Friday saw us meeting with Chris and Sue once again at Boco do Rio. By the roadside, at least three Ring Ouzels flew up from the ground, only a male remaining in a nearby bush for a while. Together with the Ring Ouzels, we were seeing plenty of Song Thrushes throughout the entire area. Not too many birds on the wetland apart from the Mallard flock and a Little Egret. At the wooded picnic spot a Great Spotted Woodpecker was hammering away in the top of a eucalyptus tree. Serins were singing high up in the trees here, a little difficult to see other than one male which showed lower down. After a good lunch, we visited the small ETAR at Budens. A couple of Black-winged Stilts were here with two Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper. Both White Wagtail and a brightly coloured Grey Wagtail were seen on the pools. A male Blackcap on the perimeter fence. Yesterday we took Cheryl and Roger to Lagos, having a superb tapas lunch in the town on what was our first rainy morning for a considerable time. On the way to Lagos, I suggested we call in at the old saltpans at Paul de Lagos, on the chance of seeing the long-staying Lesser Yellowlegs. The wader is still there, only viewable on a distant pool where a 'scope is needed to achieve any decent views. With a couple of Redshanks, a Stilt and a Greenshank feeding close to the Yellowlegs, I identified it using my camera lens and was then able to point it out. (Centre bird below). On our return from Lagos, the weather had brightened a little and I spent an hour or so by the small pool before the dam in Alvor. On the approach road to the lagoons were many Azure-winged Magpies and once again, I inadvertently put up an Iberian Woodpecker which flew to a distant pole. Within a few minutes the Black-winged Kite came in, which I haven't seen here for a month or so, spending a long time preening before flying out again without bothering to hunt. Along with two Ospreys and two Marsh Harriers, this Peregrine was an additional raptor sighting, passing over quickly. The small pool I intended to watch was quite productive at this time, with at least 5 Common Snipe on show, 3 Redshank, a Greenshank and a Ringed Plover not usually seen there. Both a Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper came in with a Little Egret also. Two Redshank were having an intense stand-off lasting a good five minutes. Common Sandpiper. Green Sandpiper. Common Snipe.
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