Another pleasant winter day spent at and around the Diaccia Botrona wetland (see above post #92), although the temperature was more early autumn-like, with a maximum of 17C 🥵, a bit too much for my liking tbh. Maybe for this reason the usually lively fields around the wetland area itself were pretty quiet when we got there in the early morning: a male Hen Harrier was the first bird we saw, then we had Kestrel, Buzzard, Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, Great White Egret, Greylag Geese and Common Cranes in the fields and Chiffchaff, Cetti’s Warbler, Meadow Pipit, Corn Bunting and Crested Lark.
We decided to leave the car and walk along the eastern embankment of the wetland hoping for a bit more bird action. The water was full of Flamingoes, there were a couple of Osprey, some Marsh Harriers, Shelduck dotted here and there, Grey Heron, Spoonbill, the usual distant Greater Spotted Eagle on its perch, flyover Sacred Ibis, Little Egret and Lapwing, Reed Bunting, Stonechat and Sardinian Warbler. Waders were few and far between: mostly Grey Plover, with some Redshank and Greenshank, although large unidentifiable flocks could be seen in a galaxy far far away.
We retraced our steps to the car and drove to the nearby town of Castiglione della Pescaia, on which beach we had seen Kentish Plovers before, but it was too crowded, with people in shorts and t-shirts enjoying the unseasonable warmth. The only option left was to spend some time on the terrace of the Visitors’ Centre of the reserve, where we had good views of several Curlew, an enormous flock of Avocet, more Flamingoes, Grey Plovers, Redshanks and Greenshanks, a female Sparrowhawk which flew low over our heads, and a good selection of ducks: Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon and Pintail. Passerines included Stonechat, Black Redstart and Zitting Cisticola.
Before heading home, we took another turn on the dirt track between the fields and this time the Cranes were closer, allowing some decent record shots. As the sun set, 5 Hen Harriers (2 males and 3 females) and 6-7 Marsh Harriers came to roost in the reedbeds to the north of the reserve.
Back home, a Tawny Owl was calling behind our garage.
Below, some landscape phone shots and one of the Cranes.
We decided to leave the car and walk along the eastern embankment of the wetland hoping for a bit more bird action. The water was full of Flamingoes, there were a couple of Osprey, some Marsh Harriers, Shelduck dotted here and there, Grey Heron, Spoonbill, the usual distant Greater Spotted Eagle on its perch, flyover Sacred Ibis, Little Egret and Lapwing, Reed Bunting, Stonechat and Sardinian Warbler. Waders were few and far between: mostly Grey Plover, with some Redshank and Greenshank, although large unidentifiable flocks could be seen in a galaxy far far away.
We retraced our steps to the car and drove to the nearby town of Castiglione della Pescaia, on which beach we had seen Kentish Plovers before, but it was too crowded, with people in shorts and t-shirts enjoying the unseasonable warmth. The only option left was to spend some time on the terrace of the Visitors’ Centre of the reserve, where we had good views of several Curlew, an enormous flock of Avocet, more Flamingoes, Grey Plovers, Redshanks and Greenshanks, a female Sparrowhawk which flew low over our heads, and a good selection of ducks: Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon and Pintail. Passerines included Stonechat, Black Redstart and Zitting Cisticola.
Before heading home, we took another turn on the dirt track between the fields and this time the Cranes were closer, allowing some decent record shots. As the sun set, 5 Hen Harriers (2 males and 3 females) and 6-7 Marsh Harriers came to roost in the reedbeds to the north of the reserve.
Back home, a Tawny Owl was calling behind our garage.
Below, some landscape phone shots and one of the Cranes.
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I really need to put my act together and get back to the pile of work I have shelved that would bring me on business trips to Bologna several times a year 
