Sunday 13 September 2015

Portugal Day 3

Hello

Further efforts were made this morning to catch migrant waders utilising the excellent muddy margins of the Santo Andre Lagoon. We caught a small number of Dunlin, a Ringed Plover and two Green Sandpipers.

Birds from the drier nets included Little Owl, Bluethroat, Sardinian Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Fan-tailed Warbler, Short-toed Treecreeper and Kingfisher.

The small flocks of waders proved attractive to a juvenile Peregrine which successfully struck a flying Dunlin right next to us. The unfortunate wader tumbled in to the mud and the falcon spent some time trying to extract it's prey without landing on the very soft mud. The Peregrine still has a little to learn I think in precision flying and eventually gave up.

Other raptors on the marsh included a fine adult Osprey, a couple of Marsh Harriers, quite a number of Hobby and a pair of Black-winged Kite. Other waders included five Curlew Sandpipers with the Dunlin flock plus Sanderling, Ruff, Ringed and Little Ringed Plover, Turnstone and lots of Black-tailed Godwits and Black-winged Stilts. The calls of Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper and Redshank provided  a constant stream of evocative calls.

Roving flocks of Common Waxbills, Tree Sparrows and Yellow Wagtails in the reedbeds came and went and small flocks of both Black and Little Terns graced the airspace above the shallows.

Regards

Neil M


Sanderling and Dunlin

Black Terns

Juvenile Peregrine

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