Lake Kerkini

Today's treat was a boat trip on Lake Kerkini. We left from Mondraki and set off through the reeds and water lilies. It covers 72 square kilometres and was formed in 1932 when the first dam was built on what was previously marshy ground, with more embankments being built in 1982. During the summer water from below the dam is used to irrigate farmland. The lake is then reduced to 54 square kilometres and its muddy margins attract thousands of Greater Flamingo, waders and wildfowl. Today it was at its higher level as the snow melt continues. The sheer numbers of birds was incredible. 320 species have been recorded here as it is on a major migration route, but it was both the Pelicans and numbers of the different Heron species that impressed ...and the hundreds of Great-crested Grebes. Sadly, the Lake is heavily polluted by plastics, noticeably so, despite being a National Park.

Our boat arrives.

Setting off through the reeds.

Cormorants drying their wings. The yellow swathe is Fringed Water Lily.

European Pond Terrapin - we also saw Dice Snake swimming.

Great-crested Grebes.

Looking back. 

A good variety of Heron species.

Great White Pelicans.

Dalmation Pelican.

Spoonbill.

Squacco Heron...

Three Squaccos...

Grey Heron with Little Egrets and a Black-crowned Night Heron (far back right) .

A Hooded Crow watched on.

Incoming Pelicans.

Into the middle of  the lake.

Common Tern.

Sheets of Fringed Water Lily.

The Axios Delta

On our way towards the Axios Delta and the Kalochori lagoons, we stopped at a service station and a quick poke round soon revealed a splendid area of Serapius orchids.

Serapius or Tongue Orchids are notoriously difficult to identify and records are patchy due to species confusion, so I'll leave it at Serapius sp.

Eastern Bath White. 

Spotted Fritillary.

We then moved on. Arriving at the Kalochori Lagoons, you couldn't miss the city of Thessaloniki, the second largest in Greece. 

A traditional fisherman's cabin...

Great Cormorants and Pygmy Cormorants sat together.

Making use of old fishing boats.....Common Terns.

And wow, what a view of a Stone Curlew! 

The Nestos Gorge

What a gorgeous gorge! We really would have liked to have walked the whole length; sadly not. Arriving in the carpark gave me the opportunity to photograph one of the many miniature church-like structures, that we had seen along the roadsides and in people's gardens. Known as Kandylakia, they are deeply rooted in Greek Orthodox culture and can be memorials, offerings of gratitude or devotional spaces. We then headed off along a paved path up the gorge, where we had good views of Black Woodpecker and Golden Oriole, as well as Honey Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Blue Rock Thrush.....The plants and butterflies were good too.  

A Kandylakia

Pollen tideline on a puddle.

Limestone cliffs.

Along the gorge.

Nice path!

A Broomrape sp.

Mullein.

Golden Drops, Steptorhamphus tuberosus (native to Bulgaria), Wild Asparagus and a white Cistus.

Eastern Festoon.

Southern Comma.

Haberlea rhodopensis, a protected endemic.

Haberlea rhodopensis, known as a resurrection plant and locally as Orpheus flower is found clinging to north-facing, damp and mossy rock faces. It is famous for surviving extreme desiccation for years and then 'resurrecting' itself completely within hours of watering. Apparently it can survive for at least three years, dried in a herbarium. It's known locally as the Orpheus flower as legend says it sprouted from the tears of the mythical singer Orpheus. The divided leaves are of a Spleenwort sp.

The 'Floating' Monastery of St Nicholas, Porto Lagos

Our first stop of the day was at the Monastery of St Nicholas and the Chapel of Virgin Mary Pantanassa. Home to many icons, artefacts and monastery products you can purchase, it is also a good viewing point for both Dalmation Pelicans and Great White Pelicans. But first a few pictures from the site. The two islets are now accessed by wooden bridges. 

St Nicholas,

The interior of the Orthodox Church, with its traditional Byzantine style iconography and ornate décor.

The prophet Elijah, being fed by a Raven while in the wilderness.

More detail......

And of course there were cats - which the monks fed.

Anyway getting back to the Pelicans.. We saw both Dalmation Pelicans, which eBird describes as 'Massive Pelican with dishevelled appearance....dirty white ...scruffy' and  the Great White Pelican which eBird describes as ' a large white waterbird with a hefty bill and yellow orange throat pouch'.

Mainly Dalmations...

A mix.

Mainly Great Whites.

We also saw Sandwich Terns, Little and Common Terns. After the monastery, it was a quick beach stop where we saw Olivaceous Warbler, Kentish Plover, Garganey and a Greater Spotted Cuckoo that kindly landed in a nearby tree with its crest showing beautifully.

Spot the Greater Spotted Cuckoo!