Feathers over Malta

Once the migratory birds start leaving we still get to appreciate our lovely residents.

Zitting Cisticola, Mgarr 🇲🇹 May 2026

The House Martin can reach speeds of roughly 40–50 km/h (25–31 mph) in normal flight. Fast indeed.

Malta 🇲🇹 May 2026

Ruff 🇬🇧 | Girwiel 🇲🇹 | Philomachus pugnax

May 2026 at Ghadira Nature Reserve in Malta 🇲🇹

Spent some time observing this Gozitan fisherman aboard a traditional Luzzu, hard at work in the early morning hours, trailed by Yellow-legged Gulls - Gawwija Prima and Cory’s Shearwaters - Ciefa. Simply beautiful.

Garden Warbler 🇬🇧 | Bekkafik 🇲🇹 | Sylvia borin

May 2026, Nadur, Gozo 🇲🇹

The hooked beak of the Woodchat Shrike is built like a tiny raptor’s tool. It is sharp, strong, and perfectly shaped for gripping insects, lizards, and small prey. Its curved tip helps tear food apart and hold struggling prey securely, making this striking songbird an efficient hunter despite its small size.

Shots from the April migration 2026 in Malta 🇲🇹

Curlew Sandpiper 🇬🇧 | Pispisella Hamra 🇲🇹 | Calidris ferruginea |

This bird breeds in the high Arctic tundra of northern Siberia, mainly across Arctic Russia. During autumn migration, it travels along major flyways through Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australia.

Its non-breeding (wintering) range stretches from Africa and the Mediterranean coasts to India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and as far south as Australia and New Zealand.

This little one and a few others were photographed in Malta on Sunday 3 May 2026. These birds stop at coastal wetlands, mudflats, estuaries, and lagoons during migration. A short stop on the way to the Arctic.

On Sunday 3rd May 2026 I broke my own personal record for photographing different species of birds here in Malta. Started early in Lija, then headed to Burmarrad, followed by the three Nature Reserves - Salina, Simar and Ghadira, hiked along the Majjistral Park and back to the Burmarrad area.

45 species photographed with another 6 spotted but not photographed, totaling 51 different species in one single day.

Bird species photographed are as follows:
♦️Spanish Sparrow
♦️Wood Warbler
♦️Icterine Warbler
♦️Sedge Warbler
♦️Common Swift
♦️Sardinian Warbler
♦️Golden Oriole
♦️Woodchat Shrike
♦️Sand Martin (my first photographed record)
♦️Little Egret
♦️Greater Flamingo
♦️Common Sandpiper
♦️Mediterranean Gull
♦️Yellow-legged Gull
♦️Wood Sandpiper
♦️Slender-billed Gull
♦️Black-headed Gull
♦️Spotted Flycatcher
♦️Coot
♦️Night Heron
♦️Squacco Heron
♦️Common Moorhen
♦️Curlew Sandpiper
♦️Common Ringed Plover
♦️Black winged Stilt
♦️Ruff
♦️Little Ringed Plover
♦️Little Stint
♦️Collared Dove
♦️Little Bittern - first photographed record
♦️Collared Flycatcher
♦️Greater Short-toed Lark
♦️Eurasian Hobby
♦️Blue Rock Thrush (including M019 )
♦️Tawny Pupit
♦️Whinchat
♦️Feral Pigeon
♦️Red-footed Falcon
♦️Bee-eater
♦️Barn Swallow
♦️Zitting Cisticola
♦️Western Marsh Harrier
♦️Kestrel
♦️Tree Sparrow
♦️Cattle Egret

Clearly identified but not photographed -
♦️Western Yellow Wagtail
♦️Starling
♦️Cetti’s Warbler
♦️Pied Flycatcher
♦️Lesser Black-backed Gull
♦️Aouduin’s Gull

April 2026, Sicily, 🇮🇹