Central Italy - Land of the Marsican Brown Bear
For the past three years Sarah and I have enjoyed some very successful autumn wildlife watching holidays in the wilds of Scotland. Fancying a change of scenery this year we decided to take advantage of the cheap flights to Rome offered by Jet2 from Leeds-Bradford Airport.
While researching nature watching opportunities in central Italy, I started reading about the Abruzzo National Park – home to Grey Wolf, Marsican Brown Bear and Apennine Chamois. Recent trip reports suggested there was a very good chance of observing at least two of these species, together with lilfordi White-backed Woodpecker and perhaps even the elusive Rock Partridge.
October at such high altitude didn’t promise much reptile activity but several new amphibian species were in the offering. I especially wanted to find a Fire Salamander – a marvellous creature that I used to keep and breed as a child.
With little hesitation we booked five nights in a hotel just outside Abruzzo National Park (accommodation inside the park was relatively expensive) and another three nights in Otricoli (a small Umbrian town one hour from Rome).
The Umbrian part of the holiday was more for relaxation purposes, although the possibility of seeing a Crested Porcupine hadn’t escaped my mind.
It would be fair to say we had mixed success with our trip. More often than not, the weather seemed to be against us, greatly affecting viewing conditions when good visibility was paramount. This in turn reduced our success with the wildlife watching, and ultimately played a part in us missing some key targets.
I also found the birding difficult. From a UK birder’s perspective, most of the interesting breeding species had already migrated south. With the odd exception, what remained was a familiar selection of birds which seemed far more nervous and elusive than their UK counterparts.
On a positive note we enjoyed some fantastic wildlife sightings amongst beautiful, often awe-inspiring countryside. The food and people exceeded all expectations and it’s fair to say we will be returning to Italy sometime in the future.
Day 1 (October 10) Wacky Races
Arriving at Leeds-Bradford airport in good time, we were relieved to find a very small queue at the baggage desk. Moments later we were heading towards security when I casually remarked to Sarah how unusually stress free our morning was going. I should have known better!
As if by magic a booming voice over the PA system demanded that I return to the baggage check-in immediately. Once there, I was greeted by two burly security officers who asked me to open my case while they stood tentatively behind wearing plastic gloves.
It turns out my spotlight battery had caused some excitement on the baggage scanner, looking ‘proper dodgy’ as the younger officer so tactfully put it. From this moment I knew our holiday would be anything other than stress free.
The flight to Rome was ok by budget airline standards. Fiumicino airport was busy as expected, but we collected our bags and made our way to the hire car desk in good time.
We pre-booked a car with Maggiore because they were cheap but thought we would regret our decision after reading several negative reviews on the internet. We needn’t have worried. They were exceptionally quick with the paperwork and supplied a nearly new car that was very clean both inside and out. Our car of choice was a Nissan Qashqai – a compact SUV type vehicle that while pretty uninspiring, did the job it was intended for with no problems. Wasting little time, we set up our trusty satnav, and left the airport making a beeline for Abruzzo.
Traffic was light on the first part of our journey and the sun was shining. Already I had started birding adding Hooded Crow, Common Magpie and Feral Pigeon from the airport terminal. White Wagtail was picked up several miles down the road closely followed by Italian Sparrow and Eurasian Collared Dove.
These somewhat lacklustre birds were staple species throughout the trip and I don’t recall seeing much else before we reached the Abruzzo region a couple of hours later. I was surprised not to see any soaring raptors considering that the weather was good and we were driving through some excellent habitat.
Nearing our hotel we spotted something a little more thrilling in the form of two Common Cranes flying low through the valley running parallel to the road. Typically I was unable to stop in a safe enough place for a more prolonged view.
We easily found our hotel just off the main road on the outskirts of Castel di Sangro. The Sport Village Hotel was clean and modern with friendly staff. While not exactly full rustic Italian charm, the accommodation was very reasonably priced and is situated about twenty minutes from Abruzzo National Park.
After checking into the hotel and freshening up, we wasted little time exploring the local area. With only a couple of hours of daylight left I thought it would make sense to drive straight to Abruzzo National Park and check out the key bear watching sites before my first session the following morning.
The first part of our drive passed through flat farmland which proved good for Common Kestrel most days. Once we reached the small town of Alfedena the road began to climb, turning into a series of tight hairpin bends until we reached the park boundary just before the picturesque village of Barrea.
Barrea provided an excellent vantage point from which it was possible to view a huge area of the park including several mountains and the manmade lake known locally as Lago di Barrea.
On exiting the village the road descended into another series of bends and it was here that we had a spot of bad luck. Earlier in the day we were nearly run off the road by two motorcycles that were overtaking a car on a blind bend. As a result I was now approaching all bends with caution well versed in the madness of Italian Sunday driving!
However, when a huge lorry came round the corner halfway over my side of the road, I had little choice but to take evasive action. Unfortunately I ended up scraping our nearly brand new car along a metal crash barrier.
Having a long history of damaging hire cars (mostly by taking them off road, but once by hitting a large wallaby!) I always fork out the extra insurance to cover such mishaps. As a back-up I tend to hand the cars back so dirty that most dints and scrapes are easily disguised.
For these reasons I didn’t worry too much about the damage, although the shiny, new look of the car was compromised somewhat.
Continuing with our journey we passed the lake noting large numbers of Great Crested Grebes and Eurasian Coots. Passing through the village of Villetta Barrea we soon found ourselves in the Fondillo Valley, a heavily forested area of the park which follows the Sangro River. The beech trees were in full autumn colour as we followed the road towards Opi. This striking medieval town rises from a rock face and is perhaps the prettiest settlement in the park.
Finally we passed through the tourist centre of Pescasseroli, home to countless hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops. Leaving the town and heading north on the No.83 we officially entered Marsican Brown Bear country. Although 60 to 100 animals live throughout the national park, the meadows and hillsides north of Pescasseroli are where most sightings occur.
The first bear hotspot is where a landslide blocks half the road c.5km north of Pescasseroli. The area is impossible to miss and before long we were parked at the roadside scanning the area. In May 2010 a sow with two cubs was regularly sighted in the meadows just north of the landslide, and also on the rocky screes above the road to the east. There were no bears about today!
With the sun quickly setting we headed towards a second more popular watch point. The small settlement of Gioia Vecchio is located on the edge of the national park and sits over looking a large valley of meadow, forest and scree slopes. A large church provides a parking area at the rear where it is possible to scan a huge area and from which a plethora of wildlife can be observed.
Most of the bear sightings in Abruzzo are made from the church although views are often distant. Grey Wolf can also be observed, especially early in the morning. More common are Red Deer, Roe Deer, Wild Boar and Brown Hare.
There wasn’t much daylight left when I parked up the car and quickly scrutinised the area through my binoculars. The sound of cow bells echoed around the meadows as I assessed the vista below me.
I was confident that should a bear be present in the valley or on a scree slope, it should be possible to pick it out with a careful scan. This contrasted with the Iberian Lynx site in Andujar where it was all too easy to miss a fast moving lynx amongst the scattered trees and rocks.
With no bears to be seen Sarah and I headed back to Pescasseroli where we hoped to get some dinner. While the town seemed busy with locals, the restaurants were all closed indicating we were visiting the area outside of the main tourist seasons. Summer had long ended and the ski season was a month or two away. We might have to go hungry tonight!
With the prospect of our first night drive through the park ahead of us I soon forgot my rumbling stomach. Although the roads stayed fairly busy, it was possible to glimpse an animal or two most evenings on the way back to our hotel. A Red Fox was the first nocturnal creature to put in an appearance as it crossed the road in front of our car. Second was a Brown Hare, followed closely by another fox.
After a late meal in Castel di Sangro we went to bed exhilarated but exhausted.
Day 2 (October 11) A very poor start...
The majority of bear sightings occur in the hour after sunrise or in the ninety minute period before sunset. With this in mind I set my alarm clock for stupid o’clock and tiptoed out of the room trying my best not to wake Sarah.
With over an hour drive ahead of me I entered the hotel lobby to find the front door firmly locked. As I fumbled around in darkness I could hear heavy rain pounding on the pavement outside. It didn’t take long for me to decide escape was futile and I swiftly returned to bed where I slept soundly for a couple more hours.
I later found out there was a fire exit (hidden by a curtain) and this was how you were supposed to leave the hotel early doors. By the look of confusion on the receptionist’s face when I explained my predicament, it seems I was the first guest in the hotel's history to want to leave before breakfast.
The heavy rain continued as Sarah and I purchased lunch snacks at the local supermarket. In fact it rained for much of the day as we explored Abruzzo National Park mostly by car.
First on our agenda was the small town of Civitella Alfedena where we found the beginning of the Valle Rose trail. This was the one walk I really wanted to do and it was important we did it in good weather. Knowing where to park etc would save us valuable time if and when the weather suddenly improved. At least that was the plan.
Moving on to Villetta Barrea we enjoyed a brief stroll along the river. Most wildlife was sensibly keeping dry but we did manage to add Wood Pigeon, Chiffchaff and Blue Tit to the bird list. A large flock of Serin added more of a continental feel as they flitted about in the tree tops, although they refused to stay still enough for decent views.
It was still raining heavily as we made our way to the tourist information office in Pescasseroli. Unsurprisingly it was closed but the short detour did provide our first Red Squirrel of the holiday. Actually, the animal was jet black, as were all the other Red Squirrels that we saw in Italy. Unfortunately it didn’t hang around long enough for a photograph.
Late afternoon we made our way to the church at Gioia Vecchio noting a very wet Common Buzzard sat on top of a tree. As we reached the vista my heart sank when I noticed low cloud had completely swamped the valley. With visibility down to a couple of metres we begrudgingly left the church and tried our luck at the landslide instead.
Parking on the side of the road I eagerly watched the area of meadows, occasionally turning to check the scree slopes behind. A noisy party of Long-tailed Tits kept me amused as did a very shy Roe Deer that grazed alongside the cattle. As darkness fell I retreated to the warm, dry car hoping for better weather in the morning.
We ate dinner in the only place we could find that was open. This turned out to be a hotel in Barrea that was catering for a group of hikers. I don’t think they were open to walk in customers, but they took pity on us anyway.
A couple of Red Foxes were the only wildlife interest on the long drive home.
Day 3 (October 12) Things get better!
Up again nice and early I managed to leave the hotel through the fire exit. With things already looking up I was delighted to find the rain had stopped sometime in the night. Wasting no time I jumped in the car and was soon on my way to the church for a dawn bear watching session.
While negotiating the hairpin bends just passed Alfedena my attention was turned to a small mammal running along the concrete crash barrier. Illuminated by my headlights, I could clearly make out the shape of a Garden Dormouse, complete with black mask and dark tail tip. Moments later the animal disappeared into the woodland leaving me elated at such an unexpected mammal sighting.
Apart from a large assortment of free roaming dogs and cats, I saw little else until I passed Pescasseroli. Then, with the sun rising over the mountains, I saw a couple of handsome Red Deer stags in a riverside meadow.
I was relieved to find the church watch point free of low cloud and with great anticipation I spent over an hour waiting for bears. Needless to say it was a fruitless wait but with several more days ahead of me I tried to remain positive.
The weather forecast for later in the week was pretty dismal so I was eager to do the Valle Rose hike as soon as possible. By late morning we could see the tops of the mountains through the clouds and quickly decided to make the most of our opportunity. Both Red Squirrel and Red Deer were noted in close proximity to Civitella Alfedena where we started our hike, quickly grabbing food, water and optics as we went.
Our hike took us through ancient beech forest and sunny clearings as we slowly made our way up the mountain. Stopping for a couple of minutes to admire the view gave us European Robin, Eurasian Jay and Winter Wren.
Climbing higher we entered a fog zone. Here the almost constant moisture gave rise to a profusion of mosses and lichens. Eerily quiet, apart from the occasional calling Coal Tit or European Nuthatch, it was all too easy to imagine a pack of Grey Wolf stalking its prey through such a silent environment.
The thick layer of newly fallen leaves hid most mammal sign, although we found both Grey Wolf and Beech Marten scat on the trail.
After a couple of hours we were nearing our destination when we started to hear the unwelcome sound of noisy children coming from above, Sarah and I looked at each other in disbelief. In two hours we had passed just two small groups of hikers. Now we had reached the habitat of our quarry, half of the Italian school system were having a field outing!
In total there must have been fifty hyperactive school kids shouting and messing around just above the tree line. To make things much worse, a thick layer of cloud had to appeared from nowhere, reducing visibility down to just couple of metres!
With no other option we headed towards the scree slopes and bolder fields where we sat down for a well earned lunch. Every so often the sound of Black Redstarts and Red-billed Chough had me reaching for my binoculars, although in the mist I could only make out a nearby flock of Common Chaffinch.
Our luck had to change fast. Time was running out and before long we would have to think about leaving the bolder field and making our way down the mountain before dark. Although the trail was well marked in daylight, I really didn’t want to test those markers under nightfall.
Miraculously the school kids disappeared and the cloud started to break revealing nearby cliff faces for the first time.
Not only was the view absolutely fantastic, I could clearly make out the silhouette of two Apennine Chamois stood on top of a distant rock face. A different species to the Alpine Chamois, this small goat was top of my target list and it was fantastic to catch up with a couple at long last.
The Valle Rose population of chamois are famously tame and often feed in very close proximity to people. Such distant views were far from ideal, although I felt extremely lucky to see one at all considering the circumstances.
As the sun burnt through the mist both Sarah and I were treated to a surreal landscape where Black Redstarts (below) seemed to call from every rock. The choughs soon put in an appearance although I failed to turn any of them into Alpine Chough.
With better light I was soon able to make out the light colour on the chamois, and I also spotted some additional animals on the same cliff.
Sadly the spectacle didn’t last long. No sooner had the mist disappeared, another cloud crept into its place, reducing visibility once again. Ideally I would have liked to have searched for Snowfinch and Alpine Accentor, but with little time left we decided to cut our losses and start the long descent to our car.
We were just making our way past a scree slope near to where the school children had been earlier when I spotted a large gap in the mist. There before me was another chamois, this time much closer than before. I was finally able to enjoy decent views of this creature and I was extremely grateful for the privilege. Sarah even managed a record shot although by the time she had swapped lenses on her camera the mist was closing in again.
Unsurprisingly the journey down the mountain was much easier and we arrived at the car in good time. With some daylight left we made a mad dash to the landslide on the off chance a bear was showing.
Just before the turn off to Bisegna, Sarah spotted a family group of Eurasian Wild Boar foraging in a meadow some distance from the road. I quickly stopped the car and was able to watch them for a while before they got spooked by a passing truck and ran off.
By now it was too dark to search for bears so we headed back home seeing Red Fox and Red Deer. We ended the day with authentic Italian food at a family run pizzeria in Alfedena.
Day 4 (October 13) A day of herps
A torrential downpour ruined any early bear watching opportunities much to my frustration. Fortunately the rain stopped shortly after breakfast and we headed towards Abruzzo National Park looking forward to the day ahead.
By the time we had reached Barrea it felt warm enough for some reptile activity, at least in areas exposed to the sun. On a hunch we stopped by what appeared to be the village dumping ground for garden waste and soon found a basking Western Green Lizard.
A walk near Lake Barrea further down the road yielded some Italian Wall Lizards including some well marked individuals of the campestris subspecies.
The odd Common Wall Lizard was also active, especially on tree trunks.
Grey Herons patrolled the lake margins, alongside decent numbers of Great Crested Grebes. The nearby trees held various tits, Serin and Chaffinch, while a couple of Firecrests favoured the pines near the bridge.
After an hour we left the lake and explored the road south of Opi noting a mangy looking Red Fox but few birds. Turning round at the park boundary we headed north to Pescasseroli where we were surprised to find a restaurant open. After a long lunch we headed towards Bisegna for an afternoon stroll.
While investigating a forest track we found an area containing a number of spring-fed drinking troughs. Long established and well vegetated it was obvious this area would be teaming with any number of amphibian species earlier in the year. A long search failed to reveal any signs of life but I promised myself a late night visit just to make sure.
The vista from the church watch point was completely obscured by mist so we spent the hour before sunset searching for bears at various points back towards the landslide. Two Common Buzzards watched from afar as a ranger stopped by for a chat. It seems the park authorities don’t see many bears, although he was enthusiastic enough about the parks wildlife giving me advice on where best to look for deer and boars.
Another session without a bear or wolf sighting dampened our spirits somewhat, as did an unproductive post-dusk nightdrive towards Bisegna. Calling back at the forest track I grabbed my spotlight and made a dash towards the water troughs. More sensibly, Sarah decided to lock herself in the car giving me strict instructions to return back in ten minutes and no later.
Once I reached the ponds I used my spotlight to make sure there wasn’t a bear anywhere nearby (unfortunately there wasn’t!). In the process I disturbed a Brown Hare that was feeding alongside the path.
It was pitch black in the forest as I methodically examined every trough for signs of life. After three empty ponds I finally struck gold as there before my eyes was a beautiful Fire Salamander. Although looking like an adult with gloss black and yellow colouration, the animal had yet to leave its aquatic environment for a more terrestrial life. Typically I had left the camera with Sarah!
Returning to the car we drove to Villetta Barrea where I hoped to find some bats hawking the plentiful insects around the river.
The diversion paid off and we were soon watching impressive numbers of Myotis bats from the comfort of our vehicle. Illuminated by the street lights, they chased each other across the riverside car park making the most of what would probably be one of their last active evenings of the year.
After a picnic supper (dry toasted bread and left over cheese spread) I stood on a little wooden bridge with my bat detector as Daubenton’s Bats swooped low over the water beneath me. It’s very likely that other bat species were present, including some pipistrelle species.
A brief detour drive through Civitella Alfedena yielded urbanised versions of the obligatory Red Fox and Red Deer.
Finally a rainy drive back to our hotel produced more herp interest in the form of a huge Common Toad sat in the middle of the road, and an unidentified frog (probably Agile Frog) near to Castel di Sangro.
Day 5 (October 14) Bear watchers
With only one full day left in which to find a bear, both Sarah and I were at the church for the break of dawn. I was happy, yet surprised to meet two other bear watchers at the site, including a German chap who spoke excellent English.
The sharing of information is very useful in the world of wildlife watching and it felt good to chat with like minded individuals. Although the German had seen a bear at Abruzzo the previous year, he hadn't seen any over the last few days.
It seems we weren’t the only people having a little bad luck. The German had spent the previous evening in a bar in Pescasseroli where he had met a large group of Scandinavians on a mammal watching trip. With not a wolf, bear or lynx sighting between them, they were drowning their sorrows on what was their final night in Italy.
I was then told something that perhaps explained the lack of recent bear sightings. It seems in the week before we arrived in Italy up to four bears were being seen from the church. Apparently at least one of these bears tried to attack a farmer’s horse in a corral just down the road. Some form of retaliation or bear scaring activity ensued, perhaps affecting subsequent bear behaviour in the Gioia Vecchio valley.
Although I was receiving this account at least third hand, a heavily fortified horse pen now stood behind one of the houses. From the shiny metal used in its construction, it was obviously a new fixture and backed up the German’s story nicely.
Not really knowing how to feel about the information I had received, I turned my attention to the valley below. Quickly I noticed a sounder of Wild Boar feeding in the scrub some distance away allowing Sarah to take a record shot.
Excellent scope views were enjoyed by all before the pigs decided to try their luck in another part of the valley. Apart from a flyover Great Spotted Woodpecker, nothing else of note was seen over the next couple of hours.
After breakfast back at the hotel, we took a drive around some farmland tracks adding Eurasian Tree Sparrow and Goldfinch to our paltry bird list.
Back at the park we had planned to walk through some of the beech forest south of Opi where lilfordi White-backed Woodpecker is said to be found (track leads from Km8 marker along No.509 road). Predictably the heavens opened only a couple of minutes after we left the car, forcing us to drive to another area of Abruzzo where the rain was more of a drizzle.
A walk through prime bear habitat produced a couple of Marsh Tits, amongst a large tit flock. An unseen Green Woodpecker called from a nearby hillside, followed shortly by an early Tawny Owl.
Driving to the church we passed the usual pair of Common Buzzards who were both looking miserable and soaked to the skin. One lazily took to the air, only to quickly land again in a neighbouring tree.
On reaching the watch point we noted the valley was half covered by a thick, low cloud. An unfamiliar Land Rover revealed the presence of yet another bear watcher, this time a friendly Frenchman, who again spoke good English.
The Frenchman’s friend had visited Abruzzo the previous week when the four bears were regular from the church. Hoping for similar success, he had driven through the night and was now optimistically looking through the fog at the valley below.
Eventually the mist completely obscured the valley forcing us to turn our attention to the landslide area. Cold, heavy rain made viewing difficult and all we saw was a couple of Wild Boars.
As night fell we returned to the Fire Salamander site to find another car parked in the entrance to the track. This was somewhat unusual but I continued down the path undeterred. The rain was particularly heavy at this point so my plan was to capture the salamander in a disposable cup, and take it back to the car for photographs.
I found the Fire Salamander in exactly the same spot as before. Unfortunately it was one step ahead of me and quickly disappeared out of site. Completely soaked, I headed back to the car wondering what the owner of the other vehicle was up to. I tried not to look into his car as I passed, but couldn’t help noticing he quickly locked his doors as I approached.
Good numbers of Common Toads were seen on the drive to Alfedena where we enjoyed at particularly delicious meal at a local restaurant. We also smashed our evening fox record with three individuals recorded in a one hour period.
Day 6 (October 15) Farewell to Abruzzo
The first two hours of daylight saw me at the church watch point where I stood in the cold praying for a bear sighting. I was in good company with both the Frenchman and German joining me in my dawn vigil.
Another 4x4 pulled into the car park and several French photographers added to the search. I later found out this group had seen a Brown Bear earlier in the week in a neighbouring area of the park.
Our spirits were briefly lifted by the appearance of a Red Deer stag high up on the mountainside, otherwise the mood was solemn and one of intense concentration.
Despite our best efforts in reasonable viewing conditions, I had to leave Gioia Vecchio without success. Driving back towards Pescasseroli I must have checked every roadside scree slope and meadow with no luck, finally accepting I would be leaving the park without a bear or wolf sighting.
My disappointment was a sobering reminder that nothing is guaranteed in the world of wildlife watching, especially when large, elusive carnivores are involved.
Breakfast back at the hotel cheered me up a little, and before long Sarah and I were leaving the Abruzzo region for the second part of our holiday.
The drive to Umbria took us through some very scenic landscape. At least we think it did going by the numerous accents, descents and the occasional mountain tunnel. Unfortunately for us, a thick mist obscured the fantastic views for the majority of our journey.
Little wildlife was seen apart from Common Kestrels, although Sarah spotted an adult Red-backed Shrike just as I was negotiating a particularly complicated motorway junction.
We arrived in the picturesque Umbrian town of Otricoli mid afternoon and quickly found the aptly named Hotel Umbria. Pleased to find a clean, family run establishment located in a historic building in the centre of town, we later found out that the adjoining restaurant served delicious Italian cuisine and as a result was immensely popular with the locals.
The afternoon was spent driving around the countryside visiting a number of pretty hilltop towns and doing normal touristy stuff.
While not as striking as Abruzzo, the neat, orderly fields of Umbria were pleasing nonetheless.
We even managed to spot two new birds for the holiday in the form of Blackcap and Common Stonechat. A Red Squirrel was also seen as we drove up a wooded hillside near the settlement of Poggiola.
Following a huge three course meal in the hotel restaurant we opted for a much needed early night.
Day 7 (October 16) Birds!
After a leisurely breakfast Sarah and I headed to Lake Alviano for a spot of birding. This artificial reservoir is located along the River Tiber and is an important refuge for a diverse range of birds and other wildlife.
It took some time to find the actual Alviano WWF reserve (signposted off the main Castiglione Road, a couple of km north of Alviano Scalo) but once there we quickly started to see birds.
A cultivated area near to where we parked the car contained a distant mixed flock of finches and sparrows. I could make out Chaffinch, Linnet, and both Italian and Tree Sparrow, but it is more than likely a bunting or two was lurking in there as well.
I was still scanning the flock when we were approached by the reserve warden who explained the site was only open to the public on Sundays and selected holidays. As today was Saturday I tactfully explained that we had driven a long way, and asked if there was any chance we could see at least part of the reserve.
Amazingly the warden took pity on us, lending us a set of keys to the security gates and hides on the condition that we paid the entrance fee and followed a strict set of safety rules. Naturally we were extremely grateful and were only too happy to comply.
With the sun shining we entered the reserve through a wildlife garden noticing good numbers of Common Wall Lizards basking on the roof of a nearby building.
The pond dipping area was alive with Italian Pool Frogs which quickly evaded our approach by jumping into the water.
Exceedingly nervous, only one stayed around long enough for a photo.
Huge dragonflies flew overhead as we made our way to the first of several viewing screens situated along the edge of the lake. On opening the window I was immediately taken back by the scene before my eyes.
Grey Herons and Great White Egrets (above) patrolled the shallows of the huge lake, while further out Little Grebes and Eurasian Coots swam amongst the thick rafts of vegetation. Good numbers of Mallard seemed noticeably nervous compared with those in the UK, no doubt due to the hunting pressure they endure in most parts of Italy. Other waterfowl present included Common Pochard, Gadwall and a scattering of Eurasian Wigeon.
Mute Swans were also present together with Great Cormorants and a single Little Egret. A Kingfisher momentarily perched on a nearby branch, and we were treated to crippling views of a flyover female Marsh Harrier.
A second screen provided views of Great Crested Grebe, together with small numbers of Black-headed, Common and Yellow-legged Gulls.
I was carefully scrutinising a very distant Grey Heron through my scope (the warden had seen a late Purple Heron earlier in the day) when Sarah spotted what she thought was an otter head making its way through a raft of water plants. To my knowledge Eurasian Otter are not found in the area so I dismissed it as a Little Grebe or similar.
‘What’s that then?’ gasped Sarah as she pointed at a huge aquatic mammal that had suddenly emerged to sit on top of a partially submerged rock.
It took me a good couple of seconds to work out what I was looking at. Coypu, also known as Nutria, are large, invasive rodents native to South America. They are now well established in other parts of the world, including large areas of Italy.
It seems Lake Alviano has a healthy population of Coypu as we went on to see many more individuals as the afternoon progressed.
As we made our way around the reserve, the sun disappeared and dark storm clouds gathered directly above. Luckily we managed to avoid a complete soaking by sheltering in a rather plush double-decker hide, complete with computer, telescope and various information boards.
Alas the change in the weather reduced our chance of seeing some of the reptiles that inhabit the area. The warden mentioned Grass Snakes are especially numerous and I always enjoy seeing this variable species abroad.
The rain did bring out a couple of Agile Frogs which like the Pool Frogs were extremely nervous.
Cetti’s Warblers serenaded us from the reedbeds, with one showy individual providing rather decent views as it flitted around the base of a tree. A Water Rail was far more elusive as it squealed well out of sight.
Leaving the lake side, the trail took us through damp woodland comprising of willow, alder and poplar. Informative notice boards provided an insight into the nocturnal animals that inhabit the reserve including Crested Porcupine, Eurasian Badger and Wild Boar. In fact earlier in the day, the warden told me of a porcupine that had recently set up home in an abandoned badger set in another part of the wood. Previously the area was thought too wet for porcupines.
A hide overlooking a grazing meadow gave us a couple of Cattle Egrets as they hunted for frogs amongst a small group of donkeys. With our third egret of the day under our belt, we headed back into the woodland where we noted a selection of common bird species.
After exiting the reserve, we walked the nearby public cycle track getting decent views of both Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker. A Red Squirrel was also seen looking somewhat out of place in the surrounding farmland.
Walking the track enabled us to have another look at the lake, albeit at some distance. As the sun set it was possible to observe several Coypu as they fed around the fringes, while the birds around them went to roost.
After a fabulous day at a spectacular reserve, we enjoyed a tasty dinner back at the Hotel Umbria. I took the opportunity to question the hotel owner about porcupines which inevitably led to some hilarious misunderstandings and crossed wires.
Once I had explained that I didn’t have a porcupine in my car, or that I didn’t expect all Italians to have them as pets, I finally established that Crested Porcupines are increasingly common in rural Umbria. A friend of the owner had recently hit one with his car, causing a large amount of damage to the vehicle radiator!
Unfortunately they are only seen on warm summer nights well past sunset, or so I was told.
After our meal we took a night drive around some of the back roads hoping to glimpse some nocturnal wildlife. This was surprisingly difficult. Not only did we keep ending up back on busy main roads, worse still it was all too easy to drive up farm tracks where barking guard dogs necessitated a sharp u-turn.
I decided against using my spotlight, mainly because it was impossible to find an area far enough away from a house or farm. Attention from high rate landowners or law enforcement was the last thing I needed.
A very shy Red Fox was a poor reward for over an hour's drive, but we still went to bed extremely satisfied with the days wildlife watching.
Day 8 (October 17) Waterfalls and Wall LIzards
Our final full day in Italy was spent doing touristy things namely visiting the Cascada del Marmore near Terni. This manmade waterfall is apparently the highest in Europe and is a popular destination for locals and visitors alike.
The parkland around the top of the falls held the usual Serins, Blackbirds etc but little else of note. We didn’t fare much better at the bottom although the sun brought out good numbers of Common Wall Lizards.
After a very leisurely day we returned to the hotel where Sarah managed to fall down the stairs and badly sprain her ankle!
Following dinner we embarked on a two hour night drive around the Umbrian countryside in search of nocturnal critters. The temperature was even colder than the previous evening so we weren’t overly surprised when we failed to see a porcupine.
Whilst driving through a wooded area we did see the eyeshine of a probable Beech Marten although with so many foxes about, I wasn’t totally convinced with the identification.
Apart from that we saw very little apart from a road killed Western Hedgehog and plenty of domestic cats.
Day 9 (October 18) Homeward bound
Following an early breakfast we headed to Rome in good time, keen to avoid any hold-ups in the rush-hour traffic. At one of the toll booths I realised that I was still in possession of our hotel room key, however, by this point it was far too late to turn back.
We returned our hire car with exceptional ease (they failed to notice the huge scrape down one side!) and soon found ourselves at the airport check in desk with enough time to shop, eat and do all the other things one saves to pass the time at a large international airport.
Two hours later we were stood in exactly the same spot! Sarah’s ankle was really playing her up, and a long queue of passengers were getting increasingly angry and restless.
It turns out Jet2 had lost the boarding list for our flight and they were unable to obtain another copy from their computer system. To cut a long story short, we finally boarded our plane after a mad rush through customs (where my scope was examined and swabbed three times!) and well past the scheduled departure time.
The actual flight went smooth enough and we soon found ourselves back in Leeds. The journey back to Bridlington even yielded a Red Kite and a Stoat, together with the more usual Common Buzzard and Brown Hare.
Although obviously disappointed not to have connected with a wild Marsican Brown Bear, to call our holiday unsuccessful would be churlish, and frankly untrue. Although our mammal list lacks any of the elusive big predators, it’s fair to say we scored some decent species such as Garden Dormouse and Apennine Chamois.
While the birding side of things wasn’t great, we didn’t actively search for any particular species. Time of year and poor weather conditions are partly to blame for the paltry bird list.
Finally, Italy in late autumn was never going to be alive with reptiles, but nonetheless I managed five herp lifers! Of course the highlight for me was finding my very own Fire Salamander. I just wish I’d recorded the occasion with a photo!
Despite my experiences, I still think Abruzzo National Park offers the wildlife enthusiast a decent shot at seeing Brown Bear in the wild. However, those wanting a guaranteed sighting should try one of the many baited hides in Scandinavia. Cheating? Perhaps, but it’s a damn sight easier!
Species List
Birds / Mammals / Herps (links open as a pdf)
Acknowledgements
Many people helped with the preparation of this trip, including those people who answered my RFI on mammalwatching.com. There is also a little advice and information on Birdforum.net in the Italy section, including a very good trip report.