Sorrento 23 to 30 September 2013
This report provides a short summary of birds seen during a week long ‘non-birding’ holiday with my wife in Sorrento (Italy).
There is little information available online about birding in this part of Italy. Naturetrek do a spring trip to the Sorrento peninsula, and their website provides reports from previous years. I also tracked down links to the bird observatory on the island of Capri which can easily be visited from Sorrento, and a WWF reserve called the Oasi WWF Le Tore. However, I didn’t visit either location.
Birds were generally very scarce, and seeing them difficult. However, there was evidently some autumn raptor migration along the Sorrento Peninsula, and a few passerines passing through too.
23 September
Our flight with BA landed at Naples airport just as the sun set, the only bird we saw being a Common Kestrel.
Collection of bags and shuttle bus transfer to the car rental location was relatively straightforward. We collected our car from Hertz without any hassle, although subsequently I received an invoice which charged nearly 50% more than the offer I had pre-paid, made up of nefarious local charges, CDW fees I didn’t ask for or knowingly agree to etc, and I returned the car full of petrol, so beware.
Our satnav took us through the heart of Castellammare de Stabia, rather than around the bypass, which was a bit trying and adapting to and adopting the local driving style took a bit of time, but we got to Sorrento without too much trouble. Finding our accommodation, and parking nearby was another thing entirely – if you are planning on staying in Sorrento and having a hire car, make sure you have detailed directions re parking before you arrive.
We rented an apartment at Marina Grande overlooking the picturesque little fishing harbour. This had a fantastic view over the Gulf of Naples towards Vesuvius, but from a birding perspective accommodation higher up and on the edge of town would have been better.
24 September
We got up late, enjoyed breakfast on the little balcony of our apartment, seeing Yellow-legged Gull (20+), Black-headed Gull (3), House Sparrow (4) and Feral Pigeon (8+). These became daily sightings and are not repeated hereafter.
We spent the day walking around Sorrento, generally relaxing and buying bits and bobs of shopping for the week ahead. Additional birds seen around Sorrento were Blackbird (1), in the pleasant town centre lemon groves of Giardini di Cataldo (http://www.igiardinidicataldo.it/it/), Collared Dove (3) and Hooded Crow (6), these crows being seen daily in and around Sorrento.
25 September
Our aim was to visit Pompeii and Vesuvius, but we were slow getting going, and spent longer than anticipated at Pompeii, leaving no time to visit Vesuvius. Pompeii is a vast site, and well worth spending time at, there are also (by local standards) reasonable numbers of birds within the park – presumably it isn’t hunted over.
Birds seen around Pompeii were: Kestrel (1), Hooded Crow (3), Jackdaw (8), Magpie (1), Blackbird (2), Goldfinch (2), Serin (2), Feral Pigeon (20+), Collared Dove (2) and Woodpigeon (2). I thought I heard Short-toed Treecreeper a couple of times, but never caught sight of one.
26 September
We drove across the Sorrentine peninsula on the scenic SS366 and via Amalfi to the ancient Greek ruins at Paestum, returning via a more direct route along the E45. The ruins at Paestum are absolutely fantastic, and very under-visited – well worth a trip.
At a viewpoint near Pimonte we stopped and saw Barn Swallow (20+), House Martin (4), Peregrine (1) and [/B]Common Buzzard (1).
Paestum had reasonable numbers of birds: Kestrel (1), Sparrowhawk (1), Magpie (4), Collared Dove (20+), Feral Pigeon (12+), Great Tit (1), Spotted Flycatcher (1) and Starling (40+).
The Kestrel and Sparrowhawk were harassing the Starling flock, and at one point a third raptor joined them, a falcon that appeared almost twice the size of the Kestrel, but with similar proportions. Unfortunately viewing was towards the sun and I could make little out on this bird, and even wondered if I was getting the scale wrong and it was just the Kestrel, particularly when it appeared to hover at one point. I didn’t see it well enough to convince myself it was a Lanner as this is a bird I’m not familiar with, and I’m not sure the behaviour (hovering) or habitat were right either.
27 September
We took an all day ‘mini-cruise’ from Marina Piccolo in Sorrento, via the southern tip of Capri (Faraglioni Islands) for a short swim (we didn’t go ashore), and then along the Amalfi coast, stopping at Positano and Amalfi, finally returning via Punta Campanella. This was very enjoyable, and the best way to see the scenic Amalfi coast, we went with the Marine Club Minicrociere, taking their ‘blue cruise’ (http://www.marineclub.it/index.php?lang=en), recommended.
Before leaving we added Magpie to our ‘balcony list’ (exciting stuff).
Things improved at the sea-cliffs of Capri, where I picked up Honey Buzzard (3), Sparrowhawk (1), Peregrine (2), Eleonora’s Falcon (1) and Raven (2). On the crossing back towards Punta Campanella my wife picked out the first of two Cory’s Shearwaters before lunch drew us inside and me away from any further birding.
At Amalfi there were many Yellow-legged Gulls (30+) and a Raven overhead, but otherwise it was bird-less. As we returned via Punta Campanella there were more Honey Buzzards (4) and Ravens (2) soaring over the ridge.
28 September
In the morning we drove out to Termini and walked to Punta Campanella, returning after a picnic. This is a very pleasant walk, though as it is down hill all the way, it is obviously uphill all the way back. There are relatively high numbers of birds in the area – at least on call anyway. As elsewhere birds were generally very difficult to see.
Birds seen on the walk were: Honey Buzzard (2), Common Buzzard (1), Marsh Harrier (1), Sparrowhawk (1), Kestrel (4), Peregrine (1), Eleonora’s Falcon (1), Raven (6), Blue Rockthrush (4), Blackbird (2), Robin (1), Blue Tit (1), Chiffchaff (4), Blackcap (1), Serin (6-8), Grey Wagtail (1), Collared Dove (12+), Feral Pigeon (4+), and Yellow-legged Gull (12+). In addition I heard Cetti’s Warbler and numerous Sardinian Warblers.
In the afternoon we drove down to Marina del Cantone for a swim and a spell on the beach, very pleasant, but no birds. On our return to Marina Grande we picked up another two Grey Wagtails, and then as the sun set an Eleonora’s Falcon from the balcony.
29 September
We had time for a short walk around Sorrento (last minute shopping) before our return to Naples airport. Around Sorrento I picked up single Blackcap and Tree Sparrow.
Good luck to any birders visiting the same area –it’s a nice place for a holiday, but birding is hard work.
Happy birding, Paul Sharp
This report provides a short summary of birds seen during a week long ‘non-birding’ holiday with my wife in Sorrento (Italy).
There is little information available online about birding in this part of Italy. Naturetrek do a spring trip to the Sorrento peninsula, and their website provides reports from previous years. I also tracked down links to the bird observatory on the island of Capri which can easily be visited from Sorrento, and a WWF reserve called the Oasi WWF Le Tore. However, I didn’t visit either location.
- Naturetrek Sorrento peninsula: http://www.naturetrek.co.uk/tour.aspx?id=253
- Observatory on Capri: http://www.villasanmichele.eu/en/capri_bird_observatory and http://www.access.ottenby.se/meddelanden/reports/207.pdf
- Oasi WWF Le Tore: http://digilander.libero.it/wwfsorrento/tore/tore.htm
Birds were generally very scarce, and seeing them difficult. However, there was evidently some autumn raptor migration along the Sorrento Peninsula, and a few passerines passing through too.
23 September
Our flight with BA landed at Naples airport just as the sun set, the only bird we saw being a Common Kestrel.
Collection of bags and shuttle bus transfer to the car rental location was relatively straightforward. We collected our car from Hertz without any hassle, although subsequently I received an invoice which charged nearly 50% more than the offer I had pre-paid, made up of nefarious local charges, CDW fees I didn’t ask for or knowingly agree to etc, and I returned the car full of petrol, so beware.
Our satnav took us through the heart of Castellammare de Stabia, rather than around the bypass, which was a bit trying and adapting to and adopting the local driving style took a bit of time, but we got to Sorrento without too much trouble. Finding our accommodation, and parking nearby was another thing entirely – if you are planning on staying in Sorrento and having a hire car, make sure you have detailed directions re parking before you arrive.
We rented an apartment at Marina Grande overlooking the picturesque little fishing harbour. This had a fantastic view over the Gulf of Naples towards Vesuvius, but from a birding perspective accommodation higher up and on the edge of town would have been better.
24 September
We got up late, enjoyed breakfast on the little balcony of our apartment, seeing Yellow-legged Gull (20+), Black-headed Gull (3), House Sparrow (4) and Feral Pigeon (8+). These became daily sightings and are not repeated hereafter.
We spent the day walking around Sorrento, generally relaxing and buying bits and bobs of shopping for the week ahead. Additional birds seen around Sorrento were Blackbird (1), in the pleasant town centre lemon groves of Giardini di Cataldo (http://www.igiardinidicataldo.it/it/), Collared Dove (3) and Hooded Crow (6), these crows being seen daily in and around Sorrento.
25 September
Our aim was to visit Pompeii and Vesuvius, but we were slow getting going, and spent longer than anticipated at Pompeii, leaving no time to visit Vesuvius. Pompeii is a vast site, and well worth spending time at, there are also (by local standards) reasonable numbers of birds within the park – presumably it isn’t hunted over.
Birds seen around Pompeii were: Kestrel (1), Hooded Crow (3), Jackdaw (8), Magpie (1), Blackbird (2), Goldfinch (2), Serin (2), Feral Pigeon (20+), Collared Dove (2) and Woodpigeon (2). I thought I heard Short-toed Treecreeper a couple of times, but never caught sight of one.
26 September
We drove across the Sorrentine peninsula on the scenic SS366 and via Amalfi to the ancient Greek ruins at Paestum, returning via a more direct route along the E45. The ruins at Paestum are absolutely fantastic, and very under-visited – well worth a trip.
At a viewpoint near Pimonte we stopped and saw Barn Swallow (20+), House Martin (4), Peregrine (1) and [/B]Common Buzzard (1).
Paestum had reasonable numbers of birds: Kestrel (1), Sparrowhawk (1), Magpie (4), Collared Dove (20+), Feral Pigeon (12+), Great Tit (1), Spotted Flycatcher (1) and Starling (40+).
The Kestrel and Sparrowhawk were harassing the Starling flock, and at one point a third raptor joined them, a falcon that appeared almost twice the size of the Kestrel, but with similar proportions. Unfortunately viewing was towards the sun and I could make little out on this bird, and even wondered if I was getting the scale wrong and it was just the Kestrel, particularly when it appeared to hover at one point. I didn’t see it well enough to convince myself it was a Lanner as this is a bird I’m not familiar with, and I’m not sure the behaviour (hovering) or habitat were right either.
27 September
We took an all day ‘mini-cruise’ from Marina Piccolo in Sorrento, via the southern tip of Capri (Faraglioni Islands) for a short swim (we didn’t go ashore), and then along the Amalfi coast, stopping at Positano and Amalfi, finally returning via Punta Campanella. This was very enjoyable, and the best way to see the scenic Amalfi coast, we went with the Marine Club Minicrociere, taking their ‘blue cruise’ (http://www.marineclub.it/index.php?lang=en), recommended.
Before leaving we added Magpie to our ‘balcony list’ (exciting stuff).
Things improved at the sea-cliffs of Capri, where I picked up Honey Buzzard (3), Sparrowhawk (1), Peregrine (2), Eleonora’s Falcon (1) and Raven (2). On the crossing back towards Punta Campanella my wife picked out the first of two Cory’s Shearwaters before lunch drew us inside and me away from any further birding.
At Amalfi there were many Yellow-legged Gulls (30+) and a Raven overhead, but otherwise it was bird-less. As we returned via Punta Campanella there were more Honey Buzzards (4) and Ravens (2) soaring over the ridge.
28 September
In the morning we drove out to Termini and walked to Punta Campanella, returning after a picnic. This is a very pleasant walk, though as it is down hill all the way, it is obviously uphill all the way back. There are relatively high numbers of birds in the area – at least on call anyway. As elsewhere birds were generally very difficult to see.
Birds seen on the walk were: Honey Buzzard (2), Common Buzzard (1), Marsh Harrier (1), Sparrowhawk (1), Kestrel (4), Peregrine (1), Eleonora’s Falcon (1), Raven (6), Blue Rockthrush (4), Blackbird (2), Robin (1), Blue Tit (1), Chiffchaff (4), Blackcap (1), Serin (6-8), Grey Wagtail (1), Collared Dove (12+), Feral Pigeon (4+), and Yellow-legged Gull (12+). In addition I heard Cetti’s Warbler and numerous Sardinian Warblers.
In the afternoon we drove down to Marina del Cantone for a swim and a spell on the beach, very pleasant, but no birds. On our return to Marina Grande we picked up another two Grey Wagtails, and then as the sun set an Eleonora’s Falcon from the balcony.
29 September
We had time for a short walk around Sorrento (last minute shopping) before our return to Naples airport. Around Sorrento I picked up single Blackcap and Tree Sparrow.
Good luck to any birders visiting the same area –it’s a nice place for a holiday, but birding is hard work.
Happy birding, Paul Sharp
