It was the Cabranosa site which performed again today. Not the raptor migration for a change which seems to be coming to an end, although 40 Griffon Vultures remained some distance away this morning. As it was quiet in the air apart from a Hen Harrier and Peregrine, I turned my attention to the surrounding pine trees. Without doubt, there has been a large influx of finches down here, in the last few days. My first bird this morning was a Hawfinch feeding on the ground with Greenfinches. I am aware of the numbers of Hawfinch being found in the U.K. and speaking to local birders, there are many more than usual here too. Similarly, Siskin flocks seem to be in the air in many places. Chiffchaffs are here in ever-increasing numbers as winter approaches and, whilst watching several of these feeding in the pines, I noticed another warbler not quite so large and possessing long and short wing-bars. Like the Chiffchaffs, this warbler was silent too and a better look at the yellowish wing-bars and yellow supercillium, confirmed my thoughts that this was a Yellow-browed Warbler. It looked so strange as I'm used to seeing them in sycamore trees and this one could hide just as well in the pines! This Yellow-browed was a first for me in the Algarve and I wasn't long in telling Lars and Phillipa, the Portuguese recorders on the watchpoint. I re-found it for them and to my delight, it was a new species for them altogether and they were able to get some photographic records too. More images from around today. Firecrests in the woods. Siskins feeding in the pines. Nuthatch. Grey Heron.
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