An arrival at the Reception area on a Spring morning is a delightful experience at Tophill Low. The car park trees have a good variety of singing birds and almost straightaway, the following species were established - Robin, Goldcrest, Dunnock, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Great and Coal Tit, Blackbird, Pheasant and the first Chiffchaffs of Spring. One of nine Chiffchaffs observed singing around the reserve. The only other warblers noted were two singing Cetti's Warblers at opposite ends of the reserve. Willow Warblers will probably be around in another week or so. Wildfowl on the large 'D' reservoir were limited to Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Wigeon, a smaller number of Pochard and two Gadwall. A Scaup (not the finest of plumages) stayed out in the middle of the reservoir for most of the morning, occasionally joining the Tufted Ducks. A smart male Goldeneye. I was pleased to see my first Sand Martins of the year, as six were flying over the North end of the reservoir. A walk through 'D' woods revealed more calling birds - Treecreeper, Wren, Chaffinch, Long-tailed Tit, Goldfinch, Siskin and at least 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers hammering away at the trees. I was led along part of the pathway by this colourful male Pheasant! The North Marsh offered little this morning until 11-30 when the Great White Egret flew down river. I saw it again half an hour later, flying the full length of 'D' reservoir as it returned to the Hempholme area. This egret has been frequenting the area for several days and Tophill was where I saw my first Great White some years ago Back in the Wood, two Tawny Owls were calling and as I searched some trees, Goldcrests were showing in the conifers. An interesting morning, the 1w Glaucous Gull was absent unfortunately but I was rewarded with a brief view of an Ottter.
Now I'm back in the U.K. there's a little catching up to do and a Grey Phalarope at my nearby coastal town of Bridlington, seemed a good place to start. It was a cold, bright start on the coast and although the Grey Phalarope didn't appear all morning, I did enjoy seeing our seabirds that I've been away from, for a fair while. The harbour wall has held a small roost of Purple Sandpipers for some years now and fourteen were present this morning. This Purple Sandpiper was roosting alongside a Dunlin. The North bay was calm with two Kittiwakes resting on the sea, by the harbour wall. I sorted out the resting gulls on the beach. I couldn't get used to the gulls having pink legs rather than the yellow I've been used to. This brute of a Greater Black-backed Gull appeared in the harbour and snatched food from a Herring Gull. I moved on to Flamborough where many birds were moving North along the sea. Large numbers of Guillemots and Kittiwakes were coming in to the cliffs which will be their summer breeding grounds. Gannets and Fulmars were seen in smaller numbers, this Fulmar passed close by. Looking down from the cliffs, five or six Shag were seen with these two swimming together. Most birds were too far out to photograph and I settled for a couple of Seals playing together, watched by a 1w Kittiwake! Down at the South Landing, a small flock of 10 Common Scoter were sitting well out and with the tide only just receding, waders amounted to 5 Curlew and 2 Redshank only. I began looking for Rock Pipits but this Meadow Pipit was first to show itself. Rock Pipits quickly followed with seven altogether along the beach. On my way back to Bridlington, I called in to Danes Dyke where Nuthatch have become resident there. I didn't know there was a feeding station, but it made my job a lot easier! For a split second, there were two Nuthatches together on the feeder, most of the time they took it in turns to select all the sunflower seeds. Back in Bridlington, the Grey Phalarope had not shown at all but I had better views of the Purple Sandpiper, as it was feeding on the beach. Below, the lighthouse at Flamborough Head.
As my winter stay in the Algarve draws to a close this week, what better way to end than with another rare record. A 1st winter Iceland Gull is presently on the fish quay at Portimao. One was photographed further East at Tavira yesterday and is still present by the old bridge in the town. It's interesting that these 'white-wingers' appear in February at the earliest , taking some time to reach these more southern latitudes. I arrived early this morning and found the Iceland Gull searching for food on bare ground close to other roosting gulls. It looks rather worn and keeps its head low nearly all the time. It did drink a fair amount of fresh water from a puddle and appeared to be finding odd fish scraps to eat, so hopefully it's going to feed up and rest. This becomes the 260th species I have seen in the Algarve and along with Glaucous Gull, is another rare 'Northern' gull record. Update on the 8th March - this bird and the one at Tavira are still present. The Portimao gull is looking better today, according to a friend's report.
The afternoon has been spent dodging heavy showers and the birds have done the same, judging by their absence. Their has been a big clear out of Flamingos and Spoonbills, only ten of the former arrived back, late in the afternoon. The only marked exception was the arrival of a new Osprey which hunted the Abicada area, looking very hungry. Other raptors in the area were a male Marsh Harrier, a Common Buzzard, two Kestrels and the local Peregrine was scaring the Redshanks and Kentish Plovers off the saltmarsh. A smart Cormorant in breeding plumage, showing the silvery white head and white flash on the side was feeding close to Alvor town. One of three Little Grebes seen, acquiring summer plumage. The regular Sandwich Terns were struggling in a strengthening wind and occasionally rested on the dam walls. Birds on the increase include Barn Swallows and House Martins. Incredibly, I saw a Common Swift yesterday at Quinta do Marim. This afternoon I watched around ten Swallows with a House Martin and single Crag Martin, feeding over a pool. As I'm now beginning my final week of this winter stay, 'Ellie the dog' has already left and is due home at 8-30pm tonight. She has been on many beaches, spent hours with me at Cabranosa and explored forest trails and wetlands. She has been mistaken for a young Portuguese Water Dog many times and has cleared Sagres harbour of cats!! In a way, it's lucky that Ellie has left as yesterday, for the first time I came across the pine processionary caterpillar. This caterpillar is extremely dangerous to dogs as it has barbed hairs on its body, the hairs can cause damage and even loss of the tongue if ingested.
The caterpillar emerges from pine trees in late winter, the moth it produces is quite harmless. Storm Emma has arrived from the direction of Madeira, out in the North Atlantic. I've watched the wind swing around to the South-west and increasing at times to 60mph. The sea has a heavy swell and large waves are crashing on the beach at Alvor. Some minor damage to beach huts is currently occurring on the latest high tide. Squally showers are passing through frequently, with heavier thunderstorms never far away. The effect on land birding is quite dramatic, everything has seemingly gone to ground, even in sheltered areas. A look at the West coast near Aljezur again produced a rough sea with hundreds of Gannets streaming South. A single Great Skua followed the Gannets in the short time I endured the gale-force winds. Fortunately, the temperature was 17C! Great Skua pursuing Gannet.
Sadly, the storm is revealing the major problem we see in our seas now - Plastic. The next two images show a 1ft x 1ft area of the high tide line at Alvor and every step you walk, reveals the same. I disposed of many objects in the numerous beach litter bins - plastic bottles, toys, fishing crates, fishing line, straws, bottle tops, the list and the amount is endless. The small fragments are more numerous, in the first image below are in excess of thirty pieces. |
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