Macedonia 2013

The trip report from last week's visit to Macedonia and northern Greece is now available from the usual place, with the photo gallery up on flickr. Enjoy!

Macedonia 2013, a set on Flickr.

Macedonia 2013: some cool insects

Another quick update from Macedonia, with some of the rather nice beasts that we've bumped into along the way.

 Russian Heath

 Ascalaphus libelluloides. We have also found the blue-winged Ascalaphus ottomanus

 Twin-spot Fritillary

 Nemoptera sinuata

 Another handsome black and red longhorn beetle, this time Stictoleptura cordigera

Yellow-banded Skipper

Macedonia 2013: 2nd to 4th June 2013

A quick update from the first few days of our Macedonia trip. Based in the central town of Kavadarci, we've been exploring the drier hillsides, gorges and steppe habitats of the area (as well as a rubbish dump or two, which have rewarded us with five Eastern Imperial Eagles). We've also enjoyed a fly-past group of Rose-coloured Starlings, four species of shrike and a good range of warblers: Eastern Orphean, Eastern Subalpine, Eastern Olivaceous, Sardinian and Olive-tree.

An early start tomorrow, but hopefully worth it... the vulture restaurant has been primed!

 The super-impressive Bradyporus dasypus, a massive cricket (this is smaller than life size!) that is very abundant in the dry grassland, chomping its way through the vegetation.

 Eastern Spectre Caliaeschna microstigma, Europe's smallest hawker and something of a Balkan speciality.

 Nose-horned Viper Vipera ammodytes

 

 Lattice Brown

 Heermann's Tortoise. We've seen both species of tortoise (this and Spur-thighed) every day so far.

 Purpuricenus budensis, an impressive longhorn beetle, one of several species found so far.

 Balkan Marbled White, a very common grassland butterfly

Eastern Lizard Orchid

New for 2013: Macedonia

We're currently hard at work on finalising the details for our 2013 holiday programme. Full details of the trips are being uploaded to the website as and when they are finished, and we'll soon be sending out a newsletter-cum-brochure to tempt you with.

One new destination that I am particularly excited about is Macedonia (or, if we're going to be correct, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia). On paper it already sounds like a great place to visit: limestone mountains; extensive grazing still the norm; the world's largest breeding colony of Dalmatian Pelicans; Rock Partridge, Saker and Eastern Imperial Eagle all expected; Masked Shrike, Olive-tree Warbler; an amazing diversity of butterlies...

If I wasn't already sold on the idea, then the photos that Martin (our guide for this trip, as well as our recent holiday to the White Carpathians) sent through sealed the deal. It's worth a visit for the poppy fields alone! See you there!!

 

 

All photos copyright Martin Hrouzek, Arnika Travel.