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!