San Pietro Island

San Pietro Island Italy

San Pietro Island and its neighbour, Sant' Antioco, lie off the south-west coast of Sardinia. These small volcanic islands are mainly scrub-covered with areas of cultivated land and small woodland patches. The coasts are rocky with cliffs and offshore islets but there are also sandy beaches, dunes and brackish lagoons in parts. Since the early 1990s part of the western side of San Pietro has been protected as a Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli reserve. The primary reason for its establishment is the thriving population of Eleonora's Falcon which breeds on the cliffs of the north-west especially at Capo Sandalo. About 100 pairs breed here and they can be seen best during late afternoon and early evening at Cala Fico and Cala Vina.

Other cliff-nesting birds of San Pietro include Peregrine Falcon and Rock Dove, Alpine and Pallid Swifts, Blue Rock Thrush and Northern Raven. Breeding seabirds include Yellow-legged Gull and the highly localised Audouin's Gull, Mediterranean Shag, Yelkouan and Cory's Shearwaters and European Storm-petrel. Away from the cliffs the bird fauna is typical of a Mediterranean scrubland habitat and several species of Sylvia warbler occur including Spectacled and Marmora's. Other birds such as Wood Lark, Stonechat, Cirl Bunting, Hoopoe and Common Cuckoo are common. Barbary Partridge also breeds on the island and the recently separated Corsican Finch is common.

A wide variety of species occurs on passage and can include Black-eared Wheatear, Western Bonelli's Warbler and Collared Flycatcher. Migrant raptors also pass over with Pallid and Montagu's Harriers often amongst them and Greater Flamingo is a regular autumn and winter visitor. Alpine Accentor often occurs in winter.

Reptiles are commonly seen on the island and include the large Western Whip Snake Coluber viridiflavus and Ocellated Skink Chalcides ocellatus.

The port and only town on the island is Carloforte on the eastern side which can be reached from Cagliari by bus and a half-hour ferry-trip. Accommodation is plentiful in the main town but vacancies may be scarce during high summer. Buses run from Carloforte to Capo Sandalo and bicycle hire is available. Ferries sail regularly to nearby Sant' Antioco and there are tourist boat-trips around San Pietro.

Birds

Birds you can see here include:

Cory's Shearwater, Yelkouan Shearwater, European Storm Petrel, Mediterranean Shag, Little Bittern, Squacco Heron, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Greater Flamingo, Black Kite, Marsh Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Northern Hobby, Eleonora's Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Barbary Partridge, Water Rail, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Common Redshank, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Audouin's Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Black Tern, Rock Dove, Common Cuckoo, Little Owl, Eurasian Scops Owl, Common Swift, Pallid Swift, Alpine Swift, Hoopoe, Eurasian Skylark, Wood Lark, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Tree Pipit, Blue-headed Wagtail, Dunnock

Content and images originally posted by Steve

Reviews

Swissboy's review

My rating is based on the excellent views one can get here of one of the finest falcons, the Eleonora's. But the salt works just south of Carloforte are also interesting at times. Remember that Eleonora's falcons breed very late in the season to take advantage of migrating songbirds. Thus, there is no chance for them in April. One very good time to visit is the first week of October when the young are learning to hunt.

Pros

• Great views of Eleonora's Falcon

Cons

• none