Ruscus aculeatus

 

[Ruscus aculeatus]

 

Ruscus aculeatus (commonly known as “Butcher’s boom” is an evergreen, short shrub

that hardly ever reaches 1 m in height.

 

From February to April, it produces greenish-white flowers

that grow solitary, or two together,

on the upper part of what looks like leaves (1-4 cm long)

but actually they are not.

They are flattened extensions of the stem functioning as leaves!

 

The flowers are very small (3-5 mm), star-shaped,

with male and female appearing on separate plants.

 

Successfully pollinated female flowers are initially green

but gradually they become bright red berries (10-15 mm across)

which remain on the plant for quite some time. [See berry below.]

 

The plant occurs in woodland, scrub, and shady rocky places

on altitudes up to 1000 m throughout much of Europe.

 

Wondering about the plant’s funny name?

Well, it is said that

butchers in older times used to tie branches of the plant together

and used it as a broom!

 

 

  

801_1370 [Ruscus aculeatus]

 A close-up of what seems to be perceived as leaves.

 

 

[Ruscus aculeatus]

 A close-up on a star-shaped tiny flower.

 

 

[Ruscus aculeatus]

 

A close-up of a berry in its final stage of development.

 

 

Himantoglossum robertianum

801_1546 [Himantoglossum robertianum]

 Himantoglossum robertianum at an early stage of its development

 

 Himantoglossum robertianum

is a widespread wild orchid of the Mediterranean,

typically short to medium in height, reaching up to about 50 cm.

It grows across all Mediterranean countries, including Greece

where it appears both on the mainland and throughout the islands,

at elevations up to roughly 1700 m.

Flowering begins early in the year - usually from February through April - 

and it can be seen in grassy habitats, scrub, roadsides, and open woodland.

Its blooms show remarkable variation,

appearing in many different colors and shades.

Several examples of prevalent shades can be seen

in earlier posts shared HERE.

 

 

 

IMG_0655 [Himantoglossum robertianum]

 

 the plant in a state of maturity

 

 

 

801_3405 [Himantoglossum robertianum]

flowers densely packed in a spike-like inflorescence

 

 

 

 a cropped section of the picture above revealing details

 

Please click on the last picture to have a better view of details. Thanks. 

 

 

 

 

Acacia dealbata

IMG_0048 [Acacia dealbata]

 

A cropped section of the previous picture.
 

 

Acacia dealbata, commonly known as Mimosa,

is not a tree I often see in my area

but whenever I see one, especially when they are in full bloom,

I stop and enjoy the look of it, as I find it unusual and impressive.

Probably because of the beautiful contrast

between its green leaves and the fragrant, bright yellow flowers.

 

It starts blooming in February when other flowering plants are still dormant.

 

This medium-size tree is native to Australia

but has also naturalized in Mediterranean countries.

 

 

 

804_2387 [Acacia dealbata]

A closeup of dealbata flowers.

Each yellow bead-like flower is about 5mm wide. 

  

Larus michahellis flying over Athens

304_3846 [Larus michahellis]

 

 A swarm of birds crossing the sky of Athens and going … I have no idea where!

 

The more I looked at them in the sky, the more they reminded me

of … a group of fighter aircraft on mission flying in a V formation!

 

What disagreed with my imagination, though,

was that two birds were out of alignment,

unlike fighters which are always perfectly aligned to each other

when flying in a V formation.

 

So later, in the post processing stage,

making use of “poetic license”

I relocated the two birds in the frame

so that they would match the image I had imagined!

 

As to the name Larus michachellis,

it refers to the big, handsome, Mediterranean sea-bird we call a "Gull".

 

It is relatively easily identified

from its grey back, white head, long black wingtips, pale to deep yellow legs, and vivid yellow beak.

 

It may live up to 10 years with a varied diet 

that consists mainly of aquatic animals, but also of plants and leftovers!

 

 

301_9011 [Rarus michahellis]

 A mature bird in flight

 

 

 

301_9039 [Larus michahellis]

 

Scanning the sea from above for a fresh fish.

No preference for a specific kind or size! Any will do!

 

 

 

302_9138 [Larus michahellis]

A juvenile exploring the aquatic environment.

Juvenile gulls have to wait for up to 4 years since birth

before they are considered adults! 

304_4486 [Larus michahellis]

In search for food on the mainland, far from their natural environment, the sea. 

 

Are they fed-up with their daily fish diet

or are they starving to death and are desperately looking for food

on unexplored territories?  

Gagea graeca

IMG_1729 [Gagea graeca]

 

Gagea graeca is a slender and hairless perennial plant

that grows in Central and South Greece,

including the Aegean islands and Crete.

It blossoms from March to May

in habitats like stony grasslands, cliffs, waysides

and occasionally in open pine woodland.

The flower heads are funnel-shaped, 10-15mm long,

with 6 white tepals that have purple stripes on the outside.

[See above].

 

 

DSCN4290 [Gagea graeca]

 

The Corinth canal

301_5231 [Corinth canal]

The Corinth canal is about 70 km west of Athens

and connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic gulf.

Since its completion in 1893,

it has allowed ships to continue their voyage through a canal of only 6,4 km,

instead of having to sail for an extra 700 km in order to bypass the Peloponnese.

 

I have been at the canal a number of times but

only once have I had the chance to see a ship being towed.

For a moment,

the view looked strange and I started wandering why it was towed,

but as I was told later,

whether a ship is towed or not

depends on its size, the nature of its cargo, and its mechanical state.

On the other hand,

small commercial and recreational vessels navigate the canal using their own engines.

That was for me a unique, personal photographic experience

which I thought I could share with you.

 

By the way,

recreational boats navigate the canal every weekday

and they provide probably the best way for one to explore the canal

and experience the scale of the limestone walls which rise 79 m above the water

or

to see bridges submerging into the water to let ships sail unimpeded!

 

 

Centaurea triumfettii

IMG_0870 [Centaurea triumfetti]

 

Centaurea is a very large genus.

In Europe alone there are over 220 species,

about 120 of which are found in Greece

with more than 40% of them being endemic.

  

Triumfettii – perhaps my most favorite species of Centaurea – 

is a beautiful, short to medium perennial flower

that grows in most of mainland Greece.

It is found in grassy, stony and rocky habitats,and scrub

on the mountain zone.

 It blooms from April to July. 

The flower-head above is about 50mm wide.

 

 

304_6683 [Centaurea triumfettii]

 

Photographed on Mt. Kitheronas.
 

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

 

Acrocephalus arundinaceus,

known as “Reed warbler” in English or “Τσιχλοποταμίδα” in Greek

is a small but visibly larger bird than the well-known sparrow.

 

It is a migrant that leaves the tropical Africa in Summer and arrives in Europe

where it stays until September.

 

Although it is considered ‘a reed bird’,

it usually avoids tall and dense reeds.

Instead,

it is seen in low reed vegetation

found in lakes, canals or small streams.

 

Its diet consists mostly of larger insects.

 

Its nest is a deep cavity of grass and reed leaves

fixed between vertical reed stems above the surface of the water.

 

A rather solitary bird that lives up to 5 years.

 

 

302_7519 [Acrocephalus arundinaceus]

The pictures were taken at the banks of Lake Kerkini

in Northern Greece.