
Systematic list - part 11: Flycatchers, Tits, Nuthatch and Treecreeper
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata (30+)
Good numbers of migrants seen at Riserva Naturale Orientata Fiume Ciane, Capo Murro di Porco and the surrounding area and Portopalo di Capo Passero and the surrounding area. Unlike some of the other migrants there seemed to be as many, if not more, around during the second week as there had been in the first week.
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Spotted Flycatcher, Granelli, 29th April
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Spotted Flycatchers, Capo Murro di Porco, 2nd May (left) and 23rd April (right) |
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Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca (6)
3 in the Siracusa/Capo Murro di Porco area on 23rd April, a male at Etna on 25th April, a female at Riserva Naturale Orientata Biviere di Gela on 28th April and a female on the way up to Cava Carosello on 3rd May. Although the latter was well inland and in suitable breeding habitat the range map in Collins shows that they don't breed in Sicily so presumably they were all migrants.
The bird at Biviere di Gela caught me out as it showed an obvious pale collar and an obvious pale rump as well as a fairly extensive pale patch at the base of the primaries. I had some niggling doubts about my initial ID of Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis as I wasn't sure the pale patch was extensive enough - I thought it was within range for Pied Flycatcher. After returning home I analysed the photos and realised that my doubts were well-founded - it wasn't a Collared Flycatcher unfortunately.
Coal Tit Periparus ater (c. 20)
Very common on Mount Etna; also in the Nebrodi Mountains.
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Coal Tit, Nebrodi Mountains, 26th April |
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Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus (c. 15)
Very common in the foothills of Mount Etna and in the Nebrodi Mountains; also at Cava Grande del Cassibile.
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Blue Tit, Nebrodi Mountains, 26th April |
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Great Tit Parus major (c. 25)
The most widespread of the tits with small numbers in most areas.
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Great Tit, Cava Grande del Cassibile, 5th May |
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Italian Nuthatch Sitta europaea cisalpina (4)
4 in the Nebrodi Mountains on 26th April. Sicilian birds have been described as a separate subspecies siciliae but it seems that most authorities don't recognise that race as distinct from cisalpina that occurs elsewhere in Italy and neighbouring regions. Whatever, they are very distinct from the British birds I'm used to seeing - small, short-billed and uniform buffy-orange below.
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Nuthatch, Nebrodi Mountains, 26th April |
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Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla (4)
Singles heard singing at Etna, Nebrodi and Villa Romana del Casale; at Nebrodi 2 birds were seen.
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Short-toed Treecreeper, Nebrodi Mountains, 26th April |
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