A further visit to this excellent site and habitat today, given its coastal location the numbers and species of birds is constantly changing. Not only birds but birders were also out in reasonable numbers, mostly visitors. I met a keen couple from Norfolk, a very competent lady from the Netherlands as well as German and Swedish birders too. Birding began before I had left the car as a Hoopoe was searching out insects on surrounding trees. I've seen so many, but always give them time as they go about their feeding patterns. The plumage is amazing, especially when the crest is raised, which is not that often and, black and white wings are so conspicuous in flight. Other birds on the ground included 2 Crested Lark, 2 Pied Wagtail, Eurasion Magpie which is seen here quite regularly but is absent from much of the Algarve. Small numbers of Linnets and Goldfinches, Stonechats and the usual Fan-tailed and Sardinian Warblers flitting about everywhere. The farmer was driving his sheep (and Cattle Egrets!) over the field which has held the Richard's Pipit recently, so I didn't look for it today. Among the larger water birds were the usual Grey Herons, Little Egrets, 2 White Storks, Cormorants, 8 Glossy Ibis were seen in flight and the odd Spoonbill. 3 Purple Swamphens were seen in two separate locations on the marsh. The wader numbers change daily here and at first sight, there was no sign of either the long-staying Sociable Lapwing or the Lesser Yellowlegs. In fact, the Yellowlegs didn't show up all day, but it could be at the North end of the marsh which becomes more sedgy. Black-tailed Godwits and Common Snipe were quite concealed in that area at times. It was early afternoon before the Sociable Lapwing appeared in flight, emerging from the North end in a flock of Lapwings. In recent days, it has settled on the island close to the boardwalk but today, all the Lapwings were on the mudbank on the golf course side, opposite the viewing screen. Some good views of the Sociable Lapwing in flight were had when the Marsh Harriers were on their rounds. The arrival of around eight Avocets was a pleasing sight as they wheeled around, before settling near the viewing screen. It was early afternoon when I realised a 1w Little Gull had come in from the sea and was hawking insects over the Northern pool. Little Gulls are known to winter in the Western Mediterranean, was this one on its journey North already? This agile gull was so difficult to photograph, constantly twisting and turning - I didn't get the distinctive wing pattern which was a shame, well not in focus anyway! The raptor situation was interesting today, the Peregrine I've known for a long time was sitting on his favourite rock, watching the golf. No Ospreys came in but 2 Booted Eagles were excellent, the first being a dark form bird. After lunch, a light form Booted Eagle appeared and he wasn't messing about - I couldn't keep up with him! A really good day, not sunny and a wind at times but excellent birding here again.
Annelies Hall
1/2/2018 09:50:25 pm
Brilliant pictures of the whoopee. Wish we could have seen that activity. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge. The keen couple from Norfolk. Comments are closed.
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