The Oldest Saint

As I dropped down onto the Lasithi Plateau a Buzzard launched itself from a telegraph pole, narrowly missed my windshield and crashed into the undergrowth to my left where it had obviously spotted its unwary breakfast. That was a good omen as I was taking my little group of intrepid strollers to the heights above Agios Charalampos to look for Grifon Vultures. The saint, after whom the village is named, was reputedly 114 years old when he was martyred for his Christian preaching in the 3^rd century, thus making him the oldest saint and his claim to fame was that, whilst being tortured, one of his torturers arms miraculously fell off and another had his head put on backwards. I think that I am more inclined to believe in Betty's black snake but more of that later.

As our little band negotiated the steep, narrow alleyways through the village and emerged on the hillside above the plateau we did indeed see Grifon Vultures and other high flying birds but it was the smaller passerines that really brought the day alive, particularly the flocks of Goldfinch. These birds are resident here in Crete but in the autumn they gather in flocks, their numbers swollen by birds migrating south from eastern Europe. As we exited the top of the village however, it was domestic fowl that caught the ever observant Betty's eye.

“Oh, look,” she said, looking up to where a group of birds were admonishing us from their pen on top of a house “turkeys!”

“Actually,' I said, not wishing to dampen her enthusiasm, “I think you'll find that they are guinea fowl.”

“They're too tall for guinea fowl,” Betty challenged.

“They're standing on the roof,” I pointed out.

Meanwhile, back to the chaffinch. The tall plant upon which she is perched is a Wavyleaf Mullein and the landscape was littered with them in various stages of life. Apart from providing staging posts for the goldfinches, leaf warblers, stonechats and sparrows, all of which were gaily flitting about on this fine autumn morning, I noticed that one had also attracted a tachinid fly. Not the nicest of flies; their maggots chew their way into unsuspecting caterpillars and eat them slowly from the inside, making sure to keep them alive as they do so, until they are almost ready to leave their host. At this point they feed indiscriminately, the caterpillar dies and the maggot wanders off to pupate in the ground without so much as a by-your-leave.

Caterpillars that are not devoured from within eventually become butterflies, of course, and these were dancing around at our feet, enjoying the nectar rich Sweet Scabious that grew by the side of the track. The name of the plant derives from the fact that it was used to treat scabies (an itchy rash caused by a mite infestation under the skin) in the middle ages. The Small White butterfly is a male which has only one spot on each forewing whereas the female has two. The other butterfly is the amazing Painted Lady which, although resident here, occurs in larger numbers in autumn and winter like the Goldfinches and the reason is the same: they migrate. Over six generations they make an incredible 9,000 mile round trip from Africa to the Arctic and back (see Secrets of Painted Lady migration revealed ).

Noticing a sign at the side of the road pointing the way to the Cave of Charalampos, Bert decided to go and investigate. Seeing her loving husband peering into what appeared to be a very large hole in the ground Betty thought that she had better go and join him to 'make sure he doesn't fall in' (at least, I think that she said doesn't). I trailed on behind, pausing to take a photograph of an old friend, Chorthippus bornhalmi. The 'cave' turned out to be a rather unimpressive hole in the ground. Presumably the roof had caved in since the 18^th century BC when it was a seven chambered ossuary. Besides the bones, archaeologists also found clay figurines and musical rattles called sistra about which, I expect, they got very excited.

Having quickly exhausted the thrill of the cave I took to my favourite hobby; rock flipping (there used to be an annual rock flipping day but it seems to have died a death in 2009) and discovered a lovely little Green Toad.

“Amphibians and reptiles are often put together,” said Bert, getting down to take a closer look, “is that because they are closely related?”

The toad and Bert looked at each other with mutual interest whist I wracked my brains to remember who evolved when.

“Yes,” I replied, “Amphibians evolved from the early fish and have both lungs and gills. Reptiles are an offshoot of Amphibians and have only lungs. Mammals, such as ourselves, and later, Birds, are offshoots of reptiles.”

“Talking of reptiles,” interjected Betty, “I saw a huge black snake here on Crete once and I was told that it must have escaped from a private collection. What do you think?”

“How big is huge?” I asked.

“About two inches in diameter,” she indicated, joining thumb and forefinger together, “and it stretched all across the road with its head disappearing into the undergrowth on one side of the road and its tail out of sight on the other side.”

“Not one of the four Cretan snakes,” I ventured “but I know what it sounds like.”

“What?” asked Bert, carefully replacing the stone over the now disgruntled toad.

“A black plastic water pipe.”

“It wasn't a water pipe,” said Betty, indignantly, “it moved”.

“They can be quite lively,” I explained, “if they get an air lock.”

Betty was not convinced and I had to confess that, not being familiar with all the snakes in the world, an escapee remained a plausible alternative.

The Taverna Bit

Thanks to all at Spani's Taverna in Charalampos who hastily rearranged their restaurant furniture when we descended upon them en masse and they also provided an excellent menu. The barbecued chicken and roast potatoes were beautiful.

Diary Dates

Stroll #3

Sunday 7^th October

11 am

Kroustas Forest

A mushrooming we will go (and hopefully find many more interesting things besides). Here and above are the maps. Take the Kroustas - Prina road and look for the only yellow litter bin on that road. See you on Sunday

Stroll #4

Sunday 14^th October

11 am

Almyros Wetlands

(Details next week)

Not Just For Twisted Women by Steve Daniels  A light-hearted look at life through the eyes of the fairer sex.  Kindle Edition 1.99 pounds sterling (or equivalent). Paperback edition will be available in time for Christmas. Read snippets, samples and stuff at Steve's Books

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LINKS:

Share your nature thoughts, photos and comments on Naturalists (the facebook page that accompanies this blog)

Explore the region with the #CreteNature interactive Hiking and Nature Map

Cretan Flora

Once More Onto The Beach, Dear Friends

Back in the middle of November last year we began our Descent into the Milonas Valley and here we are in the middle of April rapidly approaching the sea. Back then we were accompanied by Red Admiral and Painted Lady butterflies and now the Old World Swallowtails have joined us. I saw the first ones at the end of March and like the poppies that we saw last week they are now appearing about a month later than in 2006. A similar trend can be seen with the first swallows although the swifts are much the same as they were then. Only the vine leaves seem to be bucking the trend; they are now appearing about a month earlier. As we were discussing last week, the seasons are going out of synch.

No matter, we will enjoy the spring while there is still a spring to be enjoyed and I see that the Silver Wattle is now bursting into golden globes of flower. This shrubby tree, which is also known as Mimosa, was originally a native of Australia but has been widely introduced into the Mediterranean and is pretty well naturalised here in Crete. Apparently these are traditionally given on International Women’s Day in Italy and a few other European countries. Seeing as that was on March 8^th I can only presume that it flowers earlier up there – or it did when the tradition began.

The stream is now placidly flowing between banks of vegetation: great tall reeds and the pungent tree spurge are on the opposite bank while over here straggly asters are poking through the lesser reeds and grasses. I see that we have a flower chafer taking a rest in the sun on this one. These are big, bumbling beetles which emerge in considerable numbers in the spring months and give rise to various stories in folklore. Their relatives are known as May bugs or June beetles in the UK.

Here’s an interesting little critter; it’s a Grove Snail and the interesting thing about these are that they come in many guises, from pale and almost unmarked like this one to bright yellow with chocolate bands. The one thing that they all have in common is the brown, slightly protuberant lip at the base of the shell. Snails with different patterns are called ‘morphs’ (having more than one appearance in nature is known as polymorphism) and which morph is prevalent in an area is determined partly by the genetic make-up and partly down to the preferences of their predators (who tend to go for the commonest morph as being tried and tested as it were).

Here we are at the end of the vegetation; a sprawling tamarisk and then the beach. There’s also a lentisc bush with a nice orb web stretched across it and the architect has just spotted us. It has run along the top anchor line and taken refuge under a leaf. You may wonder how they get that first anchor line, which may be metres long, into place. The answer, as Bob Dylan observed, is blowin’ in the wind. The spider produces a very thin line of silk and just lets it drift. When it snags on a distant piece of vegetation the spider feels the vibrations and reels it in until it’s taut. It then runs back and forth along the line, like a demented tightrope walker, laying strengthening lines until it has a cable strong enough to support the rest of the web (the construction of which we discussed in The Incredible Shrinking Safari).

The Extra Bit

And so we reach the end of the Milonas Valley having followed the stream from its origins in the Thriptis mountains all the way down here to Ferma Bay. Would you believe it? Even down here on the beach we still have tadpoes. I don’t give much for their chances of survival but toads are r-strategists like last week’s kestrel and produce far more offspring than could ever hope to survive. Might make a nice lunch for that Little Ringed Plover though. Talking of lunch there’s a nice little taverna by the beach - a drop of ouzo and a few mezedes would go down a treat in the spring sunshine.

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LINKS:

Share your nature thoughts, photos and comments on Naturalists (the facebook page that accompanies this blog)

See detailed pictures on Flickr

Read more about the flora and flora of the island in The Nature of Crete (Flipboard Magazine)

Cretan Flora

Flowers of Crete;

BIRDS OF CRETE

Crete Birding

Greek Butterflies and Moths

Aquaworld Aquarium

Visit Greece (National Government Tourist Office)

The Road to Nowhere

Ground Beetle Licinus sp.

I thought that this week we’d take a walk over to the neighbouring village of Koutsounari. It will give me the chance to point out a few things on the way. You don’t always need exotic locations like the Amazon jungle to find things of interest and beauty and you don’t necessarily have to travel great distances either. This Ground Beetle charging up the lane right on cue demonstrates the point. 

Cretan Water Frog Pelophylax (Rana) cretensis and habitat

Ferma is very quiet in February. You’d hardly believe that this is the main road between Ierapetra and Sitia, two of the largest towns in the east of the island. Cars are few and far between and you can still see an old man on a donkey trotting along occasionally. At the end of the village is a hairpin bend where a small seasonal stream runs into Ferma Bay. From this a track leads up into a valley where there is a delightful waterfall and endemic Cretan Water frogs can be found.

Anemone coronaria

The greater part of the village of Koutsounari lies up the hill but down here a few hotels front the main road, their gardens stretching down to Long Beach and the sea. It’s not what you would call over developed and between the hotels are great tracts of ‘nowhere’ which, of course, is an absolute magnet for a naturalist. So let’s turn off the main road and take a road to nowhere. And what a glorious sight awaits us. In the short grass to the right of the track an absolute carpet of purple and white Anemones.

Anticlockwise from top left:
Hyla arborea, Bufo viridis, Eobania vermiculata

This tract of land to our left is a favourite bird watching spot where you can often find larks, pipits, finches, kestrels and buzzards. It’s a little quiet on the bird front today but we do have animal sounds.  That rather high pitched chirruping is the call of the Green Toad, a rather beautiful little amphibian with a white belly, green eyes and green blotches on a rusty brown background. On the underside of the leaves of that Giant cane by the puddle we may even find some tree frogs. No luck today but there are quite a few rather snazzy Chocolate Banded Snails enjoying the damp weather.

White Wagtail Motacilla alba

We’ll walk down to the beach and have a look in the gardens of the hotel next door. I see that they haven’t emptied out their swimming pool again. A plea to all swimming pool owners, hotels or individuals: please empty your pools in the autumn. Animals are drawn to water and once in they can’t get out. Fortunately there are only dead insects on this one. Unfortunate for the insects of course but a veritable smorgasbord for this White Wagtail. We see these most of the year down here but they wisely tend to avoid the hotter months of July, August and September. They’re pretty well beach bums locally but they will move up into the olive groves in January and February.

Woodlouse Armadillidium sp.

There’s a little bit of waste ground round the back here which sometimes proves to be a good hunting ground and I’m getting withdrawal symptoms – I haven’t turned over a log all morning! A woodlouse. Not the most spectacular find you may think but they’re really quite colourful when you look at them closely.  They are also crustaceans like lobsters, prawns and crabs and although they live on land their lungs, which are specially modified for land use, still have to be kept moist in order to function. This is why a) you find them in damp places and b) they don’t get pneumonia.

Ocellated Skink Chalcides ocellatus

What have we under this bit of wood? An Ocellated Skink. As you can see he is quite alert so he’s not in deep hibernation. It’s about 18 Centigrade today and he seems quite happy about it. A couple of years ago I did monitor one which went into hibernation under a stone behind the house. He stayed there from early January to March 9^th when the daytime temperature rose into the mid twenties.  The night time temperatures had only just climbed into double figures by then whereas this year we haven’t had a night below 10 Centigrade.

Average monthly night temperatures in Ferma 2005-2013

Oh dear, now you’ve done it, you’ve got an Englishman talking about the weather. I’ll try and be brief. Since I started taking weather records in 2005 the mean temperature has risen by just under two degrees. It’s not a consistent rise; it tends to go in three year cycles and the main thing I’ve noticed is that the island isn’t cooling down so much at night. Every year the nights get warmer and warmer. And still on the subject of weather – it’s just started to rain so I think we’ll call it a day.

As always there’s plenty more on our facebook page: Steve's Naturalists Group 

Until next week – good hunting.

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Thanks this week to: Cosmin Manci and Alexandru Pintilioaie at Coleoptera on Facebook

for their help with the identification of the Ground Beetle Licinus sp. and

Matt Wilson at Manchester Metropolitan Universtiy for his perennial help in all matters herpetological.

LINKS:

Flowers of Crete;

BIRDS OF CRETE

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