Category Archives: Wildlife

Symi: wildlife on a (moderately) wild walk, a micro view

Posted on May 19, 2014 by BarryH

Summer seems to have settled into Symi in the last week. Temperatures in the low twenties and rising. Mostly clear skies. With a gentle breeze walking in the mountains just about perfect. Walking with a friend for who, like me, … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Spring, Wildlife | Tagged Dragon Arum, Greece, Oetzeni lizard, Painted Dragon lizard, spiders, Starred agama, Stellagama, Symi, tortoise, wild onion flowers | 4 Comments

Kalymnos: colour and signals in the crags

Posted on May 13, 2014 by BarryH

I’m back on Symi now, very busy trekking and photographing in the mountains with a friend. Some unusual shots to follow. A good number of ‘Wow!’ moments. But first, a brief snapshot of Kalymnos and more particularly of Emborios, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Spring, Wildlife | Tagged castles, climbing, crags, Flora, flowers, Greece, Hawk Moth, Kalymnos, Kastri, spiders, Symi, telecom, telecom problems, Telendos, WiFi, wildlife | Leave a comment

Symi: habitats and wildlife

Posted on May 2, 2014 by BarryH

I’m continuing to trek around the infrequently trodden parts of Symi and continuing to be surprised by the variety of colourful plant life. It’s not in great swathes like on other islands I have visited in Spring but the number … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Mountains, Nature, Spring, Wildlife | Tagged Butterflies, dragonflies, dragonfly egg laying, Greece, Gria pond, lizards, Oregano, Symi, Testudo Graeca, tortoise | Leave a comment

Symi: funeral bells and the smell of death

Posted on April 22, 2014 by BarryH

In Greece Easter is a far more important celebration than Christmas. Theologically that is as it should be, the birth of Christ was only the necessary first step, the reason for His coming was His death and resurrection. Without Easter … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Spring, Wildlife | Tagged ANFO, Christmas, church bells, commercialisation of Christmas, crucifixion, Dracunculus vulgaris, Dragon Arum, Easter, explosions, explosives, Funeral bells, Greece, Greek Easter, Resurrection, smell of death, Symi | Leave a comment

Symi: a walk on the colourful side

Posted on April 19, 2014 by BarryH

The first time we came to Symi it was August, a full-on Greek summer. Stepping out of the door of the chilled cabin of the plane was like walking into an oven with the fan on. I now always look … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Mountains, Spring, Wildlife | Tagged botany, catacombs, convolvulus, cyclamen, dog rose, Flora, flowering plants, Greece, hiking, Symi, tortoise, walks, wild flowers, wild flowers of Greece, wildlife | 3 Comments

Canadian Rockies: history, bio-engineering and a strange world of ice and steam

Posted on February 12, 2014 by BarryH

The principle legacies of what is now known as ‘The Cave and Basin’, the location of the original Banff thermal springs, are not insignificant. They include the town of Banff itself, Banff National Park, and the other 42 National Parks … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Mountains, Nature, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged banff canada, Banff longnose dace, Banff National Park, Banff Springs Snail, bio-engineering, Cave and Basin, hoar frost, hoarfrost, species extinction | 1 Comment

Canadian Rockies: icy river, twitching senses

Posted on February 9, 2014 by BarryH

Apropos nothing in particular, but just a piece of trivia, geographical nomenclature, which weevilled its way into my brain, I don’t know why it is that in the UK the convention for naming rivers is to call them “River Something” … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged banff canada, Bow Falls, Bow River, geographical nomenclature, ice, Spray River, Three Toed Woodpecker, woodpecker | 2 Comments

Canadian Rockies: sundog days

Posted on February 5, 2014 by BarryH

I spend long periods in the summer in Greece, walking in the mountains. Preparations for the day typically consists of donning a pair of walking sandals (hence my avatar), lightweight shorts and a relatively fresh T-shirt. Dehydration is the main … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged American Dipper, banff canada, Dog Days, freezing temperatures, Greece, ski wear, Sundog, trekking, walks | Leave a comment

Canadian Rockies: the icy expanse of Vermilion Lakes

Posted on February 4, 2014 by BarryH

Come Saturday and after 5 days of skiing, thigh muscles starting to rebel, I was ready for a break. So after an annual ritual of a large celebratory Melissa’s Breakfast with my daughter and her husband and waving them goodbye … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Hiking, Landscape, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged banff canada, birds, canadian rockies, ice, Mount Rundle, reflections, snow, Vermilion Lakes, Vermilion Lakes Scenic Drive | 1 Comment

Writers in Wales in the sunshine

Posted on November 11, 2013 by BarryH

I spent the weekend in North Wales at Ty Newydd, the National Writers’ Centre for Wales near Cricieth on the Llyn Peninsula. I was there for a re-union of those on a course last year on travel writing. We gelled … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Reflections, Wales, Wildlife | Tagged cormorants, Cricieth, Llyn Peninsula, National Writers’ Centre, North Wales, sunrise, travel writing, Ty Newydd, Wales, Welsh Coast Path, writing | 10 Comments