February wrap-up

With March a few days away I've put together a quick re-cap of the birding I managed in the latter half of February.

I spent the 19th-21st on Malta's sister island of Gozo on a rope access training course. This entailed sitting on a clifftop looking South over the sea for long periods of time which left ample opportunity for birding. House Martins passed in small groups and the first Barn Swallows of the year were seen. Spectacled Warblers churred from the garrigue below us and a male Blue Rock Thrush sang from a disused hunting emplacement.

The team. Gozo. February, 2016

Visiting Salina in the early morning on Wednesday 24th revealed 2 Little Egrets in the pans. Their provenance is unknown due to a nearby free-flying artificial population however. Alongside the still-large Black-headed Gull roost, the 5 Little Stints were still present as were the 3 Common Sandpipers. James Symonds who had arrived earlier also recorded a Goldcrest, Grey Wagtail and Green Sandpiper (a species I have yet to catch up with on Malta). The mix of olives and conifers in Kennedy Park held c40 Black Redstarts, Meadow Pipits, Chiffchaffs, White Wagtails and the usual resident species.

Little Egret Egretta garzetta. Salina. February, 2016

While watching Tree Sparrows in a reliable spot James found a male Subablpine Warbler low in the scrub behind us. I only managed poor views of it noting it's relatively small size, the blue-grey back and head unlike the bicoloured upperparts of the ever-present Sardinian Warbler, and a flash of white outer rectrices. James's good view of the head and breast confirmed an Eastern Subalpine Warbler, the expected species in Malta, and the first record for 2016. After much searching we could not re-find it and no definite calls were heard. The recent taxonomic changes to the Subalpine Warber complex are fascinating and I plan to write a little more about it in the near future.

Later that day while walking amongst the low trees at Rdum tal Madonna we flushed a Hoopoe, my first in Malta and always a fantastic bird to find.

Roll on March!

 

The first signs of migration

The first stirs of Spring 

This week I moved to Qawra, at the eastern end of the St. Paul's Bay conurbation. The longer commute to work is balanced out by being much closer to Salina salt-pans, a site I wrote about in January. I visited twice this week, both in the morning and the evening.

Large numbers of Black-headed Gulls are still present, roosting on the raised banks of the pans. c650 were present on Tuesday 16th, with a handful of Mediterranean Gulls, Yellow-legged Gulls and a single Sandwich Tern.

The flock of Little Stints had risen to five with at least two Common Sandpipers still present. Two Kingfishers flew into the small patch of reeds and called.

Not much seemed to have changed on Thursday 18th when I noticed a flock of 16 House Martins circling overhead and heading North, a welcome early migrant to Malta. Single House Martins have been reported over the last couple of weeks and I had seen five over Simar Nature Reserve early the same day.

Chiffchaff numbers are fluctuating and enough new birds are being ringed at the reserves to show they are moving through the island, as must be the Meadow Pipits and other species.

Salina gull roost. February 2016

It's still early but I'm keen to see what the next few weeks will bring, a Great Spotted Cuckoo would do nicely!

Nature Reserves in Malta

Three sites worth a visit

Malta, with its overwhelmingly dense human population and persistent illegal hunting, has very little room for birds. Birdlife Malta manage three nature reserves in the northern half of the country and although small, they are worth visiting. Species common elsewhere in Europe survive here in tiny numbers and demand that you re-evaluate your appreciation for them.

There are of course other great sites for wildlife in Malta and Gozo that I will cover as my time here goes on.

Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto has a stronghold at Foresta. February 2016

Ghadira Nature Reserve

Ghadira NR, a designated Ramsar site and a Special Area of Conservation, lies just north of Mellieha in Malta. The site comprises of two pools of brackish water surrounded by low tamarisk scrub and patches of reedbed. Islands provide habitat for roosting wetland migrants and Black-winged Stilt and Little Ringed Plover breed in the summer. Two hides overlook the water.

Over the past month the diversity stayed low with my highlights including Black-necked Grebe, Teal, Shelduck, Common Sandpiper, Curlew and Greater Flamingo.

This is also the best site I have found so far for seeing Chameleon.

Ghadira Nature Reserve with two Greater Flamingo in the foreground. February 2016

Is-Simar Nature Reserve

Is-Simar NR lies at the head of St. Paul's Bay in the town of Xemxija in northern Malta. Although tiny, the year-round pools, reedbeds and dense scrub provide crucial habitat for wetland species. The Coot and Little Grebe breed only here in Malta, and Little Bittern has bred in the past. Large numbers of Spanish Sparrow and Starling roost here and Chiffchaff, Western Stonechat, Cetti's Warbler, and Sardinian Warbler are common.

I have seen Water Rail, Common Snipe, Teal, Shelduck, Song Thrush, Firecrest and Greenfinch here among more familiar species.

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus colybitta at Is-Simar. February 2016

Foresta 2000

Overlooking Ghadira, Foresta 2000 lies on the southern slopes of a ridge that runs east-west across the northern tip of Malta. One of the only areas of semi-mature trees on Malta, it is a result of a very successful reforestation program. A mosaic of native conifers, scrub and rambling farmland has created many niches and sheltered spots for birds. Collared Dove, Blue Rock Thrush, Black Redstart, Robin, Chiffchaff, Western Stonechat, Zitting Cisticola and Meadow Pipit have been common here this month, and it has been reliable for the less common Goldcrest, Blackbird and Song Thrush. My only Corn Bunting was seen in the agricultural area here.

Reforestation at Foresta 2000. February 2016

February arrives in Malta

A slow week for new species 

I have had a busy week conducting research on Yelkouan Shearwaters in the various cliff face colonies of Malta and Gozo. This has meant I have not had much time for birding but still managed some interesting sightings.

On Sunday, January 31st, I spent some time at the reserves at Ghadira and Foresta in the north of Malta. Ghadira was quiet with a single Common Sandpiper and the still-present Curlew being the only species of interest. However a short walk in Foresta produced my first Corn Bunting as well as three Song Thrush and a Blackbird. All of these songbirds are worth commenting on here in Malta, although common at home in the UK. Thrushes are targeted heavily by hunters and the Corn Bunting is suffering the same destruction of adequate farmland habitat as elsewhere.

On Wednesday 3rd I spent a couple of hours before work at Simar reserve in Xemxija. A male Firecrest feeding in the tops of the olive trees was a welcome surprise, a species I have not seen for a few years. Less tied to coniferous trees than the Goldcrest, both species can be seen here in Malta in winter in small numbers.

On Thursday 4th I was back at Ghadira and saw two newly-arrived Greater Flamingo. Uncommon but expected each year in small numbers, these two birds may have become separated from a larger flock during a storm on Wednesday night. Both second-year birds (hatched last year), their plumage is still mostly white, not the warm pink that adults attain. A Shelduck, at least the second individual presently on the island, was feeding nearby.

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus. Ghadira, Malta. February 2016. This individual is paler than the one below with less brown on the coverts and remiges, indicating a more progressed moult.

This week I also saw my first Audouin's Gulls, although both times the views were sub-par with no photos to show for it. I noticed a 2cy bird circling around St. Paul's Bay on Monday from my balcony and an adult passed my perch on the cliffs at Rdum Tal-Madonna on Thursday. This is a species I am keen to study more closely and hope to photograph well in the upcoming months.

Lastly, today, Sunday 7th, I visited Simar briefly and saw a Water Rail. One bird was foraging furtively at the edge of the water, only showing for a few seconds. There have been Water Rails at both reserves all winter but until now have proven to be typically hard to see.

Today also marks my first month in Malta with 49 species seen so far.