A total of 40 participants gathered in the Po Delta, NE Italy fot two days of birdwatching and bird-photographing. In spite of some fog troubles, a lot of interesting species was observed. The main ones were: Flamingo, Shag, Black-necked Grebe, Red-breasted Merganser, Shelduck, Slender-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Knot, Turnstone, Oystercatcher, Little Stint, Kentish Plover, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Curlew, Dunslin, Sanderling, Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier an a Long-eared Owl roost of more than 50.

The picture shows an hybrid African Spoonbill (Platalea alba) X Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus), taken recently in the bird sanctuary of Punte Alberete, Ravenna, NE Italy. The sanctuary host a huge colony of herons, egrets, spoonbills, ibis and cormorants. Both African Spoonbill and Sacred Ibis are breeding in the colony. An hybrid Eurasian X African Spoonbill was recorder recently there.

Information about ringing in Italy of Sacred Ibis with yellow rings are available here: http://home.scarlet.be/~pin02658/cr-SacredIbis.htm

Photo courtesy of Roberto Zaffi.

References:

The first Arctic Loon for Italy in the season 2008-2009 was recorderd on 1st November 2008 at the Scardovari lagoon, Po Delta NE Italy. Photo courtesy of Marco Crivellari

^{Aldo Tonelli was able to take a picture of a putative hybrid  Eurasian x African Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia x Platalea  alba) at the Canneviè sanctuary, Po Delta, NE Italy on 7th november 2008. Last year a similar hybrid (or the same ?) was photographed in Hungary by Ádám Faragó at Zalavár, Kis-Balaton, Bárándi-víz, on 28th July 2007. Both birds were ringed with an Italian black ring, and were probably born in Valle Mandriole near Ravenna, Po Delta, NE Italy, in a colony where a mixed African x Eurasian Spoonbill pair is well known since 2004. The birds were showing red bare parts on face. Moreover, the dark, and not pinkish legs was pointing to hybrid and not to pure African Spoonbills. A picture of the latter bird are available in this previous post.}

This picture, taken near Albarella, Rovigo, NE Italy, on 1st November 2008 by Alessandra Luponetti, shows part of a flock of more than 2.000 Flamingos gathering to winter in the Po Delta, one of the northernmost wintering site for the species in the world.

1-2 Booted Eagles are regular winter visitors to the Po river Delta. They prefer particularly the areas around the Mesola forest. This pale morph bird was photographed there on 1st November 2008, photos courtesy of Alessandra Luponetti, Marcello Zappaterra and Marco Crivellari (the latter two). Another dark morph bird was recorded there on 3rd November 2008 by Aldo Tonelli.

Shags breed in rocky islands offshore of Croatia and migrate from W to SW to reach the shores of the coast from Trieste to the Po Delta. The southermost feeding area in Italy outside the breeding season is the coastal lagoon of Sacca di Scardovari, the Po Delta, where the picture was taken on 1st November 2008. Photo courtesy of Alfonsodeste.

Ostellato is a village in the Ferrarese countryside. It hosts a diurnal Long-eared Owl roost site. Yesterday 18 Owls were present there at the sunset. A group of about 30 birders gathered there to watch the owls when flying away to the nearest fields. Photos courtesy of Gigi De Carlo.

Here are 3 pictures of two warblers photographed by Antonio Marchitelli in early October 2008 along the River Adda, NW Italy. I’d appreciate any suggestions for identification of the species. Many thanks in advance for commenting.