The phases of Sparrowhawk flight
A Sparrowhawk has just flown over my shoulder. There are seven Hooded Crows in hot pursuit. It heads into the large pine …
Going wild for a wild Tortoise
Can you see it? We’re out at a LIPU nature reserve at Castel di Guido. We’re the only ones here. It’s a …
Rallenta!
Rallenta, the sign says. I decide to look it up. What’s the English translation of rallenta from the Italian? There are hundreds …
A malar stripe
Look closely at this Kestrel. At any of the Kestrels. Look at any of the Falcons. They all have something in common. …
Shovelard
The Medieval name for the Eurasian Spoonbill was the Shovelard. That makes me laugh, every time. I’ve seen them in Italy before, …
Falco di palude
There’s a Marsh Harrier overhead. We’ve been here for hours waiting and when one appears it’s against the light. It’s a silhouette. …
Little Egret on a wire
This Little Egret is standing on one yellow foot and giving me the eye. A yellow eye. When it does try the …
Clouded Yellow
This yellow butterfly is such an attractive species. It’s a Clouded Yellow, Colias croceus. It’s flying in Italy in winter amongst the …
The pursuit
This Common Kestrel has its eyes to the skies. There’s a Hooded Crow about to mob this Kestrel. Here it comes: It’s …
Little Egret landing
There’s a Little Egret across the water at Riserva Statale Pantani dell’Inferno. I’m thrilled when it takes off, flies over and lands …
Five and a half yards make a perch
The female Kestrel of the pair is perched in front of me. I’ve only got this close by sitting on a tiny …
Great White Egret v Grey Heron
I was thrilled to see Great White Egrets recently at Lago di Alviano. They’re wonderful birds and a thrill to see fly …
Great and spotted
We’ve been spotted. There’s a Great Spotted Woodpecker living its adventurous life nearby. Great Spotted Woodpeckers are large woodpeckers to us. They’re …
A Pygmy Cormorant stuffing itself stupid
There’s a Pygmy Cormorant, Microcarbo pygmaeus, swimming and diving on the lake. It’s too far away for a decent photograph as the hide we’re …
Cinderella Iron
The last we saw of a Grey Heron was one standing, impressively, on a branch over the lake at Lago di Alviano. …
Major White Airplane
Great White Egrets, Ardea alba, are impressive birds. They’re much bigger than a Grey Heron and stunning in flight. Just look at …
It only takes one crow to make a mob
They just can’t help it. If Hooded Crows see a raptor they’ll chase it, harry it, mob it and otherwise make its …
More Black Redstarts
Are you tired of seeing my photographs of Black Redstarts yet? I’m beginning to feel like one of those 1970s dads with …
Zitting Cisticola – or, It’s all about the pixels
There’s the most ridiculously-named bird in the rough grass in this wasteland in Italy. It’s a Zitting Cisticola. Here it is, perched …
Urban Kestrels
I’ve been enjoying the company of the local Common Kestrels here in Rome. I’ve watched them hunt, be chased by the resident …
More Black Redstarts
It’s time for another trip to the nearest waste ground, which counts as the natural world these days, to see the Black …
Gheppio
There’s a Common Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, here. In Italy their name is Gheppio. I’ve seen it perched in the distance: Then I …
Codirosso Spazzacamino
The Italian name for the Black Redstart is Codirosso Spazzacamino. It means red-tailed chimney sweep. I love their ash-grey plumage. This week …
Wall Lizard
I love the look on this Italian Wall Lizard’s face. I appear to have interrupted its sunbathing. It’s November but it’s 18 …
Jump-on-a-Pole
There’s a Saltimpalo in this area of greenery in Rome. That’s the Italian name for the Stonechat. Saltimpalo means Jump-on-a-Pole, which Stonechats …
Serins
The Serin’s scientific name is Serinus serinus. Serins; so good, they named them twice. The scientific name serinus comes from the French word serin, meaning …
Monk Parakeets
These Parakeets are meant to be in South America. They’re quite at home in the parks of Rome. They appear to appreciate …
Cornacchia
There’s a Hooded Crow flying past us in this wasteland in Rome. Their Italian name is Cornacchia. I wonder what trinket or …
Chimney Sweeps
Here’s a handsome Italian chap: He’s a Codirosso Spazzacamino, a male Black Redstart. What fine plumage he has. Spazzacamino means chimney sweep …
Piggy Cows
Suillus bovinus means Piggy Cow. It’s the scientific name of a common fungus of coniferous forests and commercial pine woods. They pop …