Portugal Day 5

Hello

A limited amount of birding yesterday afternoon around the beach area of Santo Andres was very pleasant and an attempt at ringing around the reed-beds in the evening provided only a modest catch of birds, but did include a Savi's Warbler.

This morning and an earlier start at 5am sadly didn't provide us with an opportunity of catching nocturnal birds, but the waders were good again with a gaggle of Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper, a Ringed Plover and two Redshank providing us with an opportunity of examining these graceful birds. Most of the waders we are catching are juveniles hatched this year.

Nets in the scrub and reed-beds today provided us with captures of Melodious Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Nightingale, Bluethroat and Kingfisher. Probably the most common birds caught during the last week or so have been Reed and Cetti's Warblers.

With strong winds now and forecast for the next 24 hours plus rain, it is likely that the ringing activities during this trip will now be curtailed.

Regards

Neil M

Ringed Plover

Sanderling

Santo Andres

Stonechat

Melodious Warbler