birdwatching by BixGe

In December in Tuscany it was allowed to take walks close to home. Fortunately, there is the Arno near my house. Really, it was my intention to take a picture of an adult night heron who had been on the shore for breakfast for some mornings. Too late! At that moment, a family party of 7 - 8 long-tailed tits passed over the poplars on the shore. Long-tailed Tit - Codibugnolo. Arno river at Florence, December 2020. Long-tailed Tit - Codibugnolo. Arno river at Florence, December 2020. Long-tailed Tit - Codibugnolo. Arno river at Florence, December 2020. Long-tailed Tit - Codibugnolo. Arno river at Florence, December 2020. Long-tailed Tit - Codibugnolo. Arno river at Florence, December 2020. Mallard - Germano reale. Arno river at Florence, December 2020. In addition, a report at the end of December which was the 70th species in 2020 that I was able to register on the e-bird database: the Egyptian Goose , which rarely shows up on the Arno. Egyptian Goose - Oca egiziana. Arno river at Flore

It was November 8, and a bright morning. I was lucky enough to see some infrequent visitors in the ponds area: the Wren - Scricciolo ( Troglodytes troglodytes ), a couple of Stonechats - Saltimpalo ( Saxicola torquata ), some Meadow Pipits - Pispola ( Anthus pratensis ), the Cirl Bunting - Zigolo Nero ( Emberiza cirlus ). Wren - Scricciolo. Fleeting appearance, the picture is slightly blurred. Parco della Piana di Sesto, Florence, Tuscany, November 2020.  Snipes - Beccaccini. Querciola pond, Parco della Piana di Sesto, Florence, Tuscany, November 2020. Teal - Alzavola. Querciola pond, Parco della Piana di Sesto, Florence, Tuscany, November 2020. Little Grebe - Tuffetto. Querciola pond, Parco della Piana di Sesto, Florence, Tuscany, November 2020. Mallard - Germano reale. Querciola pond, Parco della Piana di Sesto, Florence, Tuscany, November 2020. Great Tit - Cinciallegra. Parco della Piana di Sesto, Florence, Tuscany, November 2020.  - Fringuello. Parco della Piana di Sesto, Florence

In a sunny sunday morning late in autumn, with the mobility restrictions due to the pandemic "red area" classification oh Tuscany Region, the Arno river is a good resource for wild river life. Top-Gun style formation flight for two Kingfishers - Volo in formazione 'Top Gun' per due Martin pescatori. Arno River, Florence, November 2020. Gray Wagtail - Ballerina bianca. Arno River in Florence, November 2020. Common cattail - Tifa ( Typha latifolia ).  Arno River in Florence, November 2020. Mallards - Germani reali. Arno River in Florence, November 2020. Black Redstart - Codirosso Spazzacamino. Arno River in Florence, November 2020. Cormorant - Cormorano. Arno River in Florence, November 2020. Robin - Pettirosso. Arno River in Florence, November 2020. Young Cormorant - Giovane Cormorano. Arno River in Florence, November 2020.

  Today's landscape, Querciola pond, Parco della Piana, October, 2020 Today was not the best morning to take pictures at the Parco della Piana di Sesto (Florence, Tuscany). However, recent rains have made the ponds alive, which have become filled with many bird species, like the Northern Shoveler - Mestolone ( Spatula clypeata ), the Teal - Alzavola ( Anas crecca ), the Mallard - Germano reale ( Anas plathyrynchos ) for the dabbling ducks; the Little Grebe - Tuffetto ( Tachybaptus ruficollis ), the Eurasian Coot - Folaga ( Fulica atra ), the Moorhen - Gallinella d'acqua ( Gallinula chloropus ) and the Grey Heron - Airone cinerino ( Ardea cinerea ). In the reeds there were many Common Chiffchaffs - Luì piccoli ( Phylloscopus collybita ) and a Cetti's Warbler - Usignolo di fiume ( Cettia cetti ). Northern Shovelers - Mestoloni. Querciola pond, Parco della Piana, October, 2020 Coot - Folaga. Querciola pond, Parco della Piana, October, 2020 Little Grebe -Tuffetto. Querci

Finally I returned to the Parco della Piana di Sesto (Florence). In August the ponds are almost dry and the Black-winged stilts have left for Africa, but today I've seen all three species of sandpiper that we can see in this area: the Common Sandpiper - Piro piro piccolo (Actitis hypoleucos) the Green Sansdpiper - Piro piro culbianco (Tringa ochropus) and, but very far today for a picture, the Wood Sandpiper - Piro piro boschereccio (Tringa glareola) . There was also a fleeting appearance of the Water rail - Porciglione (Rallus aquaticus) . Common sandpiper - Piro piro piccolo. Querciola pond, Parco della Piana di Sesto. August 2020. Common sandpiper - Piro piro piccolo. Querciola pond, Parco della Piana di Sesto. August 2020. Common sandpiper - Piro piro piccolo. Querciola pond, Parco della Piana di Sesto. August 2020. Green sandpiper, with Moorhen Piro piro culbianco e Gallinella d'acqua. Querciola pond, Parco della Piana di Sesto. August 2020. Green sandpiper - Piro piro cul