corsica, france - uclouvain 2003.pdf · - corsica, france - trip report august 1993, 1999 and 2003...
TRANSCRIPT
Introduction Corsica is the 4th largest Mediterranean island with a total surface area of 8722 km2. Most of the island is rugged and mountainous, cut by many gorges, ravines and valleys. The highest peak is Monte Cinto. It reaches 2710 m above sea level. In many parts Corsica is covered by the famous macchia. In the more remote parts, pine forests still occur. In flatter areas, heavy agriculture is predominant. This report combines observations made during three different trips in August (1993, 1999 and 2003). Only species of interest are reported, but much more common European species were spotted. During both trips, I traveled around the island leaving the West coast, crossing the central mountains to reach the Capo Corso, and heading back to Calvi. In 1993, the ferry from Nice to Calvi provided Cory’s Shearwater and Yelkouan (Mediterranean) Shearwater. We also found a group of Bottlenose Dolphins (Genus Tursiops) and two Fin Whales (Balaenoptera physalus). It is not the sheer number of bird species that draws a birder's attention to Corsica. It is rather species poor, but it is blessed with many interesting endemic subspecies and one of the very few true European endemics, the Corsican Nuthatch. The prime target of the first trip was to find this Nuthatch as well as the endemic subspecies. The 1999 and 2003 trips were rather ‘non-birding’ trips, but several good birds showed up.
Biguglia Lake Covering nearly 1,500 ha this is one of the largest wetlands on Corsica and despite much habitat degradation and disturbance in recent years, it remains one of the island's most important areas for birds. Parts of the shoreline, particularly in the south, have reedbeds with some good breeding birds and the lake as a whole attracts a wide range of birds on passage and in winter when numbers can exceed 20,000. Biguglia is a shallow brackish lagoon, about 11km long and 2.5km at the widest points. It lies close to the sea on the north-east coast of Corsica and much of the area is a nature reserve and Ramsar Site. Adjacent habitats include the nearby sea, sandy and beaches and dunes, saltmarsh and riparian woodlands. Much of the surrounding land is covered with vineyards and orchards. More than 120 bird species have been recorded in this area. Breeding in the reedbeds of Biguglia are Zitting Cisticola, Cetti's, Reed and Great Reed Warblers and Moustached Warbler has recently bred. Drier areas around the lake have Corn and Cirl Buntings, Stonechat and Melodious Warbler. Marsh Harrier and Northern Hobby nest in the area and often feed over the lake and its shores. Herons such as Grey, Purple, Black-crowned Night and Little Egret visit the lake on passage and small numbers breed. Other migrants include Black and White-winged Terns, Red-footed Falcon and Osprey. Audouin's Gull is a rare but regular passage visitor. White-headed Duck, formerly regular, has also recently been reintroduced. The southern shore of Lake Biguglia is possibly the best area for birds and can be reached by road from Bastia on the N193. Turn left at Rorgo-Revinco onto the D207 and park beside the road after about 4km where the bridge crosses the canal. Walk the path between the lakeshore and the canal and view the reedbeds and open water. A wide range of accommodation can be found in the nearby town of Bastia. I visited the area twice and found the following species: Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Little Egret, Great White Egret (2), Purple Heron, Grey Heron, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Water Rail, Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Wood Sandpiper, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull (1), Yellow-legged Gull, European Bee-eater (10), Hoopoe (1), Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, House Martin , Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Blackbird, Zitting Cisticola (15), Cetti's Warbler (only 1), Common Chiffchaff , Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike , Woodchat Shrike (15, of the local race badius), Italian Sparrow (former subspecies of Spanish Sparrow), Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Cirl Bunting, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting.
Scandola Nature Reserve
The reserve is divided into two sectors: the Elpa Nera inlet (between Pointe Bianca and Pointe Validori) and the peninsula of Scandola. This area, which includes the massif of Cinto and the valley of Fango, is part of a large geological complex that appears to have undergone two distinct cycles of volcanic activity in the Permian. Since then, the area has been subject to alternating cycles of erosion and rejuvenation. Geologically comprises porphyry, rhyoliths and basaltic pillars, which have all been considerably eroded by wave action. Some ancient metamorphic rocks occur, but the geology is predominantly igneous. The jagged and sheer cliffs contain many grottos and are flanked by
numerous stacks and almost inaccessible islets and coves, such as Tuara. The coastline is also noted for its red cliffs, some 900 metres high, sand beaches, and headlands such as Cape Osani and the Peninsula of Elbo. Scandola Nature Reserve contains a rich pelagic, sedentary and migrant fauna including several dozen pairs of Shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmareti), Peregrine Falcon, three or four pairs of Ospreys and Eleonora Falcon with Cory's Shearwater and Audouin's Gull occurring in the littoral zone. The marine environment contains considerable numbers of Spiny Lobster and a wide range of littoral and sublittoral invertebrates and fish. Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) once had a colony in this area but has now disappeared. The best way to visit the area is by sea and you will find several boat trips available year-round to the Scandola Reserve and the Gulf of Girolata, but this is probably not the most rewarding in terms of birdwatching. I would recommend you to drive the D824 towards Capu Rossu. Park your car on the roadside near a snack bar. From here go for a six hour walk to Tour Turghiu and back, which might be
one of the highlights of your trip! The macchia is full of Warblers in summer: Marmora's, Dartford's, Sardinian, Subalpine Warbler, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat and Blackcap. Corsican Citril Finch are common. From the top of Capu Rossu, the view of the coastline is breathtaking. Around the cliffs, you’ll see Shags, Osprey, Alpine Swifts, Peregrine Falcons, Rock Pigeon, Blue Rock Thrushes and more. Of note, Cape Girolata, Cape Porto, Scandola Nature Reserve and the Piana Calanches in Corsica were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1983, and you’ll have breathtaking scenic views there if you take some time to drive a bit on these narrow and winding roads. The village of Piana is also a prime location for the Scops Owl.
Haut-Asco
During each trip I took a scenic drive up the Asco Valley. Although the wind hounded us heavily in 1992, we were still able to enjoy watching Eurasian Hoopoes and tame flocks of Corsican Citril Finches.
Of course the Asco valley is well-known as a prime location for Lammergeier. I was lucky to see 2 individuals at very close range in 1992, when walking on the GR-20 track, on the southern part of the valley. There was an adult and a juvenile flying together around the highest peaks. The next trip, in 1999, provided fair views on a flying adult.
There is another good and easier spot for this species along the road climbing up to Haut-Asco. From Haut Asco, descend about 4 km. The road swings sharp left over a very narrow bridge, then hard right by a recent landslide. The bird favoured the obvious rock pinnacle just up the valley from here.
Among other species, the valley provided the followings: Red Kite, Common Crossbill, Eurasian Treecreeper, Rock Pipit, European Goldfinch, Blue Rock Trush, Crag Martins, Rock Pigeon, Common Raven, Hooded Crow and Yellow-billed Chough (in 1992 and 1999) but no Corsican Nuthatch despite my efforts to find one. If you try there, from the foot of the car park, head immediately off to the left past a refuge hut, then follow the orange marked trail for about 200m - the Nuthatch usually shows in the tree tops downslope from there.
Corte, Vizzavona and Restonica
The other key habitat on the island is the Corsican Pine forests. This occurs in an altitude band across the island the key altitude being 1000-1500m. This is the habitat of the endemic Corsican Nuthatch. Even
if the popular sites for this species appear to be Haut Asco, Vizzavona and Restonica, I was much more lucky at the Col de Sorba (See below).
Weather turned from bad to worse and each of my trips to the central island was like a total disaster bird-wise. It was misty, wet and no birds were around. The only exceptions were the common Tits, Grey Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Winter Wren, and Common Crossbill. No birds could be added to my list in this area, but I’m sure it has a good potential anyway. Of note, Alpine Swift and Pallid Swift, were observed in Corte in 2003.
Col de Sorba
The Corsican Nuthatch is the real target of birders and is limited to the endemic pine forests above 3,000 ft. Most birders will spend time trying to connect with this species and there is plenty of documentary guidance of where to go and how to do this. Without the help of any tape or CD, I found a male Corsican Nuthatch, displaying 10 meters away from me at the Col de Sorba! I saw the bird flying through the forest, looking for food in the leaves, singing and calling for plenty of time. A wonderful birding moment! The same spot is also very good for Coal Tits and Treecreepers.
The species is probably found wherever there are the pine trees and its range might therefore be more widespread than the English literature suggests. Since a series of forest fires burned major suitable areas from 2000 to 2002 tough, this has still to be verified in the field. In 2003, I was actually somewhat dismayed to see that an extensive fire had burnt much of the forest on the way up to the Col, and was feeling less than confident by the time I stopped at the top. No bird was found, but again, I did not use any recording to attract Nuthatches. For ethical reasons of course.
Of interest, results of the most recent studies from molecular phylogenies, for example those of E. Pasquet, demonstrate that the Corsican Nuthatch does not belong to a monophyletic group which includes the Algerian S. ledanti and Krüper’s S. krueperi Nuthatches, as believed for so long, but is more closely related to the S. canadensis group than to any other Mediterranean species.
Balagne and the Cape.
Balagne consists of a coastal part situated between Calvi and the North of L'Île-Rousse, and from a back-country with hills overhanging the sea. Formerly nicknamed the "garden of Corsica", Balagne still carries very well its name. Indeed, this magnificent region abounds of fig trees, oliveraies, orchards and palm trees. It is also strewed with beautiful perched villages with narrow alleys and typical houses, such as Sant'Antonino, Speloncato, Pigna, Lumio, Aregno, Belgodère and many others. It is also the occasion to visit magnificent baroque churches, such as that of Lumio and Corbara.
Sant’Antonino is a perched village of Balagne dating from the IXth century would be one of the oldest of Corsica. It is also one of the most beautiful villages of France! Its alleys are lined with beautiful houses that have been tastefully restored. Benefiting from an exceptional geographic situation, the village of Sant'Antonino offers a magnificent panorama on the coast and more particularly on Calvi and on L'Île-Rousse. A must in Corsica!
The Corsican Cape is a peninsula in the North of Corsica. It is a 40 kms long mountainous chain diving into the sea. A beautiful road following the wild coast from Saint-Florent to Centuri and from Macinaggio to Bastia offers a succession of breathtaking landscapes: steep cliffs, especially on the western coast, cut banks with old tours of the Genoese period, picturesque villages. The Douaniers path at the cape headland between Centuri and Macinaggio is ideal for a walk at the seaside. Some villages of the Cape
are really worth a bend, such as Erbalunga, an adorable fishermen village; the Centuri marine, renowned for its small authentic and picturesque port; and Nonza, typical village of the Corsica cape impressively overhanging the sea.
Birdwatching in this area provided many interesting species, such as Little Egret, Great White Egret, Spotless Starling, Ortolan Bunting, Northern Harrier, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Jay, Spotted Flycatcher, Alpine Swift, Pallid Swift (in 1999 in Cargese), Common Sandpiper, Blue Rock Thrush, Italian Sparrow, Green Woodpecker, Eurasian Hobby (1), Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Scops Owl, Greenfinch, Barn Swallow, Rock Pipit, Common Stonechat, Sardinian Warbler, Marmora’s Warbler, European Serin, Eurasian Linnet, Citril Finch and Carrion Crow.
Recommended readings Guide des oiseaux d'Europe, by Roger Peterson, Guy Mountfort, P.A.D. Hollom & Paul Geroudet. Passereaux d'europe, Volume 3 « de la Bouscarle aux Bruants », bye Paul Géroudet, Delachaux & Niestle. La Corse - Une île montagne au coeur de la Méditerranée, by Alain Gauthier, Delachaux Et Niestle. Acknowledgments My gratitude goes to my friends and fellow hikers Alain Lona and Benoit Rahier who showed an extreme patience when I was chasing some hypothetic birds on the steep slopes of the Corsican mountains. They also showed a wonderful indulgence when I suggested various itineraries accordingly… As usually, another huge debt of gratitude goes to my wife Anne-Catherine who worked hard to combine the most relaxing and enjoyable holiday with some good birding moments!