What's been around this week

A weekly summary about what I have been seeing on my Tours here in the Algarve and other parts of south Portugal is what I intend to post here by the end of each week from now on, hoping to keep you interested in following this blog.

Last Sunday, Jan 11th, a Red-knobbed Coot (Fulica cristata) was found by João Ministro at Lagoa Foz do Almargem (Quarteira). I went to see the bird, which was within a considerable flock of Common Coots and took some digiscoping shots. 21 Red-crested Pochard at the same location are also worth mentioning. The RC Coot was still seen yesterday. By the way, also the RB Flycatcher (see previous blog post) was still present at the location yesterday.

Red-Crested Coot (Fulica cristata) at Foz do Almargem on Jan 11th 2015.

At a nearby fishing harbor there was also an adult Greater Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) that same afternoon. Near Vilamoura, I could get close up photos of a dark morph Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata) - the fotos below - and also observed a first winter Merlin (Falco columbarius) and a female Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) as well as a Black-Winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus). Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) were present in Ria Formosa Natural Park around Faro, as every winter. By the way - on the Saturday, the 24th of January, a nation wide count of this species takes place. If you are in Portugal and see any Osprey that day, please send me an e-mail with the exact location, I can forward it to Gonçalo Elias, the initiator of the count. The idea of course is to get an overview, how many Ospreys winter in /pass through Portugal, hence the simutaneous count.

Dark morph Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata) near Vilamoura, 09 Jan 2015. GS. 

At Lagoa dos Salgados ("Pêra marsh") on Monday, January 12th, there was still the first winter Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) present at the location (near the wooden bridge on the board walk) where I found it with a group in early December 2014.

The first winter Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) I found was still present at Lagoa dos Salgados on Monday, 12th. GS.

Other birds a the same site were Peregrine Falcon, Marsh Harrier, Penduline Tit, Bluethroat and Reed Bunting, besides many water birds and wildfowl, Among those were also two Garganey (Anas querquedula) quite an unusual date. The hybrid Blue-winged Teal x Northern Shoveler (Anas discors x A. clypeata) a male, was also still there. The bird was found by Peter Dedicoat and June Taylor a while ago.

Adult Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) at LdS. GS.

Hybrid Northern Shoveler x Blue-winged Teal (A. clypeata x A. discors) at LdS on January, 12th. Foto:GS.

On the 14th of January, I found a male American Wigeon (Anas americana) at a sewage work near Faro. Besides large numbers of both Wigeon (Anas penelope) and also many Pintail (Anas acuta) in present in the same area. As nervous as the rest of the waterfowl at the place, for me clearly a wild bird. A first winter Little-ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) and a Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava ssp.) were both rather unusual winter guests.

An adult American Wigeon (Anas americana) was a nice discovery I made near Faro on the 14th of January 2015. GS.

Little-ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius). GS.

On January, 15th, a day with very strong southerly winds (5-6 Bft.), a considerable mixed flock on Hirundies, consisting of about 30 to 40 Crag Martins, 15-20 Red-rumped Swallows, at least 5 House Martins and two or three Barn Swallows above Foz do Almargem (Quarteira) must have been just "blown in" from the north African coast, in my opinion. Barn Swallows anyway arrives back in the Algarve from January onwards on a regular basis each year. Watching the Swallows and Martins in the strong winds above the lagoon, was quite a spectacle. For a moment I thought I might have spotted a Brown-throated Martin (Riparia paludicola) among them, but soon lost the bird and did not find it back. One of these moments in birding that keep a bit of time to "digest"... however, spring is out our front doors here and soon also plenty of Orchids will be flowering in the Barrocal-area of the Algarvian hinterland. See you soon !

Have a great Birding Year 2015 !

What colors ! Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) at "Quinta do Lago" today, January 6th, 2015.

Glorious sunshine, in early January, in Europe's sunniest corner at this time of the year - the Algarve has it. And not only - the birdlife was stunning, too. As stunning, as it is here, basically all year around...

The above Red-brested Flycatcher (Ficedula parva), a first winter bird, was still present here near Faro today, since well about 3 weeks now and it was possible to watch it close up catching insects from its preferred perch with great enthusiasm. Wintering of this long distant migrant in Europe must be an exception, It is a bit "off-track", since this easterly species winters in India and south-east Asia mainly.

A flock of 10 Brent Geese (Branta bernicla) swam near the bus stop to Praia de Faro (Faro-beach) Ria Formosa Natural Park, yesterday afternoon (5th of January 2015). Portugal experiences an unusual strong influx of this species this winter. The flock had been reported last week by Peter Dedicoat already. I spent the last week in Germany (Cologne-area) where I watched many hundreds of Greater White-fronted-, Greyleg- and Barnacle Geese in the lower Rhine-area near the Dutch border (Xanten) and also saw species like Marsh Tit and Goldeneye - birds we don't get here in the south. And, yes, also got some snow!

Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata) winters in the Algarve, particularly around Faro and Vilamoura. This pale morph is at least four or five times more common than the dark one. 

Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) is also wintering in increasing numbers. About ten years ago, only single adult males could be observed in mid winter here, meanwhile a large part of the population seems to stay. This past December I observed birds near Portimão, at Lagoa dos Salgados, in Vilamoura-area, at Lagoa Foz do Almargem, in Ludo and in Quinta do Lago-area, at the latter site also today.

Below you can see this (past) years Christmas card - showing, what was most probably the bird of the year here in Portugal in 2014 - an adult Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnea) first for Portugal (and Iberia) found in the harbor of Nazaré at the west coast about an hour north of Lissbon by two travelling birders from abroad - not far from where brave surfers ride the world largest waves. The bird stayed for about 7 days. I went with a couple of friends to twitch it, because it was clear, that this is an unique chance and I have to say that it was well worth the journey. I have got tons of pictures and perhaps will post here a few more.

Birds of the Alentejo

Yesterday, 21st Nov 2014,  I guided a day-tour to the Baixo Alentejo-region, about one hour inland from the coast. I include some photos / record shots of the main target species I took during the tour. Other than the birds shown in the pictures, we also saw a.o. Little Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Peregrine Falcon, Hen Harrier, Calandra Lark and also the first Cranes of the season (2 Ind.). After sufficient rain falls, now the steppe-like plain of the southern interior is back to life!

Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti) adult. Parque Natural da Vale Guadiana, 21 Nov. 2014. 

Same Ind. as above.

Same Ind.as above.

An immature pair of Spanish Imperial Eagles (Aquila adalberti). Probably 3 cy. Castro Verde-area, 21 Nov 2014.

Eurasian Black Vulture (Aegypus monachus) Monte Salto, CV, 21 Nov. 2014.

Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) date and location as above.

Great Bustards (Otis tarda) near Castro Verde. 21 Nov. 2014.

Yellow-browed Warblers and others

Yellow-browed Warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus) near Sagres on the 30th October 2014.

Like the previous year, we experience an influx of these Siberian Warblers here in South Portugal, with about a dozen records made ofer the past 2 weeks. Finding them is tricky, as most Individuals do not- or rarely call. Meanwhile the first birds showed up on the Maroccan coast and the Canary islands, as well. I found my first one on Wednesday, 29th, next to the "Laranjal golf course" in Quinta do Lago-area, not far from Faro. It was accompanied by Common Chiffchaffs, two birds of which looked good for the eastern taxon "tristis". It was early in the  morning and the photographs I got are rather poor.

Possible "tristis" Chiff chaff (Phylloscopus collybita tristis) in Quinta do Lago- area on October 29th.

Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni) at the cape today

Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni) [Pt.: Petinha-silvestre; D.: Waldpieper] near the cape of Sagres ("Cabranosa") today. The bird has been found by Thijs Valkenburg on Tuesday. Could not find the also reported Yellow Browed Warbler - instead I heard a Richard's Pipit (Anthus richardi) flying over and calling.

Pallid Harrier

Guiding a group of birders from Germany around Sagres on the 3rd of October, we walked along a track through the fields and the Garigue, watching Whinchats, Tawny Pipits, many Northern Wheatears and also two Little Bustards, when we picked up a juvenile Harrier hunting in "Vale Santo"-area at around 10 a.m.
While "jizz" and structure layed somehow in between Hen- and Montagu's Harrier, the bright orange body plumage and the lack of any streaking on neck and breast plus the contrasting head markings excluded a Hen Harrier. Also primary-tips, as far as I could see, looked good for a juvenile Pallid Harrier! But without having achieved closer observations nor reasonable photos - I called it a probable Pallid Harrier Circus macrouros at this point.
About two hours later we had arrived at the observation-point, a small hill side with a geodetic mark near a Pine-forest overlooking the open, heathland-like Garigue in western direction. Around 20 observers were on- or near the watchpoint, when the same bird approached the hill from the west and passed along side it at about 100 m distance, first in southern- and then back in northerly direction.
While most observers soon called it a Pallid- or probable Pallid, at least one observer, experienced with the species, stated it would be clearly too "heavy" and could impossible be a Pallid - rather a Hen Harrier. Well, since members of the Portuguese rarities comittee were also present this moment, this opinion was soon overruled. However, something about the bird remains slightly "atypical" -  or not?

Foto by Ramona Strempel

Foto by Ramona Strempel

I have sent a few photos I took of the bird (the first three) - record shots, basically - to Dick Forsman, who is considered the leading expert in the field of raptor-identification in Europe and the WP and share here, what he kindly comented on the bird:


Hi Georg,
Thanks for your mail.
It is an interesting bird you have, and it is a pity that there has been so much heat haze, that the images are slightly blurred. This prevents us from seeing the important small details of the underbody and wing-tip.
I agree the bird looks a bit on the heavy side with rather broad-looking wings, but if it is a young female (should have a dark iris), then it is still within the limits for a Pallid. Also the wing-tip looks a bit broad and rounded, but I cannot see that the crucial p6 (the fifth feather counting inwards from the outermost primary) is either too long or clearly emarginated, as it should on a hybrid Hen x Pallid. Also the dark trailing edge of the hand looks a bit too distinct, but also some juv Pallids have this feature, and as you say, it tends to vary with the angle of the light.

Despite the few oddities I think this bird can be accepted as a big and heavy female Pallid. However, if it was a young male (yellow iris), then things are different and the identification is in need of reconsideration. I would be interested in seeing more images of this bird in case it stays around.

best regards,
Dick

     

Shearwaters and Dolphins

Last Friday, 25th of July, we went out for another Pelagic with Passeios Ria Formosa from Fuzeta. This time we also aimed for Dolphins and got both, Bottlenose- and Common Dolphins close to the boat. Besides a smaller number of Wilson's Storm Petrels, following a fishing vessel, we found a big concentration of Shearwaters (together with the school of Common Dolphins). Dozens of Cory's-, but also some Balearic- and at least 6 Sooty- and 3 Great Shearwaters gave great views and photo opportunities about 4 miles off Armona island, between Olhão and Fuzeta. Two Common Terns, one Great Skua, some Northern Gannets and many Audouin's Gulls could also been seen during the trip.
Some of the photos, all from this trip, turned out nice. Please check two blog entries before for the next tours scheduled and on my website for general Info about this trips.

Great Skua (Stercorarius skua) passing close by the boat. Non-breeders apparently summer here in the Algarve.

Cory's Shearwaters (Calonectris (borealis) diomedea) were numerous. This Ind. shows the underwing pattern of a Scopoli's Shearwater (C.diomedea diomedea) but this could not be confirmed in the field and might appear so due to the light and angle in this photo. 

Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delpinus delphis).

A Great Shearwater (Puffinus gravis) with two Cory's Shearwaters. The species nests in the southern hemisphere, the Falkland Islands, among others.

Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) also origins from the subantarctic region.

Short-beaked Common Dolphins (Delpinus delphis).

One of several Wilson's Storm Petrels (Oceanites oceanicus) we saw during this trip.

Great Skua (Stercorarius skua) the same Ind. as above.

Great Shearwater (front) and Cory's Shearwater.