Our recent stay in the Algarve allows us time to visit the Alentejo region which lies to the North and comprises mile after mile of undulating grassland and endless skies. A site we have visited before is the LPN Castro Verde Environmental Education Centre (www.lpn.pt). The centre lies about 10 minutes drive out of Castro Verde on the old road, running parallel with the IP2 to Beja. A signpost denotes the turn-off from the old road. The centre building boasts nesting Rollers and a short walk takes you to a ruined tower which holds nesting Lesser Kestrel, as well as Jackdaws, Crows, Roller and anything else that can get in! The Lesser Kestrel is a smart little falcon, only slightly smaller than our Common Kestrel. We had five in the air together and in the absence of Common Kestrel, the size difference is not obvious at all. It is the quicker wingbeat that gives the first indication and assuming your first view is one overhead, the whiteness of the underwing is really apparent. In fact, in the over-head sun which was searingly hot, the wings were almost translucent with fewer rows of dark spots. It would be good to have had clearer images when trying to illustrate a description, but in a 35C afternoon sun, that's not always possible. The adult male lacks the black spotting on the back and wing panel and instead, has a pale blue/grey wing panel and plain red/brown panel from the back to the flight feathers. The adult female has a thin moustachial stripe, as does Common Kestrel and not present in the male. Whilst watching the Lesser Kestrels in the vicinity of the old tower, flyovers appeared in the form of Montagu's Harrier, pale Booted Eagle and a juvenile and adult Griffon Vultures. The LPN Centre is an excellent site with several walks available on the grassland habitat. The visitor centre has informative displays and the staff are very helpful.
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