UKC

Just back from a family holiday in Zakinthos.  Here's some stuff.  Black winged stilt.

This red backed shrike gave exceptional close up views

Woodchat shrike, and European praying mantis.

I'm assuming this is a young praying mantis, and hummingbird hawk moth

Swallowtail butterfly, and a wasp of some sort.

Some butterflies.

Great butterflies, I particularly like the last pic of the four!

You probably know this but you can use the iNat app (iNaturalist) to ID any species.

Now back in Aus, but still to download all my pictures. Here's a taster from my phone.

iNat gives it a scientific name, but does not come up with a common name in this instance, unfortunately.

Great pics! I was near to Athens a couple of months ago and had a very frustrating time trying get a good picture of a Hoopoe, the shots at the Acropolis would have been magic but I was too busy nursing a neurodivergent teenager through the tourist maelstrom. I then spent a half hour or so at the bottom of a tree near Marathon listening to the b*gger hoot but would it show itself? Did get a good European Jay though.

I got to within 10-15' of a couple of hoopoes (not at the same time) a couple of months ago, didn't even have my phone with me. C'est la vie!

You'd think they'd be easy to get a good picture of but they really need a strong contrasty background. On earth/sand/mud they virtually disappear.

I would be over the moon to meet a hoopoe on Greece, because of the one in Aristophanes' "Birds".

But would love to meet a hoopoe anywhere really.

Lovely pictures, hope you had a wonderful time.

Nice!  Saw four or five species of small blue butterfly, just IDing them. 

The Stilt (stunning but weird looking bird), was it a singleton or were there several about.

When I've seen them outside the UK they've been the local equivalent of Avocets, i.e. a whole load of them milling about.

Greece is amazing for birds - Had a week in Thrace once and it was just one star after another - the flocks of bee eaters, black and white storks, middle spotted and black woodpeckers ......