I set out for a walk on the beach this morning, which was as busy as usual and kept an eye out for passing seabirds. Yellow-legged Gulls and offshore Gannets are always visible, but a flock of 22 Common Scoters, flying East was more unusual. Large numbers of Cormorants feed in the estuary, this one did a close fly-by! Three Sandwich Terns had passed by when I noticed a larger tern coming towards me and this was a nice adult winter Caspian Tern. When I reached the saltmarsh, Bluethroats were calling and I found this male showing off its red tail in spectacular fashion. It remained in a pampas grass for a while, all the time calling and I wondered if the tail show was a form of display. In the afternoon, I found the Caspian Tern again at Alvor Marsh as the tide receded on the estuary, with a second bird also. The exposed mud was collecting waders, mainly Dunlin, Grey Plover, Sanderling and Knot. A flock of wintering Golden Plover were resting on the marsh where, there was a Kingfisher, Marsh Harrier, Black-shouldered Kite, Osprey, 3 Flamingos and 8 Spoonbill. Down here, I've found Red-legged Partridges seem to call from vantage points, such as walls and old building roofs, this one soon acquired a friend!
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