Spring migrants keep arriving

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) near Lagoa dos Salgados (Silves) on 19-03-2016. The species arrives as early as mid February in South Portugal, but adults already head back to Africa during May. Since their favourite host species is the Common Magpie (Pica pica) the distribution of the two species pretty much merges in the Algarve and the Baixo Alentejo-region. The species is very vocal and often can be detected by their giggling calls.

Adult male Spectecled Warbler (Sylvia conspicillata) near Sagres (Vila do Bispo) on 26-03-2016. This small Sylvian Warbler, somewhat resembling a miniature Common Whitethroat, is only locally distributed along the Algarve coast, basically in the extreme west- and east of the region. It favours very low shrub and open countryside, such as dry salt marsh or the Garigue of the hinterland of the Cape of Sagres and São Vicente. 

Male Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) over its breeding territory in a reed bed in Portimão-area on 26-03-2016.

Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus (2nd calender year) near Vilamoura (Parque Ambiental) on March 7th, 2016. The species is a wintering bird in the area and prefers open country side like marhes, fields or steppe land.

Male Great Bustards (Otis tarda) in the "pseudosteppe" of the Baixo Alentejo-region in Castro Verde-area. I took this photo out of the car during a tour in the region on March 9th, 2016.

Regarding rarities over the past weeks in the Algarve, this first winter Bonaparte's Gull (Croicocephalus philadelphia) I found at Lagoa dos Salgados (Silves) on March 19th, 2016 has been one of the most interesting birds. Might be overlooked among Black-headed Gulls, but note the more delicate and blackish bill and grey head- and necksides, as well as light pinkish legs on this digiscoping shot I took on a second visit at the site on March, 26th.
Other rarities included an adult male Citrine Wagtail, also near Lagoa dos Salgados. Unfortunately the information about the presence of this very rare vagrant to Portugal (3 records so far) had been passed on after days only and the bird was gone before it was made public...  the male Bufflehead is still present at "Altura-reservoir" (near Monte Gordo) as today.

First winter Bonaparte's Gull (Croicocephalus philadelphia) at Lagoa dos Salgados (Silves), March 19th, 2016 (left) in comparison to Black-headed Gull (also late first winter) on the right. Compare upperwing-pattern - note the evenly fine and well defined trailing edge of the wing on the Bonaparte's Gull on the left. [You can always click the photos to blow them up a bit].

Another record shot of the same bird as above -first winter Bonaparte's Gull (Croicocephalus philadelphia) in flight (the bird below) - note the all white underwing with dark trailing edge and compare to the underwing (primaries) of a Black-headed Gull Croicocephalus ridibundus. Feeding action of Bonaparte's Gull also resembling a Marsh Tern Sp. / Little Gullat times. (Video: click here ).

One more rare visitor from North America present at Lagoa dos Salgados the same day as the above Gull and also self-found a couple of days before - Ring-necked Duck (Athya collaris) adult male, with Common Pochard. (March, 19th, 2016).

Scotish Osprey, Short-eared Owl and Snow Finch

Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) in Ria Formosa Natural Park, near Faro-airport, 22-Jan-2016. I had a close
 encounter with this bird just before sunset...

Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) near Faro-airport, 22-Jan-2016. The same Ind. as above. 
I also observed this species in Tavira-area and others were found at Ria de Alvor. This wintering birds 
arrived rather late in the winter though this year, due to relatively mild temperatures in the north.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) looking down on me, yesterday, 11-Feb-2016 in "Ludo" (Faro). This bird
has been ringed as a juvenile in South Scotland. Information I received from the ringer: "CK4 was 
ringed in the tweed valley (Scottish borders) from a brood of 2 chicks on 26/06/2012 
BTO number 1445932."

Osprey - Another Ind. (2nd calender year) without a ring, was accompanying the above bird.
Counts in the last two winters showed that about 10 Ind, of this species winter in the areas of the
Ria Formosa Natural Park between Tavira and Quinta do Lago. 11-Feb-2016.

Female Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus) near Aljezur, 01-Feb-2016. This species is mainly found in the western Algarve,
 at the west coast and around Monchique.

This White-winged Snowfich (Montifingrilla nivalis) is the first documented record of this species in Portugal
 since 2005. It has been found near Praia de Armoreira, Aljezur on 31-Jan-2016 by Nuno Dosantos and was
still at the same location today. It breeds in the high mountain ranges of the Alps and the Pyrenees.
I took this foto on February, 1st. For me this is my 322nd bird species seen in the Algarve.

A feeding flock of Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) at a rice paddy between Lagoa and Silves.
The numbers of this fascinating bird species have increased over the last decade - here as
in all western Europe (you can click the image to zoom in).

Happy new year 2016 !

... and peace and health to all of you.

I include here a couple of photos - all taken on a tour during the week before Christmas 2015 - most photos showing typical species found up in the Baixo Alentejo plains.

Regarding rarities - I "co-found" a first winter Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) on December, 18th in Sagres harbor and another one near Portimão, in the small harbor-bay of Ferragudo on December, 27th. Both birds practically still in juvenile plumage. There was (and probably still is today) also a Rock Pipit (Anthus petrosus) and an unusual obliging Shag. A Richard's Pipit (Anthus richardi) was on December, 19th in the fields west of Lagoa dos Salgados (Silves) where I found wintering birds in years before. a pair of Ring-necked Ducks (Aythya collaris) has been on a sewage work near Vilamoura for a couple of weeks in December, but seems to have gone now. A female or first winter Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola), another vagrant Duck species from North America has been found by June Taylor and Peter Dedicoat at a small lake near Aldeia Nova (Monte Gordo) in the pine forest of "Mata Nacional" on January, 3rd 2016. I relocated the (very nervous) bird the next morning on the nearby tank (east) of Altura. Curently it seems to frequently exchange places between this two sites. Also rather unusual - a Great (White) Egret in Ludo still on January, 1st.








To be continued...

Visitors from the high north

click image 

Today a Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) adult male and only yesterday, a Red (Grey) Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarus) are both rare winter visitors here in the Algarve, coming from the subpolar regions of Eurasia.

Why not spending the winter where it is less cold? Clever birds! (I still remember what winter around the north sea feels like...)

Here are two hand-held videos taken through the scope: 

Some recent photos from my tours...

Booted Eagle / Zwergadler / Aguia-calçada (Aquila pennata) juvenile pale morph photographed during a tour in Ria Formosa Natural Park near Tavira on 1st of October 2015 (GS.) The species is a fairly common passage migrant and local wintering bird n the Algarve (same bird in the above photo).

Adult male Little Bittern / Zwergdommel / Garçote (Ixobrychus minutus) right in front of the bird observatory of Quinta do Lago. Although somewhat "overrun" at times, this is still a great place to watch birds.

Cory's Shearwater / Sepiasturmtaucher ("Kanarensturmtaucher") / Cagarra (Calonectris d. borealis) a few miles off-shore Fuzeta (on boat-trip with Passeios Ria Formosa, Fuzeta, October 1st, 2015). In summer and autumn this is a common seabird off the Algarvian coast.

Great Shearwater / Großer Sturmtaucher / Pardela-de-barete (Puffinus gravis) photographed during the same trip.

Ferruginous Duck / Moorente / Zarro-castanho (Athya nyroca) are very rare breeding birds in the Algarve. Sometimes more than 30 Ind. can be found wintering near Vilamoura, where the species might also nest. The extension of the Marina of Vilamoura westwards will however consume most of the remaining reed bed of the area (Parque Ambiental) for the sake of a 900 Million € luxury resort. Bad news, because it is also the main breeding site for Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) in the entire Algarve. Also Otters live here, among others. (The photo below showing a male at the same location, both photographed on the 2nd of October 2015).

Lesser-crested Tern / Rüppell-Seeschwalbe / Garajau-bengalense (Sterna bengalensis) at Sagres fishing harbor on October 21st 2015. One of many rarities of this atumn season. This bird whos next breeding colonies are in Lybia, had been found the day before by the team of "Strix" (Riacardo Tomé et al.) who survey the birds of prey around the wind farms of the area, during a severe southerly storm...

Also present in the harbor when I arrived there in the morning after the storm had passed, were well a dozen Black Terns, some Common and two Arctic Terns, the usual Sandwich Terns and this interesting Tern (above two photos) I considered Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) adult winter. But grey on outer tail feathers for instance excludes this species (thanks Pedro Ramalho) and it remains just another nice Common Tern (Sterna hirundo).

Black Tern / Trauerseeschwalbe / Gaivina-preta (Chlidonias niger) at Martinhal lagoon (Sagres) on October21st 2015.

Whiskered Tern / Weissbartseeschwalbe / Gaivinha-dos pauis (Chlidonias hybridus) adult winter, east of Faro on October 26th, 2015.

On of at least two Yellow-browed Warblers / Gelbbrauenlaubsänger / Felosa-bilistada (Phylloscopus inornatus) near Sagres ("Cabranosa") on October 13th, 2015. Like the previous atumn, we experience quite an influx of this Siberian species in SW-Portugal. 

Autum passage begins

Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola) at a small reservoir near Mértola (Alentejo-region) 20th May 2015.
Photo: Georg Schreier

On August, 3rd the subsequent song of a Western Bonelli's Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli) heard when arriving in "Ludo" near Faro, for a morning tour with a German family, marked the beginning of autumn migration to me this year. The Warblers stayed for some days and three weeks later, some days ago, Bonelli's Warblers were still stopping over in the hinterland of the cape area of Sagres, in the western Algarve.

Both Photos showing Western Bonelli's Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli) in the hinterland of Cabo São Vicente,
Sagres-area, Algarve, Portugal on August, 19th 2015. Fotos: GS.

Of course some sort of migration, "up" north- or "down" south is going on at almost every day in the year. In June, sometimes as early as the 10th of June, the first Black-tailed Godwits and Green Sandpipers show up here in the Algarve, coming straight down from their nesting grounds in Scandinavia and around the north sea, where they start- (and therefore also finish-) breeding quite early in the year. At the same time the very last Greater Ringed Plovers or Bar-tailed Godwits stop over in the lagoon system of the Ria Formosa Natural Park still on their way north...
June is also the month of the fledged juveniles here and shortly after, from July onwards, the local summer birds, like Bee-eaters and Sylvian Warblers start to disperse over the countryside and gather up around sites with higher food availability, often next to wetlands, since particularly the interior from mid summer onwards suffers from a draught and food shortage as a consequence. By mid August, neither European Rollers nor Collared Pratincoles could be found in the Baixo Alentejo plain anymore since this summer was particularly hot. However, Great- and Little Bustards, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Sp. Imperial- and Golden Eagle and many others could be observed on a tour on August, 12th. Also Black-eared Wheatears and Calandra Larks, as well as some Lesser Kestrels and Montagu's Harriers could still be seen.
Monday, 17th this week, a European Roller stopping over at Lagoa dos Salgados (Silves) was a nice surprise. Collared Pratincoles bred again at the site this year. For the second year now, since the earthworks at the site, creating a dam to hold back part of the water when the lagoon is drained and the construction of artificial islands for the nesting of birds, were finished. The investment done of around 1 Million € at this site is probably unique in the Algarve. The final results remain still to be seen. At the moment, the site has lost attractivity to waders in particular, because of both, a too high water level and the replacement of soft mudflats for hard soil banks. Vegetation on the islands will grow high quickly, too, having perhaps the positive effect of the possibility of a Egret/Heron colony forming in Tamarisc bushes.
On the next day, Tuesday, 18th, a White-rumped Swift (Apus caffer) gave still good views at a small lagoon near Alcoutim (Algarve). Short-toed- and Thekla Larks, Black-eared Wheatear and Black Vultures were also seen that day, when Short-toed Eagles and Booted Eagles were crossing the country side and Bee-eaters seemed to be perched on almost every telegraph wire in the area.
In Sagres, two days ago, 2 juvenile Egyptian Vultures (Neophron percnopterus) gave close views and a thermal of 28 Black Kites (Milvus migrans) was typical for the date, since the species is known to peak early in the season. Many Woodchat Shrikes were on the move already, mainly juveniles and a 2nd cy male Montagu's Harrier puzzled us a bit, because it had pretty much the "jizz" of a Hen Harrier, appearing unusual heavy build and broad winged for the species. Little Bustards and a Tawny Pipit were among the local breeding birds we saw. Yesterday evening, 12 Stone Curlews were on a stubble field east of Faro, plus a Willow- and a Melodius Warbler in the same area.

My year list for continental South Portugal (south of Lisbon) is on 245 species at the moment.
Bubo.org

Juvenile Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) near Sagres. August 19th, 2015. Foto: GS.