Mouth of the Sarca river

Finally yesterday, also considering the favorable weather forecast, after months we returned to Riva del Garda.

Torbole sul Garda – There are no poles for everyone

In Riva del Garda lives Mr. Roberto Boscaini, a Birder enthusiast of waterfowl, with whom, thanks to Vittorio Fanelli, a common friend, we got in touch on November 24, 2020 starting a discreet exchange of messages via Whatsapp, without ever meeting him personally due to Covid19 and our free time. We understood from the beginning that he was a competent and passionate guy like us in this hobby, it was easy to understand each other.

Yesterday, due to a trivial delay in departure and a naive exit from the motorway to look for a pastry shop where to drink a good coffee and eat a good dessert, we arrived in Torbole at 11.30, very late to have a good light for photo, Mea culpa.

We took a toast and loitered, making some encounters of very common species in the area of the mouth of the Sarca river.

White Wagtail – Motacilla Alba

Grey Wagtail- Motacilla Cinerea

Mallard – Anas Platyrhynchos

Mallard – Anas Platyrhynchos

Mallard – Anas Platyrhynchos

House Sparrow – Passer domesticus

Finally after lunch we meet Roberto Boscaini!

Note that after a year of texting with Roberto we hadn’t even heard from each other on the phone!

An exquisite person puts himself at our disposal (thank you) and we go up the river leaving the mouth out because we had ascertained that there was not what we were looking for.

Our goal was to see and obviously photograph the Goosander and the Dipper.

As always, for good luck, I repeat to myself that surely we will not find anything because birds are animals that move quickly from one place to another unlike a cow and therefore you must be lucky that they are there, then to see them and finally that the subject is still for the time you need to photograph it.

During our walk we notice that the place is very nice and quiet, moreover the conversation with Roberto is pleasant as a cultured and intelligent person. He guides us to the power plant where we meet the first Goosander.

Goosander – Mergus merganserThe Goosander was quiet in the rear Power Plant basin and starts moving as soon as it sees us. In the photo above it is clear that he is watching us in fear.

Goosander – Mergus merganser

The poor animal carries a hook tucked under its beak as shown above. This is the reason for this terror.

Goosander – Mergus merganser

Obviously approaching us, carried by the strong water current, he begins to escape.

Goosander – Mergus merganser

Surely he is not able to take off his hook and he certainly does not have a social life and remains alone. Poor animal. Congratulations to the fisherman, I just call him fisherman!

We continue. Roberto sees the Dipper.

Dipper – Cinclus cinclus

The light is poor in the river bed and the vegetation is dark so with small subjects the photos are unclear. I hadn’t taken into account that we were practically in the mountains.

Dipper – Cinclus cinclus

Dipper – Cinclus cinclus

Dipper – Cinclus cinclus

Dipper – Cinclus cinclus

Dipper – Cinclus cinclus

We continue along the river and again upstream we find a pair of Goosanders.

Goosander – Mergus merganser

In the end we count five females and two males and enjoy observing their social life.

Goosander – Mergus merganser

Goosander – Mergus merganser

Goosander – Mergus merganser

Goosander – Mergus merganser

Seeing them from a distance I was convinced that the body feathers were white but from what we can see they are light cream.

Goosander – Mergus merganser

Who is the first?

Goosander – Mergus merganser

The males are confronting to show the females their power.

Goosander – Mergus merganser

Goosander – Mergus merganser

They do it like a dance, not a real war.

Goosander – Mergus merganser

The female is bored, every day these males have to prove their strength. Boring.

Goosander – Mergus merganser

Goosander – Mergus merganser

Goosander – Mergus merganser

Goosander – Mergus merganser

Ducks are known to sleep during the day and are more active at night.

Goosander – Mergus merganser

Goosander – Mergus merganser

Target achieved, thank you very much Roberto.

We return home unhurriedly, happy for the beautiful day. I would like to photograph the Kite. Who