Three weeks on Sicily and other islands
I added to my life list: Western subalpine warbler 07 June 2025 in Stromboli (read more below), Spotless starling 29 May 2025 in Syracuse, Crested lark 22 May 2025 in Sciacca. Maybe: crested lark (if confirmed). Lots of old favorites or seldom seen birds as well: Rock bunting / Zippammer (saw it recently for the first time, 2025-03-01 in Lanzarote), cirl bunting / Zaunammer (saw them already on Mallorca und in Mainfeld in Switzerland).
22 May 2025 Sciacca
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23 May 2025 Sciacca
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26 May 2025 Sciacca
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27 May 2025 Sciacca
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31 May 2025 Etna
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01 June 2025 Etna
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02 June 2025 Etna
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03 June 2025 Lipari
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04 June 2025 Lipari
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06 June 2025 Stromboli
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07 June 2025 Stromboli
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08 June 2025 Stromboli
The whole question of subalpine warblers is confusing, as my software has decided that the Sardinian warbler is the same as the Eastern subalpine warbler, which I have already seen, whereas Wikipedia says that the Sardinian is a 'superspecies'. What the hell does that mean? The scientific name of two parts says it's a species?? Wikipedia says it's an 'informal taxonomic rank'. Re the Sardinian warbler, it says 'This bird may be considered a superspecies, divided into the western Curruca melanocephala and Curruca momus from the more arid regions of the Near East and adjacent Africa.' The western subalpine is listed as Curruca iberiae, whereas the easter is Curruca cantillans. Go figure!
A total of 21 species is included.
22 May 2025 Sciacca:
Corn bunting / Grauammer (Emberiza calandra)🐦
Corn bunting near bridge en route to Sciacca. 2025-05-22 13:33:22 Sciacca
European goldfinch / Stieglitz (Carduelis carduelis)🐦
Stieglitz bei Tonona Hotel in Sciacca. 2025-05-22 15:13:38 Sciacca
23 May 2025 Sciacca:
Yellowish bird TBI.
Yellowish bird TBI. 2025-05-23 12:20:54 Sciacca
ISO 640
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Lizard at the Roman ruins in Valle dei Templi.
2025-05-23 14:42:23 Sciacca
Canon EOS R7 24-240mm
Shutter speed 9.625ISO 640
Exposure 1/800
Another lizard at the Roman ruins in Valle dei Templi. 2025-05-23 14:51:23 Sciacca
Canon EOS R7 24-240mm
Shutter speed 9ISO 640
Exposure 1/500
26 May 2025 Sciacca:
European goldfinch / Stieglitz (Carduelis carduelis)🐦
Stieglitz at Tonnara in Sciacca. 2025-05-26 08:33:44 Sciacca
Insects- a black beetle.
2025-05-26 08:50:02 Sciacca
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Spanish sparrow / Weidensperling (Passer hispaniolensis)🐦
Spanish sparrow. 2025-05-26 10:50:30 Sciacca
27 May 2025 Sciacca:
Common moorhen / Teichhuhn (Gallinula chloropus)🐦
Teichhühner nah beim Meer in Sciacca. 2025-05-27 08:37:27 Sciacca
31 May 2025 Etna:
Common house martin / Mehlschwalbe (Delichon urbicum)🐦
House martins nesting on the historic buildings in xx. 2025-05-31 09:30:44 Etna
Rock dove / Felsentaube (Columba livia)🐦
Two rock doves, I assume, with a nest we watched during breakfast at our Syracua hotel. 2025-05-31 09:39:05 Etna
Short-toed treecreeper / Gartenbaumläufer (Certhia brachydactyla)🐦
Gartenbaumläufer, Ätna. 2025-05-31 15:06:25 Etna
Background - something was being filmed on the walk between our hotel and the site for viewing Etna and the sculpture.
2025-05-31 18:07:18 Etna
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Short-toed treecreeper / Gartenbaumläufer (Certhia brachydactyla)🐦
Gartenbaumläufer, Ätna. 2025-05-31 22:40:42 Etna
01 June 2025 Etna:
European nuthatch / Kleiber (Sitta europaea)🐦
MerlinBirdID reported tree creepers by our hotel near Etna, but in the picture it's clearly a Kleiber - too bad the auto-focus rarely focuses on the bird instead of the tree. 2025-06-01 09:14:12 Etna
Coal tit / Tannenmeise (Periparus ater)🐦
Sad - a dead coal tit? - TBI.
Sad - a dead coal tit? - TBI. 2025-06-01 12:25:21 Etna
Insects - Probably Kleiner Fuchs aka Small tortoiseshell, Aglais urticae at Etna.
2025-06-01 12:45:23 Etna
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Insects - Beautiful orange butterfly by Etna may be a Kleiner Fuchs aka Small tortoiseshell, Aglais urticae.
2025-06-01 12:45:33 Etna
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Insects - bee, TBI, by Etna.
2025-06-01 13:36:42 Etna
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Rock bunting / Zippammer (Emberiza cia)🐦
Rock bunting at the end of our Etna walk. 2025-06-01 15:06:49 Etna
02 June 2025 Etna:
Background - eruption at Etna on our last morning there.
2025-06-02 10:24:00 Etna
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Background - a last look at Etna.
2025-06-02 11:29:39 Etna
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Exposure 1/400
03 June 2025 Lipari:
Yellow-legged gull / Mittelmeermöwe (Larus michahellis)🐦
Yellow-legged gull in Lipari - wir haben sie von unserem Balkon so nah gesehen. 2025-06-03 15:03:03 Lipari
Schau mal die Augen der Mittlelmeermöwe an! 2025-06-03 15:03:51 Lipari
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04 June 2025 Lipari:
Sparrow TBI - I'm outta here.
Sparrow TBI - I'm outta here. 2025-06-04 11:31:09 Lipari
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Italian sparrow / Italiensperling (Passer italiae)🐦
MerlinBirdID sagt Italian sparrow - so there are several kinds on Sicily. 2025-06-04 11:35:51 Sicily
Spotted flycatcher / Grauschnäpper (Muscicapa striata)🐦
Spotted flycatcher. 2025-06-04 12:16:24 Lipari
Yellow-legged gull / Mittelmeermöwe (Larus michahellis)🐦
Konkurrenz bei den Mittelmeermöwen um den besten Sitzplatz. 2025-06-04 17:32:40 Lipari
06 June 2025 Stromboli:
Rock dove / Felsentaube (Columba livia)🐦
Rock dove with beautiful orange eyes. 2025-06-06 15:26:39 Stromboli
Spanish sparrow / Weidensperling (Passer hispaniolensis)🐦
Spanish sparrow? with feathers for anest. 2025-06-06 16:25:22 Stromboli
07 June 2025 Stromboli:
Sardinian warbler / Samtkopfgrasmücke (Curruca melanocephala)🐦
♫ 2025-06-07 13:02:00 Stromboli (call)
08 June 2025 Stromboli:
Hooded crow / Nebelkrähe (Corvus cornix)🐦
Singers: Hooded crow, Common blackbird🐦, European serin🐦, Sardinian warbler🐦, European goldfinch🐦, Common wood pigeon🐦
♫ 2025-06-08 07:33:00 Stromboli (song)
Sardinian warbler / Samtkopfgrasmücke (Curruca melanocephala)🐦
♫ 2025-06-08 07:48:00 Stromboli (song?)
Insects - Bee on Stromboli.
2025-06-08 07:55:59 Stromboli
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