Roda Naturally

Volume 2, Issue 2

May 2009

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Exotically rich with gaudy plumage – yellow, white, red, brown, blue – just how many colours can one bird have? We saw our very first bee-eater three weeks ago perching on wires at Almiros and swooping low to pick up its catch over the sandy excavations by the round house. Having caught its bee or hornet, it returned to its high voltage

know what to look for, they look at first glance like small parrots. They comsume some 250 insects each day, removing the stings from bees, wasps & hornets before they eat them.

We have wanted to see a bee-eater for years and this was a special moment for us terminated, unfortunately, by our bird’s exit with a beat of its wings and a little trill.

Europe is home to some 200 species of orchid, half of which can be

“...many of these orchids flower between February & June...”

Thinali is the administrative district into which Roda falls and, under the guidance of the prefecture of Corfu, all council decisions concerning the area are made here. Even ex-pats who speak little Greek can be heard talking about the ‘demos’ (said thee-mos) and all public works projects will be accompanied by a sign proudly displaying that responsibility lies with the municipality ΔΗΜΟΣ ΘΗΝΑΛΙΩΝ.

members of the larger, tropical varieties, quite unlike the wild varieties found on Corfu which makes finding and enjoying them even more satisfying. Being small, many of these orchids flower between February & June before they are overtaken by larger neighbours and if you want to see some of them, you do need to come early in the year.

which much of the countryside is left to its own devices, these plants will continue to flourish and as long as development is controlled, climate is stable and pesticides are limited. It should be said that many of Corfu’s indigenous orchids can be seen in the British Cemetery in Corfu Town where one man has made

“...There is so much to see on an island so rich in flora and the diversity of plants is amazing...”

it his mission to save these species for posterity. These are just one or two of the 50-odd species, many of which can be

Demo .. is the stem of many Greek words that have found their way into other languages and, perhaps, the most influential of these is ‘democracy’, being made up of ‘demos’ – the people, and ‘kratos’ – meaning strength (from the verb ‘to rule’). The power to alter laws and the structure of society was in the hands of the people, perpetuated to this day through voting. More evidence of this ideal can be seen in Greece than in many other ‘sophisticated’ countries, but Winston Churchill once said: "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried." If we are not happy, of course, we can always demonstrate.

There is so much to see on an island so rich in flora and the diversity of plants is amazing. Because of the way in

found in Greece and, because of its unique & diverse climate, half of those thrive on the small island of Corfu. The showy orchids popular as conservatory plants in colder climates tend to be

perch with a quick beat of its wings and a straight-winged glide that made it look, in silhouette, like an incoming Spitfire.

The tropical bee-eater, like many of us, comes to Corfu for the summer and finds accom-modation in the sandy banks & river shores where both sexes take care of the brood of 5 – 8 eggs laid usually in June. The

birds can often be seen in flocks where, until you

found around St George’s Bay and some within a short walk of Roda village.