Sicily 2018

I have just come back from an enjoyable trip to Sicily with Naturetrek.

The weather was quite variable with thunderstorms most days, one of which we got caught out in, so it took some drying out back at the hotel before heading back out into the field.

The hotel (farmhouse) we stayed at was wonderful with good food and lots of wine!

There was a good selection of places we visited including an archaeological site and the old towns (I'm not one for looking around towns) and we also visited Etna but I had a panic attack as we drove up to the cable car so had to be dropped off where I had an enjoyable time pottering around for a couple of hours

Here are a selection of photos from the trip (shame it wasn't longer in length)

Sardinia 2018

Have just been on a Naturetrek trip to Sardinia with the main focus being on dragonflies but covered all other aspects of nature as well.  The island is very pleasant and the two trips to offshore islands were very good.  The food was particularly good except at the third hotel where it was a bit bland and the beer was twice as expensive as the other hotels.

The weather wasn't particularly great and on one day it nearly rained all day.

I got all the lifers I was expecting to see except for one which was a bit disappointing - Green Hooktail.  I did see Island Bluetail (you couldn't miss them), Dark Spreadwing and Banded Groundling.

From a reptile point of view I did see the very pretty Italian and Tyrrhenian Wall Lizards.

Butterflies included great views of Two-tailed Pasha and four new species for me: Corsican Heath, Corsican Dappled White, Long-tailed Blue and Nettle-tree Butterfly.

Birds were a bit thin on the ground as expected but we had a nice variety including my first Barbary Partridge (in flight in front of the bus).  The number of Scops Owls calling at the 2nd hotel was amazing.  It was nice to see Audouin's Gull again.