

Back to Dionysis Restaurant for dinner. Imam is the choice for me...ie aubergines, tomatoes and onions stewed for a long time. 

Here's a European bee eater.