This morning was spent in Calvi town, the weather has improved substantially and hopefully the birds are going to come out! The walk along the harbour brings you to the old citadel and the quaint shopping streets. A quick call for provisions was made and then, after coffee it was back to the car. Although I didn't want to go over old ground, having only a week here, I want to see the cloud disappear from the high mountains so another visit to the river Fango at the Five Arches bridge would suffice today. Before leaving Calvi, I made sure I'd got Italian Sparrow among the old houses. Similar to our tree sparrow with the chestnut head and lacking the spreckled chest of the Spanish Sparrow. The scientific ones among us say there is also a Spanish x Corsicana Sparrow but I'm not clued up on that yet!! So, back at the Five Arches bridge I had seen a very dark headed Yellow Wagtail yesterday, distantly I found it again today. Whether it is a ssp Feldegg or Thunbergi, I don't know. The European Flava ssp were much easier to make out, 3 males and a female were seen together feeding under the feet of the cattle. I had much better views of one of the Red-backed Shrikes this afternoon. Alerted by a short 'cherr' call, not unlike an angry Wren, I found what is probably my first Moltoni's Warbler. Years ago, I would probably have called this a subalpine warbler but there is clearly a difference in both call and colouration. I am familiar with the Western Subalpine Warbler which I see in the Algarve, but this bird is not 'orangey' on the chest but a darkish salmon pink colour. A good find, really pleased with the fact that I was unsure of the call and located this lovely warbler. Equally good things were to come, as I saw four Turtle Doves leave the ground and fly up into nearby trees. I settled down on the riverbank and hoped they would return to the ground soon. There was a mix of conifers and straggly eucalyptus trees which I began to scan for a perched dove. I found a Jay low down, which had been keeping quiet. I then searched higher in the trees and had an amazing surprise! A beautiful male Golden Oriole which hadn't called once, all the time I was there. Upstream from Five Arches bridge. Passing Hooded Crows. These are the commonest corvid on Corsica, but Ravens are being seen frequently too.
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