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Tuscany in Spring

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Tuscany in Spring Tuscany in Spring Naturetrek Tour Report 25 April – 2 May 2019 Daphne sericea Ophrys sphegodes Chrysosplenium alternifolium Lobster Moth Report and Images by Paul Harmes Naturetrek Wolf’s Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Tuscany in Spring Tour Participants: Paul Harmes (leader) with four Naturetrek clients Day 1 Thursday 25th April Pisa – San Gimignano - Alberese. Three tour members met with Paul at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 for the 8.25am British Airways flight BA0602, to Pisa, Galileo Galilei Airport. Upon arrival, we quickly completed immigration formalities, collected our luggage and made our way out to the Arrivals hall, where we met with Gil, who had made his own way to Pisa. We now took the shuttle bus to the car rental area, where we collected our minibus. Joining the main Pisa to Florence motorway east towards Empoli, we then turned south, heading for San Gimignano. As we went, we saw Black Kite, Barn Swallow and Grey Heron, and many of the verges were red with patches of Hedysarum coronarium (Italian Sainfoin). We also spotted a small group of four Fallow Deer. A light lunch was taken at a service area. We spent an hour and a half exploring the medieval walled town of San Gimignano, before continuing past Siena and joining the E80 south towards Grosseto. Jackdaws and Starlings were noted as we went. Passing Grosseto, we left the road at Alberese and soon arrived at the lovely comfortable La Fattoria Il Duchesco, our base for the next five nights, where we were met by our host, Fabio. Day 2 Friday 26th April Isoldo di Giannutri After breakfast, at 7am, we set off for the 30-minute drive to Porto Santo Stefano, the main seaport on the Argentario promontory. As we drove, we recorded Common Kestrel, Common Starling and Hooded Crow. Arriving in the port, we were met by the Nostromo representative, Dharma. Paul parked the vehicle, and we made our way to the boat at the quay. Today we were taking a trip out to Isola di Giannutri, in the company of some divers, in the hope of seeing some sea birds. Leaving the harbour, the sea was quite calm as we made our way along the coast to the south. As we went it came on to rain, but we still managed three separate sightings of Scopoli’s Shearwater, plus Common Swift and Common House Martin. As we passed the southern end of the Argentario Peninsula, our captain continued on towards the Island of Giannutri, where he dropped anchor and our travelling companions prepared for their first dive. Meanwhile, we scanned the island. Most of the birdlife was represented by Yellow-legged Gulls, but we also recorded Euphorbia dendroides (Tree Euphorbia), Teucrium fruticans (Shrub Germander) and Juniperus phoeniceus (Phoenician Juniper). A solitary Painted Lady also put in a brief appearance. When the divers had completed a second dive, we had a pasta lunch, prepared by the skipper, before weighing anchor and slowly exploring the island’s coastline, adding Western Marsh Harrier. A short stop by a sea stack produced Great Cormorant and, in contrast, European Shag, the Mediterranean subspecies desmarestii. Just before arriving back in port, we had a great show from both Scopoli’s and Yelkouan Shearwaters. On our return to Porto Santo Stefano, we thanked Dharma for a splendid and memorable day, and set off on the return journey to the Fattoria. © Naturetrek December 19 1 Tuscany in Spring Tour Report Day 3 Saturday 27th April WWF Riserva Naturale di Orbetello Oasi - Bosco Patanella A pre-breakfast walk produced no less than five European Hares, together with Corn Bunting, 20 or so European Bee-eaters, Hoopoe, Common Starling, Hooded Crow and the distinctive song of Nightingale. After breakfast we joined the E80 main road south towards the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Reserve of Orbetello Oasi, a large, land-locked, brackish lagoon, just south of Albinia. Arriving here, Paul went in to purchase tickets, and we were shown to an area on the south-west corner, which has seven hides along the lagoon edge. It did not take too long co complete formalities and we were soon off on the way. We walked along the margin of the lagoon, and early sightings included Common Shelduck, Little Egret and a solitary Osprey. A number of Nightingales were singing, and Grey Heron was also added. For the botanists there was Urospermum dalechampii, Phillyrea latifolia (Broad-leaved Phillyrea), Pistacia lentiscus (Mastic Bush), Pinus halepensis (Aleppo Pine) and Cistus salvifolius (Sage-leaved Cistus), together with Wall Brown, Green Hairstreak, Speckled Wood (subsp. aegeria) and Brimstone butterflies. Italian Wall Lizards were rather active along the track, also. The bird list grew with the addition of Great Egret, Mallard, four Black-winged Stilts and four Eurasian Spoonbills. A single spike of Anacamptis morio (Green-winged Orchid0 and several of Anacamptis papilionacea (Pink Butterfly Orchid) were added before we began to make our way back to the vehicle. Coal Tit and Sardinian Warbler were heard as we went, and Southern Grizzled Skipper, Common Blue and Glanville Fritillary butterflies were noted. We returned to the reserve office to utilize their picnic tables. During lunch, we were entertained by several Nightingales and a flock of Bee-eaters. After our picnic, we made our way to the Riserva Naturale di Bosco Patanella, an area of Pinus halepensis (Aleppo Pine) and Pinus pinaster (Maritime Pine) woodland, which borders the Orbetello Oasi lagoon. Here, we set off to explore the adjacent saline grassland and saltmarsh margins. We added Greater Flamingo, in some numbers, Common Greenshank, Garganey, Black-winged Stilt, Great Egret and Common Tern, Black-winged Tern, Shelduck and Black-tailed Godwit to the bird list. Amongst the plants, we recorded Serapias lingua (Tongue Orchid), Triglochin maritima (Sea Arrow-grass), Ornithopus compressus (a Bird’s-foot) and Parentucellia viscosa (Yellow Bartsia). It was now time to make our journey back to the Fattoria, to prepare for dinner. Day 4 Sunday 28th April Oasi San Felice & Reserva Naturale Diaccia Botrona After breakfast, we left Alberese and made our way into outskirts of the nearby city of Grosseto where we joined the coast road westwards, making our way to Oasi San Felice, an area of extensive coastal woodlands situated on the coast near Marina de Grosseto, on the northern side of the San Leopoldo Channel. (Leopold II was the last Grand Duke of Tuscany, who began land reclamation in the 19th century.) We parked the vehicles in a rough car park and set off to walk through Pinus pinea (Umbrella Pine) and Pinus pinaster (Maritime Pine) woodland. We heard the occasional song of Nightingale but, as usual, we were unable to see them. Barn Swallow, Common Swift, Chaffinch and Great Tit were also recorded. There were some insects 2 © Naturetrek December 19 Tuscany in Spring Tour Report emerging in the morning sun, and Wall Brown, Brimstone and Small Heath butterflies were all seen. For the botanists, Phillyrea latifolia (Broad-leaved Phillyrea), Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary), Trifolium stellatum (Starry Clover), Pistacia lentiscus (Mastic Bush) and Cistus creticus (Pink Cistus) were also seen. After working our way through the woodland, we emerged into an area of vegetated sand dunes at the back of the beach. Very little in the way of birdlife was moving, so we spent time in the wonderful vegetated dunes, we found Medicago minima (Bur Medick), Medicago maritima (Sea Medick), Eryngium maritimum (Sea-holly), Silene otites (Spanish Catchfly), Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian Olive) and Echinophora spinosa. Returning through the woods, on the east side, we added Anacamptis morio subsp. picta (Mediterranean Green-winged Orchid) and Cyclamen repandum (Spring Sowbread). It was now time to prepare lunch, under darkening skies. After our picnic, we made our way towards Castiglione della Pescaia and the Riserva Naturale Diaccia Botrona, a vast expanse of pools, ditches, and dykes set in reed-beds and rough grasslands. Here we parked near to the Casa Ximenes and made our way towards the bird hide on the edge of a lake. Cetti’s Warbler was heard and Zitting Cisticola was seen. At this point we discovered that access was restricted by an unstable bridge, so Paul decided to try another access point he knew to the east of the town. This proved a good move, and we were able to walk in on tracks and paths. As were went, Common Tern, Coot, Common Greenshank, Black-headed Gull, Little Egret, Common Kestrel and Hooded Crow were seen. Along the trackside we found Ailanthus altissimus (Tree-of- Heaven), Salpichroa origanifolia (Salpichroa), Silybum marianum (Milk Thistle), Sarcocornia fruticosa and Allium roseum (Rosy Garlic). From another hide, we had distant views of Black-tailed Godwit, Pied Avocet, Grey Heron and Great Egret. It was time to make our way back to the Fattoria in time for dinner. Day 5 Monday 29th April Parco Regionale della Maremma. Following a fine breakfast, we boarded our bus and made the short trip into Alberese, where we parked by the offices of the Parco Regionale della Maremma and Paul went to purchase our tickets. As it is not permitted to take any private vehicles into this part of the reserve, it was necessary to take the 9am park bus service to the drop-off point. From here, we planned to take the track towards the coast, to continue on part of the listed route A2, and set out to walk along the track through the forest. As we went, we recorded Rhamnus alaternus (Mediterranean Buckthorn), Cistus salvifolius (Sage-leaved Cistus) and Pistacia lentiscus (Mastic Bush).
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