SUN BIRD
Tina Sway
Algarve 2 - 16 Oct (It was there when I took the photo)
This is my first trip with a camera at my disposal.
My ‘significant other’ bought me a camera with a 300m lens a couple of weeks before we went away, so unfortunately no time to get to grips with all the settings etc.
This was to make the birding a more enjoyable experience and to stop me complaining when he takes forever photographing one bird.
I have to say it worked, I really enjoyed my first attempts at capturing what I hoped would be some really good shots. He was very helpful making sure I had the correct settings, however I think I have more bad pictures than good, hopefully in time the ratio will be reversed!!
We arrived at Faro at 8pm on Sunday the 2nd and went straight to Europcar to pick up the car. Niffty little Citroen C!, bad news it was an automatic. After receiving instructions on how to operate, which I know is very easy, we set off. It felt like driving in Auto Pilot. We were staying in a 4 bed villa (Villa Kimbo) in Espiche, approx. 2km out of the village and very rural, we arrived just after 10pm.
First day out Monday 3rd, driving along the track from the Villa we had Iberian Grey Shrike and a Booted Eagle, great start to the day, things can only get better – or can they!!!!
We made our way to Lagoa dos Salgados (Pera Marsh), taking the track round to the right heading towards the Beach Café, Yellow Wagtails and numerous Wheatears were seen flitting alongside the car. Stopping the car we took a few shots before setting off again or not, as unfortunately I was unable to get the car restarted.
I was getting extremely frustrated as turning the ignition did nothing, strange things these automatic cars (what was I doing wrong), it was in engage and the gear stick would not move to neutral. A call to Europcar Assistance proved fruitless, nobody could tell me what to do, other than call Faro Depot where I collected the car. Sadly they were constantly engaged.
11am and it was very hot and tempers beginning to get frayed…………… Another final attempt and we were in business. Purely a guess at the problem – I did not press hard enough on the brake pedal to get a response (give me a manual operated anytime). Straight to the Beach Café for coffee, cake and calm down before moving on.
After a walk around the estuary at Aramcao De Perra where we saw more Yellow Wagtails and Wheatears, also Red Veined Darters, we made our way back to Lagoa dos Salgados (Pera Marsh), where we had sightings of Spoonbills, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Flamingos, Glossy Ibis, Marsh Harrier, Curlew Sandpiper, Black Tailed Godwit, Wimbrel, plus many more.
A walk across the board walk gave us sightings of Stonechat, Winchat. Sardinian Warbler, Zitting Cisticola.
3pm and we had to turn our thoughts to shopping, a trip to Aldi in Pera where we filled the trolley with essentials such as wine, port and brandy, not forgetting the staples like bread milk etc we made our way home.
Happily there were no more car troubles over the next 2 weeks.
There were fantastic views daily of Hoopoe and Azure Winged Magpie in the gardens of the Villa. Opening the windows ensured we could click away without disturbing them allowing us to get some super shots.
(to be continued)
:cat:
This is my first trip with a camera at my disposal.
My ‘significant other’ bought me a camera with a 300m lens a couple of weeks before we went away, so unfortunately no time to get to grips with all the settings etc.
This was to make the birding a more enjoyable experience and to stop me complaining when he takes forever photographing one bird.
I have to say it worked, I really enjoyed my first attempts at capturing what I hoped would be some really good shots. He was very helpful making sure I had the correct settings, however I think I have more bad pictures than good, hopefully in time the ratio will be reversed!!
We arrived at Faro at 8pm on Sunday the 2nd and went straight to Europcar to pick up the car. Niffty little Citroen C!, bad news it was an automatic. After receiving instructions on how to operate, which I know is very easy, we set off. It felt like driving in Auto Pilot. We were staying in a 4 bed villa (Villa Kimbo) in Espiche, approx. 2km out of the village and very rural, we arrived just after 10pm.
First day out Monday 3rd, driving along the track from the Villa we had Iberian Grey Shrike and a Booted Eagle, great start to the day, things can only get better – or can they!!!!
We made our way to Lagoa dos Salgados (Pera Marsh), taking the track round to the right heading towards the Beach Café, Yellow Wagtails and numerous Wheatears were seen flitting alongside the car. Stopping the car we took a few shots before setting off again or not, as unfortunately I was unable to get the car restarted.
I was getting extremely frustrated as turning the ignition did nothing, strange things these automatic cars (what was I doing wrong), it was in engage and the gear stick would not move to neutral. A call to Europcar Assistance proved fruitless, nobody could tell me what to do, other than call Faro Depot where I collected the car. Sadly they were constantly engaged.
11am and it was very hot and tempers beginning to get frayed…………… Another final attempt and we were in business. Purely a guess at the problem – I did not press hard enough on the brake pedal to get a response (give me a manual operated anytime). Straight to the Beach Café for coffee, cake and calm down before moving on.
After a walk around the estuary at Aramcao De Perra where we saw more Yellow Wagtails and Wheatears, also Red Veined Darters, we made our way back to Lagoa dos Salgados (Pera Marsh), where we had sightings of Spoonbills, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Flamingos, Glossy Ibis, Marsh Harrier, Curlew Sandpiper, Black Tailed Godwit, Wimbrel, plus many more.
A walk across the board walk gave us sightings of Stonechat, Winchat. Sardinian Warbler, Zitting Cisticola.
3pm and we had to turn our thoughts to shopping, a trip to Aldi in Pera where we filled the trolley with essentials such as wine, port and brandy, not forgetting the staples like bread milk etc we made our way home.
Happily there were no more car troubles over the next 2 weeks.
There were fantastic views daily of Hoopoe and Azure Winged Magpie in the gardens of the Villa. Opening the windows ensured we could click away without disturbing them allowing us to get some super shots.
(to be continued)
:cat:
Attachments
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Shrike Iberian Grey Espiche Oct 2011 LQ.jpg237.3 KB · Views: 121
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Spoonbills, Pera Marsh Oct 2011 LQ.jpg289.5 KB · Views: 85
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Wagtail Yellow, Pera Marsh Oct 2011 LQ.jpg318.2 KB · Views: 92
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Magpie Azure Winged 1 Villa Kimbo Oct 2011 LQ.jpg164.4 KB · Views: 112
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Hoopoe 2 Villa Kimbo Espiche Oct 2011 LQ.jpg237.6 KB · Views: 113
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