Samothraki in Winter
December 6th to 9th 2019
A winter visit to Samothraki is nearly totally non-touristic. The overwhelming majority of visitors come here in mid-summer, so the ferry is now nearly empty. The place is totally different, calming, serene, wilder.
The occasion was a public meeting at the Chora. The issue concerns the the development of wind farms on Mount Saos!! We are against this idea - so is the Municipality of Samothraki - so we had a confrontation with the developers (one company showed up); all went very well.
So Vasso and I took some time to do some bird counting in the hills above Chora and at the Agios Andreas Wetlands (near Kamariotissa). We spotted 23 spp. in the Wetlands and nearly 20 in total above Chora. Just watching the ravens play in the sky is enough - in total quiet and peace. Highly recommended as a winter naturalist's retreat.
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| Kamariotissa, islands' port; early winter on Mount Saos. |
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| Chora. |
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| Above Alonia in the "Koufoptera" area; just a half hour's walk from Chora. |
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| Oriental Planes at a spring above Alonia (western part of the island). |
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| In winter Samothraki is full of Buzzards (Buteo buteo); this one above Alonia. |
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| Above Alonia: wilderness. |
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| The small pond just west of Kamariotissa (in the distance); unfortunately this place was chosen as the site for the future development of the island's sewage treatment plant. Developments like this although bringing incremental changes slowly degrade important ecosystems. |
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| Our first Flamingos; three immatures at the salty lagoon, Agios Andreas Wetlands. |
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| They were actively feeding in the shallows. |
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| Black-necked Grebe, Agios Andreas lagoon. |
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| Black-necked Grebe, Agios Andreas lagoon. |
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| Peregrine falcons were observed on two occasions this one at the Agios Andreas Wetlands Area. |
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| The small lagoon south of Agios Andreas within Agios Andreas Wetlands: can you see the reflection of the moon? |
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| The small lagoon south of Agios Andreas within Agios Andreas Wetlands. |
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| Long wintry walk. |
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Long wintry walk: Vasso Vlami took some of these photos - must give her more credit.
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| A group of Ruddy Shelducks (Tadorna ferruginea) - rare birds. |
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| Reed Bunting at sunset. |
