With the Autumn migration period over, there's a distinct quiet in my day to day birding and interesting topics have been a little hard to find. Time for a little diversification perhaps, as nature will show itself in many fabulous ways. Before I left Sagres and still testing my new camera on any willing subject, I came across these large jellyfish fairly near the surface in Porto do Baleeira. I was rather pleased with the detail obtained and of course the quality of the water in a busy fishing port was remarkably clear. Away from Sagres and in a coniferous wood, I was unsuccessfully looking for the Lesser spotted Woodpecker I had seen previously. Some fallen conifers with decaying trunks were now providing colourful displays by a variety of fungi. Two days ago, I visited the ricefields to the east of Lagoa. The White Stork flock numbering around 150 birds had two juvenile Black Storks among them. I've come across the odd Black Stork among Whites before, but it is perhaps noteworthy as non-migrants maybe. So, moving across to Alporchinos, we find ourselves in 'the land of parrots' with those noisy little Fischer's Lovebirds flying here, there and everywhere. ....... and sharing my sunbed this morning was a Green Mantis. Sometimes called 'praying mantis' since the front pair of legs can be seen folded in a praying position. Following a report of a possible Slavonian Grebe at Bom Retiro, Portimao, I went to the Etar the next morning. Access to the water tanks is difficult to say the least and distant viewing from a hill top at the west end, revealed only one likely candidate. Relying on my camera for the best magnification available to me, I soon concluded this bird was in fact a Black-necked Grebe. (Centre of images). Apart from a very late sighting of a juvenile Purple Heron this week, Salgados lagoons have been fairly uneventful too. Arriving at the viewing screen, I found four Muscovy Duck relaxing there. I think I've seen these individuals here before and they frequent the lagoons from time to time. I was pleased to see the 'white faced' Crested Lark is still on the dunes with his partner. He is certainly a few years old now and retains the same mate I believe. The ever present wintering Chiffchaffs.
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