Thursday, November 27, 2014

Orientgate_Wetlands & Egyptian Gods in Attika

The beach at Stomi, Schinias. The Kynosoura Peninsula juts out to sea. Wetland habitat up front!


25,26,27 November 2014

During the last three days I have participated in a series of seminars, a field trip and public meeting organized by EKBY (Greek Biotope Wetland Center) and the Region of Attika; a project to protect wetlands and associate this with climate change adaptation in Attika.

I am especially enthused with the dynamic and energetic presence of the Region of Attika (our regional government) and thank the people at EKBY for their well coordinated initiative.

I share some snapshots from the field trip I helped lead yeasterday, on a very drab and cold Autumn afternoon to the wetland sites of Schinias Marathon National Park and Breksiza (where there is a fantastic archaeological site).

Just to let you know, if you are to start at 13:00 from Syntagma Square in central Athens with a big bus (for 50 people) you will not have enough time to enjoy both sites. We did it and it was really OK for us. But not the best trip I have helped guide.


Schinias Beach with the group. What a drab day. I mean really drab and cold. Rare in Attika.
Part of the field trip group. Many of the participants are from the Regional Government of Attika. Also some Romanian participants. Thanks to Miltos Seferlis from EKBY for the nice photo.

We didn't see many birds on this cold wintry situation apart from Coot, a Cormorant, and two Wagtails (these are Grey).
The scene at the Olympic Rowing Lake. Coots.

Wintry coot, part of the group. Coots are nice... and they are vegetarians mostly; they also seem rather socialist too....

This is an AMAZING relief map of Schinias Marathon National Park. The whole trip was worth it because of this! (I was told that Gianna Aggelopoulou had it in her Olympics Committee headquarters...BIG!). 

I enhanced the colours etc on this photo. It looks fake I know. It was very very drab; drab, cold. 
Spotting the Grey Mullets in the small river mouth of Breksiza Spring.
Now this was NOT boring!!! Mrs Pelly Fotiadi, Archaeologist from the Ephorate of Antiquities of East Attika, was there to explain in detail.



Egyptian god at the Breksiza Archaeological Site. Really weird and wonderful. 

The originals are in the Marathon Museum. 
It brings a mystical sense to the place. Surrounded by the wetland oasis. 

Mount Penteli foothills in the background, sanctuary in the foreground.

The Valaneion, the heated baths. 



Notable personalities from the Greek Environmentalism scene walk down the path to Breksiza, Nea Makri Attika.