The drive to Selinunte from Agrigento on Tuesday 1st October was broken up by a visit to the ancient site of Eraclea Minoa. It was mostly unexcavated but still very interesting with lovely views from the clifftops down to sandy beaches and clear blue seas.
Crested larks were vocal and flighty around the site and I briefly heard a cirl bunting singing. Grayling, clouded yellow, painted lady, wall, swallowtail and hummingbird hawkmoths were also seen.
Grayling
Swallowtail
Swallowtail
We carried on to Selinunte and arrived without incident and after checking into the Hotel Miramare we headed down to the beach just across the road for a swim in the Mediterranean sea and a chill out.
Tree Sparrow from our hotel balcony
Balcony View at the Hotel Miramare, Selinunte
Wednesday 2nd October saw us heading firstly to Cave di Cusa, a large abandoned quarry which was the source of the stone used in the building of the ancient city of Selinunte. It was very rural and peaceful and I added jay to the bird list while also seeing vestal moths and a nicely marked unknown moth species.
Moth Sp., Cave di Cusa
Onwards to the ancient city of Segesta where we marvelled at the temple and the views from the ancient theatre across the valleys and hills while watching house martins and a red-rumpled swallow overhead. A fan-tailed warbler was the highlight though, showing very well as it fed in the undergrowth, and as usual there were wall lizards everywhere.
Segesta
Segesta
Wall Lizard
Thursday 3rd October was spent wandering around the extensive ruins of Selinunte, a fascinating place and for once somewhere we were actually allowed to clamber over and amongst the ruins.
Temple G, Selinunte
A pair of marsh harriers soaring high overhead were new for the bird list and I finally managed to get some proper views of Moorish geckos resting on the stone walls. A plain tiger butterfly was a surprise too as it dashed past in the strong breeze and I also found a male common blue feeding on flowers.
Moorish Gecko
Moorish Gecko
Moorish Gecko
Moorish Gecko
Common Blue
Clouded Yellow
Wall Lizard
Grayling
The next morning saw us driving back to Agrigento to return the hire car before catching the train back to Palermo. The train journey was just as stunning as before and I had some better views of great white egrets along the coast and briefly saw 2 little grebes before they dived underwater.
Our last afternoon was spent wandering around Palermo enjoying food and drink and the wonderful buildings and I managed to find an oddly marked male common blue and a few brown argus flitting about in the park by the sea to finish off the day.
Common Blue
Common Blue
Brown Argus
And so all in all a great holiday, some interesting wildlife sightings and some fantastic archeological sight seeing and as usual I feel like I need a holiday to get over it now that I am back home.
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