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Systematic list - part 10: Warblers

 

Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti (c. 35)

Often heard (and occasionally seen) in suitable habitat with Riserva Naturale Orientata Biviere di Gela, Vendicari and Cava Carosello providing the most.

 

Fan-tailed Warbler Cisticola juncidis (>100)

Very common in most areas but not seen or heard around Mount Etna.

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Fan-tailed Warbler, Capo Murro di Porco, 24th April

 

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Fan-tailed Warblers, Portopalo di Capo Passero, 3rd May

 

Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus (10+)

Several singing at Granelli, Vendicari and on the Portopalo di Capo Passero peninsular.

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Reed Warbler, Granelli, 1st May

 

Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus (6)

1 heard at Riserva Naturale Orientata Biviere di Gela, 1-2 at 2 locations near Portopalo di Capo Passero and up to 2 at Granelli.

 

Icterine Warbler/Melodious Warbler Hippolais icterina / Hippolais polyglotta (4)

At least 4 Hippolais warblers at Riserva Naturale Orientata Fiume Ciane on 2nd May were presumably migrants as I didn't see any on other visits. 2 weren't seen well enough or long enough to get any ID features at all so could have been either Icterine or Melodious Warbler. The other two showed better and I am annoyed with myself for not adequately resolving the ID. A need to find a loo was distracting me and basically I think I stuffed up! Two birds were in the same tree and making the same call (which I though fitted the description of Melodious Warbler best but having susequently checked against Xeno-canto I'm not so sure - it didn't match either species' typical calls).

Bird A showed best, but never revealed its primary projection. It had a really obvious wing-panel that immediately made me think Icterine, but I've seen Melodious in spring with surprisingly striking pale edges to the wing feathers so that didn't convince me . It had dark grey legs which I think favours Icterine but I understand Melodious can also show grey legs. Bird B showed less well but had brown legs - I thought that was a strong point in favour of Melodious and, together with my interpretation of the description of the call being a better match for Melodious, I tentatively concluded they must both be Melodious. Bird B also showed a pale wing-panel. I didn't get a clear view of the primary projection, though it did briefly show this while I was looking down the camera - but the images I took then weren't clear enough to see the required detail on the back of the camera at the time. So at the time the evidence seemed to point to Melodious, but there was some doubt in my mind and were it not for the rather pressing call of nature I would have persisted.

Now with references and Xeno-canto to hand and the images on the computer screen I note that although Melodious Warbler can show a pale wing-panel it should not, apparently, ever show obvious pale edges to the greater coverts. I thought these birds did, though I suppose there could be a debate as to what "obvious" means. I can also see the primary projection on Bird B better and, though the image isn't very clear, it looks very long to me. Then again the literature does support my recollection that Icterine Warbler should always have grey legs. Let me know what you think!

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Hippolais warblers, Riserva Naturale Orientata Fiume Ciane, 2nd May - top photos are Bird A described above and lower photo is Bird B - comments on the ID would be appreciated!

 

Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata (3+)

At least 3, possibly 5, at Cava Grande del Cassibile on 5th May.

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Spectacled Warblers, Cava Grande del Cassibile, 5th May

 

Eastern Subalpine Warbler Sylvia (cantillans) albistriata (16)

Small numbers of Subalpine Warblers around Mount Etna, at least 8 in the Nebrodi Mountains, at least 1 at Cava Carosello and 2 at and near Cava Grande del Cassibile. All of these are likely to have involved locally-breeding birds – to me they seemed whiter-bellied than I remember seeing on western birds and the moustachal stripe was broad, so I assume they are all Eastern.

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Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Cava Grande del Cassibile, 5th May

 

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Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Nebrodi Mountains, 26th April

 

Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala (c. 140)

Although not recorded along the higher roads around Mount Etna this was a very common bird pretty much everywhere else. They were also more visible (as well as audible) than I've found them to be elsewhere in the Mediterranean previously.

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Sardinian Warblers, near Capo Murro di Porco, 2nd (left) and 4th (right) May

 

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Sardinian Warblers, near Granelli, 29th April (left) and Ragusa, 30th April (right)

 

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Sardinian Warblers, Portopalo di Capo Passero, 1st May

 

Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca (1)

At least 1 heard singing at Pedara.

 

Whitethroat Sylvia communis (c. 14)

Very small numbers in the Siracusa area, around Portopalo di Capo Passero and at Granelli; also 6 at Riserva Naturale Orientata Fiume Ciane on 2nd May. Migrants?

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Whitethroats, Capo Murro di Porco, 23rd April (left) and Portopalo di Capo Passero, 1st May (right)

 

Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla (c. 15)

Most were recorded around Mount Etna; also in Nebrodi, Modica and Cava Carosello.

 

Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix (2)

A very nice bird at Riserva Naturale Orientata Fiume Ciane on 23rd April and another near Capo Murro di Porco on 3rd & 4th May.

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Wood Warbler, Riserva Naturale Orientata Fiume Ciane, 23rd April

 

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Wood Warbler, Capo Murro di Porco, 3rd May

 

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita (c. 9)

Fairly common on Mount Etna; also recorded in the Nebrodi Mountains and at Ragusa. One singing in a tamarisk at Granelli on 1st May was perhaps a migrant.

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Chiffchaff, Granelli, 1st May

 

Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus (3)

A migrant at Siracusa on 23rd April, one at Riserva Naturale Orientata Fiume Ciane on 2nd May and a distinctly brownish bird with no yellow or green tones evident in field views with the Wood Warbler near Capo Murro di Porco on 3rd May (but no sign on 4th when the Wood Warbler was still there).

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Willow Warbler, Siracusa, 23rd April

 

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Willow Warbler, near Capo Murro di Porco, 3rd May

 

Firecrest Regulus ignicapillus (c. 5)

Only recorded on Mount Etna, though I'm sure I heard 1-2 elsewhere that I forgot to note down.

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Firecrest, Mount Etna, 26th April

 

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Firecrest, Mount Etna, 25th April

 

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