A walk we have done many times along the harbour took a different turn yesterday, when a small tern flying around the moored fishing boats turned out to be a juvenile Common Tern. The whole seabird situation appears very erratic this year with large numbers of unexpected birds such as the Razorbills, Kittiwakes and even Puffins showing up, while very low figures on Great Skuas and to an extent Gannets also. The Common Tern is recorded along the Algarve coast but until now, I had not seen one and this juvenile tern was a welcome sight. In Portugal this tern is called andorinha do mar commun - the sea swallow, and you can see the reason for that:- A nice addition to my Algarve List! Across the River Arade :- Two Little Buntings briefly visited the ricefields. They were rather elusive and difficult to photograph this particular morning. I managed an extra reward with a Richard's Pipit which took off noisily with other pipits on the fields. Purple Sandpipers are back in their Winter haunts, this individual was on the Praia do Mohle breakwater at the entrance to the Arade estuary. Two female Hen Harriers were observed this week, one at Estombar and the second at Vilamoura. At an undisclosed location, the appearance of an adult Bonelli's Eagle nicely rounded off an otherwise quiet walk. A very well fed Bonelli's Eagle by the look of that crop! There is an 'orange' rain warning in force this morning which has given me the opportunity to write up my blog, usually carried out on an evening. Looking outside, rain showers keep passing through and there are some Gannets flying close to the beach along with many gulls. This is quite a lot of activity for Alvor bay which is usually on the quiet side with seabirds. Between the next showers, I break off writing and stand by a hut on the beach. Most of the gulls are Mediterraneans in winter plumage. A lonely Razorbill is sitting on the sea not far out. It takes off before I get my camera on it and disappears along the coast. More Mediterranean Gulls and Gannets further out, a Great Skua flies east in the distance. Two Sandwich Terns come along the beach with a smaller tern following - Unbelievable, an adult Common Tern!! My first record of this species yesterday and my second this morning. Brilliant!
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