I then set off to head back to the area above Ano Poroia (my day 2 destination), but the skies darkened and there was an almighty downpour with a thunderstorm for an hour, so I headed East as there was brightness in that direction. As the sun came out, I turned up into the hills above Vyroneia until the road petered out, parked and headed up a likely looking track. The hillside was covered in dry, scrubby vegetation, and post downpour it was incredibly humid. Plenty on the wing, but not much settling, and mostly things for which I had already plenty of pictures. An Eastern Baton Blue alighted briefly, and then a Small Copper with much darker markings (3rd brood ?).
I came across mating Clouded Yellows that had chosen a fairly prickly environment to procreate.
The track fizzled out after 30 minutes, so I took in the view back across the NE of the lake and retraced to a fork and tried the other path.
Still scrubby vegetation, skittering lizards
and blazing hot for another 30 minutes before signs of deciduous trees with the possibility of some shade and species variation. Lots of brambles and bracken by track covered in Marbled Frits, Ilex Hairstreaks, Clouded Yellows, Whites, and then a flash of something different, a Langs Short-tailed Blue, that hung around just long enough to capture a few images, another first for me; love those underwing spots.
Came across this marvellous insect shortly after (ID anyone ?)
and then a Balkan Marbled White gave me the opportunity for under and overwing shots.
Once more the path gave out having gone nowhere in particular, so I retraced my steps, and was mobbed by a Grayling (Southern ?) that systematically searched me all over for anything tasty.
I returned to the car and drove back via the Struma bridge; the outside temperature was now hovering around 40C, and a brief excursion to try to photograph Bee Eaters was excruciating plus they just flew away. But the banks of the river were criss-crossed with driveable tracks, so I edged off the road, and managed to used the car as an air-conditioned hide and come close enough for a passable shot of a Bee Eater – they were noticeably gasping in the heat too !
Not quite up to the high standards of previous days, but a couple of new species and plenty to see. The day finished with a massive and spectacular thunderstorm and torrential downpour that I watched roll across the valley from the west.
