It's back!

Juvenile Honey Buzzard

What with a practically birdless maltese summer and 5 weeks in Norway (trip report coming soon), it;s a long time since last post but here we are again!

Raptor migration has started and up we went to Buskett, the best location to watch them. Not the best conditions though, Scicily being covered with clouds. An Osprey made up for a lot of fruitless scanning. As usaull it didn't stay long and continued till it became a dot on the horizon.

Later in the afternoon 4 Hobbies circled around and the first yearer of this autumn...a light morph Eleonora's falcon. As to often it had evident injuries caused by illegal hunting, a dangling leg and missing primaries.

Two female Montagu's harriers gave rather good views, as well as one Honey buzzard, a Marsh Harrier and a Kestrel. Around 60 Bee-eaters, 40+ swallow and two Nightingales pretty complete the picture for today.

Windy morning - Ghadira and Cumnija

Eastern Bonelli's warbler two weeks ago at Ghadira Nature reserve, ringed and then seen in the field with another one. (lifer)

Temminck's Stint at Ghadira today.

Little egrets, part of flock of 14...

Record shot of female Montagu's harrier on the garigue area behind Ghadira called ic-Cumnija

Not many passerines about this morning, the few present seeking shelter from the srong north east wind and difficult to find. A female Montagu's harrier giving good views resting on the garigue before flying off was more than a good compensation. Plus two Marsh harriers, some 7 Turlte doves and two Woodchat shrikes were the good birds to see. In Ghadira a few waders were about the best being 8 Curlew Sandpipers, some 5 Temminck's stint and a Ringed Plover. Six more Little ringed plover chicks now hatched, appart from the the oldest four around two weeks now. 14 Little egrets also present, but were quite restless flying much about.

Yet another great weekend on Comino

Golden Oriole subadult male, as all the other birds caught as part of the ringing project on Comino

Collared Flycathcer

Two superb Bee-eaters and the first time apreciated in the hand (and not because of being injured) by most present

Comino is always a great place for birding and in fall conditions, quite simply: Amazing! Whinchats and Whitethroats practically everywhere, and Spotted Flycathcers flitting about in less but still good numbers. Then there was the variety, you don't get to see 50 species in a day that often in Malta. Herons represented by Grey (2), Purple (8) and Night (7), Birds of prey by Black Kite (1), Honey Buzzard (8), Marsh harrier (4), Kestrel (3), Red-footed falcon (1) and Peregrine (1), then there was Quail, Turtle Dove, Nightjar, Bee-eaters passing over all through the day, Tawny Pipits, Wheatears, Redstarts, Nightingales, warblers best being Icterines, Great Reed and albistriata Subalpine warblers, Collared and Pied Flycathcers, Golden oriole and more. Of course in addition to all the excitment created by the birds, looking up at a sky full of stars, waking up before dawn to open up the nets, the peace of a fairly undistrubed island adds to the experience.

Weekend on Comino

Black-eared Wheatear ringed at dawn

Part of a flock of 15 Little Egrets

One of several Cory's shearwaters flying close to the ferry on leaving Comino

Male Cuckoo

Spent a great weekend on Comino Ringing Observatory. Nothing special and a bit quite with some 90 birds caught and ringed in all as part of the annual ringing scheme on the island involving a month in Spring and a few weeks in autumn. But still spending a few days on such a quite island, with barely any people and buidings is an experience!

A male Cuckoo caught early Sunday morning was the definite highlight for me. Also good were beautiful a male Black-eared wheatear, two Woodchat srikes and a Collared Flycatcher all caught. Failed to catch any Scops Owls which I had really hoped for but at least a Nightjar flew quickly by one of the mornings. The most abundant passerines caught were Whinchats, Willow Warblers, Subalpine Warblers, Whitethroats and Pied Flycatchers as well as a Wheatear, two Sedge Warblers and two Garden Warblers.

The first Purple Herons of the year, 4 in all, were sighted. Most herons have still to be seen in good numbers this spring. A total of 31 Little egrets resting on the rocks along the shore as well as a Night Heron heard at night.

Birds of Prey were represented by a few Marsh harriers, a Black Kite, some Kestrels hunting without the fear of being hunted and a Hobby. Finally three Golden oriole males were also great as were a Quail and two Hoopoes.

Ghadira and Cumnija area

Male Black-winged Stilt at Ghadira Nature reserve

Female Black-winged stilt and Wood sandpiper

Woodchat Shrike

Male Black-eared Wheatear

Seawatching at Cirkewwa was quickly interupted by a call about a Glossy ibis at Ghadira. So we quickly hurried off. We hadn't seen much anyway, 6 Sandwhich terns and 2 Marsh harriers were the birds of note.

At Ghadira there was no sign of the Glossy ibis, just my luck that it had left! But still some other good birds the best being the first two Golden Orioles flying over! A Hobby was also good as were a pair of Black-winged Stilts, quite a flock of Little Stints, a Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Ruffs and 4 Wood sandpipers. The female Garganey is still present too. Migratory warblers were well represented with a couple of Great Reed and Sedge Warblers singing, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Subalpine present and Wood warblers being quite abundant. A late White wagtail payed a visit its black chest distinctive between all the Yellow wagtails.

A walk behind the reserve produced a good number of birds too. Not less than three Woodcaht shrikes were fun as they flew down from their perches the catch some unfortunate insect. Three Wheatears and 2 Black-eared wheatears were a good addition to the list as was a Hoopoe, a Wryneck and three Spectacled warblers. A male marsh harrier and then a female flew over. Even better we spotted our first Black kite this year below Mellieha, and another great bird of prey was a female Pallid harrier soaring overhead. Another two Marsh harriers while waiting for the bus ended a satisfying morning.

Windy afternoon at Dwejra

Digiscoped pic of two female Lesser Kestrels, part of a flock of nine.

The only male Lesser Kestrel present.

A hoopoe that flew too soon...

The first two of the five Marsh harriers, were soaring above as I was climbing the hill up to Dwejra. Four House martins were to be the only hirundines of the afternoon. What's more my first Hobby this year struggled in the strong NE wind followed by another two latter on in the evening.
Not much else to see when arriving at the hill top, but a hunting Common Kestrel so decided to take a walk to Bingemma valley. Nightingales were calling, a few Tree Pipits and 4 Yellow wagtails passing overhead at first. It was only when I got to the more sheltered valley that a Hoopoe flew up to perch on a stone wall giving great views. Of course it had to fly off when I went nearer for photos but got a grainy shot of it in flight. A Northern Wheatear female, more Nightingales, Wood warblers and a Redstart were also seen. Two more Hoopoes on walking back flying up from the track. Usually they'd be long gone due to noisy picnicers but today I was alone thanks to the gloomy weather.
Then I spotted 4 Lesser Kestrels resting on some electricity lines. Occasionly flying off to hunt and also joined by 5 more. Suddenly they were all in the air. First thinking someone had passed by but it was a feathered creature that had scared them. A female Pallid harrier! And while wathcing it, another appreared. They were quiclky gone tough, one coming back just before I left only sillhouette visible against the setting sun.

A "Very Nice" Day!

Flock of 29 Little egrets, taken by Olivier Seys.

Tought I'd better use the superior photos of Nicholas Galea and Oliver Seys this time :).
Note the dangling leg on one of the glossy ibis on the top left part of the flock.

My sister, another young birder and me popped into Ghadira at the crack of dawn before meeting up with three other young birders, one of them a Belgian guy and whose favourite phrase I've used in the title :).

Three Grey herons flying down into the reserve, the first signs of migration movement of the day, a Little egret plus the usual waders with a larger number of Little Stints. My first Common whitethroat of the year, and even better a Savi's warbler caught by a ringer just before we left...my sixth lifer in a week!

On boarding the ferry for a small island, Comino, between Gozo and Malta free of hunting and bird and birding paradise, some 8 Marsh harriers and yet another highlight 6 Great white egrets flying throught the channel.

On nearing our destination we spotted 29 Little egrets resting on the rocky shore flying up as we approached only to settle again in a cloud of white wings. Later in the day another 4 and 37 Little egrets were seen.

As we started walking another few Marsh harriers and a Grey heron. Passerines weren't the most evident, and well its still quite early. Got a few good birds though, a beautiful Black-eared wheatear, some 8 Northern wheatears, 4 Whinchats, a male Common Redstart, several Nightingales (good passage this spring), and two Hoopoes, female Semi-collared and male Collared flycatcher as well as some 6 Wrynecks.

Moreover a flock of 9 Common cranes flying over north of Malta and a good sighting for this time of year altoguh nothing compared to the 65 seen on Saturday. Shortly after 17 Grey herons in V-formation against the clouded sky.
Spent quite some time dosing off in the shade everyone a bit tired, and a walk afterwards did not produce much, but a late Skylark was good. The star species of the day was still to come! On walking to the ferry some one spotted a flock of large birds flying overhead. 19 Suberp Glossy Ibises! A lifer that i had aimed and hoped to get this spring and I did! What's more another flock of 21 from the ferry. Possibly had been one flock but seperated due to being shot at, one of the
birds having a dangling leg.

3 Cory's shearwater shearing the waves ended the Comino adventure with just over 40 species, for now...we'll be back and soon!

To add to the memorable day there was an Avocet paying a visit and being a scarce and magnificent bird wasn't to be missed.