Corsica - 27^th August - 10^th September 2006 

by Ben Macdonald

Introduction 

Corsica is principally an island of stunning scenery but few birds. Quality, specialist birds exist but require good site knowledge and the vast majority of sightings were made early morning or evening time. Over two weeks we connected with nearly all our target species, but be prepared for long, bird-less hours in between, especially in late summer. Flora aside, Corsica is an unbelievable place and a photographic paradise.  

Logistics 

Driving in Corsica takes much more time than maps suggest, so it is much less feasible to “site-hop” than on other Mediterranean islands due to the nature of the roads. We used the Michelin 1:150,000 mapping series, though a slightly smaller scale would have been better-suited. Randonées are not well-marked, despite the GR20 being one of Europe’s best-known trails, we suspect most walkers make it up as they go along.  

Key Sites in Corsica

There are many potentially good sites on the island, but here are those which we found most productive, or which offer good chances of the island’s specialities. Common avifauna is limited, but abundant island birds of interest to the British birder include Red Kite, Sardinian Warbler, Hooded Crow, Spotless Starling and Serin. 

1. Gorges de la Restonica 

In our opinion the number one site for mountain species, with a backdrop of breath-taking scenery. Access is off the N193 at Corte; follow signs for Restonica and take the D623 up the valley. From top to bottom:  

Lac de Capitello at 1700m is the number one site on the island for Alpine Accentor in the spring. These were not present on our trip but tame flocks of Corsican Citril Finch and Alpine Chough were observed. Note that two hard-going climbs are required. 

The Berg de Grotello is the furthest point to be reached by car and probably one of the two best sites on the island for mountain raptors. Both Golden Eagle and Lammergeier were seen here in the evening, after the heat of the day. 

Tuani is a tiny camping-restaurant complex approximately half-way up the valley, on your left if you are going up. The mature Corsican Pines around the river and bridge hold at least two pairs of Corsican Nuthatch, which were extremely active in the evening. Other key sites for this species are the Col de Sorba & Foret D'Aitone. 

2. Asco Valley

Access is via the long and tortuous D147 off the N197, just N of Ponte Leccia. Allow at least 1½ hours to reach the top of the valley.

Haut-Asco at the head of the valley is another traditional site for both endemics. We encountered several Corsican Nuthatch by walking straight up the valley for 200m from the car park to where you reach the most mature pines. Raptors are likely here.  

6km below Haut Asco is a very narrow river bridge. Park up and look up the valley to an obvious rock pinnacle, which local birders inform us is a regular perch for Lammergeier. Almost any stop within the valley is guaranteed to produce Crag Martin. Doubtless a number of other mountain species could be seen in the valley in Spring. 

The orchards and farmland within a few miles of the N197 hold a good number of butterflies including Cardinal and Swallowtail. 

3. Étang de Biguglia 

Rather disappointing on our visit, though Audouin's Gull should be seen amid the gull flock at the north end of the lake, best viewed from the D107 just N of La Marana. Fan-tailed Warbler was common. Moustached Warbler is a regular visitor here though generally later in the year. A huge lake, with great potential for birds on passage. 

4. Étang d’Urbino

One of a series of promising lakes around Aleria on the east coast. Access is via an un-mapped road which leads down the central peninsula, signposted off the N198. This is probably the best site for large waterbirds in Corsica, with Greater Flamingo on passage and good numbers of egrets.  

5. Col de Bavella 

Another site for mountain birdlife, though during our visit we found this an excellent site for endemic butterfly species, with good numbers of Corsican Heath and Corsican Grayling as well as Cardinal, Southern Grayling and "Mediterranean" Wall Brown (L.m. paramagaera). The Corsican race of Crossbill was common here.  

6. Farmland around Figari 

A small oasis of lush farmland NE of Bonifacio, accessed off the D859, with good concentrations of passerines - something quite rare on this island. Individual birds of note included Hoopoe and, more surprisingly, Hawfinch. 

7. The Bonifacio Area

By far the most exciting birding area on the island, especially as Mediterranean migration was underway at this time. A number of sites, all easily accessible, offer "proper" birding with a good variety of species. Our visit coincided with an amazing movement of Bee-eaters, with up to 500 passing over our villa daily. Other highlights include the full range of Sylvia warblers and daily sightings of the spectacular Two-tailed Pasha butterfly. 

In order of priority:  

The Pertusadu Lighthouse is accessed off the D58 out of Bonifacio. Leaving the town, the road forks - take the D260 and continue to park at the customs building on the cliff. Walk across the scrub to the lighthouse. Dartford, Subalpine and Marmora's Warblers all occur, especially around the lighthouse itself. Alpine and Pallid Swifts are possible overhead, while other migrants could include Red-footed or Eleonora's Falcons with Cory’s Shearwater offshore. An excellent place to start.  

The D60 from the N196 runs through the maquis and is an excellent place to find the Sylvia species. We had several of each calling, and stunning views of at least one male Marmora's Warbler. Woodlark is also present here. Park opposite the two gas cylinders about 1500m from the N196 and walk across the scrub on your left.  

Bonifacio itself is an excellent site. Blue Rock Thrush nest on the battlement walls and Rock Sparrow are present in the citadel itself, though we only heard them. Spanish Sparrow are present in small numbers in the gardens of the harbour car park and can be easily picked out from the local Italian jobs.  

Daily Summaries

27.8.06: Étang de Biguglia to L’Ile Rousse

Arriving in a pleasant 27ºC, we left Bastia Airport and drove towards Étang de Biguglia, noting our first Red Kites, Hooded Crows and several flocks of Spotless Starling. Finding “clear” areas to observe the lake was difficult, but a stop at Pineto produced song-flighting Fan-tailed Warbler and calling Cetti’s Warbler, but the lake itself only yielded a single Black-necked Grebe in summer moult, Little Egret, Yellow-legged Gull, and a distant view of the Corsican race of Sparrowhawk (wolterstorffi). We drove up the D107, stopping north of La Marana, where after a little searching we found a smart adult Audouin's Gull amid the large numbers of other gulls.  

The drive to Ile Rousse was uneventful, the skies clear of the usual range of raptors you might expect in a foreign country. On arrival at our villa in Monticello, we observed several more Red Kite and a brief Sardinian Warbler. In the evening, Dad was gently menaced by a Hummingbird Hawk-moth as it fed close to his ears.

28.8.06: Monticello and Asco Valley

An early morning walk provided some garden Sardinian Warblers, a singing Cirl Bunting, a flyover Fan-tailed Warbler, Spotless Starlings, a flock of twenty Serins and a profusion of Spotted Flycatchers (tyrrhenica). This species was amazingly abundant on the island throughout so won’t be mentioned again. In addition, we observed “Italian” Sparrow and the Corsican races of Blue Tit and Great Tit. A Lang's Short-tailed Blue butterfly was a welcome lifer before we left the villa (pic below). 

Several Red Kite and some very large Buzzards of the race arrigonii were noted as we entered the Asco Valley. A stop approximately 3km into the valley in arid farmland produced a juvenile Red-backed Shrike, Ravens and a frustrating fly-over Corsican Citril Finch, which has a diagnostic one-note flight call and is canary yellow-green when seen from below. Butterflies were well-represented with a colony of impressive Cardinal, Green-underside Blue, Silver-studded Blue and Swallowtail.  

The spectacular scenery within the narrow gorge provided only Crag Martins and our first Corsican Grayling butterfly despite numerous stops, and it was 3pm when we eventually reached Haut Asco. The skies were once again quiet and local birders informed us that the "Gypaéte", or Lammergeier, does not fly during the heat of the day here. A walk up towards the most ancient Corsican pines immediately produced calling Corsican Nuthatch (a very distinctive call like a whistle being blown in slow motion) but views were terrible against the sun and we soon had to leave the site. We also recorded the local race of Great-spotted Woodpecker (parroti). 

29.8.06: Walk from Monticello to St. Reparata to St Antonino

After howling winds all night, the morning got off to a better start with a pale-phase adult Eleonora's Flacon in off the sea, being mobbed for a minute or so before leaving. 

We began a walk up towards the convent of St. Reparata, when we first noticed an interesting raptor, and realised to our amazement that it was a Lesser Kestrel. Over the next two hours we observed at least one pair of these birds, and wondered, what with Corsica's lack of birders, whether they could have been an overlooked breeding pair. They made sorties from suitable ruined buildings, catching insects on the wing with great agility. A Swallowtail showed well here (pic below).

30.8.06: Pointe de la Ravellata, Calvi 

A brief Two-tailed Pasha flew past the car here, but otherwise quiet. 

31.8.06: Forêt de Bonifato  

Two more Two-tailed Pasha butterflies flew past the car as we made our way inland from Calvi to start a walk in the forest. In a day’s walking, the island’s lack of overall bird numbers or species really kicked in - we recorded single Firecrest and a juvenile Crossbill (corsicana). Singles of Corsican Grayling and the attractive Southern Grayling were also seen. The theft of my beloved Nikon Coolpix 990 didn’t improve the day.  

1.9.06: Gorges de la Restonica     

The moment we cleared August, the birding picked up. Arriving at the Bergerie de Grotello at the head of the valley at 11:00, we soon found a very vocal "Corsican" Wren. At the Lac de Melo, thousands of Hirundines including both Crag and Sand Martins were on the wing, and a Wheatear was also noted. 

Having regained my breath I got up to the Lac de Capitello in under half an hour, where the birding immediately picked up, with five Alpine Choughs taking bread a few feet away. Best of all were a cracking flock of very confiding Corsican Citril Finches. A first for the island, I was twitched by at least thirty of these birds, showing well before I eventually moved off downhill. I was last seen heading for the bar at the bottom and was not subsequently relocated.  

At 6pm, scanning for raptors at the car park finally paid off when a cracking sub-adult Golden Eagle glided down the mountainside. Sadly, I had just picked up the distant but unmistakable, drooping silhouette of a Lammergeier when it disappeared from view. 

Our first stop  for nuthatch drew a blank, but two adult Short-toed Eagles passing overhead were good to see. We then pulled in at Tuani further down the valley and immediately heard, then saw, a Corsican Nuthatch frequenting the very tops of the trees. It soon became more active and made flycatcher-like forays to a favoured cone. Soon it was joined by a female and, over the next half hour, the pair gave stunning views to five metres, commuting from the pines to a dead tree where they appeared to store the seeds they had extracted. A very attractive bird.  

2.9.06: Reserve Naturelle de Scandola  

Today was notable for its volcanic formations and the wonderful sight of Osprey nests sitting on top of them. The birds themselves would certainly have been appreciated, but the nests weren’t unattractive. A cracking Audouin’s Gull flew past, but the highlight was the sight of two Mouflon standing proud on a high precipice. For the Ospreys an earlier boat visit, from Calvi, would be needed and well worth it.  

3.9.06: Étang d’Urbino; Calzarello & Bonifatio

An good day’s birding today saw us move from our villa in the North to one in Bonifatio, via some wetlands on the East coast. A stop at Étang d’Urbino mid-way was the most productive, with a Greater Flamingo feeding in the shallows, a vast Great White Egret amid many Little Egret, a Marsh Harrier and a probable Whiskered Tern. We also encountered a field of Long-tailed Blue butterflies and a Clouded Yellow.  

At Calzarello, at the end of the D244, we immediately heard the amazing call of Bee-eaters and soon found five birds catching insects from a tree. Sadly these were nearly all juveniles but they heralded a mass migration of these colourful birds. A juvenile "Balearic" Woodchat Shrike shared the same tree.  

Arriving at our villa in the evening, a walk overlooking distant Bonifatio produced at least three long-range Alpine Swifts and a huge number of juvenile Cirl Buntings.  

4.9.06: Capo Pertusadu, Villa near Bonifatio  

Together with Restonica, our only really excellent day’s birding. We arrived at the headland at the end of the D260 early morning to find a flock of at least sixty Bee-eaters migrating high overhead. As we walked towards the lighthouse, we got the bird of the holiday for us - a cracking dark-phase adult Red-footed Falcon flying right past us for about ten seconds. Out at the Pertusadu lighthouse, a range of different Sylvia were calling. The first one I finally saw was a Dartford Warbler, but soon we also picked up a female Subalpine Warbler while Dad had a male. Several juveniles complicated things, and several Sardinian Warblers popped up. Suddenly, an "all grey Dartford" popped up in the scope and I just realised I had a Marmora’s Warbler when it went down. Returning satisfied to the car, we didn’t get far before a territorial male Two-tailed Pasha soon asserted his presence, allowing some good photo opportunities (pic below).

The Villa provided some typical Med birds this afternoon, the best one being a class Hoopoe that flapped slowly down the adjoining road after being startled, and two Pallid Swifts over the pool, in the company of several flocks of Bee-eaters. After dusk in Bonifatio, Alpine Swifts could be heard calling high over the old barracks but were too high to see.  

5.9.06: Capo Pertusadu, Villa and Bonifatio

We returned to the lighthouse this morning to gain stunning views of a female Marmora's Warbler as it performed in the open for nearly twenty minutes. At least one Pallid Swift went over, and hundreds of Bee-eaters were calling, most too high up to see. Back at the villa, we noted Two-tailed Pasha and Swallowtail.  

In the evening at the fortifications at the very tip of Bonifatio, I eventually located a rather dopey juvenile Blue Rock Thrush as it sat on the battlement walls.  

6.9.06:  Ile de Lavezzi, Bonifatio, Villa & Plaza de St Amanza

A boat trip to the Ile de Lavezzi was incredibly quiet with not a single shearwater seen, despite the fact that nearly four thousand Yelkouan Shearwater breed around the island. All we got was a juvenile Audouin's Gull on a rock.  

Back in Bonifatio, we were lucky enough to locate a genuine Spanish Sparrow in the harbour car park amid a flock; despite lacking its full summer plumage, the breast streaking and richer head markings are characteristic. A Peregrine was also noted.  

Back at the Villa, over 100 Bee-eaters passed at 10:30am, with the next highest count of eighty over the pool at 3pm and many others flocks, often totally fifty birds each.  

In the evening at Plaza St. Amanza off the D58, a cracking Eleonora's Falcon came flying right overhead on extraordinarily fast wingbeats.  

7.9.06: Bocca di a Testa, Figari and Villa   

A morning walk off the N196 produced a Southern White Admiral and Bee-eaters.  

After shopping in Figari we thought we might check out the airport area for Rock Sparrow. Repelled by the thought of arrest for suspected terrorist surveillance, we settled for birding a nearby orchard where we found a large number of Serin, Italian Sparrow, Sardinian Warbler, Cirl Bunting and singles of Hoopoe and Hawfinch. 

At the Villa early evening, a cracking Firecrest frequented the trees and some particularly showy Bee-eaters caught insects over the wires.   

8.9.06: The D60, the D368 near Ospedale, Col de Bavella, Villa 

After watching some settled Bee-eaters and Cirl Buntings at the Villa, we stopped on the D60 and walked into the maquis. The mammal highlight of the trip came when we startled a family of Wild Boar including a very vocal mother, which gave good views as they fortunately ran in the other direction. All four Sylvia warblers were calling in number but sadly we only stayed long enough to see a cracking male Marmora’s Warbler singing away right next to us and a female Black Redstart.  

A roadside stop near Ospedale produced a huge flock of 'Corsican' Crossbill, which are particularly stocky and with powerful bills. We also had another look at Corsican Citril Finches as they fed nearby.  

At Zonza we noted a Geranium Bronze and a Great Banded Grayling before moving onto the Col de Bavella, where butterflies included Swallowtail, many Cardinal, many Corsican Grayling (pic 1 below), Southern Grayling (pic 2 below), and several Corsican Heath (pic 3 below). Sadly the flight period of the Corsican Swallowtail ends in July, but this can be found on Sardinia.

Back at the villa we observed a single flock of 150 Bee-eaters, nearly all juveniles, and heard our first Scops Owl of the holiday as it called half-heartedly near the pool.  

9.9.06: Capo Pertusadu

After a largely non-birding day, we decided to try the Cap once more in the hope of shearwaters. After two hours fruitless searching, I eventually picked out some mind-blowingly distant Cory's Shearwaters passing by way out to sea. 

10.9.06: The N200 at Aléria

On the journey to the airport, a brief stop at the end of the N200 failed to produce any Rock Sparrows in the car park, a favoured spot for them, but a cracking Osprey flew past providing a good end to the holiday.