With a month's national lockdown brewing up, I thought a boost to the year list would be best achieved, around Ludo and the Quinta do Lago area. A good reason to be on the Ludo saltpans again was the chance of finding the Temminck's Stint, seen by Georg Schreier a few days ago. I had seen one here a couple of years ago and had an idea where, on several pools it might be. I first tried the small pool where I had been successful with the Lesser Yellowlegs and, to my surprise, looking tiny alongside a Ringed Plover was the Temminck's Stint. It looks like an adult stint, having traveled South from the Arctic tundra regions and almost certainly giving Africa a miss this year. I was unable to get the Temminck's to stand near the plover for a size comparison however, on the pool opposite, I found two Little Stint among a Dunlin flock. The Little Stints are standing together at the back, with a Dunlin right and Ringed Plover to the left. On this same pool were three Spotted Redshanks, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Turnstone, Sanderling, Kentish Plover and Common Redshank. Another pool lies to the North of this one and distantly I could see around twenty Avocets and a very large flock of Black-tailed Godwits. This is an excellent place for winter waders! Interestingly, there was no sign of the Lesser Yellowlegs but I also wasn't finding Redshanks in the usual numbers, so perhaps it was on a pool elsewhere. Further away, the saltpans containing deeper water also held the wildfowl. Thanks to the passing Marsh Harriers, I counted large numbers of Wigeon, Mallard and a couple of Shelduck among them. Two of the 'watchers'. Walking the edge of the golf course towards Quinta do Lago, the complete lack of golfers was turning the greens into a birds paradise. There were several large mixed flocks of House Sparrows, Goldfinches and Black-headed Weavers, feeding in the grass. I saw some of the Weavers in the nearby trees. I found three Mistle Thrushes within a short distance, along with several Hoopoes. I only just managed to add a Little Bittern to the list, picking this one out, on a far island. This Little Bittern was warming up in the sun and wasn't inclined to come out.
An excellent day with many more species seen and a chance to observe a Temminck's Stint over a considerable time. Comments are closed.
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