Booted Eagle saved Project support for 2012 Spring ... - LIPU-UK

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BIRDWATCHING IN SPRINGSee the map on page 31Spring is here and, as nature reawakens, Italyis replenished with thousands of birds. Theperiod from March to May is probably the besttime of year in Italy to see birds. It is at this timethat an extraordinary number of species, both rareand common, “African” and “northern” cross thecountry in large numbers. The earliest arrivals arethe waterfowl: Garganey, Black-tailed Godwit andRuff (from the end of February), at times in mixedgroups with resident species or late winter visitors,especially in the wet zones and in the north. Atthe small Tyrrhenian islands from March on, themigration of passeriformes and the first raptors,such as Short-toed Eagle, Black Kite and MarshHarrier can be seen. House Martins also arrivein March but the mass arrival of trans-Saharanmigrants such as Swallows, Sand Martins and Sylviawarblers (Whitethroat, Subalpine and Moltoni’s) andflycatchers (pied and collared) do not arrive untilApril and May. The herons also arrive in March withthe Purple Heron, Night Heron and Squacco Heron.The reed beds erupt with the frantic sound of theReed Warbler, the Sedge Warbler and the Great ReedWarbler, while the woods sound with the constantlow whistle of the Scops Owl and the monotonouspurr of the Turtle Dove. And then there are, the everrarer, shrikes, particularly the Woodchat.May brings the extraordinary migration of the HoneyBuzzard, especially in Sicily and across the Straits ofMessina, from where tens of thousands of individualsfly the length of the peninsula to migrate northnorth-east.Other passerines arrive: Garden Warblers,Ali Spring 12Page 18
Spotted Flycatchers and the Icterine Warbler, whichmigrates through Italy, while the similar MelodiousWarbler, prefers to cross Spain before nesting in Italy.All this is reason enough to grab our binoculars andto go out in search of Italy’s spectacular variety ofbirds. This first part is dedicated to bird watchingin spring and here we describe 12 wonderful placeswhere hours can be spent watching the birds duringthe spring migration.1. Conero Regional Nature ReserveThe Regional reserve of mount Conero, in theMarche, is a long calcareous coast bordering theAdriatic, characterised by beaches, rocky outcrops,wetlands and woodland. The Park covers an area of5,800 hectares, including four municipalities in theprovince of Ancona.In spring, numerous species stop in the Park onmigration, particularly raptors, with honey buzzardsand marsh harriers in their thousands. Severalrare species can also be seen, such as the LevantSparrowhawk, the Greater Spotted Eagle and otherlarge birds, such as both the storksand Cranes. The PeregrineFalcon and the Blue RockThrush nest in the cliffs. Over 200species have been recorded in thisarea.How to get there: Leave theA14 motorway at AnconaSud in the direction ofPoggio di Ancona, (c 10-15km), from where it is possible toobserve migrating raptors.Ali Spring 12Page 19
Page 2 and 3: Above: Lammergeier in flight, photo
Page 4: - until three years ago this was al
Page 7 and 8: Anti-poaching:Cagliari - 8,000 snar
Page 10 and 11: activists decided a few months ago
Page 12 and 13: entrails is thus much higher than w
Page 14 and 15: Sparrowhawk is an importantbird for
Page 16 and 17: along the bank of the River Paragua
Page 20 and 21: 2. The Straits of Messina (Sicilian
Page 22 and 23: 5. The LIPU Torrile ReserveWhere on
Page 24 and 25: The visitors’ centre is in Inarzo
Page 26 and 27: The area is of great ornithological
Page 28 and 29: NEWS FROM LIPU-UKLIPU-UK Annual Pri
Page 30 and 31: I am pleased to be able to thank th
Page 32: STOP THE MASSACREPleaseAli Spring 1

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