Sorrento & The Amalfi Coast

27th March - 3rd April 2022

Subalpine Warbler

Although it was a little early in the season we had the opportunity to spend a week in Sorrento along the Amalfi coast. We flew from Manchester to Naples where we hired a car for the drive south to our Airbnb in Sorrento.

Monday 28th March: We decided to spend the first day exploring the south west part of the peninsula, in particular Punta Campanella where there is a nature reserve and spectacular views of the coastline. Even though it was only late March there were still an impressive number of flowers present including Broad-leaved Anemone and White Asphodels. We also found our first orchid in the form of the diminutive Bumble Bee Orchid. Butterflies were represented by some Wall Browns and a Swallowtail.

We then moved a little further inland to Termini and here found a Northern Wheatear, plenty of Pink Butterfly Orchids, an impressive looking Italian Wall Lizard and a Subalpine Warbler skulking in a bush.

Friday 1st April: Today was our planned trip to the island of Capri. The ferry from Sorrento dropped us off at the Marina Grande on the island from where we took a bus to Anacapri. Here we picked up a path that ultimately leads to the top of Monte Solaro. Along the way on the side of the path we found an Ophrys crabronifera ssp. pollinensis in full flower. Back at Sorrento there were some Italian Sparrows by the harbour.

Sunday 3rd April: Our final trip was to the ruins of Pompeii on the Sunday morning and in the afternoon we visited the Parco Nazionale de Vesuvio for a long walk. Here we found more Pink Butterfly Orchids, Green-winged Orchids and some hybrid Anacamptis x genarii growing in between. We also found some Early Spider Orchids, Serins and a Clouded Yellow.