Just for a change we decided on a non-birding day and headed over to Praia do Bordeira yesterday. A beautiful beach where the Atlantic rolls in, to the delight of the surfing community. At one end of the beach, a high tide may come over and top up a small lagoon. We happened to notice, on our non-birding walk, two Black-tailed Godwits, ten Dunlin, two Redshanks, six Sanderling and a Ringed Plover resting at the lagoon. The juvenile Sanderling looked so colourful in their scaly plumage. The cliffs at Bordeira. This morning we called at the pinhal ceramica ( pottery pinewood) on our way up to Cabranosa. Still a complete lack of small migrants except for 3 Pied Flycatchers and 2 Spotted Flycatchers. Unusually, I found a Turtle Dove which remained stationery long enough to get some nice shots. For the second day running, Sparrowhawks were appearing in double figures. 2 Black Kites, 2 Honey Buzzards and 2 Egyptian Vultures were seen during the morning, with around 9 Booted Eagles. Despite the fact small birds appeared completely absent, Chris cleverly picked out this distant Wryneck, huddled against a tree trunk. Just look how its hind parts and tail virtually disappear into the tree, perfect camouflage. We had been given a tip by Sergio that a European Nightjar was possibly in this part of the wood. A few minutes after the Wryneck sighting, the Nightjar flew up just ahead of us. This was my first record in the Algarve and we saw it twice more in flight as it found somewhere to settle.
Raptors remained in small numbers with more Sparrowhawks and a brief sighting of a juvenile Bonelli's Eagle. As we were about to leave, difficult views of a passing falcon led me think, possibly a 2cy Eleonora's Falcon. The strong North wind continues to blow, making the sighting of ground birds few and far between. Occasional Pied Flycatchers are seen or heard and other small birds flit hastily between bushes. Booted Eagles are daily at Cabranosa now, making up the majority of passing raptors, perhaps 30 or so on each of the last couple of days. Honey Buzzards and Short-toed Eagles accompany them in lesser numbers and most days have produced 3 or 4 Egyptian Vultures. The juvenile Black Vulture was seen to the East mid-morning but again, failed to make an appearance over Cabranosa. The wind is tiring the young raptors and yesterday, we watched this Short-toed Eagle resting in a Stone Pine to the North of Cabranosa. This afternoon a Booted Eagle also took a few moments to stop off in the trees at Cabranosa. The raptors fly much lower in these strong winds and it makes a nice change to see much more of the upperparts on these beautiful eagles, as is the case with this Short-toed Eagle followed by the Egyptian Vultures. A routine shot of a passing Sparrowhawk turned out to be a juvenile Goshawk this morning. The streaks on the underparts being vertical (horizontal on Sparrowhawk) being the best identification. Booted Eagles continued to show all day, in both dark and light forms. The star bird of the day went to a 1st winter Dotterel which proved to be not the easiest individual to locate. I had been given an approximate position by Magnus Robb who had found the Dotterel an hour earlier, in the fields South of Vale Santo. Dotterel tend to occur each year around here, usually as single birds. I set off with Chris, the short way from Cabranosa and looked into the fields, beset with heat haze and a howling wind. In time, the Dotterel showed magnificently, at a range of 75 metres as can be seen below!! Like everywhere else, the wind was keeping birds hidden and this Dotterel was certainly well down in the vegetation with only the back of its head showing. It took some time before Chris had his first real look at this stunning plover with its huge pale supercilium extending over the head . Nice one!!!
Tonight, the wind is due to subside and tomorrow could bring a new show of birds. During this week, perhaps the most interesting sighting has been a small influx of Ortolan Buntings over the entire peninsula. Practically everyday one or two Ortolons have been seen at Cabranosa. Not always easy to see when perched in the pines, they have used Carl's pond to drink from. This afternoon, four birds were together around the pond. A moderate Northerly wind today may have seen many of the flycatchers depart, as their presence wasn't so noticeable. Several Spotted Flycatchers, a Redstart and the Subalpine Warblers continued to show nicely. The last few days have seen varying numbers of Booted Eagles and Honey Buzzards arriving. We counted 15 Booted Eagles and 4 Honey Buzzards moving around, in the company of our first 2 Black Storks of Autumn. A Merlin was seen on the way to Cabranosa and this Peregrine flew over Sagres harbour. Small numbers of the superb Short-toed Eagle appear regularly, frequently peering down on us as they glide overhead. Late afternoon saw a juvenile Black Vulture appear to the East of our position. It remained well away and was lost to view as it moved North, very slowly against the wind. With luck it may return tomorrow. This morning, a Blue Rock Thrush was found near the port. Saco Rabos, or Egyptian Mongoose which I found in Figueira, two mornings ago!
A complete change at Cabranosa today as the air filled with Booted Eagles and Flycatchers were in every other tree. I parked the car in front of a small dead tree, only to find an Ortolan Bunting sitting there. I went on to find a second bird within a short space of time. Pied Flycatchers were in great numbers throughout the wooded areas. Several Spotted Flycatchers and a new Redstart were seen around the hill. A Short-toed Lark was found on Carl's pond with two Thekla's Larks close by. A walk through the woods with Chris led us to a Tree Pipit, more Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs than recently and, at least twelve Turtle Doves in a single flock. My raptor counting went to pieces quickly as I tried to take in the sudden increase in arrivals. I know the recorders tally was in the region of 100 Booted Eagles. A good number of birds flew much lower today and I was able to get to grips with some of the Booted Eagles. On two occasions, a juvenile Peregrine flew close around us. One of three seen today.
We made our way to Cabranosa on another beautiful morning, pausing en route to look at two of the Algarve's native owls - the large and the small! Just before arriving, we passed the flock of Choughs near Vale Santo and two Ravens flew overhead. At Vale Santo we saw our third Little Owl in the space of one kilometre. Around the farm there was very little bird activity in these now bare, lifeless fields. As is often the case, birds are in the air as we arrive at Cabranosa. This morning we were in time to see a departing juvenile Spanish Imperial Eagle which was a great surprise and not expected at all, at least not in mid September. The day's observations produced a good selection of raptors again tending to fly at height, with the exception of the above eagle and a pair of Black Kites which circled low later in the afternoon. My records accounted for - 1 Spanish Imperial Eagle, 8 Booted Eagle, 16 Short-toed Eagle, 3 Egyptian Vulture, 10 Honey Buzzard, 4 Black Kite, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel. On the ground, the Redstarts we have watched during the last week have left. Several more species had arrived, particularly Subalpine Warblers which were busy feeding in the lower vegetation and gave us excellent views, for prolonged periods. Our ongoing efforts to see Spectacled Warblers resulted in a few more Whitethroats being seen. A Garden Warbler was a nice discovery and both Pied and Spotted Flycatchers continued to be found. Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs were in the woods, together with five Turtle Doves.
My morning walk towards the sea at Figueira soon showed an increase in birds, compared to the last week. Pied Flycatchers were showing quite frequently along the path to the sea. Probably in equal numbers were Spotted Flycatchers also. 1w Pied Flycatcher. In the small orchard, a party of Garden Warblers were feeding on the remaining figs. A male Blackcap showed together with a Robin. Sardinian Warblers and a Whitethroat were seen along with this Melodious Warbler. Around the beach car park, 9 Yellow Wagtails dropped in the fields. Reed Warblers were in the bamboo again, four in all seen. This afternoon, along the 'sebe' or hedge there were many more Pied and Spotted Flycatchers in the small pines. On the roadside, a fine male Northern Wheatear looked remarkably like a 'Greenland' race with its buffy pink underparts. Juvenile Woodchats were flying between bushes. The raptor numbers are still low. My observations whilst along the hedge revealed 7 Black Kites, 2 Booted Eagles, 4 Short-toed Eagles and 4 Honey Buzzards. I managed a photo of a Short-toed Eagle today, the first seen below 2,000 feet!!
I was pleased to meet Chris and Sue down on the quay in Sagres, as we made our way in to Marilimitado's office for our short safety briefing. As a change today, we were not embarking the 'rib' but a larger cruiser and climbed onto the upper deck which gave excellent all-round views. Increasing speed on clearing the harbour, the skipper contacted the vessel traffic services in an attempt to locate any passing trawlers, fishing the continental shelf. Here we might find seabirds feeding on discarded fish. On our way out to the nearest trawler, a single Balearic Shearwater passed across our bows. It was a beautiful morning with a slight swell and before long, we were met by shoals of Bottle-nosed Dolphins. They must like performing for our benefit as they threw themselves into the air - far too quickly for my reactions, but you get the idea! The next shot was long distance but more dolphins were seen speeding towards us like racehorses over the waves. Nearer the trawler, the birds were mostly Yellow legged and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. A single Great Skua approached briefly and Gannets were in the vicinity most of the time. While continuing to work this sea area, we made contact with our first European Storm Petrels and a little 'chum' over the stern encouraged some more. Seen only on these maritime trips, these small seabirds are fascinating to watch. They can fly quickly and are difficult to follow if the waves have any height, sometimes they will hover with legs dangling and give really good views. The Storm Petrel is small and shows white on the underwing, together with a completely white rump extending onto the sides. It was difficult to estimate how many Storm Petrels approached us, around a dozen perhaps. At least one Wilson's Storm Petrel came close to the boat, larger than European and showing dark underwings, pale bars on the upperwings and much longer legs. After watching these petrels and a considerable time wallowing in the swell (ahem!!), we set a course towards the Cape. It was on this passage that a Great Shearwater was seen crossing ahead of us. A large shearwater with a dark cap and white neck collar made it unmistakable, even at distance. A Cory's Shearwater then passed considerably nearer. Just for interest, I'm not sure whether my preferred vessel for these trips would be the rib or the cruiser. The rib is fast, getting you out to sea quickly, though in a choppy sea the strain on back and knees can be considerable. The cruiser was very comfortable with cushioned seats and I found the additional height lessened the chance of birds rearing into the sky and losing focus on the camera. With engines stopped I felt both vessels rolled in a fairly similar manner.
Whatever your choice, the trip is always spectacular and I'm looking forward to my next one. I began with a short walk from Figueira towards the sea, watching Red-rumped Swallows take to the early morning air. Cetti's Warblers called and I noticed my first Robin of the Autumn. In an area of tall bamboo, several warblers were feeding the first of which was a Reed Warbler. I heard a loud sound which I thought resembled a Great Reed Warbler but, as I didn't find one I thought perhaps it was a marsh frog. Sardinian Warblers were showing in places and a Melodious Warbler appeared soon after. On arriving at Cabranosa late morning, there was a distinct quietness around the bushes. Some of yesterday's birds were still here, including a smart Tawny Pipit in the same location. Redstarts and Spotted flycatchers were evident, a Whinchat and Wheatear were perhaps new arrivals. There were at least three Woodchat Shrikes including one adult bird. It was still around thirty degrees in the sun and the presence of Golden Oriole for two days running made me think Summer isn't over yet. Raptor identification was extremely difficult today with all birds flying really high and at times, lost in cloud. Certain records were - 1 Peregrine, 5 Honey Buzzard, 16 Black Kite, 6 Short-toed Eagle, 4 Booted Eagle, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Goshawk. The juvenile Goshawk was particularly interesting as it separated a Honey Buzzard away from some Black Kites. Continually harassing it, the juvenile attacked the buzzard and remained attached to it, all the way down to the woods ahead of us. A sizeable prey but I don't doubt the Goshawk's ability for one minute. I am open to contradictions however I do believe, the following large warbler is a Western Orphean Warbler (1w). and finally, a beautiful Swallowtail butterfly.
Very much a sought after bird still at Cabranosa, I was delighted to find a dark falcon coming in from the East, flying low and fast. It passed across us before turning North and disappearing over the woods. Only my second record here, this was a dark form adult falcon, unlike the juvenile seen last year. Around the same time as we observed the Eleonora's, we had seen a distant Buzzard species also low over the woods. This bird turned and dropped into the trees and in doing so, showed a startling white rump! As Rough Legged Buzzard doesn't occur here and a harrier was already ruled out, it was a little puzzling. Later in the afternoon, the same bird approached us revealing itself as a juvenile Honey Buzzard. It was an immaculate looking Buzzard in a very light colour form. During our stay this afternoon the following were noted:- 4 Honey Buzzard, 1 Black Kite, 1 Bonelli's Eagle, 1 pale Booted Eagle, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Short-toed Eagle. Non-raptors included a single Alpine Swift flying North, 12 Red-rumped Swallows, 2 Ravens, 2 Turtle Doves and the Chough flock.
On the ground, there were less birds than yesterday. Redstarts and Spotted Flycatchers were seen along with several Whitethroats and an adult Subalpine Warbler. Delighted to be back in our second home and all ready for another period of bird migration on the Sagres peninsula. I made a start this morning, not far from our village and in time to see an Eagle Owl making a short flight to its roost as the sun rose. Only a couple of hundred metres away an Osprey was sitting on a power pole, occasionally being mobbed by Iberian Magpies. Signs of Autumn were all around as Spotted Flycatchers (6) flitted out of the trees. A single Pied Flycatcher was here together with two Common Redstarts and several Willow Warblers. Three Ravens honked noisily as they passed overhead. After breakfast, we walked to Figueira beach to let Ellie have some well deserved playtime. Having spent two and a half days making the long journey with her transport company friends, she was ready for a splash in the sea and a good roll in the sand. Later on, we met with Sue and Chris at the hallowed ground which is Cabranosa. This is the area where we participate in the spectacle of raptor migration each Autumn, as well as seeing the smaller birds which rest or pass through on their journey to Africa. Among the notable birds around the bushes shown above were a family of Subalpine Warblers. Three young were seen which posed an identification problem for a while, until the adult birds appeared, confirming our suspicions. 1st winter Western Subalpine Warbler. Another good find was a Wryneck which remained long enough for good views as it moved about the trees. A later search for the Wryneck revealed a juvenile Woodchat Shrike. The star bird on the ground for both Chris and myself was undoubtedly an Ortolon Bunting which remained in a pine tree for a while. The arrival of juvenile raptors is beginning already. Those seen this afternoon were all flying high and the heat haze has distorted my images badly.
In the space of three hours we saw - 7 Egyptian Vultures, 4 Black Kite, 3 Bonelli's Eagles, 1 Booted Eagle, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel and one unidentified falcon. Quite an impressive start on our first visit and hopefully a sign of more interesting sightings to come. |
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