As in previous years, we went to the Mezzano (Comacchio) to see the cranes again.
Weather forecast: Sun and clouds. Real situation overcast sky and constant heavy haze throughout the day. Difficult to see and photograph the Cranes from afar since they cannot be approached otherwise they will fly away.
In Mezzano, as always in this season, there are many Buzzards that spend the winter. Here’s one for a change.
Obviously the Cranes must be searched for as they are constantly on the move. We slowly go around the dirt roads to check the area well as it is difficult to see in the distance, in the heavy haze, gray or white birds if they are young, even if they are large in size like the Cranes. We are lucky because Luciana, good at noticing even the smallest detail, sees a group of about fifty individuals in the distance.
We approach slowly, very slowly, but almost immediately they begin to take off. It often happens because they have more than one individual alerting the group.
We have to give up because they all get up. However, the distance was considerable. Let’s go back to rolling.
We meet one of the many Kestrels, many are female.
We search all the places we had seen them in the past years but nothing, none of them. We still meet some Buzzards.
Many run away as soon as I stop the car, like this one, but…..
….. to our surprise there were two, one very courageous and well camouflaged remained on the tree allowing us to move the car to see where it was visible for the photo.
Here she is, now we see her clearly, once the photo is done we remove the disturbance while she remains calm in her position.
CRANES disappeared!
We meet some Starlings feeding together with a small group of Lapwings.
Lapwings
Starling
Stonechat
then it’s the turn of a Stonechat, female of 1st winter (thanks to Vittorio Fanelli for the identification).
Golfinch
now that of the Goldfinch
NO CRANES.
Now is the Stonechat again to be seen. Always nice to see it.
Stonechat
Finally we meet two cranes. cheers.
Rather than nothing is better rather. There are others running but not the group. We see them flying, always far away to take some decent photos.
the last ones that leave and then disappear.
We decide to leave the Mezzano and catch the low tide of 14.30 hrs at the Scardovari inlet hoping to meet some waders. A strong tidal range is expected. We find the tide but not the waders, there were some Dunlins but very far from the shore.
What’s now? Small tour of the dams. A Yellow legged Gull and a Pigmy Cormorant.
Kingfisher
Then comes the Marsh Harrier female, hunting over the reeds. She is beautiful, elegant, the Landlady.
We decide to leave Santa Giulia, we have an appointment with Pippa, one of the best fishermen in Chioggia, who had called us in the morning because he had caught the Soles and kept about 20 kilos for us. The fish is caught at sea outside Chioggia and delivered to us still alive.
But the Delta always reserves surprises. Along the road, as soon as we leave the Sacca, we meet the Marsh Harrier female here below, obviously not the same as before, and we have quite a good time.
We made up for the lack of Cranes. Rather than nothing, is better a Marsh Harrier; or rather two, is better.
