Yassou

Sue and I missed our Greek holiday in Spring 2020. It was to be our first time to Skiathos in May. During the long months of 2020 we followed world events on a sickening roller-coaster ride hoping that the situation would improve enough here in England and in Europe for our Greek friends to allow a return to Skiathos in September. 

We booked the holiday in September 2019, the year of the Thomas Cook debacle that left many islanders out of pocket and saw us flying home via a series of rescue flights that cost the British taxpayer £150 million. 

October 2019

 

These were double blows for the large number of Skiathans dependent on tourism for a living, either directly or indirectly. Hotels and apartments together with the folk who work for and supply them, taxi and bus drivers, shops, cafes, restaurants, Skiathos airport, boat & ferry operators, fishermen, and not forgetting the Skiathos Dog Shelter. 

In 2020 Skiathos stayed safe by doing the right things, limiting entry to the island to those with residential status while keeping a tight rein on those without residence until tourists could return. Recently Skiathos was not included in the seven Greek Islands, Lesvos, Tinos, Serifos, Mykonos, Crete, Santorini and Zakynthos, that recently received the news they would be added to a British quarantine list. 

But now, we are fresh from Skiathos airport following an interesting landing. Thunderstorms on the Greek mainland with Skiathos in the firing line left the plane wobbling on the approach to the runway. The  pilot went around again for a second attempt and all was well.

Magda from Mustang Cars met us with a hard top Jimny, and now we’re back for a couple of weeks at our adopted second home, Family Mathinos. Or as some call this piece of heaven, Hotel Ostria, Agia Paraskevi, Skiathos 37002. 

Tui landing - Skiathos

The Ostria

Agia Paraskevi

Skiathos

Here at The Ostria and everywhere we go on the island we experience the epitome of Xenia - 'guest-friendship', the ancient Greek sacred rule of hospitality, the generosity and courtesy shown to those who are far from home. In return, we as guests are expected to be courteous to our hosts and not become a threat or a burden. Such conviviality usually involves sharing a glass or two of Ouzo or Metaxa. 

Ostria Hotel - Skiathos, Greece

Sue with Momma Litsa

Dad Makis

 

Anna Mathinou

Ostria Hotel - Skiathos, Greece

Ouzo

This might be a holiday but there is birding to be found, even in late September when most migrant birds from Northern Europe have left for Africa. There’s only so much shopping a man can do. 

One of our favourite routes takes us along the main road towards Troulos where we take a smooth right and drive towards the Stray Dog Shelter. The dog shelter allows residents and tourists alike to take a dog for a walk and if they are so inclined, donate money or even take their new friendly dog back to their own country. 

Not for us, even Sue would “Rather be birding” as long as there's a coffee stop. Half-a-mile from Troulos we fork left and then head north through rural Greece along the road to Aselinos beach. Behind the beach is superb bird habitat. If there’s been a thunderstorm there are puddles for Wheatears, Whinchats, Yellow Wagtails & warblers and where track-side posts provide perfect perches for flycatchers, pipits, and shrikes. 

Aselinos

Aselinos

Aselinos

Aselinos, Skiathos

 

Yellow Wagtail

Red-backed Shrike

 

Richard's Pipit

 

Red-rumped Swallow

 

Whinchat

We take a couple of chairs and sit on the beach away from the hordes but there aren’t too many people in this year of minimal tourists. September is winding down time for Skiathos where by October the crowds have gone and the island is left in peace and quiet - more so in 2020.  The scenery is dramatic here in the north of the island, rain or shine, with views over to the Greek mainland and the direction from which most of the autumn weather arrives.

Aselinos- Skiathos

Aselinos - Skiathos

We rather hope that our already depleted pile of Euros has contributed to the island’s economy in these troubled times. 

Loukoumi - Greek Delight

 

Below are links to the two small friendly hotels owned by Family Mathinos, The Ostria in Agia Paraskevi and a mile away, the recently acquired and now refurbished Almira in Troulos. 

Sunday was the last day of the season at the Almira and Anna invited us along to their party for staff and friends. Yours truly with George, Anna's husband.

At the Almira

Almira Hotel

The Almira Hotel

For those who like a peaceful relaxing holiday in beautiful surroundings I suggest to book direct with Anna or Sophia below or via Facebook Messenger for each hotel.  For those who prefer a package tour Anna has told us that for 2021 The Almira is included in the programme of Jet2 Holidays. 

https://www.hotelostria.gr/?action=homepage&language=en 

https://www.skiathosalmira.gr   

https://www.facebook.com/skiathosostriahotel

https://www.facebook.com/skiathosalmira

For the independent minded, there are direct flights to Skiathos from major UK airports or flights to Athens followed by a 40 minute shuttle aircraft to Skiathos airport.

I’m hoping to post a few more pictures while we are here.  Keep looking for a glimpse of Skiathos. 

French Letter

Here on Another Bird Blog we have featured the long running saga of the Turtle Dove and France on a number of occasions.  Recently we also highlighted the issue of birdlime (or "glue") hunting in France. 

Now it seems that France has at last decided that the indiscriminate killing of 17,500 Turtle Doves is not good for the reputation of the French nation. 

https://twitter.com/Conseil_Etat/status/1304483459096817666 

The European Turtle Dove will no longer legally be killed in France this autumn, after the Conseil d'Etat  (in effect the Supreme Court of France) banned hunting of the Vulnerable-listed species. 

Turtle Dove

 

On Friday 11 September 2020, the highest administrative court in France outlawed the practice for the 2020-21 season. The Conseil d'Etat judgement said: "The Council notes that as the species has dropped by 80% in 15 years, experts recommend a hunting ban for this wild bird – and the government has not brought any arguments allowing it to justify its authorisation of hunting." 

This comes weeks after the French government had approved the legal hunting of 17,460 European Turtle Doves this autumn, following a decree passed by Barbara Pompili at the end of August, despite public consultation in the summer finding that some 77% of 20,000 contributors were against the idea. 

The Ligue de Protection des Oiseaux (LPO) lobbied hard against the decree and says that a minimum of 7,000 Turtle Doves – and as many as 10,000 – have already been killed this season. The decision also comes as the European Commission has requested that the French state "put in place all measures" to help the European Turtle Dove population return to a "good state of conservation", the LPO said.” 

Readers will note that the ban is for this autumn only whereby Turtle Dove migration is probably over when many thousands have already been slaughtered for pleasure. Also, unless the ban can be extended by way of local or wider pressure in EU countries it seems likely that French guns will be blazing again in Autumn 2021 and beyond,

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And from The Connexion . “French News and Views “- 16 September 2020. 

A French MEP has called for “a gradual stoppage of hunting” in France and said that hunters in the country currently “hunt protected species in a totally illegal way”. 

Member of the European Parliament and ecologist Yannick Jadot told news service FranceInfo: “This is not a leisure sport; the death of animals cannot be leisure. “In France, we hunt 64 species. That is two to three times’ more than the rest of Europe. We hunt protected species in a totally illegal way - for example the Eurasian Curlew. In Europe - the EU - pays farms in Poland to save the species, and in France, we shoot them.” 

Curlew

 

Mr Jadot called for a “gradual stoppage of hunting” and said: “Allow us to begin by hunting down all the illegal hunts.” He criticised the government for undermining European conventions, and said there had been 13 instances in which the government supreme court Le Conseil d’Etat had made “scandalous exceptions”. 

Mr Jadot also called out justice minister Éric Dupond-Moretti, who recently said he is against bird glue hunting, but before taking his role in the justice ministry, wrote the preface to a book by Willy Shraen, head of French hunting federation, la Fédération des Chasseurs. 

Glue Hunting

 

Mr Jadot said: “The least we can expect from the minister for justice is to not write anti-ecological prefaces on a hateful pamphlet by the head of hunting. It is to respect European law.” 

Animal welfare and hunting are highly-contested issues in France. Animal rights groups last month called for there to be a dedicated minister for animal welfare, while more than half a million people have signed a high-profile petition calling for a vote to outlaw several practices considered to be cruel to animals. 

Thank goodness there are people in France able and willing to speak up for nature. While the UK’s is not without irregularities and law breaking it is fair to say that we are light years ahead of many if not all European states. 

When Britain finally leaves the European Union on 31 December 2020 we as an independent nation state with our own laws and judiciary can justly say that British people will no longer put our names to or play any part in the barbaric practices taking place in too many parts of the EU.

Back soon friends. I will be in Europe but not France.

 

More Mipits

The mornings are dark and alarm calls getting later. The buzzer woke me at 0530, enough time for the essentials before a timed to perfection drive over switchback moss roads and up to Oakenclough. That’s thirty minutes early morning and forty minutes on the way now that road traffic is back to pre-virus levels.  

I met up with Andy at 0630 to a dry, mostly cloudy and virtually wind-free start. This was looking good. We gave the hatchbacks a miss and set up the ringing station at a table thinking that there would be more room to work if the morning proved busy. And a space for coffee flasks.

Ringing Station.

 

Small parties of Swallows were on the move from very first light. When we finished ringing at 1130 we’d counted approximately 125 Swallows, 30 House Martins and 15 Sand Martins all of them heading east and south. Otherwise there was very little visible or obvious migration and we were left wondering from which direction the Meadow Pipits and most other species arrived. Mostly and from our viewpoint we see birds arrive overhead from a northerly direction and where on clear days we can see Morecambe Bay, Lancaster City and other landmarks 

We totalled 52 birds of 11 species: with autumn birds with the above mentioned pipits, Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs to the fore: 17 Meadow Pipit, 9 Goldcrest, 7 Coal Tit, 7 Blue Tit, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap ,2 Great Tit, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Treecreeper. 

Meadow Pipits breed in the surrounding hills, dozens if not hundreds of pairs, but the ones we catch during the prime migration period of September are from further afield; they probably originate from the North Pennines, Scotland and the Northern Isles. 

Meadow Pipit

 

Meadow Pipit

 

Willow Warbler numbers have dried up but replaced today by five Chiffchaffs.

Willow Warbler

 

Chiffchaff

Treecreeper

 

We caught more Blue, Great and Coal Tits than we normally do so a Treecreeper did not surprise us.  Treecreepers often latch onto and travel with groups of titmice because all four species eat much the same foods.  

We continue to catch Blackcaps and should do so but in lesser numbers into October. 

Blackcap

 

Lesser Redpolls continue to be scarce, just as they were in spring 2020 and the autumn of 2019. The one today and on close inspection, proved to be a first autumn female. 

Lesser Redpoll

 

Other birds today – 1 Kestrel, 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, 100+ Teal, 1 Buzzard. 

There’s more soon from Another Bird Blog . Stay tuned.

Linking today to Eileen's Saturday Blogspot and Anni in Texas.

 

Food For Thought

Saturday was cool, blustery and showery just like the week gone by when there was no birding and no ringing. Hopefully the showers would not turn to rain and I could at least get a little birding done. 

With so few Swallows of late one could be forgiven for thinking they had all left for Africa with a cold arctic wind up their backsides. Not so, because at Conder Pool many hundreds of mainly Swallows converged on the morning hatch of insects. My approximate count was of 450 Swallows, 40 Sand Martins and 30 House Martins which swarmed along the north bank in the lee of the hedgerow, across the water and over the island’s vegetation for two hours or more. 

This feeding frenzy is a regular autumn occurrence now the waterside hedgerow is mature enough to hold large numbers of midge and mosquito type insects - little critters that we call ‘gnats’ or ‘flies’, some of which are actually mosquitoes. 

Yes, I heard them this morning and “mozzies” are definitely in Lancashire. I’ve seen, heard and then squashed enough mosquitoes in Africa, Asia and the Med to recognise the sound of their landing approach.  It was so satisfying to hear the snap of the Swallows’ bills as another enemy bit the dust a yard from my face and to watch as thousands more perished in the birds’ onslaught. 

Swallow

 

Buoyed up by the merciless carnage I periodically turned my attention to other birds present and their less obvious need to eat at the pace of early morning hirundines, creatures who spend dark nights balancing on draughty reed stems. 

In 1981 in North Lancashire I saw my first Little Egret, a species that very quickly found a niche, swelled in numbers and is now so ubiquitous that it can be seen 365 days of the year, winter, spring, autumn and summer.  This species should by now be renamed as Common Egret, rather like Common Man - the average citizen, as distinct from the social, political or cultural elite. 

These delicate little diners eat mainly fish, with at times amphibians, small reptiles, mammals, crustaceans, molluscs, insects, spiders and worms. There were three egrets today, and as I watched they seemed to prefer the tiny fish that inhabit the pool, but mostly the prey would be swallowed in the blink of an eye before it could be named. 

Eight Little Grebes took their prey under water but when one emerged carrying a ready meal it was invariably the same minnow the egrets take. 

 “Minnow is the common name for a number of species of small freshwater fish, belonging to several genera of the family Cyprinidae.” 

Little Egret

 

To their credit, our local Mute Swans appear to be vegetarian. But, like many a “veggie” they occasionally, and entirely by accident, when no one is looking, have been known to sneak the odd meaty mollusc or worm. 

Mute Swan

 

Waders and wildfowl were of the usual variety and numbers with 40 Lapwing, 20 Redshank, 15 Curlew, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 6 Tufted Duck and 40 Teal. 

Those Curlews can be missed when they feed amongst this year’s grasses, grown tall and lush in record rains. I suspect that beneath the puddles lay soft soil containing goodies that curved, probing bills could easily find. 

Redshank

 

Common Sandpiper

 

Curlew

It was good to see a flock of 50/60 Goldfinches feeding in both the marsh grass and on the dandelions and thistles. Good to see because Goldfinches have been strangely absent from my own garden for weeks, not unexpected when there is much natural food about. 

Goldfinch

That’s all for now.  I’m off to prepare a chicken tandoori with salad. There's more food for thought soon on Another Bird Blog. 

 

Book Review - Britain's Butterflies

The publication of new books was another casualty of world events in 2020 but thankfully we are back on track with the appearance of new titles from a number of publishers. Princeton University Press is in the process of catching up with their releases of 2020 whereby they kindly sent me a review copy to feature on Another Bird Blog. 

When summer birding is slow, most bird watchers look for butterflies and other insects where they can use their observational skills in identifying and enjoying yet more colourful creatures. Originally destined for March 2020 comes BRITAIN’S BUTTERFLIES, a Field Guide to the Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland by David Newland, Robert Still, Andy Swash, and David Tomlinson, a book aimed at beginners, experts and birders alike. 

This new, fully revised and updated fourth edition arrives as the latest in the highly successful WildGuides series and is now available to order online or from the publishers and high street book sellers. Britain's Butterflies - Princeton Press 

 

Many readers will already own the third edition of April 2015 and perhaps wonder why they might spend £18 for this latest version. In fact there are a number of innovative and improved features in this 2020 edition not found in previous versions. 

Britain's Butterflies - Britain's Butterflies - Princeton Press 

 

A forward by Julie Williams of Butterfly Conservation reminds us that the latest results from the annual UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS) led by Butterfly Conservation, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) show that 2019 was the best year for butterflies for over 20 years in the UK. 

Despite the positive results above, the continuing long-term decline of some butterfly species remains a cause for concern as shown by the 44 years of this project, a study which demonstrates that since the 1970s there are more species in decline than on the increase. Julie borrows the phrase “Insect Apocalypse” that some use to describe the present situation. 

And now to to the body of the book. 

There are new introductory sections to the main “types” of butterflies that include updated distribution maps together with the latest species’ orders to reflect the latest taxonomy, together with revised sections on recording & monitoring, conservation, and legislation. 

The section on butterfly biology is especially useful in giving an insight to the ecology of butterflies, the understanding of which, combined with a detailed chart of favoured habitats, gives enthusiasts a head start. Similarly the section ‘Where to look for butterflies’ and the accompanying habitat and landscape photographs will surely help to understand and investigate better their chosen branch of citizen science. 

For butterfly twitchers a list of key places for rare and localized (sic) butterflies lies at page 30/31 and includes place names and SD grid references, together with a handy coloured graphic depicting favoured habitats to help pinpoint the spot.  Useful too that ‘Butterfly watching and photography’ at page 242 describes the dos and don’ts, most of which will be familiar to birders, even if they don’t always follow the rules. 

Page 42 - Britain's Butterflies - Princeton Press 

Other features include many splendid stunning colour plates that show typical views of each butterfly species, including the various forms and common aberrations. Detailed species profiles provide information on status and distribution, including up-to-date maps, and cover adult identification; behaviour; breeding habitat requirements; population and conservation; egg, caterpillar & chrysalis; and caterpillar food plants. 

I was impressed by the detailed maps that show the range of each species, if not surprised that too few species make it up here to our Lancashire, NW England list. Average summer temperatures here are often 3-5 °C less than Southern England, a fact that emphasises the dearth of butterfly variety in this and in other parts of Northern England.  Scotland makes up for this by possessing a handful of specialities of their own e.g. Scotch Argus, Mountain Ringlet and Pearl-bordered Fritillary. 

Britain’s Butterflies contains all 59 butterfly species that breed regularly, as well as four former breeders and a good number of rare migrants from Europe and most likely to be seen in Southern England. 

Page 224 - Britain's Butterflies - Princeton Press 

The only jarring note in this book comes in an unconvincing section entitled ‘climate change and butterflies’ found at Page 245, almost as an afterthought.  The authors remind us of the increase in data collection, the majority by amateur enthusiasts over recent decades, that has resulted in a huge database of records and information.  The text speculates upon the future of butterflies in a number of paragraphs that contain supposition around ‘may have’, 'may be’ or ‘may also result’ when discussing changes to climate on butterfly populations, food plants, life cycles, and numbers of, etc.  

The authors quote zero scientific evidence on which to base their vague claims. Nor do they address or reflect upon the many opposing and quite legitimate opinions that climate change is part of a long-standing cyclical variation of global weather going back billions of years, variations that butterflies have survived.

The UK continues to build over large swathes of green land to accommodate a population due to rise to 70 million.  If we continue to overpopulate while employing tons of insecticides and pesticides in what is left of a dwindling and fragmented countryside and farmland, can we be surprised if insects like butterflies and many other animals suffer ill effects?

Nevertheless, and despite my minor quibble and unfashionable opinions on climate, this is a super little book.  It is of useful proportions to fit the pocket (5.88  in x 8.25 in) and generous content by way of 256 pages, 600 + colour photos and 10 line illustrations. 

Page 160 - Britain's Butterflies - Princeton Press 

British Butterflies is set out in an organised, logical and accessible design, and finished to the high quality we expect of Wildguides. Every inch of space is used to advantage so as to educate and inform the reader, right down to the inside flap that holds a key to maps & codes, a 150 mm ruler, and a “quick” index. The text is precise, the graphics detailed and well defined. The photographs are superb, far better than the average images of butterflies that I capture via my expensive DSLR. 

Page 68 - Britain's Butterflies - Princeton Press 

At £17.99 Britain’s Butterflies is great value. Less than a tank full of unleaded buys a book to take the reader an awfully long way along the road to discovering butterflies. 

The book is produced in association with Butterfly Conservation therefore it seems likely that the organisation will benefit to some degree from sales, in itself a good enough reason to invest in this edition. 

Britain's Butterflies - Princeton Press is due for release 14 September 2020. 

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Suggested reading - Butterfly Conservation.

“Butterflies are the best-studied UK insects by far, providing vital insights into the changing state of wider biodiversity and the ecosystem services that depend upon it, as well as an important opportunity for the general public to engage with conservation, citizen science and the natural world. Restoring butterfly populations across the UK, in gardens, urban green spaces and the countryside, is likely to bring substantial benefits to innumerable other species but also to the health, wealth and well-being of the human population.” 

"You can leave a patch of grass to grow long - this helps butterflies lay eggs in the grass." 

"Try not to use pesticides or insecticides - these can kill butterflies as well as other insects." 

"Avoid using peat compost. Peat is being taken away from natural peat bogs which is where many animals and plants live, and can affect the wider eco-system which the butterfly relies on. Instead use one of the many alternatives available." 

"Grow as many flowers as possible in the springtime".

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Linking today to Eileen's Saturday and Anni In Texas.