Good period, as usual, to go birdwatching in late summer in the Po Delta, NE Italy. Alessio Farioli reported a Roller family (2 adults with 2 youngs) near Comacchio on 20th August, while Roberto Sauli counted near Ortazzo 30 Purple Herons ascending from a reed bed one after another to migrate (21th). Alessio Farioli found a juv. Lanner Falcon at the Comacchio salina (22th) and 3.000+ Flamingos, 3 young Glossy Ibises, 100+ Pygmy Cormorants, 100+ Marsh Sandpipers, 200+ Black-tailed Godwits, 200+ Avocets, Spotted Redshanks, Ruffs, Gull-billed Terns, Bee Eaters at Boscoforte (23th), besides Sandwich, Common, Little and Black Terns, Slender-billed and Mediterranean Gulls and 6 Caspian Terns at the Comacchio salina. An African Spoonbill was found at Valle Mandriole. Finally, this is a report of a short trip of mine on yesterday 24th in the N Delta. At Gorino: Bee Eaters in migration, a Squacco Heron, 100+ Cattle Egrets, 10+ Purple Herons, 1,000+ Mediterranean Gulls. . At Goro a Caspian Tern flying to the bay. At Scardovari bay: Cormorants and Shags, 140 Oystercatchers, a Bar-tailed Godwit in summer plumage, 50+ Grey Plovers, a Turnstone, some Curlews, 2 Green Sandpipers, some Montagu's and Marsh Harriers, some Red-backed Shrikes and Zitting Cisticolas, 50+ Purple Herons, 30+ Great Egrets, 50+ Little Egrets, 600+ Cattle Egrets, 30+ Black Terns and a Kentish Plover. At Boccasette: 25 Pygmy Cormorants, 50+ Little Grebes, a Greenshank, Common, Little, Sandwich and Black terns chased by 2 Parasitic Skuas, some Dunlins and Little Stints, Montagu's Harrier, Shelducks, Gadwalls, 100+ Avocets, Night Herons, Black-winged Stilts, Yellow Wagtails, Great Reed and Reed Warblers. At Po di Maistra: 500+ Pygmy Cormorants in two roost sites, together with Night Herons, Squacco Herons, Great and Little Egrets. At Scanarello 10 Red-backed Shrikes on telephone wires. Finally, at Ca' Pisani: 300+ Flamingos, 8 young Spoonbills and a flock of migrating Bee Eaters.

Photos courtesy of Roberto Sauli (Pygmy Cormorant) and Daniele Comin (Purple Heron)