Bird sightings have been low over the last couple of days due to the weather. On a peninsula known for its wind, lingering fog, drizzle and low cloud is quite unusual. It was never so bad as to not get out though walking on a foggy November 1st in shorts and sandals felt a little strange, the temperature still up at 20C. We have a rare bird in the area at the moment which has very few previous records. A Pink-footed Goose has been found and seems to be feeding well in a bare field. Very few geese occur in the Algarve and along with one record of a Brent Goose, this is only my second. I was having a quiet time on Atalaia this morning until I noticed a few gulls pursuing what looked like a large owl, along the cliff tops. I identified it quickly as a Short-eared Owl and, having shaken off the gulls, the short-eared began hunting very low over the headland. A regular winter visitor but surely 'scarce' in terms of actual sightings. The Short-eared Owl was beautifully marked and a pleasure to watch in its silent glides over the field. With the weather not being brilliant and little walking done, a long beach walk was well overdue so the morning was spent on Praia do Cordoama, a spectacular West coast beach. I'm no geologist but the rock formations on the cliffs here are fascinating. You can hardly imagine the compression forces going on here, millions of years ago. Where's 'Ellie the dog.' The sky brightened around lunchtime and I thought some raptors might be up at Cabranosa. Unfortunately, the brightness was short-lived and the only raptor seen at Cabranosa (by me) was a handsome juvenile Peregrine which flew into a nearby tree.
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