It had been a while since the last time I did led a holiday that was new to me so I was excited to head out to northern Greece and team up with top macro photographer Matt Doogue for a Mediterranean Macro Safari for Greenwings. We met our guests for the week at Thessaloniki airport and, brief introductions made, we headed out to the minibus and got on the road for a journey of around an hour and twenty minutes to our hotel near Lake Kerkini.

On arrival, we took a little time to freshen up before heading over the road for lunch in a local restaurant. We spent a moment or two to get to know one another better and find out what we each wanted from the trip as we waited for our food to arrive, and once we’d eaten we continued this with a brief talk from Matt about the different aspects of macro photography we could expect to cover this week, some of the kit he uses and the techniques he favours. 

We then ventured out for our first foray into the field, heading to a spot near the Strimonas River. On the way, we saw White Storks nesting, not only in our village but on a number of telegraph posts in neighbouring villages too. There was a glimpse of a Hoopoe, some Bee-eaters and two Golden Orioles spotted in flight.

We pulled up to find the local Water Buffalo herd were nearby, but there was plenty of space between us and them so we set about looking for photographic subjects. It didn’t take long to find some beautiful longhorn beetles in the genus Agapanthia, a number of Chafers and a variety of both Crickets and Dragonflies. One of our group found a tiny European Tree Frog in a large Milk Thistle and, as we photographed it, the farmer arrived on a scrambler bike and ushered the Buffalo across the track in front of us and down the embankment on the other side. We took a moment to look for a few more subjects  and then, having established they were heading in the opposite direction, we headed down the  embankment ourselves.

Another guest spotted a Common Blue butterfly fluttering around but it was reluctant to settle for photographs. We approached the hedgerow at the bottom and soon found there to be water beneath and damselflies fluttering about. The vast majority were either Blue or White Featherlegs but there were a number of Banded Demoiselles too, albeit mostly in less accessible spots for photography.

White Featherleg Damselfly

We were soon finding all sorts of other delights too; a couple more Tree Frogs, an obliging Comma butterfly, one enormous spider plus lots of smaller ones, nearly all Araneus circe, and a lot of dragonflies including Scarlet Darter, Black-tailed Skimmer and Scarce Chaser.

European Tree Frog

Comma

It was soon time to head back to the hotel and we tore ourselves away, pausing on the way back to the minibus first to watch a flock of around 60 Bee-eaters circling over the field next door and then to photograph a neon green Weevil with blue legs which Matt found sitting on top of a metal fence post. It didn’t make for the prettiest perch but the colouring was fascinating to see and none of us had come across one like it before. A tortoise made an appearance just as we were gathering our things to leave.

We had a short drive back to the hotel but there was an interruption to our journey when we came across a traffic jam seemingly in the middle of nowhere and cars parked all down one side of the road. We made our way forward tentatively but were soon head to head with a tractor on our side of the road which was trying to get around the same problem. It transpired that there was a rural chapel and a wedding was happening. The car behind us had the bride in and we were beckoned to reverse into the chapel entrance so she could be delivered and then the tractor could pass so that we could move on. We spent a happy evening chatting about the drama of it all and debating our favourite finds from the afternoon whilst eating dinner in a restaurant a short walk through the village from our hotel.

The next morning, we set out for the day and headed through the village of Vironeia and up the hill towards an old quarry. Having parked up, we wandered along the track taking in the many macro photo opportunities that presented themselves. There were quite a number of butterflies flitting among the Christ’s Thorn blossoms, mostly at this stage of the day Meadow Browns but with a  few skittish Lattice Browns joining them, though proving harder to photograph, especially if a macro image was the objective.

Meadow Brown

The woods around us reverberated with the song of Nightingales, with perhaps a dozen individuals singing over the course of our walk. A woodpecker sounded an alarm nearby and a Jay flew overhead. Along with the butterflies, the Christ’s Thorn was also being visited by a variety of other insects, honey bees provided a background hum while large green Rose Chafers bombed around between blooms. 

We came to a bit of a clearing where grazing had left only a selection of unpalatable plants such as Spanish Oysterplant and a Mullein to provide any perches for our potential subjects. Thankfully, the invertebrates were unfussy about this and we were soon scattered among the plants photographing Robberflies, Spiders and all sorts of other interesting invertebrates. One guest spent some time searching for butterflies and had fleeting glimpses of Ilex Hairstreaks, Clouded Yellows and more elusive Lattice Browns but was soon better rewarded when I found a Little Tiger Blue, perched most inaccessibly in a clump of spiky plants but proving most obliging as we took turns to capture images.

Little Tiger Blue

Moving on up the track, Matt located a lovely pink and white Crab Spider and we noted there  were a number of butterflies fluttering around the Cionura erecta that scrambled through the trees like a Clematis. They were all out of reach with a macro lens and very active so we continued on a few yards more to where the landscape opened up to reveal the high rock walls of an old quarry. There were Wall Browns flitting amongst the rust brown rocks and a number of jumping spiders, mostly Red-bellied Jumping Spiders, Philaeus chrysops with strikingly marked red and black males. We were on the lookout for another red and black spider though and it wasn’t long before I spotted one in an uncharacteristic pose up a grass stem; the male Ladybird Spider. 

Photographs taken, we watched Hummingbird Hawkmoths zipping between flowers, noted the pale yellow blooms of Onosma echioides and had several tantalising glimpses of Large Tortoiseshells as they flew past and on up the steep rock face. Crag Martins wheeled overhead and a pair of Black-eared Wheatears collected prey items, presumably for a growing brood. 

We had lunch in a picnic shelter with a fabulous view over the landscape beyond with the lake in the distance. A Painted Lady was spotted passing by as we packed up to move on and we stopped by a large puddle on the way back down to see if we could find more butterflies collecting moisture and minerals around it. A Silver-washed Fritillary was zipping around at high speed and several Nettle Tree butterflies were found but there weren’t as many species as we had hoped.

Nettle Tree Butterfly

Nevertheless, Matt suggested we look on the edge of the woods here and we found some more attractive species including the hairy green spider, Heriaeus hirtus and in turning over some stones in the woods, a large Scolopendra centipede along with a couple of Scorpions. Stones carefully replaced, we moved on.

We paused in the village below for ice creams and admired a Stork nesting on the nearby church tower. Matt spotted a Ruby-tailed Wasp and then a damaged Scarce Swallowtail which he was able to show the group as he rescued it from the road.

Our main stop for the afternoon was a short drive away at Mandraki Harbour where we were greeted by a cacophony including Cuckoo, Great Reed Warbler and a plethora of frogs. There were a couple of large Gypsy Moth caterpillars on a nearby tree trunk which we paused to look at before spreading out to see what we could find; some of us heading down towards the water while others investigated the surrounding vegetation.

There were a number of sightings of Water Snakes although pictures seemed to be proving elusive until a member of our party found a Caspian Whip Snake up a tree! We wandered down a track nearby and Matt pointed out a Green Huntsman spider which was making a nest in the top of a reed by curling it over on itself. A few dragonflies were spotted including White-tailed Skimmer and back on the pier, we all made the most of the Balkan Green Lizards sunning themselves plus a guest spotted a Lang’s Short-tailed Blue Butterfly taking minerals.

Female White-tailed Skimmer

Lang’s Short-tailed Blue

A last hurrah before we called it a day came in the form of a pristine Swallowtail looking for a spot to roost near the bus.

The previous evening we had agreed we’d like to return for an early morning foray at the harbour and so we set out at 5:30 from the hotel to arrive just after the sun had come up. Turtle Dove, Cetti’s Warbler and Cuckoo were calling to greet us and we had a huge flypast of Pelicans  overhead as they headed for fishing grounds at the other end of the lake. 

Wandering into a patch of meadow with long grasses, Poppies and a few other flowers, we found lots of Robberflies covered in dew, some with prey making for excellent subjects. There were a couple of slightly bedraggled Common Blue butterflies roosting too and when we emerged on to the track again, Matt pointed out some lovely clusters of roosting bees. The most tightly bunched were Longhorn Bees while others nearby with striking green eyes were beginning to warm up for the day and become more active.

Robberfly with prey

Robberfly and Cricket

We returned to the hotel for breakfast and, having eaten, set out for a day further afield. We made an impromptu stop beside the road to admire some Dragon Arums in full bloom, stinking of death but impressive nonetheless. A tight corner and steep climb in a village proved a challenge for the minibus but allowed views of a Hoopoe close at hand. Having negotiated the road, we turned off it onto a well maintained forestry track for the final stretch of the journey. I spotted a number of Balkan Lizard Orchids as we drove but we decided to stop for them on the way back.

In fact, just a short way further ahead, that plan changed as we came across a timber lorry being loaded and blocking our route. We managed to explain that we would like to get past and found a spot to park up while they finished their job that allowed the lorry past when it was done. A guest and I walked back the short distance to the orchids which were up the bank in a nice group. Meanwhile, another lady found a stunning longhorn beetle on one of the tree trunks that was lined up waiting to be loaded onto the next lorry. The group took turns in photographing it and in no time were being ushered back into the vehicle to manoeuvre our way past the vehicles up the track.

We continued our way uphill, stopping further up where there was a flowery corner to see what else we could find. Another guest was the one to make the star find this time, in the form of a couple of Green Hairstreaks, content to pose for photos while they soaked up the morning sun.

Green Hairstreak

Another group member meanwhile had found a beautiful Southern White Admiral. Matt uncovered a large centipede with young, still white and translucent, in the surrounding woodland. Further up, Red Helleborines flowered beneath the  trees and more butterflies were found including a number of Green Hairstreaks, some obliging Nettle Tree Butterflies and a mating pair of Common Blues.

Our final stop on the route was where we’d enjoy lunch by a spring fed water trough in a large meadow, and spend a couple of hours pottering around and enjoying it for the afternoon. Settling to eat first, there were a few butterflies fluttering around including Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Clouded Yellow. A lovely male Red-backed Shrike was perched on a wire opposite us and Matt was coming up with a plan to try and photograph some of the Pond Skaters on the water trough at low level. 

Sandwiches devoured, we split up to explore. There were Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Comma and Purple-shot Coppers among other butterflies noted.

Purple-shot Copper

The ungrazed edges of the meadow  against the shrubs bore purple masses of Viola graeca and delicate Maiden Pinks, and there were all manner of interesting invertebrates from jumping spiders to picture-winged flies, crickets and grasshoppers to shield bugs.

Bordered Orbweaver, Neoscona adianta

Red Shieldbug Nymph

Having spent a happy time delving into their worlds, we heeded the warning of the thunder clouds that had gathered overhead and made our way back down. We paused briefly just above where we’d passed the timber lorries to admire the view across to the lake and its  surroundings, made more impressive by the weather unfolding in front of us. Wary not to wait until it reached us, we headed on and emerged onto the road again well below the narrow-streeted village we’d negotiated earlier and glad not to have to traverse the same route again. 

We made one last impromptu stop at a flowery patch beside the road which proved rather smelly owing to a number of Dragon Arums hidden from initial view beneath the trees, but incredibly fruitful in macro photography terms. We came across roosting Small and Essex skippers, a number of the incredibly beautiful Large Balkan Spoon-winged Lacewings, a Brassy Longhorn micro moth, several sleepy bees and a Spurge Hawkmoth among other things.

Large Balkan Spoon-winged Lacewing

Brassy Longhorn

Thoroughly buzzing at all the lovely things we’d found during the day, we headed back to the hotel and out to dinner where the chatter would continue into the evening. 

We started the following day picking up two more people who had been with another group in a nearby hotel, one would join us for the day owing to a late flight while the other  would remain for 3 days. The bus full, we made our way to a spot near the Strimonas River where we made our way down a track along the raised embankment. Bee-eaters flew overhead, settling in the trees and as we dropped down into the field away from the river, we found their nest holes scattered among the rough vegetation. I found a Marginated Tortoise and Matt pointed out the huge number of Spurge Hawkmoth caterpillars in varying instars. There were Crested Larks near the track and both Common and Red-rumped Swallows were hawking for insects and dipping for a drink from the river. Little Egret, Purple Heron and Cormorant made fly-bys along with White Stork and Little Ringed Plover.

Bee-eaters

There were a few dragonflies around, mostly passing at high speed and not settling for images, and we all enjoyed seeing and photographing a tiny European Tree Frog on a thistle leaf, and  shortly afterwards, a juvenile Green Toad.

For lunch, we headed in to the small town of Irakleia where we found a restaurant offering Gyros and, having eaten, we headed out for an afternoon in a disused quarry which has since been reclaimed by nature with Wild Thyme, Pink Everlasting and Jasione jankae flowering in the bottom.  Crested Larks and Black-headed Buntings sang from the fields around the quarry as we made our way down the entry track. Small Heath, Hungarian Skipper and Meadow Brown butterflies fluttered among the flowers along with the  day flying Spotted Clover moth. There were a number of Praying Mantis, including Mantis religiosa, Ameles spallanzania and Empusa fasciata, plus some fascinating beetles which we later identified as Cerocoma muehlfeldi, the males of which have  bizarre antennae that look almost malformed.

Mantis religiosa

Cerocoma meuhlfeldi

Additionally, there were a few beautiful robber flies,  Promachus leoninus with strikingly green eyes, several small Paper Wasp nests being attended by adults, nursery webs of the attractive jumping spider Mogrus neglectus, plus a variety of shield bugs and other interesting beetles and Matt uncovered a large Scolopendra centipede. On the track where we’d parked and in the small damp meadow the other side, we found the large Egyptian Grasshopper with characteristically stripy eyes, Pygmy Skipper and the distinctive Red-bellied Jumping Spider.

Pygmy Skipper

It was soon time to return to the hotel and freshen up before dinner in the restaurant over the road. I took the one lady to eat early and then to the airport for her flight home, while the rest of the group enjoyed a more leisurely meal.

We set off the next morning for one of our more distant sites, heading through the town of Sidirokastro and up into the mountains. The last section of our journey was along a rough track but we were confident that the rewards at the end would be worth our mild discomfort and indeed it proved true. We pulled up in a woodland clearing and despite Matt’s concern that recent improvements to the area had included mowing off some of the wildflowers, we found it to be full of interest. We explored the immediate area first, a few of the group coming across a couple of Tawny Owls in the trees. One of them then found a stunning Cream-spot Tiger Moth, meanwhile Matt and I took in an impressive chapel built into a cave in the side of the cliff.

Cream-spot Tiger moth

Back in the clearing, some of the ladies had found a couple of different Burnet moths including Zygaena punctum, plus a few butterflies and Bee Chafers to photograph. There was a Small Blue in excellent condition, a rather tattier Dingy Skipper, Mallow Skipper and both Chequered and Adonis Blues along with Nine-spotted moth, Pygmy moth and a variety of beetles.

Zygaena punctum

Mallow Skipper

The group opted to walk back down the track towards our next stop which we had passed on the way up. I picked a couple of them up on the way but the rest preferred to see what they could find on foot. Reaching our stopping point, we parked up and got things ready for lunch which we would eat when the others joined us. There were Red-rumped Swallows zipping past at head height, Crested Larks and Corn Buntings calling from the tops of nearby bushes and a beautiful selection of wildflowers  including Haplophyllum balcanicum, Saponaria bellidifolia, Ornithogalum narbonense, Linum tenuifolium and Fumana ericoides among others. Having eaten, we spent some time enjoying the insect life too, spotting a Mountain Small White butterfly and finding some longhorn bees, and taking photos of the impressive landscape while we had the opportunity.

On the way back, we stopped in the village of Achladochori for ice creams, and spent a few moments watching the comings and goings of House Martins from their nests on the nearby buildings while House Sparrows chattered noisily in the trees of the village square.

We made a couple more stops on our return journey, the first of which was by some meadows which bordered the river, though the water itself wasn’t terribly accessible. There were some lovely butterflies including Southern White Admiral, Eastern Knapweed Fritillary, Spotted Fritillary, and Eastern Festoon, although the  latter was generally in fast flight along the edge of the trees and not willing to settle. There was a  large puddle on the track and some of the butterflies were coming down to take minerals and drink. The main interest in the puddle itself though were a number of Balkan Frogs which plopped out of sight when anyone came too close but were content enough to pop up again so long as you sat still.

Balkan Frog

Having checked another possible stop and ascertained that it was not an option, we made an impromptu pause on the side of the road for some mud-puddling butterflies including Wood White, Amanda’s Blue, Mazarine Blue, Nettle Tree, Pygmy Skipper, Red Admiral and Brown Argus. 

Moving on once more, we stopped at an area where the river we’d been following was more accessible. There were a  couple of butterflies here too but mostly Meadow Browns, although I was trying to find an Oriental Meadow Brown, without success. Down by the water, a number of Demoiselles were perched on the vegetation and one of our group spotted a Grass Snake. In the meantime, Matt and I were astonished by the number of Antlion pits in a small sandy area – perhaps thirty or forty of these small conical depressions, and at the base of each the voracious Antlion larvae waiting for an unsuspecting insect to get trapped.

Our final stop of the day was beside the river once more, but a little further downstream where the water tumbled over rapids between smooth rocks. Spurge Hawkmoth caterpillars, dragonflies, several beetles and bees were the main focus of the stop until Matt found more Spoon-winged Lacewings in one of the meadows.

Spurge Hawkmoth caterpillars

Sadly though, most of the group didn’t hear him calling owning to a large lorry trundling down the track which we were parked on and me having to move the minibus to let them past! It was soon time to head for the hotel though and enjoy another meal in a local restaurant. 

Our morning began bright and early the nextday but with good reason. Nikos, the owner of the hotel we were staying in as well as the local boat guide on the lake met us at Mandraki harbour just before 6am for our boat trip. Although billed as a largely macro-focussed holiday, we couldn’t come to this beautiful part of the world without taking advantage of this opportunity. The sunrise was beautiful and cast a golden glow over the water as we set out.

Sunrise over Lake Kerkini

We began by circling a small clump of willows in which Spoonbills and Pygmy Cormorants were nesting, before turning into a quiet section between the reeds where a Black-crowned Night Heron fished and Great Crested Grebe nests could be glimpsed between the reed stems.

Spoonbill with young

As we emerged on to the open water again, we had good views of both Great White and Dalmatian Pelicans feeding individually. We set off across the lake now towards the island where the Pelicans were nesting, careful not to pass too closely, we were able to see that the Dalmatians were mostly on a wooden platform to one side while the Great White Pelicans held most of the island itself. Yellow-legged Gulls and a few stray Pelicans atop wooden posts proved good photographic subjects as we headed towards the flooded forest. As we drew near, the cacophony rose from the huge number of Cormorants nesting in the trees here.

Yellow-legged Gull

Dalmatian Pelican

We had nice views of Little Egrets too, their fine head plumes indicating their breeding status. We made our way up the mouth of the River Strimonas a short way, noting small groups of Pelicans feeding together, Spoonbills in the shallows and a Penduline Tit nest suspended in a willow overhanging the water. Much of the time, it was hard to know where to look first with birds flying past almost constantly. Squacco Herons proved particularly tricky to photograph but we were all grateful of the ability with digital cameras to take a great number of images and pick through them later to find the best.

On our way back, we stopped to marvel at another tree which held the nests of Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Cattle Egret and Little Egret at least. On returning to the harbour, we found a Grey Heron waiting for us on the pier. We headed back to the hotel for breakfast and a warm drink.

Cormorant and young

Having refuelled, we took a short drive out to a spot just outside the village where some new species awaited us. We were enthralled on the way there by Great Reed Warblers not seeming to be troubled by the bus as we passed. On pulling up, it was apparent that there were masses of dragonflies to photograph, the challenge would be capturing the images as it was already warm and they were flighty. We split up to see what we could find. 

There were lots of Scarlet Darters here, along with White-tailed Skimmers and Black Pennants. There were a few Bee-eaters around, more Great Reed Warblers, Little Bitterns and a Kestrel. One guest managed to find the only butterfly of the stop, a Common Blue.

Male White-tailed Skimmer & Scarlet Darter

Having had Gyros once more in Irakleia for lunch, we moved on to another spot for the afternoon, close to the dam at the southern end of the lake. As we pulled up, Matt commented on how different the area looked to the last time he had visited, the course of the river had changed and with recent high water levels, the area nearest the road was now largely boggy and impassable. Not to be deterred, we wandered up the track a short way and found plenty to photograph on the way including cryptic looking Grasshoppers, more gorgeous Little Tiger Blue butterflies and a couple of attractive Southern Migrant Emerald Damselflies. A couple of female Black-tailed Skimmers kept settling on the track too but were too flighty for close shots. 

Further on, on the edge of a quarry area, Matt found a Bladetail dragonfly, sadly not seen by the rest of the group despite efforts to find others. There was a brief sighting of a Camberwell Beauty that disappeared around a tree never to reappear, and the group found a variety of intriguing invertebrates including Antlions, Velvet Ants, and Beetles.

Adult Antlion

There was a Cirl Bunting calling from the top of a nearby tree and moving up the adjacent slope, I spotted a family of Masked Shrikes although they sadly flew shortly after. A Lobed Orbweaver became the subject of our attention here and while it was being photographed a couple of tiny Green Toads were found hopping about. Matt found an even more impressive spider down a burrow and I coaxed it out with a piece of grass for photographs to be taken.

It was soon time to return to the hotel. We spotted a Little Owl on our way back and enjoyed another local meal in the evening.

For our final full day in the area, we gave our guests the option to choose which site they would like to return to. We began with an early morning outing to the quarry we’d visited in the middle of the week, noting several communal clusters of Codophila varia shield bug nymphs as we entered. The night had been cool and there was dew covering the flowers, as well as some of the roosting Small Heath butterflies we encountered. There seemed to be a lot more of the green-eyed robber flies than previously, allowing all of us to obtain a variety of photos, macro and wider angle. Meanwhile Matt found a large and beautiful Jewel Beetle, Julodis ehrenbergii.

Julodis ehrenbergii

Promachus leoninus

An obliging Eastern Bath White fluttered in and settled among the Thyme before we left and as the sun came up.

Eastern Bath White

The overwhelming vote for a site to return to was Mandraki Harbour which we did after returning to the hotel for breakfast. As previously, there was plenty to see. Along with the usual suspects of Squacco Herons, and Cormorants flying over, two of our group saw and photographed a Great Crested Grebe wrestling with a snake. I meanwhile was getting up close and personal with some of the Eastern Green Lizards on the pier and, later, almost closer still to a juvenile Dice Snake which liked the look of the rock I was sitting on!

Eastern Green Lizard

Matt, on the other hand, had found some Thistle Tortoise Beetles munching on the Giant Burdocks beneath the trees while Blue-tailed Damselflies and Lang’s Short-tailed Blue butterfly also proved popular subjects.

Before long it was time to move on. We headed to a restaurant nearby for some lunch before continuing on to our final spot for the afternoon in the quarry we’d visited on our first full day. Once again we had a fun few hours pottering about and finding all sorts to photograph such as beautiful Worm Snakes uncovered by Matt, plenty of butterflies including Ilex Hairstreaks, Clouded Yellows, Large Tortoiseshell, Common Glider, Silver-washed Fritillary, Wall Brown, Queen of Spain Fritillary and Brown Argus among others. We were once again serenaded by Nightingales but there were also a pair of Ravens overhead. Among the other finds were Heriaeus hirtus, the green hairy spider we’d seen on our first visit, a jumping spider in the genus Heliophanus and an Assassin Bug.

We returned to the hotel for our final evening and enjoyed a home cooked meal there with Nikos for our last evening together. The table was laden with salads, vegetables and side dishes to accompany delicious Moussaka made by his wife Melina. It was the perfect way to end our time on the shores of Kerkini.

The weather for our journey to the airport the next morning had obviously realised we were leaving and was miserable on our behalf. Thankfully dry while we packed luggage into the bus, the heavens opened as we drove. Our spirits were not to be dampened however as we chatted amicably about all the wonderful species we’d seen and what we hoped to find on our memory cards when we eventually downloaded our images, macro or otherwise. We said our farewells at the airport in Thessaloniki and headed our separate ways after a wonderful week of camaraderie, good food, and great wildlife.