Introduction:
Where
Corsica, with its exciting collection of Mediterranean Island endemics, breathtaking scenery and abundant cultural attractions, has to be included on any shortlist of classic Western Palearctic birding destinations. It is also a relatively compact island, and therefore all of the essential habitats and places of wider interest can be accessed from one or two bases in the space of a week.
Corte served as a perfect central setting from which to cover all points and also offered excellent accommodation, fine restaurants and some very imposing 14th Century Genoese architecture. The following report makes reference to some previously uncharted sites which were discovered in the course of our travels, as well as updates on more well known birding locations. As it transpired all target bird species were seen with relative ease, often in a number of different areas, and I would conclude that very little site-specific searching is needed as long as the correct habitat types can be located.
When
A Spring visit is the norm to this part of the Mediterranean, though some people tend to travel a little earlier in the year than our June trip, in order to coincide with the Western Palearctic migration period. Research suggests that the weather can be very variable at pretty much any time of the year and during our early June week we encountered climatic conditions varying between scorching hot sunshine, pouring rain, low foggy cloud and howling gales!
How
Our home base in Leicestershire favoured a flight from East Midlands Airport with BMI Baby, however the BMI schedule meant a connection to Sardinia’s Alghero Airport, a drive north to Santa Teresa di Gallura and a ferry crossing to Bonifacio on the south coast of Corsica. As a ferry crossing is essential for good views of the sought-after Mediterranean seabirds this is no real hardship, though a return crossing as foot passenger would provide the same benefits if flying direct to Corsica.
Our hire car was booked in advance with Europcar, though it took a lengthy email exchange before permission for inter-island travel could be confirmed. Reference to the various accommodation used is made in the Daily Diary summary below.
Notes on Key Bird Species:
Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan
150+ seen from the 18.30 Santa Teresa to Bonifacio ferry crossing on 04/06/11 and 200+ seen from 17.00 return crossing on 10/06/11. c50 from Capo Testa on Sardinia the same evening.
Scopoli's Shearwater Calonectris (diomedea) diomedia
5 seen from the 18.30 Santa Teresa to Bonifacio ferry crossing on 04/06/11 and 1 seen from 17.00 return crossing on 10/06/11. 3 from Capo Testa on Sardinia the same evening.
Mediterranean Storm-Petrel Hydrobates (pelagicus) melittensis
At least 3, possibly up to 5, seen from the 18.30 Santa Teresa to Bonifacio ferry crossing on 04/06/11. Already treated as a full species in Robb and Mullarney’s ‘Petrels Night and Day’, this was certainly the biggest ornithological surprise of the whole trip.
Barbary Partridge Alectoris Barbara
5 seen early morning of 11/06/11 in Sardinia, at Sentiero Natura, between Santa Teresa and Capo Testa.
Eleanora’s Falcon Falco elenorae
Single light phase bird hunting over Capo Testa, Sardinia, on the evening of 10/06/11.
Moltoni's Warbler Sylvia moltonii
Pair plus singing male in coastal maquis just north of Porto Veccio on 05/06/11 and a male at the roadside in the Golo River Valley on 07/06/11. Not as obvious as I was expecting, possibly due to many Sylvias being in the midst of feeding young at the time of our visit.
Marmora's Warbler Sylvia sarda
Up to three singing birds at Forte de Pasciolo on 05/06/11 and 09/06/11. Two pairs in the vicinity of the Occi ruins, close to Lumio, on 05/06/11.
Balearic Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata tyrrhenica
Very widespread from 1300m in pine forests right down to sea level, at the time of our visit. Worthy of mention, as some trips undertaken earlier in the season have drawn a blank on this species.
Corsican Nuthatch Sitta whiteheadi
Male at c1100m on D69, just east of Col de Sorba, on 05/06/11. Pair at c1000m on D69, just west of Col de Sorba, on 06/06/11. On the D84, in the Foret Dom de Valdo Niolo on 07/06/11, a male at c1200m, a pair at c1100m and a pair at c1000. Male in Restonica Valley on 09/06/11 at c1000m. Contrary to some reports, we found this species easy to find in the correct habitat and actually saw it every single time we made a conscious effort to locate one.
Corsican Common Treecreeper Certhia familiaris corsa
Single bird seen in pine forest at c1100m on D69, just east of Col de Sorba, on 05/06/11.
Balearic Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator badius
Single male observed hunting and carrying food to a nest in the small village of Albertacce, on the D84 west of Calacuccia, on 07/06/11. We were surprised to see a pair of nominate birds close to Aleria on 05/06/11; make sure you scrutinise your Woodchats!
Italian Sparrow Passer italiae
This very attractive sparrow was common and widespread throughout most areas visited.
Corsican Citril Finch Serinus corsicana
Surprisingly, the only record was of a group of 10 birds at c1100m on D69, just east of Col de Sorba, on 05/06/11.
Corsican Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra corsicana
Other reports suggest that this bird is widely but very thinly distributed. My personal lucky encounter of a single pair came mid way up the Restonica Valley in the very early morning of 08/06/11.
Daily Diary:
Saturday 4th June
For Victoria and I, the beauty of flying from East Midlands Airport is that it is only fifteen minutes down the road, so just a couple of hours after leaving our house we are actually looking back down on it from 1000m up in a BMI Baby Boeing 737! And from this point it is only another two hours and twenty minutes to touchdown at Alghero Airport, set in the dry rocky landscape of north east Sardinia.
Having collected a pocket full of Euros from the ATM, we make our way across the Europcar parking lot to our spanking new Fiat Panda to a chorus of chirping Italian Sparrows, which are nesting in the ornamental palms. The aim of the afternoon is to get ourselves rather rapidly to Santa Teresa di Gallura, where we have a reservation on the 18.30 ferry crossing, to Bonifacio in southern Corsica.
Santa Teresa di Gallura is on the most northerly tip of Sardinia, a journey of just over 200km in distance, and three hours in duration, according to the Michelin Route Planner. This gives us rather scant breathing space for our ferry connection and pretty much no time for sightseeing en route. The journey takes us around the outskirts of Sassiri and swiftly through the island’s northern interior, a landscape of alternating arable fields, vineyards, olive groves, cork oak woodland, maquis and rocky outcrops. Birds noted at 100kmph include numerous Hooded Crows, Spotless Starlings, wire-singing Corn Buntings, Common Kestrels, plus lone Turtle Dove, European Bee-Eater, Little Owl and a Marsh Harrier.
Upon reaching Olbia, on the northeast coast, we enter a land of maquis-covered rocky coastal hills through which the road winds in a never-ending series of tight bends, all the way to Santa Teresa di Gallura. With a few minutes to spare, a stop on a side road gives time to record our first Dartford and Sardinian Warblers in the maquis heathland, and admire Corn Buntings and Spotless Starlings without the distraction of a fly-splattered windscreen.
At Santa Teresa di Gallura we skirt the rather uninspiring modern town to descend into a similarly uninspiring modern harbour. In the allotted parking spot we join a rapidly growing queue of cars and vans awaiting the ferry, then grab a very stale Panini and coffee at the quayside cafe. Although our sandwiches are too dry to finish, they work brilliantly in attracting the local Yellow-legged Gulls into prime photographic range!
The sky has turned dark grey and is sliced by bolts of white lightning as the large whale-logoed Moby Ferry rounds the headland to pull into the sheltered harbour. By the time the assembled cars are shoe-horned into the whale’s belly it is drizzling with rain and the forthcoming seabird watching prospects look rather dismal.
Before we have cast our moorings a line of Yelkouan Shearwaters can be seen distantly over the open water of the straights and I find some suitable shelter beside one of the huge blue funnels on the top deck. Moving out of the harbour we are soon upon a resting raft of thirty Yelkouans, by which time the rain has miraculously abated. Birds shear past constantly throughout the journey, with upwards of 150 logged in the course of the fifty minute crossing. If takes us until mid-channel before the larger, loafing shape of the first Scopoli’s Shearwater is picked out, with a total of five birds noted, including a couple very close to Bonifacio.
The big shock of the crossing comes when the bat-like form of a storm-petrel is picked out in the wave troughs, a bird which I really had not considered as a possibility from the ferry. At least three, possibly five, ‘Mediterranean’ Storm-Petrels are seen in mid channel, which is a massive bonus at the start of the trip as some authorities are already treating Hydrobates (pelagicus) melittensis as a separate species and unanimous species-level recognition of this rarely-encountered seabird seems highly likely in the near future.
A couple of ‘Mediterranean’ Shags P. a. desmarestii complete a highly memorable crossing, as we are greeted by the imposing cliff-top architecture of Bonifacio, where ancient stone fortifications cling precariously to the vertical chalk. Disembarking from the ferry we make a stop for essential provisions at a handy supermarket before heading a little way north to Porto Vecchio and our overnight bed and breakfast accommodation.
We have a reservation at a lovely Petricaghya Villa (email Idalia Zilli via marie.demed@yahoo.fr), which is located in a very secluded spot to the north of the main town. Here we are given a very warm welcome to our spacious and immaculately presented apartment, after which we install ourselves on the veranda to sip red wine, eat olives and listen to the local European Scops-Owls; it’s Mediterranean heaven!
Sunday 5th June
This morning is set to be a first in my birding career, habitat finding by ‘Google Streetview’! Before setting out I was keen to establish an accessible block of coastal maquis heathland. With the aid of the fantastic ‘Streetview’ facility I was able to take a virtual tour of the county lanes surrounding our villa and find what looked like an idea spot for the bird species required in this area.
By 06.00 I am in position, on the D 468 just north of Cala Rossa, and I am delighted to find the exact sandy track which my computer screen has told me should be there. Although the track is dotted with shotgun cartridges, testament to the cruel French pastime of killing small birds, the block of maquis holds a fantastic array of species. Turtle Doves are purring from every clump of thicker vegetation, Cetti’s Warblers shout from damper areas and Sardinian Warbler is apparently the site’s most common bird.
Sandy tracks bisect a wonderful habitat of low green shrubs and a wealth of wild flowers, with lavender and other herbs making the area’s aroma as attractive as its aesthetic appeal. The sky is clear blue and looking inland the jagged mountain peaks at the island’s core are clearly visible; thankfully the thunderstorm predicted by our French hostess has clearly passed by in the night.
Common Cuckoo is constantly audible, a couple of Night Herons are flushed and a Common Redstart sings from a belt of pines. The main target of the morning, Moltoni’s Warbler, takes a little tracking down as it is apparent that most Sylvias are already wrapped up in the breeding cycle and busily feeding young. First a rather unobtrusive pair, and then a very vocal male singing from tall, isolated shrubs is located; it appears that this species does indeed prefer areas of taller maquis, which predominate certain sections of the site, as literature suggests.
A showy pair of Dartford Warblers are found close by, with Common Nightingale providing a stirring audio backdrop. The discovery of a small track-side pond is very welcome, as it harbours a population of the endemic Island Bluetail damselfly and a fantastic opportunity to witness a mass emergence of a dozen or more Southern Migrant Hawker dragonflies which are drying their newly formed wings in the early morning sun as they cling to their exuvial cases; needless to say the next half-hour is spent on hands and knees with the macro lens!
The return walk produces a pair of Woodlark feeding amongst short grass and the fluty notes of a singing Golden Oriole. The first of many Tyrrhenian Wall Lizards is sunning itself beside the track and several beautiful Small-flowered Tongue Orchids bloom close to where I have parked the car. It has been a phenomenal hour-and-a-half, and all thanks to ‘Google’!
Returning to Petricaghya Villa, I join Victoria for a breakfast which is served in the open air with a view right down to the scenic Bale de Stagnolu inlet. After dining, Vic pulls out the sketchpad as I chase the plethora of multi-coloured Tyrrhenian Wall Lizards which inhabit the beautifully landscaped garden, in search of the perfect photographic image.
Mid-morning we set off north, following the coast road past scenic sandy bays and rocky headlands. Our picnic lunch is secured from a Ghisonaccia patisserie, at which point we head inland to leave the arable coastal plain and ascend through maquis covered hills into deciduous woodland. A chance streamside stop in the foothills brings a handful of dancing Copper Demoiselle damselflies, before we stop for our packed lunch overlooking the pleasingly dilapidated village of Ghisoni.
As the last mouthful of frangipane tart is consumed the first large drops of rain begin to fall from a very grey and threatening sky, then the heavens open in a huge electric thunderstorm which keeps us grounded for almost an hour. As the rain abates we head uphill, giving scant regard to a barrier which closes half of the road; it’s obviously a bit of minor roadworks, we tell ourselves.
As we follow the D69 our ascent carries us through banks of cloud and further showers, cutting a path through mature pine forest en route to the well known Col de Sorba birding site. Or at least it does until we are suddenly confronted by a gap in the road where a bridge should be! The barrier, the large roadside earthmoving machines and the half-surfaced carriageway has been something of a giveaway, but we had never expected to have our path barred so abruptly.
Trying to find a positive angle to the rather depressing situation, I note that the altimeter reads just over 1100m, so at least we are officially in the ‘Corsican Nuthatch Zone’. The brolley and iPod are deployed, though initially only the first of many ‘Balearic’ Spotted Flycatchers M. S. tyrrheica is noted, along with the only ‘Corsican’ Common Treecreeper C. f. corsa of the entire trip.
As we stroll downhill, on a road devoid of all traffic, the rain stops, the cloud rolls back and the sun magically reappears. As if on cue the call of a Corsican Nuthatch is heard, before a male bird briefly appears in an eye-level pine top. A little further on a female Wild Boar and six stripy piglets scamper away into the woodland, before Vic calls my attention to a small, brightly-coloured bird which she has sighted. It’s only one of a flock of ten Corsican Citril Finches, meaning that in a space of a few minutes at an enforced stop, we have successfully secured the main target birds of the entire trip!
The next half-hour is spent in the company of these gorgeous little finches, the males of which sport dazzling sulphur-yellow face, breast and rump, grey nape and a streaky brown back; with distinctive nasal trumpeting calls they really are the stars of the day. After securing some fine photographic evidence of our prize find we head back down-slope, to work out the best route towards our accommodation in Corte.
In the course of our detour, returning though sunlit lowland arable fields, the distinctive form of a Woodchat Shrike is spotted on wires above an orchard. Expecting a ‘Balearic’ Woodchat Shrike L. s. badius, I make a hasty U-turn for a closer inspection. Very surprisingly we find a nominate L. s. senator, with distinctive large white primary flash and even more intriguingly there are a pair of birds; nominate Woodchat Shrike is not supposed to be here and certainly not paired for breeding!
Our revised route to Corte follows the Tavignan River valley, via the San Giovanni’s striking Genoese Bridge, to where Corsica’s historic capital lies in the shadow of some of the island’s highest peaks. Passing the more modern suburbs, we work our way up the main street lined with bustling up-market shops and cafes, to reach the Hotel Doc de Padoue, our home for the next five nights (http://www.ducdepadoue.com/). An exterior reminiscent of a shabby apartment block belies an establishment which has recently undergone a thorough interior refurbishment, with excellent facilities and very helpful staff.
By the time we set out in search of our evening meal it has started to rain again and therefore we take the easy option of the Cafe de France, just down the road. This is not the best choice and the very limited menu and decidedly offhand staff fail to provide the sought-after French dining experience we had anticipated, although the local Serena Beer does prove an instant hit.
After we have polished off our pasta, the rain has abated and we are free to tour the charming town of Corte. Alternative eateries are found in abundance and a steep walk up to the town’s 14th Century citadel, whose walls are subtly illuminated after dark, proves that we are in for a cultural treat over the next few days. And we even have our own European Scops-Owl calling in the suburban garden right opposite the hotel!
Monday 6th June
My plan is for a pre-breakfast assault on the Col de Sorba in the opposite direction to yesterday’s abortive attempt, so 05.30 sees me picking my way out of Corte and hitting the N193 on a southerly route. This extremely scenic drive leads though a couple of picturesque villages and provides constant views and high peaks and deep wooded valleys.
It takes half an hour to drive to the famed Le Chalet Restaurant, located at the junction of the N193 and D69, where I park up, trying my best to ignore the tempting aromas of cooking food which emanate from within. Several reports make reference to the slopes behind the restaurant being home to Marmora’s Warblers, but my forty-five minute search provides nothing but very wet feet and trousers, which are a symptom of the sodden grass. There has clearly been some recent habitat clearance in the area, perhaps to enhance the land’s grazing potential, and it seems highly likely that Marmora’s Warblers are no longer present.
Somewhat disappointed I return to the car, under the shadow of one of the island’s magnificent and plentiful Red Kites, to head for the Col de Sorba and a change of focus. At the head of the D69 the road closure which thwarted yesterday’s ascent is all too apparent, and one does not need to be an expert in the French language to understand that the route is blocked and a diversion in place.
Fortunately the road improvement workforce are not yet in place at this early hour and I am able to pick my way past excavators, piles of roadside rubble and several Cirl Buntings, to reach an altitude of 1000m, where Corsican Pine Forest dominates the sunny hillside. Again the road is devoid of all traffic and in this peaceful environment it takes just five minutes for a male Corsican Nuthatch to respond to playback of its piping call, with a female joining him on occasion.
This male bird is a much better performer than yesterday’s bird and soon I have him close to eye level on the lichen-covered coniferous boughs. By Eurasian Nuthatch standards he’s quite a tiny bird, with a rather fine up-tilted bill, black cap and eye-stripe contrasting with white supercillium, a blue-grey back and dusky-white underparts. But what he lacks in stature he makes up for in veracity, as he moves relentlessly from treetop to branch in a very vocal defence of his territory. Corsican Nuthatch really is a hell-of-a-bird and another long sought-after species which lives up to all expectations.
As I pick my way back to the main road a pair of Red-backed Shrikes are encountered, always one of my personal favourites, and then the road-workers appear for the day-shift, looking rather unimpressed by my illicit exploration. Breakfast is now beckoning, but I never like to be outwitted by a target bird and just a few hundred metres downhill from Le Chalet I stop at a likely looking lay-by.
My chosen viewpoint reveals a wondrous panorama over the ruins of Fort de Pasciolo and, importantly, some impressive stands of low maquis just below the lay-by. It takes just a brief burst of playback to bring two male Marmora’s Warblers into song, and my brief stop also delivers another male Red-backed Shrike plus a pair of Woodlarks. Clearly this is set to be the new Marmora’s Warbler stakeout, and future visitors would be well advised to avoid the barren slopes behind Le Chalet in favour of this incredibly scenic spot.
Back at Corte both Vic’s sketchbook and the Doc de Padoue breakfast buffet are filled with fine fare, and we dine on all manner of scrumptious cereals, bread, cheese, cured ham and cake. Suitably stuffed, we set off for the Island’s north east coast, hopefully evading the low, grey cloud which is building up over the central mountain ridge. We follow the N193 northwards, through the scenic centre of the Island, traversing dry, rocky maquis-covered hillsides until the turquoise blue waters of the Mediterranean finally appear. Keeping the invitingly clear sea on our right, we follow the winding coast road as far as the village of Lumio, just short of Calvi.
Heedful of the instructions in the Lonely Planet, we park at the Hotel Chez Charles and follow the small sign posts for Occi. Occi is a long-abandoned village in a spectacular setting, high on the hillside overlooking the Golfe de Calvi, surrounded by maquis and beautiful wild flowers. The steep rocky trail takes us past dozens of scampering Tyrrhenian Wall Lizards, Scarce Swallowtail butterfly and a pair of rather shy Moorish Geckos.
Once amongst the Occi ruins, Vic settles down with the sketch pad and I set out to photograph the wonderful Marmora’s Warblers which clearly find the local habitat to their liking. With patience I secure some very pleasing shots of these slaty-grey beauties, with contrasting blood-red eye-ring, bright orange bill and legs. The dry heathland also provides the first Italian Wall Lizards, which sport lime-green, black-spotted backs and pale bellies.
A whole three hours is spent at this very rewarding spot, before we descend to sea level where the quiet seafront of Port de Sant’ Ambrogio is chosen in favour of the more touristy attractions of Calvi. At Sant’ Ambrogio we enjoy bobbing yachts, ice cream and photographing the local Italian Sparrows, then head for Punta Spano to relax on the granite promontory. Although it takes a few wrong turns to find our way to the headland, the tranquillity of the location is well worth the effort, with fine views along the dramatic coastline and out over the deep blue waters in the direction of mainland France, just over 100km away, over the horizon. Our efforts are in fact doubly worthwhile, when Vic spots a pod of six Bottle-nosed Dolphins which pass by so close that their breathing can be heard!
The evening finds us back in Corte town, where the U Museu Restaurant turns around our eating experience. Located next to the citadel, its excellent food is served with views over the town, complete with huge flocks of screaming Common Swifts, and it is set to become our eatery of choice. After dining, the last part of the evening is spent exploring the old town, bringing another fantastic Corsican day to a close.
Tuesday 7th June
Rain has drummed down on Corte all night and it is still doing so at dawn. Pre-breakfast birding is abandoned in favour of a rare lie-in, then after our visit to the eagerly anticipated Doc de Padoue buffet bar we set off north on the N193. This time we only travel as far as Francardo, before heading west on the minor D84.
The rain has ceased, but grey cloud still billows overhead as we make our way through scrubby woodland and then into the spectacular gorge of the Golo River. Here the road clings to the steep side of the limestone valley, with a fast-flowing river below and high above grey crags supporting isolated, gnarled pines, which are periodically masked by rolling masses of low cloud. Blue Rock Thrushes and Cirl Buntings inhabit the slopes, but intensive searching fails to reveal a Mouflon in the apparently ideal habitat.
Next on our route comes a zone of juniper forest, which is enjoyed under a lightening sky, and by the time we chance upon a roadside Balearic Woodchat Shrike L. s. badius in the village of Albertacce we are actually bathed in glorious sunshine. Half an hour is spent in the close company of this very handsome bird, which hunts beetles in a paddock from typical barbed-wire perches and is clearly delivering the tasty morsels to a nearby nest of youngsters.
Continuing our ascent, the road begins to wind its way through open pine woods, where groups of domesticated pigs are a constant hazard which keeps one from fully appreciating the splendid scenic views to their full. Roadside Red Helleborines are a more welcome distraction, and a chance stop at the 1200m mark in the Foret Dom de Valdo Niolo pines soon produces the day’s first Corsican Nuthatch and unfortunately the commencement of steady rain.
The low cloud and drizzle stays with us as we cross the 1477m Col de Verghio and descend the west slope, past the Vacances d’Aitone ski centre, which looks particularly dismal in the damp, grey setting. Our continued route down-slope soon brings us into extensive groves of Sweet Chestnut trees, and a brief respite from the rain gives Vic an opportunity to add the pretty Evisa church to her sketchpad.
And then the rain really begins in earnest! We expect to drop out of the cloud and gloom ‘after the next bend’ all the way down to the scenically famed coastal town of Porto, but it never happens and at the coast we are still in pouring rain with a grey cloud base just a few hundred metres above sea level. The area no doubt looks wonderful in the sunshine, but on a wet Tuesday lunchtime the rather commercialised seafront, with it’s huddles of long-faced brolley-toting tourists, is uninspiring to say the least.
We only stay long enough to consume a locally-sourced pastry, while watching some sorry-looking Yellow-legged Gulls from the shelter of the car, then turn around and retrace our route up the hill. We don’t stop again until we are at 1100m on the east slope, back in the Foret Dom de Valdo Niolo. Having realised that Corsican Nuthatch is actually a rather common bird within the correct altitudinal zone, the strategy is changed to one of ‘find a good photogenic branch or two and then play the recording’. And it works!
Although drizzly rain is still drifting in-and-out, by balancing camera and iPod under brolley I am able to secure the best images yet of a male Corsican Nuthatch on a wonderfully gnarled and lichen-covered bough. A hundred metres lower, where the rain has finally stopped, we mange to pull in a hearty walk through the open pine forest, with a bonus periodic glimpse of the Sun and yet another pair of the seemingly ‘common’ Corsican Nuthatches.
Back down at the Golo River gorge a roadside Moltoni’s Warbler concludes the day’s somewhat limited bird list, and back at Corte we discover that U Museu creates some of the finest pizza known to man.
Wednesday 8th June
Although the dawn sky is grey, thankfully there is no rain as I begin my exploratory visit to the nearby Restonica Valley. It is a beautiful spot, with a fast-flowing river slicing through its centre and on either flank wooded slopes rising ever steeper, to turn into rugged granite crags which are currently topped by grey cloud.
At 800m, mid-way along Restonica’s accessible length, I pull over amongst a group of mature pines which I consider would appeal to a cone-feeding specialist. Almost immediately after getting out of the car a familiar ‘jip-jip-jip’ call is heard and as I search for the source, a pair of Corsican Common Crossbills L. c. corsicana emerge to fly over my head in typically undulating flight. This species was always going to need such a random encounter and I am delighted to have secured my final important endemic race; I can now relax in the knowledge that I have seen every Corsican bird subspecies which has been mooted as a potential future split.
At this point the first of the morning’s rain commences and as it doesn’t look like ceasing in any great hurry I return to Corte with just a single notebook entry, albeit a good one. It is still raining steadily by the time we are fully stuffed from the wonderful Doc de Padoue breakfast bar, however another advantage of Corte is that its strategic location gives a panoramic view of the surrounding weather conditions. Although the mountains are shrouded in ominously grey cloud, we can see that the east coast still sits under a blue sky, so without further ado we load the car and head towards the sunshine.
Looking at the map, the nearest access to the sea seems to be at the eastern end of the N200, just north of Aleria, so this is our destination, chosen on an absolutely random basis. Leaving the small village of Caterragio, the road runs through coastal vineyards to end in a car park adjacent to a photogenically ramshackle cafe, which has a pirate flag fluttering above it in the sea breeze.
The coarse white sand is all-but deserted as we walk north, parallel to a belt of pines from which dazzling European Bee-Eaters dart, and then past fine coastal maquis heathland which is a sea of blooming colour set off by the dark inland hills beyond. A Hobby hunts above the maquis, while to the northeast the highest peaks of the Italian Alps rise above the nautical horizon in the manner of an isolated rocky island.
Small yachts catch the wind just offshore and further out an immense and gaudily painted Moby Ferry plies a route between France and Italy, as we make the exhilarating three kilometre tide-line walk to the crumbling yellow stones of the Tour de Diane, a Genoese Tower which guards the promontory. Here Vic unfurls her drawing gear and I abandon my ornithological bent in favour of a couple of hours in entomological and herpetological mode!
The coastal maquis contains a wealth of ground level interest, with both Tyrrhenian and Italian Wall Lizards scampering over the sandy tracks in good numbers and a single beautifully marked Green Toad lurking in a more vegetated area. Red-veined Darter, Lesser Emperor and an extremely obliging Southern Emerald Damselfly provide the Odonata buzz, while a striking Geometrician moth is another great prize. The butterflies retain something of a British feel, with Meadow Brown, Common Blue and Clouded Yellow predominating, but the Two-tailed Pasha which lands on my hand in search of salts certainly establishes the Mediterranean theme.
It is getting quite hot as we walk back to the car park, past numerous singing Corn Buntings and Sardinian Warblers, via the beach where the sunbathers are now out in force. Preferring a more remote spot for lunch, we call by the superb Dominici Freres Patisserie in Caterragio and then head inland to secure the perfect picnic site on a shady country lane where Common Nightingale song accompanies our gorgeous French pastries.
In search of more hospitable temperatures we ascend into the foothills, in the general direction of Moita, where butterfly pickings include Wall Brown, Wood White and Brown Argus, plus a wonderful little Pygmy Algyroides lizard which plays hide-and-seek in a small pile of stones; a female dragonfly has to be identified later, from photographs, as a Southern Skimmer. The beautiful song of Common Nightingale is constantly audible up here, along with an occasional Cetti’s Warbler, whilst much-appreciated Red-backed Shrikes hunt from roadside wires.
Leaving behind the farmland, vineyards and citrus groves of the flat coastal plain, we climb through maquis, oak forest and then in the shade of huge Sweet Chestnut trees. Periodic stops for sketching and photography add Corsican Heath and Green Underside Blue butterflies, plus Pale Shoulder moth. We work our way west through the tiny hamlets of Tox, Campi, Novale and Cozzi, on a narrow and sharply winding road which gives breathtaking views over the deep forested valleys. Each hamlet seems to be constructed on a rocky spur and consists of a group of huge, four-storey houses with slate roofs and shuttered windows. Render is cracked and paintwork peeling, but it all adds to the atmosphere and numerous terracotta pots filled with bright geraniums add a splash of colour to doorways and balconies. Every settlement also has an obligatory grey church, whose spire dominates the scene, with an open belfry, clock on one face and a crowning crucifix.
We eventually join the main D71 to travel more rapidly onwards through Piedicroce and Morosaglia, with the road nearing the 1000m mark at one point, to skim through pines, before descending into picturesque open juniper forest. The rich landscape and culture of these Corsican foothills really is a true hidden gem and although the road is a little slow and tiresome it has to be one of the most scenic on the Island and is well worth the effort.
Tonight’s U Museu dining experience comes a little late after the rigours of our winding journey, but it merely serves to make the food and wine more tasty than ever as we dine to the familiar sound of screaming Common Swifts.
Thursday 9th June
The Lonely Planet says that the walk to Lac de Melo is the most popular in the whole of Corsica, and one of the most visually appealing. My pre-breakfast outing, under a clear and deep blue sky susses out the car park at the head of the Restonica Valley, from which the walk commences; it gives wonderful views up to the pine clad light grey granite peaks and pockets of stark white snow beyond. The car park contains just a single car and a very friendly Labrador, though the wind has really whipped up and the only notable bird of the whole visit is a White-throated Dipper on the turbulent waters of the Restonica River.
A hearty breakfast is consumed in anticipation of our mountaineering rigours and we head back up the Restonica Valley to sample the fresh mountain air. We soon realise that we are not the only people with the same idea, but are quite unprepared to find the previously empty car park lined with around 200 cars! Parking attendants squeeze us into a tight parking slot to maximise the somewhat limited area, and although we are rather uncomfortable with the crowds we set off up the trail as we have just paid 5 Euros parking fee!
Following the narrow pathway we find ourselves in a long snaking line of sightseers, all moving at the same pace, and although the scenery is very impressive the crowd situation is clearly ridiculous and after just 200m we call it quits and return to the car. Things have no doubt been made a little worse by the two previous days of bad weather, but unless you enjoy your fresh air shared with hundreds of others our advice is to leave this major tourist attraction well alone.
The drive back down the valley is horrendous, with constant roadblocks and disputes as drivers struggle to negotiate the narrow road, while another frustrating feature of the site is found to be a serious lack of parking spaces and trails to access other sections of the valley. Eventually, at the 1000m mark we manage to squeeze into a parking space close to the Monte Rotondu Trail which I had spied on my reconnaissance trip.
Heading uphill on a wide and well maintained path, which leads through some fine mature Corsican Pines, the sounds of the congested road are soon lost to the babbling brook which runs beside our route. Wood Whites and Wall Browns trip through the dappled light, but try as I might no response is heard to the Corsican Nuthatch recording. My background reading has revealed that the Restonica Valley is not the easiest place to find this species and I am actually in the process of telling Vic what a poor birding site I think the area is when she asks ‘what is the bird above your head?’
It is, of course, a Corsican Nuthatch which has dropped in silently and I have to eat my words! This fellow is no ordinary Corsican Nuthatch, however, he is the one-bird-in-ten which really does respond to playback. The little dazzler proceeds to circle us at head height, presenting himself on every available branch, stump and pine needle clump to allow jaw-dropping views of one of Europe’s most charismatic birds and the most amazing series of photographic images to be procured.
With a certain spring in the step we ascent three or four hundred metres on the deserted trail, to be rewarded with some fantastic views through the forest to the valley below. Having completed our walk in glorious solitude, we return to the car and beat a hasty retreat from Restonica, heading south on the N193 to introduce Victoria to some of the discoveries I made a couple of days earlier.
Parking in the lay-by overlooking Fort de Pasciolo, under a blue sky which is devoid of cloud, the incredible panorama is captured in sketchbook and camera memory card. I chase Marmora’s Warblers and Woodlarks while Vic sketches, also bumping into the only Red-legged Partridge of the trip; I guess the local hunters have a hand in this bird’s scarcity?
Butterflies encountered include both Corsican and Common Heath and Wall Brown, with Stonechat also being particularly abundant in the area. With drawings and photography complete we make the relatively short walk to the hilltop site of the Fort de Pasciolo ruins, whose crumbling outline dominates the area. From the promontory on which the Fort is constructed the 360 degree panorama of Corsican mountains and valleys is stunning and this atmospheric site gets the vote of one of our favourites on the whole island.
Back in Corte, U Museu has become something of a home-from-home and after dining we bid the friendly staff a fond farewell before making a tour of the higher section of the citadel and then retiring for an early night.
Friday 10th June
Although Vic has toured much of the historic town in her pre-breakfast drawing visits, I have rather neglected Corte so today we both set out early to walk the streets in the bright sunshine and capture some shots of life in the island’s ancient capital. As we stroll the narrow, cobbled streets in the shadow of the fairy-tale outline of the towering citadel, fascinating detail is picked out at every turn of the route. Wrought-iron balcony rails with perched pigeons and blooming geraniums; rickety window shutters in delicate pastel shades; faded advertising murals and crumbling render; brightly coloured washing below high-level lines. Old ladies clad in traditional black attire collect arms full of French sticks, still warm from the bakery, and huddles of flat-capped men sip strong breakfast coffee outside early-opening cafes. Corte really is a wonderful spot to spend a few days and we will miss its charm.
Today we have a late afternoon ferry crossing back to Sardinia, so after breakfast we stack up the little Fiat Panda and start a steady journey south, via the east coast. As the Tour de Diane area is another of our established favourites, this seaside spot becomes the first port of call. Vic elects for some shaded reading while I wander the maquis, where Marsh Harrier and European Bee-Eater hunt, Turtle Doves purr and numerous Common Nightingales serenade.
Many butterflies are on the wing in the strong sunshine, including Small Heath, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Clouded Yellow, Wall Brown and the only Mallow Skipper of the trip. The highlights are again a number of splendid Two-tailed Pashas, which seem to be defending their maquis territories and periodically settle down to allow close photographic approach.
We can’t leave without another walk along the crashing surf, on the coarse warm sand, before we head back inland for another raid on the superb Dominici Freres Patisserie in Caterragio. Following the coast road south, a convenient shaded stream-side spot is chosen for a lunchtime picnic, where the clear waters are alive with very vocal and highly attractive Italian Pool Frogs, several of which are in the throes of mating.
A flyover Eurasian Sparrowhawk A. n. wolferstorffi is the only notable bird on the journey down to Bastia, on the southern tip of the island, where we join the rapidly growing Moby Ferry queue. We then have some time to admire the historic clifftop architecture, a huge collection of luxurious modern yachts and some very approachable Yellow-legged Gulls, as the coaches and touring motorcycles gather on the quayside.
Presently the Moby whale hauls up at its docking point to open up gaping jaws and disgorge a cargo of vehicles. This time the tightness of the filling of the return cargo has to be seen to be believed; hardly a thickness of paint is left between the cars as they are squeezed together in the hold, with wing mirrors folded. Vehicles are packed so tightly that the drivers need to disembark in strict sequence before all means of exit is barred by the arrival of the next incoming vehicle!
The excitement of the outbound ferry crossing is always going to be a tough act to follow, and from the comfort of our top deck seats we clock up slightly more Yelkouan Shearwaters than on the previous crossing, but just a single Scopoli’s, with birds now ‘shearing’ high above the waves in a strong breeze; it is apparent that the latest possible daylight crossings are the ones which reap the best rewards in terms of seabirds. The Bonifacio to Santa Teresa crossing is very enjoyable in its own right, however, providing some great views of the towns at either end, plus impressive coastline and offshore islands in the intervening period.
In the little town of Santa Teresa di Gallura we navigate through the tight grid of identical streets to find our pre-booked Hotel L’Ancora (http://www.hotellancora.it/index1.html). This establishment proves to be a great choice, with spacious well-equipped rooms and a huge, scrumptious Italian breakfast, all for the princely sum of 50 Euros for a double. The proprietor even speaks good English, which proves to be quite a novelty in these parts, and tells us of an alternative route back to Alhergo which will cut an hour off our trip the following morning.
With a couple of hours daylight to spare we are keen to see a small slice of Sardinia and head rapidly towards the Capo Testa headland, another site selected in advance with the aid of the amazing Google Earth remote exploration facilities. Just ten minutes drive from the hotel, we find the area to be a wonderfully scenic nature reserve, complete with interpretation boards and marked paths. From Capo Testa there are impressive views along the northern and western coastlines, and across the water to Corsica.
Victoria settles down with her sketchpad to capture the picturesque lighthouse view and I set off through the maquis and towering granite rock formations to see what goodies I can locate. I don’t have to wait long for the bird-of-the-day, when a fantastic light phase Eleanora’s Falcon rides up above the rocks on an updraft as it seeks an opportunity to surprise one of the many Crag Martins feeding in the area. Sadly the views are all too brief and although the bird makes another quick appearance I am left with a feeling of wanting much more of this supremely elegant raptor.
Sardinian Warblers are unsurprisingly the most common bird of the maquis, which hosts a good smattering of Cirl Buntings, Blue Rock Thrushes and Dartford Warblers. At a lower level a Corsican Heath is something of a surprise, until I later read that the species occurs on both Corsica and Sardinia! Our time at Capo Testa is concluded with a walk around the headland path, below which both Yelkouan and Scopoli’s Shearwaters are now passing, as we take a final farewell look at the impressive dark peaks of the distant Corsican mountains.
After a quick wash and brush-up, in anticipation of our last night out, we hit the streets of Santa Teresa, in search of a suitably memorable restaurant. The Pappa e Ciccia Pizzeria and Trattoria is the one which is bustling with local trade, so we join forces with the masses in what turns out to be the most enjoyable dining experience of the whole holiday. We are embarrassingly unprepared for our exposure to the Italian language, but the wonderfully warm and attentive staff ease us through the menu with a few words of English, to allow us to dine on seafood which is heaven sent!
After eating we venture onwards into the centre of the lively little town, where we find a local carnival to be in full swing. There is a live accordion player, dancing, food and drinks all in the main town square and we enjoy the Italian spirit to the full, getting to bed rather late and after a little too much red wine.
Saturday 11th June
My final hour of birding of the holiday is carried out pre-breakfast in the coastal maquis at Sentiero Natura (Italian for ‘nature path’), a protected area just west of Santa Teresa town. Here trails lead through some excellent habitat, where Sardinian Warblers are abundant and I discover a thriving population of Barbary Partridges, a bird otherwise restricted to North Africa. Much calling is noted, with at least five individuals being seen. And very handsome birds they are too!
I return to the Hotel L’Ancora at the same time as the bakery is delivering fresh bread and cakes, and very soon we are tucking into a wonderful, if highly calorific, Italian breakfast. With bags packed for the last time we load up the car, this time taking the S90 along the northwestern coast, on the advice of the hotel proprietor. This alternative route proves to be a great move, with a much faster road and also some fantastic scenery to keep the journey interesting.
In the vicinity of the coast the natural habitat is largely untouched, and we speed though endless maquis-covered hills, though sadly have no chance to enjoy them as we would like, due to our impending flight. The occasional clumps of coastal pine forest look just as enticing, as does the ruggedly beautiful coastline, which really serves to fuel our desire to return to this beautiful isle with a little more time on our hands.
BMI Baby whisk us home with great punctuality to end what has been a superbly enjoyable trip around the delights of the Central Mediterranean which, for the record, has covered a tad over 1500km. Corsica is a fantastic island destination and really does have something to please every taste, plus a fine set of special birds which are all relatively easy to locate. Sardinia, meanwhile, has given us just a tempting insight into Mediterranean island life the Italian way and we have already vowed to return and explore in much more detail at a future date.
Ian Merrill
July 2011