When in Rome - Go Birding

The last 7 days we spent on holiday in Rome.  As a birder, I decided to revise up beforehand to determine any likely spots for some sneaky birding (as a rest from fighting off hawkers and visiting churches).  However, there seems to be a distinct lack of information as to where to bird in Rome and I therefore did the best I could while in the city.

Rome still remains my favourite city, and I returned there despite not throwing a coin over my left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain 20 odd years ago - So save your money if you visit and buy an espresso instead.

On the first day of our visit we decided to take it easy and headed around the major sights including the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and the Pantheon.  We concluded the day in Villa Borghese with me getting very excited at seeing my very first Serin.  Other birds of note for the afternoon included, Yellow Legged Gulls, Hooded Crows, Firecrests, Swifts, a Pied Flycatcher, Italian Sparrows, White Wagtail, Monk Parakeets and a Ruddy Shelduck (no doubt of dubious origin).  The park was full of tourists and hawkers trying to thrust red roses at the unsuspecting.  Not the greatest birding spot but could be good first thing in the morning.  Highlight of the day birding wise had to be a Yellow Legged Gull disemboweling a feral pigeon on the Trevi Fountain.

The following day, my birders wife indulged me and allowed us to travel down to the coast where we went for a brief walk in the pinewood at Castel fusano.  The area is forest and open scrub and is mainly used as a place for jogging and cycling for the locals.  However, it is a good area for a mornings birding and with patience, I expect many of the local species should be seen.  We, however were on a schedule and only had a couple of hours before heading off to the ruins at Ostia Antica.  The couple of hours we did have were fine as we managed to find a Woodchat Shrike and some Subalpine Warblers (2 more lifers for me), Cirl Buntings and more Firecrests.  We also heard a couple of Nightingales and a Turtle Dove.  We then spent the afternoon at Ostia Antica which is just as good as Pompei and gave me more Serins, Redstart, Blackcaps, more Nightingales (heard but not seen) and a flyover Hoopoe.

On Wednesday we spent the day at the Vatican and St Peter's Basilica - The only things we spotted there were Cardinals (boom boom!).

On Thursday we went to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Forum and again seemed to be surrounded by Serins.  Palatine Hill also provided me with two more lifers, the first being an unidentified Sylvia (which I later on managed to find out was a Sardinian Warbler) and a Blue Rock Thrush.  The Yellow Legged Gulls also seemed to enjoy nesting on the ruins of the Forum.  We also spotted a Treecreeper which I can only presume was a Short Toed Treecreeper (I believe I heard it call but did not see it calling when viewing it creeping up a tree trunk).

On Friday, we walked down the Appian Way (one of the "not to miss" things to do according to our guide book).  It was a pretty hot day but the views, churches and ruins were all spectacular.  Highlight for the day birding wise were 3 Beeeaters which flew over the ruins of Villa dei Quintili.

Our final couple of days were spent pottering around the remaining churches we had not yet visited and a visit to the Botanical Gardens which are far better option than Villa Borghese (although fairly expensive at 8 Euros each).  However the gardens are tranquil and full of bird song and birds including;  Hooded Crows, Monk Parakeets, Yellow Legged Gulls, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Short Toed Treecreepers and the usual woodland birds like Wren, Robin, Blackbird etc.

So, overall despite the fact that we were in the middle of a city and had limited time birding, I still managed to walk away with 8 lifers (if you include Italian Sparrow).  No doubt we will return to Rome again one day.