Greece June 29 - July 13, 2003

This visit to the island of Lefkada wasn’t a birding trip at all, but a family holiday. I soon realised that the area wasn’t going to throw up much in terms of good birding as - apart from the very common Yellow-legged Gull, Collared Dove, Swift(s), hirrundines, Hooded Crow, and House Sparrow - it was actually possible to go through a day seeing only a handful of birds. Shooting is no doubt to blame for the lack of birds, but the very hot weather probably didn’t help.

I soon decided that the effort involved for serious birding wasn’t going to be worth the bother as the few species that I needed were easier elsewhere. However, a couple of mornings were spent looking for birds (including a failed twitch to Lake Ioaninna for Pygmy Cormorant) and a list of birds (including five new ones!) was made.

Butterflying (mainly around the pool!) was much easier. A net was taken and the boys greatly enjoyed using catching butterflies and other insects for me to try and identify. Some snorkelling was also done - which was excellent.

We stayed in appartments just outside Lefkakda town and had a car for ten of the fourteen days. Visits to the mainland were easy as the island is linked by a road bridge just off the lagoon on the edge of the town.