Report from 21 to 23 February 2023

Departures have been the most evident aspect of spring migration thus far. Most of the Mallards and Teal have left; their exodus makes it easier to find the thirty or so Shovelers and dozen Gadwalls that remain. Reed Bunting numbers have also fallen sharply; of those that are still here, the males are so filled with hormones that they have started to sing, in spite of being very far from their breeding grounds. The daily fluctuations in Lapwing numbers are more likely to reflect local wanderings rather than actual migration. The Woodcock I recently saw was probably a wintering bird and not a migrant. In fact, all of the three or four sightings over the last few months probably refer to the same individual, since it is always in the same patch of woodland. The only new arrival was welcomed with great enthusiasm: the local White Stork, which immediately took an interest in the nest near the main house. Last year, after the couple had taken possession of the nest, a few days of heavy human activity just below the nest had disturbed them and driven them elsewhere. Hopefully, this year they will stay.

The Greylag Goose is one of La Cassinazza’s avian guests that I never mention. In fact, they are not quite wild, as they have been the subject of several releases from captivity in previous years; as such, all of the individuals we see here are of domestic origin. But they do look the part of wild birds: they fly perfectly well – sometimes dispersing long distances and disappearing for quite some time – and the oldest birds have started to breed. And in spite of their risky wanderings, they managed to survive the hunting season unscathed: congratulations!