What better way to start the New Year, than to find your favourite bird of all, in my case the Bluethroat. The saltmarsh near the harbour is always a likely place and within a few minutes, I located this stunning female in company with a male. Always the white-spotted form (cyanecula) down here, and very smart indeed. In winter, Chiffchaffs are numerous (and silent) and can be seen in nearly any habitat, including out on the saltmarsh. In the harbour, Yellow-legged Gulls rested with a single Black-headed Gull present and a Little Egret wandered by. As we stopped for coffee, one of two Sandwich Terns flew by repeatedly. I really like this old vessel which never seems to go anywhere, and gave it a quick Google. Amazingly, it is a harbour motor vessel, built in Buckie, Scotland in 1958! Constructed of teak on oak frames and copper rivetted throughout. It's diesel engine is removed (u/s) and the vessel is on sale for US$6000 - so there you go.... In the area of Alvor Marsh, my day total finished at 42 species. There seemed to be a lot of wildfowl and waders 'missing', the only ducks were Mallard and Teal.
The more interesting sightings were - 1 Osprey, 1 Marsh Harrier, Waxbills, 4 Song Thrush, 14 Spoonbill, 12 Crag Martin, 1 Lapwing, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Green Sandpiper and 2 Hoopoe. The adjoining fields are beginning to look Spring-like with plenty of 'white paper narcissus' in flower. Comments are closed.
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