Report January 23-30 2022

La Cassinazza remained shrouded in fog for much of the week. Under these conditions, birdwatching is reduced to seeing shadows and hearing calls and wingbeats. Late winter is when the number and variety of birds bottoms out, and there is no migration to speak of. On top of all this, the weather was cold and humid. Still, my enthusiasm at finally being outside after two weeks in Covid quarantine was not diminished one bit. But I don’t have much to report.  There were several close encounters with Great Bitterns. Their proverbial wariness, mimetic plumage, and the fog meant that they always saw me before I saw them, flushing when I was only a few meters away. Marsh Harriers are notable for their absence. Until a few years ago, the reedbed at La Cassinazza hosted a winter roost of ten to twenty individuals. The Wild Boars have now taken over the reedbed – and other habitats as well – and the Marsh Harriers are gone. Like every year, the first hazel blossoms signal the beginning of the new cycle of seasons.  Waterfowl numbers remain high. While the Mallards came and went this year, the Teal have remained faithful to La Cassinazza, their numbers fluctuating between 700 and 1000.