Trip reports

Indoor meeting - "Birdwatching in Southern Europe"

rspb images

Friday, 15 January 2010

For his talk to the group on Jan. 15th, Terry adopted the idea of covering Southern Europe by habitat rather than by country so we saw birds from many countries but within the same habitat - salt pans, built up areas, cliffs, mountains, agricultural areas and so on.
In the salt pans or Salinas we saw flamingo, dunlin, curlew sandpiper along with avocet
Along the shore in Montenegro there were the mediterranean race of shag and the med. Gull - now becoming common in Britain - turnstone, osprey and blue throat
On Burgos cathedral there were alpine swift and red-rumped swallows. It is considered lucky to have white storks nesting on your building so there were artificial nest platforms replete with storks and squatting sparrows. In Austria the trains are so regular that a black redstart built its nest and raised its young in a freight wagon. Feeding before it started its circular journey and upon its return. Parents and offspring were doing well!
Intense cultivation such as vineyards still showed cuckoo, melodious warbler and montagues harrier. Seeds left after harvest fed black headed bunting. Common crane were also in the fields
More open country such as cork oak forests in Portugal held crested lark, red backed shrike, woodchat shrike and southern grey shrike.
Wet marshland held lapwing chicks and black-winged stilt, collared pratincole, black kite and a white stork There were also tortoises, grasshoppers and horned asp so beloved of Cleopatra. Amphibians were present as tree and edible frogs.
On inland water amongst the lilies were terrapin, white and dalmatian pelicans, ferruginous duck and marbled teal. Terns were white winged black and gull billed. Egrets were little, great white and cattle.
Amongst the herons were squacco and night. There were pygmy cormorant and glossy ibis along with good views of water rail.
In woodland Terry showed us robin and blackbird which are woodland not garden birds in Europe.
Finally in the crags of Ronda and the Rigos were huge flocks of migrating vultures and eagles.
Terry's tour of the habitats of Southern Europe showed a huge variety of birds and non-avian wildlife. These images together with his ability to engage with and involve the audience made for a very entertaining evening. Those who weren't there missed a treat.
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