Between the Lead-Gray Sky and the Wings: Chronicle of a Walk Around Regatas Lake

 
There are days when the city wakes up under a uniform blanket of gray clouds, lacking both nuance and sparkle. Far from discouraging, that leaden tone in the sky invites one to go out and explore the parks of Palermo from a different perspective: with the unhurried pace of observation, where the still water acts as an imperfect mirror and the urban wildlife takes on a silent yet constant leading role.
The route encircling Regatas Lake—about 10.14 kilometers covered without haste along the old cobblestones and perimeter paths—turned into a genuine day of birdwatching and small photographic discoveries.

Life on the Water and the Heronry

The body of water, framed by bald cypresses with their treetops turning to golden and autumnal terracotta hues, offered postcards of striking contrast. In the distance, in the heronry area, the tall and elegant silhouette of a silent heron could be made out between fallen trunks and dense trees, watching over the shoreline from a prudent distance.
Closer to the shore, the tranquility of the water was broken only by the slow glide of a white goose or the fleeting, swift surge of a remote-controlled model boat cutting a trail of foam across the surface. Near the edges, the clarity allowed one to see through the water the submerged texture of the stones and cobblestones lining the shore.

Close Encounters with Urban Plumage

If anything sets this area of the park apart, it is the complete familiarity with which the birds interact with walkers:

•    Monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus): Trusting and curious, they perched on the wooden railings just inches away. A piece of bread or a peel was enough to watch them hold their food with a foot, closing their eyes as they ate with a captivating composure.
•    Three species of columbids in sight: The cobbled ground and the grass allowed for an impeccable comparative observation. Living side by side just a few feet apart were the rock dove (Columba livia), the nimble and small eared dove (Zenaida auriculata), and the robust picazuro pigeon (Patagioenas picazuro), recognizable by its larger size and the delicate white pattern on its neck.
•    Flight and vegetation: Emerging from the foliage were also the pink and white blooms of flowering abelias, as well as the low flight of pigeons skimming the water, spreading their wings just before landing on the damp grass.

The Surroundings and Trail Details

All along the circuit, there was no shortage of pops of color and unexpected contrasts: the profile of a helicopter crossing the gray sky, fishing lines and small floats hanging from high branches drooping over the water, and even a freshwater jellyfish suspended near the shore.

Technical Log of the Walk (GPS)

•    Date: July 11
•    Total Distance: 10.14 km
•    Moving Time: 2 h 21 min
•    Average Pace: 13:59 min/km (pace suitable for observation, photography, and technical stops)
•    Terrain: Park cobblestones and perimeter dirt/grass trails

Wikiloc link: https://es.wikiloc.com/rutas-observacion-de-aves/walk-through-palermo-caba-regatas-lake-birds-287852003