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I TA LY – S I C I LY
Italy – Sicily at Leisure
Heart of the Mediterranean
Tuesday 11 April – Tuesday 18 April 2014
Leaders: Mike Witherick and local guides
2014 Cost: £1,899 single room supplement £200
icily is located in the heart of the Mediterranean, and in many ways it epitomizes its characteristics, with its sunny beaches, a very pleasant climate all
S year round, gardens and orchards full of flowers and vegetables, and its relaxed way of life. Yet it is hard to put down in words the magic of Sicily: the
combination of the charm of its ancient Greek ruins with the more recent architectural splendor, as well as the wonderful landscapes combined with the
wealth of birdlife, make for an unforgettable destination for any nature lover. Add to all of this the world famous quality of Sicilian food and its fantastic wines,
and well, it's hard to resist!
SICILY
Gela
Mount Etna
Catania
Syracuse
Bird watching in Sicily is very good all year round, but probably April offers some of the best chances of seeing both migrating and breeding species: at
this time of year the passage of passerines can be spectacular, with many species of warblers on show, including Subalpine, Spectacled and Sardinian, as
well as larks, shrikes and the first European Bee-eaters and Golden Orioles. Waders and ducks are also numerous, with the more widespread species
accompanied by less frequent ones, such as Stone Curlew, Collared Pratincole and Ferruginous Duck. Other interesting species include Rock Sparrow,
Sicilian Rock Partridge and Audouin's Gull. Also, Sicily is home to the last Italian population of Bonelli’s Eagles with 20 pairs still remaining and it has a very
healthy population of Lanner Falcons, with about 100 pairs.
We will explore the extensive wetlands and rocky areas near Syracuse, where we will be based for the first five nights, including a visit at the foothills of the
majestic Etna volcano; the last two nights will be spent near Gela, in order to see another interesting wetland and also the famous Valle dei Templi, one of
the best places to witness ancient Greek architecture.
Throughout the tour we shall have an Italian bird guide to show us the delights of this beautiful island. Travel with Mike and see why we think Sicily will be
another great Mediterranean island to add to the Ornitholidays’ suite of tours.
Collared Pratincole
ITINERARY
Days 1 to 5
We leave London on a flight to Catania, where
we meet our local guide. We leave the airport
and pass near the shores of the Golfo di Catania,
heading south towards Syracuse, where we
check-in to our hotel for a stay of five nights.
During the next four days we can make a variety
of excursions to different habitats.
On one day we can visit the impressive Riserva
Naturale Cava Grande del Cassibile. The
winding road takes us to various viewpoints
overlooking the spectacular limestone gorges of
this nature reserve. Here we can look for the
endemic Sicilian Rock Partridge, Peregrine,
Egyptian Vulture, Bonelli’s Eagle and Lanner
Falcon, and we can hope to spot Blue Rock
Thrush, as well as the more elusive Rock
Sparrows. We can look skyward for flocks of
swifts, which may include Alpine, Common and
Pallid. Later, we can visit the Capo Murro di
Porco, at the south-eastern tip of the island. Near
the lighthouse we can seawatch and try to find
the Scopoli's and Yelkouan Shearwaters
amongst the thousands of gulls, which should
include some Audouin's. After dinner we can
stroll in the historic centre of Syracuse.
The Vendicari Reserve protects some important
coastal wetlands and we can stroll along its paths
and visit some of the hides where we can hope to
see flocks of Greater Flamingos, along with diving
ducks such as Tufted, Pochard and the scarcer
Ferruginous; there may also be some pairs of
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For a previous tour report or further information please call: 01794 519445