Cape Tenaro Birder: A Purple Heron Day

Highlights - Sunday 17th April

Despite expectations a great days birding with a diverse range of species arriving in off the sea at the lighthouse; featuring as the star attraction a spectacular flock of 42 Purple Herons that took almost half an hour to progress past the lighthouse.

The Purple Heron flock fighting; and eventually failing; to fly past the lighthouse

With the forecast similar to yesterday our hopes were not high however conditions in North Africa must have favoured departing migrants as visible passage of arriving birds proved to be the best since we arrived at the end of March (unusually it’s been all but non-existent throughout our stay). Numbers were not huge (see below) however after 3 weeks of almost non-existent movements it was great to see some visible migration.

Grounded Migrants: The continuing windy conditions made observations difficult until late afternoon when the wind finally eased. As a consequence the number of grounded migrants recorded was down on yesterday although it is hard to know if this reflects a true drop in numbers or was simple the windy weather menacing the birds were out of sight. Counts for a selection of species were: 1 Hoopoe, 1 Wryneck, 4 Woodchat Shrike, 18 Nightingale, 16 Redstart, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 14 Black-eared Wheatear, 7 Northern Wheatear, 1 Isabelline Wheatear, 10 Whinchat, 13 Pied Flycatcher, 4 Collared Flycatcher, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 6 Whitethroat, 4 Subalpine Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 1 Eastern Orphean Warbler, 1 Great Reed Warbler, 1 Wood Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 4 Ortolan Bunting.

Visible Passage: Hirundines, Swifts and falcons were see moving north at Kokinoghia however a wider range of species were visible at ‘Turtle Dove Step’ (the first point on the path to the lighthouse that affords a view of both sides of the headland) which was watched form 11.30 to 13.00 and 14.35 to 15.25 (when passage had dried up).

Combined Counts as follows: 42 Purple Heron, 22 Turtle Dove, 2 Alpine Swift, 84 Common Swift, 3 Pallid Swift, 173 Swallow, 13 House Martin, 28 Sand Martin, 7 Short-toed Lark (+ 5 grounded), 151 flava Wagtail, 2 Red-throated Pipit, 4 Tawny Pipit, 30 Tree Pipit.

The Purple Herons, first seen at 12.25 as the arrived from the SW, twice tried to fly past the lighthouse and continue up the east coast, however the wind was so strong that they were beaten back. On each occasion they circled in a confused state before regrouping, they eventually came, painfully slowly, up the west side of the headland but were continuously caught by down drafts and eddies caused by the near gale force NE wind passing over the ridge that leads to the lighthouse. While the majority of the flock eventually went north (and may have landed on the slopes further north) at least 5 stragglers couldn’t keep up and landed on the slopes just north of the lighthouse (where they presumably waited for conditions to ease).

Raptors: 2 Kestrels, 1 Lesser Kestrel, 7 Kestrel Sp, 1 Hobby, 1 Falcon Sp

Bird Ringing: None

Weather: NE 7-8 overnight and much of the morning, dropping off after 15.00. Heavy cloud to start, brighter later. Rain threatened but only a few drops fell. Visibility fair.

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