Wednesday 16 September 2015

Portugal Day 6

Hello

Rain hit Portugal during the night and particularly this morning, so with a showery but sunny afternoon we birded the Santo Andres beach areas and western edge of the lagoon.

A heavy passage of gulls heading south down the Atlantic coast were mostly Lesser Black-backed Gulls no doubt fresh out of the UK and other countries to the north. Among them were a scattering of Yellow-legged Gulls presumably of Eastern Europe origin. A couple of the adults were sporting quite significant flecking around the head and were migrating despite being in full primary wing moult.

Most of our bird sightings were of species encountered on previous days, but this was the first time we had espied an Egyptian Mongoose, an introduced species which is quite common in damper areas on the Iberian peninsular.

Small flocks of hirundines contained Red-rumped Swallows and the raptor list of the day included Osprey, Booted Eagle, Black Kite, Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier and Hobby.

Tomorrow hopefully sees us travel inland to the Castro Verde area looking for birds of the central plains...

Regards

Neil M





Yellow-legged Gulls

Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Egyptian Mongoose

Red Signal Crayfish


Spoonbills

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