LINOSA island: a birding paradise destination ! (2 Viewers)

Hi guys

so, the time for the magic paradise of Linosa is coming again...

our birding team MISC will be at Linosa from 23rd October to 20th November...
we hope to find as many rarity as possible this year plus all the usual Mediterranean migrants and seabirds like thousands Scopoli's Shearwater.

I invite as many birders as possible to come, also because we whish the change the mentality of the local people and show them that birding could be a new touristic frontier bringing money to the island, so that they change from hunting to birding !!

Reason to come in brief:

1) Linosa became now known as one of the top destination into Mediterranean to find rarity, and some rarity are truely great such as Sooty falcon, Atlas Flycatcher, Moussier's Redtstart etc. Being so close to Afruca, there are great possibility to find new species for Italy or vene Europe !
2) it is a true paradise, with 5km square dimension, almost no cars (only few local people), no light during night with a starry sky as few other place in Europe, quite life, only walking around every day searching for birds, a fantastic vulcanic landscape etc,.
3) good food and good wine !!!!!!

What you need to do is:



1) FIND A LOW COAST FLIGHT TO PALERMO OR CATANIA, SICILY

2) from there, find a Meridiana or other company flight to LAMPEDUSA

3) at the moment, there are no info about flight to Lampedusa from Sicily, just because Meridiana company never put out the time table of the flights for Lampedusa before early to mid October. However, you have to find a flight to Sicily and stop it, then you'll buy the ticket to Lampedusa, which iusually coast round 55 to 65 euros.

4) once in Lampedusa, you stright away go to the harbour to find out the ferry or boat going to Linosa! You may reach the harbour walking as it is not too far, or taking a lift from one of those local guy you find at the airport exit, which do a private taxi service for 5 to 10 euros.

Do not forget to dowload the time table of the ferry at
http://www.siremar.it/areapasseggeri...NO&porto2=LAMP or at
http://www.usticalines.it/paginaorar...idt=31&idp=435

5) sometimes you'll not arrive the same day the ferry is leaving, or the sea its too rough to go, so you have to sleep at Lampeudsa.... the hotel where we all sleep is called La Gariga there you could sleep for 16 to 20 euros per night....

7) if you get stopped in Lampedusa for 1 ofr 2 days, better if you rent a scooter or a motobike or a car to go round the island birding...it is a very nice landscape and good birding also !

8) ONCE IN LINOSA there are no hotels neither restaurants... so what we do is to rent private house all for us, and there stay together and share the expensise such 18e to sleep and some euros per day to buy food together. We all cook there togfether and sharee the cleaning etc.

9) in Linosa we go round walking, is a small island (5km) and there are very few cars ! A bike will be very good and we may rent one once there

10) we every day "scan" the island divided in small teams or single person, and keep in touch via mobile in case somebody find a rarity !




Ciao


Andrea Corso

LINOSA: I forgot to tell that this is an island of the Pelagie archipelago, out in the Sicilian Channel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linosa

macrourus said:

Good food and good wine !!!!!!

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Hello again Andrea! The food and wine might even attract non-birders! How is the raptor migration going this year?

macrourus said:

Find a Meridiana or other company flight to LAMPEDUSA.
At the moment, there are no info about flight to Lampedusa from Sicily, just because the stupid Meridiana company never put out the time table of the flights for Lampedusa before early to mid October. Ciao. Andrea Corso

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Andrea,
Remember, many of us are British, and have difficulty with you recommending an airline and then saying they are stupid! (I once was an aircraft engineer). I think your suggestion of Linosa is excellent, but perhaps next year - this year I am in Australia. Send me a PM so that I can put Linosa on my plans, when i get back to UK, for 2012.
Yours aye,
MJB

Ooopsss I did not realise about that... as this was a private mail I sent to some friends and then copy and paste them here...

I delete it as could be matter of embarasse or even worse...o:eat::-C

However, Meridiana is a good company with low coast flights but at high level... only they never report in their web page the time table for Lampedusa if not very late ....

Good luck with the trip. When I was at school in the 1960s, myself and my two birding classmates scoured maps of Europe wondering where the Mediterranean's 'Fair Isle' might be. Linosa was the island which most attracted us. Later, in the 6th form, we even talked about obtaining a 'Churchill fellowship' and launching an expedition. Sadly the idea was wrecked by our disorganisation and the lack of information in a pre-internet age. Hence it's great to hear about your plans. Sadly I can't make it, but if I could I'd go like a shot (although I suspect that you'd prefer me to leave the cooking to your compatriots!). One day perhaps .....

Hi Andrea

It sounds great! Good luck with the venture.

I was in Palermo a few weeks back, and enjoyed the little time I had birding at some gardens near a park in the city.

I really want to see male Pallid Harrier, and next couple of years I hope to get out to Messina for a few days as its meant to be one of the best locations.

Anyway, best of luck with your venture!

Good luck macrourus

It sounds great

Wish I could join someday in the future !!

All the best from the island of Malta

If it's anything like Ventotene then it will be the bees knees.

F****** awesome is all I can say about that island!! So good luck on Linosa:t:

Birdspotter said:

If it's anything like Ventotene then it will be the bees knees.

F****** awesome is all I can say about that island!! So good luck on Linosa:t:

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It's a lot like Ventotene, actually! In terms of sheer numbers of migrants, Ventotene might actually be better, at least in spring, but it's a close call. Linosa is better for rarities and for the overall experience, as awesome as Ventotene is Linosa is even more enjoyable since it is much quieter, not as built up, and the fact that it is larger means that you're not hitting the same spots day after day. We've only scratched the surface there in terms of rarities!

Hi all and thanks so far
and John you spotted well at the time as Linosa and Ventotene both proved to be our Fair Isle ...B :king...

Bird spotter have you been then in Ventotene already?

John, be sure that the guys cooking are me and Cajanuma (which is one of the main MISC team meber since the start)...

Thanks to all

First I will be in Georgia and Armenia and then Linosa, but I'm loking more forward for our paradise island :t:

macrourus said:

Bird spotter have you been then in Ventotene already?

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Yes I was there this spring for a few days with a good mate of mine Brendano Doe.
Loved it & looking forward to going back brilliant birding, oh and the food is not bad either:t:

CiaoB B B

Ok then I know you via Brendan

we often go birding together, he is brilliant birder and very good guy o

we have been together to Ventotene too and hope I may go there by end of September before I leave for Asia :t:

ciao

Wellcome back in Italy when you'll come
People are starting to realise Italy is not only the country of idiots like our president and hunters but also good birds and birding and some- few but yet some- godd person and birders o