Peloponnesian Fugue 2: October 14-15: Monemvasia (Laconia)

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius pandoo

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius pandoo

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius pandoo

Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala

Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala

Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala

Western Rock Nuthatch Sitta neumayer

House Sparrow Passer domesticus

House Sparrow Passer domesticus

House Sparrow Passer domesticus

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo (?)

The wreck of The Dimitrios

Monemvasia seen from the north

Medieval cobbles by night

Greek coffee - too small and muddy for my taste

Roof tiles incorporated into time-worn fortifications

'My' cat making itself at home

My kingdom for one of these things

Looking north from the old town clifftop

Old church up in Monemvasia's old town

Actual moment I got on the Sardinian Warbler

'Old town' Monemvasia

A quick thought on driving in the Peloponnese. I feel like I have levelled up my driving skills after surviving the trip – kind of like how you will never improve your Mario Kart skills always playing on ‘easy’ – but after playing on ‘hard’ for a week, you get much better at swapping paint with Bowser in the corners. The amount of terrifying blind curves and switchback roads became blasé after a while – as did the boy racers Tokyo Drifting around each of those corners (always a bloody Audi), taking up half of my lane in the process, while the tires of my trusty Toyota Something clung to the edge of the road inches from the sheer cliffside. Driving in Greece was definitely a constant adrenaline trickle, for better or worse. Every time I parked the car I felt like I’d gotten away with something (same feeling I got driving a motorcycle in Korea). That being said, the Greek roads were, with several bone-rattling exceptions, in much better condition that those here in Québec.

October 14

On the road in the morning: Jackdaw, Grey Heron, Common Buzzard, Magpies and Jays. Had a Black Kite near the wreck of The Dimitrios on Valtaki Beach.

This was en route to the medieval walled city of Monemvasia. Helluva place, that Monemvasia – very Game of Thrones. The fortress city is connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway (the 'single entrance’ referenced in the name Monemvasia), that one must walk across to get there – no cars allowed.

Once settled in the town, the cliffs were alive with the chatter of more Western Rock Nuthatch, as well as Blue Rock Thrush – these were the all-blue pandoo subspecies, which I never managed to catch up with in Korea (as opposed to the resident philippensis rusty-bellied variety).

Over the Myrtoan Sea, flyby Eurasian Shag and Yellow-legged Gulls.

October 15

Wood Lark and Sardinian Warbler heard at dawn. Never caught up with the former, but did manage to spot one of the latter at the top of the cliffs in the ‘old town’ section of Monemvasia towards dusk. Always fun to meet a new Sylvia warbler! Got good looks at the striking red eye through the bins, but the bird proved tricky to nail down with my knackered bridge camera.

Also up top were a dozen Eurasian Crag-Martin, a few Common Raven, and a Common Buzzard hovering over the cliffs, fully backlit (I thought it was something more exotic at first - felt bulky in the field with long 'fingers' - I was thinking Short-toed Snake Eagle. Some folks on an ID group were thinking Long-Legged Buzzard, Bonelli's Eagle, or Booted Eagle, but the majority went for Common Buzzard...).

Had quick views of a falcon zipping over the seaside cliffs near the upper old town. What struck me in the field was the pointy, elongated feel of the overall silhouette – the wings were long and slim (compared to a Peregrine), as was the tail. I’m thinking this was most likely an Eleonora’s Falcon, and I’m gutted not to have gotten better looks.

Brief looks at a Sparrowhawk over the same cliffs (Eurasian? Levant?).