15/08/2026
For today, one of the very few wildlife images I’ve managed to make in 2026 due to a rather tight schedule, but a very iconic one.
An Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae), perched on a rocky island somewhere near Kymi, Evia.
This falcon is truly one of the most remarkable birds of the Mediterranean. What makes it especially fascinating is its unusual breeding strategy: it breeds in late summer, timing the hatching of its chicks with the autumn migration of millions of small birds crossing the Mediterranean. It takes advantage of this incredible seasonal abundance, catching migrating birds in flight and bringing them back to its island colony to feed its young.
Greece is at the very heart of this story, hosting the vast majority of the species’ global breeding population, with colonies scattered across remote Aegean islands and rocky islets.
After a year with far too little time in the field, I’m happy that at least a few frames like this one made it into 2026.