Corfu 2014

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Andrew Gray

At the moment I am in Corfu, where the weather is gorgeous and the sights and smells of this wonderful place have welcomed me back with delight – how I love spending time on this beautiful green Greek island. Today was spent visiting little rocky inlets along the coastline by boat, swimming in turquoise water, and dining at Toulas, my favourite restaurant.

I have visited Corfu each year for the past 5 years, and every time I have done so I have felt in my element. The flora and fauna that surrounds you in Corfu makes this place an absolute heaven for a zoologist – and the island has more reptile species on it than anywhere else in Greece!

Swallowtail Butterfly (c) Andrew Gray, 2014

At this time of year the rocky hillsides and scented olive groves are covered in a carpet of colourful wild flowers and an amazing array of beautiful butterflies. The birdlife is wonderful too – with swallows and swifts circling overhead and groups of bright goldfinches singing from the tall cypress trees – what a delight.

Slow worm, Anguis fragilis, (c) Andrew Gray

Reptile wise, this a great time to visit as many species are very active. Several species of snake are strictly diurnal and one species of lizard that never fails to impress when seen basking is the Balkan Green Lizard, a large emerald-green species. Less prominent, but just as interesting, are the legless lizards that occur here, from the small slowworm to the giant Glass Lizard.