Alectoris chukar

803_4567 [Alectoris chukar]

 Photographed on Mt. Hymittos on April 11, 2019

Colchicum lingulatum

803_5316 [Colchicum lingulatum]


Photographed on Mt. Parnitha on September 08, 2019

Posidonia oceanica

IMG_3538 [Posidonia oceanica]

Photographed at Schinias on April 26, 2017

This strange hairy ball attracted my attention on the beach, very close to the water but I had no idea what it was.
There were tens of it relatively close one to the other – I have also seen piles of it elsewhere - something that made my curiosity grow.
 

803_1425 [Posidonia oceanica]

Photographed at Schinias on May 03, 2018

Thanks to my friend RK – who often functions as my inexhaustible database of information – I've learned that these curious brown balls are made of fibrous material that comes from dead leaves that surround the rhizomes of Posidonia oceanica: a plant that forms large underwater meadows [see photo below] along the Mediterranean coastline and is considered to play an important role in maintaining the marine ecosystem heathy. The dead leaves are continuously drifted by the sea waves until they take a round or oval shape and are eventually washed up on the shore. Thank you RK!


 

   Photo: Courtesy of Rena Karakatsani

By the way,
did you know that Posidonia oceanica was originally a land plant and that, even though it lives in the sea today, it develops roots and has flowers, fruits and seeds?
I didn’t!!!

Sideritis raeseri subsp. attica

803_0204 [Sideritis raeseri subs.attica]

This is a rather unattractive view of Sideritis raeseri, a plant that grows wild on rocky mountain slopes at heights between about 1000-2000 m. It was shot at the end of September (2017) which means long after its flowering season. If it had been shot a month earlier, it would have been "naturally decorated" with plenty of yellow flowers (see below).

Sideritis is widely known throughout the country as ‘mountain tea’. People can collect about 17 different varieties on the Greek mountains and enjoy a fresh, aromatic and flavorful cup of tea (whether they prefer it cold or hot).

803_0065 [Sideritis raeseri subsp. attica]

803_0068 [Sideritis raeseri subsp. attica]

Both closeup pictures of the flower were taken
on Mt. Parnitha on September 5, 2017

Campanula drabifolia

803_4670 [Campanula drabifolia]

Photographed on Mt. Hymittos on April 18, 2019

Serapias bergonii

801_9281 [Serapias bergonii]

Photographed on Mt. Hymittos on April 17, 2015

Himantopus himantopus

304_5849 [Himantopus himantopus]

A European bird that is most commonly seen near the Mediterranean Sea.
It lives on swamps and lagoons with fresh water.
It builds its nest on plants in shallow waters or in mud on the ground.
 
It is about 35 cm long with a wingspan of about 70 cm.
If lucky, it can live up to ten years.

Photographed at Schinias on May 10, 2016

Pancratium maritimum

300_6801 [Pancratium maritimum]

The flower:
when time comes, it will turn into the fruit (below).

300_6826 [Pancratium maritimum]

The fruit:
when time comes, it will hopefully provide us with another beautiful Pancratium maritimum to shoot!
 

Both photographed at Legrena on July 31, 2018