We have had a strange few days split between enjoyable bird outings and a search for more accommodation. Salgados has made a wonderful base with our apartment so close to the wetlands. Marsh Harrier over the reed beds. Sadly, and for the first time, we have found ourselves in a North facing building which resembles an iceberg, given the unprecedented cold Winter we have seen in the Algarve. Julie and Carl have helped us immensely with the loan of a gas heater but given the ongoing lockdowns, where much time is spent indoors - we think we'll be on our sixth move in as many months! The weather is lovely now with clear blue skies and my first Short-toed Eagle of the year came over Salgados yesterday afternoon. More often seen here are two Booted Eagles, a light form and this dark one also seen yesterday. Whilst on an accommodation search, we called in at Vilamoura where we found the Black-headed Weavers were busy with their accommodation too. I have seen old nests in the Autumn but never been here to see the Weavers at work on very fresh looking nests. The males appeared to be doing most of the fetching, flying in from the reed beds with thin lengths of reed. Although I didn't see any weaving going on, the result is intriguing. Two of the 'workmen' taking a rest. A Little Bittern did its best to be invisible on the canal edge, but he didn't escape my searching. The first hide lagoon was busy with Little Grebes, Swamphens, Pochard and a smart Great-crested Grebe was a nice sighting. This hide faces into the sun for most of the morning and I had ignored a diving duck for some time, until it came closer. It turned out to be a male Ferruginous Duck although the plumage was highly difficult to make out. Marsh Harriers and Grey Herons were flying locally and Quails could be heard in the nearby fields.
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