I’m thinking back to a glorious summer in Italy, where I noticed a loud song coming from the bushes in Parco della Caffarella in Rome:
It’s a large warbler of some kind, with a massive-looking head compared to its body. It’s also a bright yellow and brown colour. It’s not one I’ve ever seen before.
Lovely, isn’t it?
It’s a Melodious Warbler, Hippolais polyglotta, and it’s singing with the many tongues of its name. It’s a common breeding bird, here for the summer, and then off to West Africa, south of the Sahara for the Italian winter.
I’m spellbound by its song.
I love the head back, mouth open singing pose as it throws its song as far as possible across the fields and bushes.
I could spend all day with them.
More from Parco della Caffarella
Cooked EyeThere's a male Sardinian warbler, Curruca melanocephala, in the bushes. It seems quite agitated. I love the scratchy sound they make… read more
Sniping from the sidelinesA Snipe is one wader I can identify confidently. That's clearly a very rash thing to say, since I've yet… read more
HoodiesAs we arrive at Parco della Caffarella there's a Hooded Crow, called a Cornacchia here, frolicking in the flowers. I… read more
Cattle Egret with SheepI'm used to having trouble getting photographs of Cattle Egrets being Cattle Egrets. Here's my Cattle Egret on a Horse… read more
Monk Parakeets at homeThese Monk Parakeets are making themselves at home: They've spread in many European countries because of escapes from the pet… read more