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.
A couple of pictuers in my blog:
http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/birdingitalynet/
Cheers
What a roll call. Sounds like you missed quite a few birds whilst you were at the Birdfair.
From you report it appears a truly wonderful place to visit. Who knows Mallorca may get a miss from us next year.
Marmot, take my advice and skip Mallorca! I've been to the Po Delta in winter, wasn't as lively as later in the year, but the area offers superb birding and I can really recommend Menotti as a guide.