As many of you are on holidays at the seaside at the moment let me take some of your time to show you my version of summer holidays before season started. Going to the seaside on island Šolta near Split in Croatia more than a month before season at the end of May meant one thing. Everything was not yet burned by the hot summer. I never saw so much blooming plants and various animals at the sea before. You can see some of the rich flora and fauna on the photos below.
Clouds prevented the sun to burn everything and let me breathe easier.
Seagulls were playing over the ferry as we traveled to the island Šolta. They were so close that I didn't have to use telephoto lens but just plain 50 mm one.
Sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) mating. They didn't mind me watching.
Cardinal (Argynnis pandora)
The Cardinal was very trustworthy.
I have never seen Carpobrotus (commonly known as Pigface or Ice plants) bloom. It is a ground-creeping plant, with succulent leaves which are mainly dried by the time I used to see them in the summer.
This time they were blooming and I seriously played with the idea to take some of them home with me.
This one kind of look like a little devil.
More Sand lizards (Lacerta agilis). Color green means it is the mating season.
Poppy (Papaver) is another plant I never saw on the islands before.
Aloe vera blooming
Even trees like this Pine tree were different.
Some of the plants were unknown to me but they were beautiful all the same.
The bees were doing their job pollinating the plants before they stop blooming.
I have seen Stick insects (Phasmatodea) in captivity but never before in the wild.
Even the lemons were not the same. This one is called Buddha's hand, Citrus medica.
Date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) were full of dates which were unfortunately not edible.
When I said full of dates I meant full of dates.
(Mytilus galloprovincialis) Mediterranean mussel
Opuntia and its pollinating friend
Its a big black bee with blue wings, latin name unknown.
Beautiful but toxic Nerium oleander
(Sicyonia carinata) Mediterranean rock shrimp almost bite my finger off.
Even ordinarily snails came out while raining.
So beautiful it doesn't need a name.
Lavender (Lavandula) attracted many bumble bees.
Large wasp with four yellow dots and orange head. It could be Scoliid wasp but who am I to tell them apart.
They said it was not poisonous. I felt better believed them.
Caring for the young ones.
Another Opuntia this time in the sunset light.
One of many terrific sunsets.
Orange, how I want you orange.
Last night presented another terrific sight. Summer thunder storm. This phenomenon is actually more frequent later in the summer.
It is true that the water wasn’t warm enough for prolonged swimming in the sea but going to the seaside before the season definitely has its advantages.
I am sorry for all the mistakes that I made naming flora and fauna. If you know the correct names please let me know so that I can correct my errors.
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Amazing shots, well done!