Sal September 2016 (1 Viewer)

I was going to wait until I got home before I did a bit of a report, but hey it's too hot out in the sun, so I'll start now!

Friday 16th.

Flew Thompson from Bristol, arrived late afternoon. Taxi south to Santa Maria. The only birds I saw were a few waders by the road in a large pool just outside SM. They remained temporarily unidentified!

Saturday 17th.

We (me, wife and daughter) are in an apartment overlooking the east end of the beach, and can see the SE tip of the island about half a mile away over to the left. Heavy overcast and rain in the forecast. Bird one is as it so often is, Feral Pigeon. Shortly followed by Iago Sparrow which turns out to be much more common than I expected. The girls head into town so I head off for a walk around the headland. Just about bird-free! Except for a rather odd Osprey perched preening on a rock! Things liven up a bit at a small cove with deserted beach facilities in disrepair. 2 Cattle Egrets are atop the highest remains bracing into the now strong NE wind. On the deck, 2 Whimbrel, a Sanderling and a few Kentish Plover and Turnstone. Carry on round the beaches and find some almost worked out salt pans. Nothing to add. that's it for the day!

Sunday 18th.

This morning's walk (after pool swim of course) I head out through the town to a small salt pan with Kentish Plover, Turnstone, Sanderling and 2 Black-winged Stilts. Scanning ahead, I'm amazed to see a bird flying! And as it comes towards me I can see it is a Kestrel, so presumably Alexander's. It's mate (?) Is perched on the palm fronds atop a huge mobile phone mast. On northish out of town the landscape is more desertified, but with tons of rubbish and heaps of building spoil all over. In the distance I can see the large puddle with waders I saw on arrival so make my way over, keeping an eye on the developing rain.... Close inspection reveals that they are mostly Sanderling, with a smattering of Kentish Plovers and Curlew Sandpipers, with a lone Redshank. Scanning across at one point I see a bird with much black and white in the wings, I follow it until it lands and another joins it - Greater Hoopoe Larks! I head off in their direction, but fail to relocate them or much else. Time to head back as the rain has started. I set up the scope on the balcony and look longingly but in vain foir any sign of a seabird!

Monday 19th.

Today we were mostly surrounded by a forming Tropical Storm. Lots of rain overnight, and more during the day. Did a longish walk but saw virtually nothing. 4 species recorded!

Tuesday 20th.

Clear blue skies and hot sunshine - the storm has moved away with last night's lightning. Did a similar walk to yesterday with much better results!

We had talked about a sewage works, but I thought it was up island. Not so! The small saltpans had 8 Black-winged Stilts today, and a few Kentish Plovers and Turnstone. I stopped at the cemetery in the shade and was drawn to a small bird, which morphed into a juvenile Pied Flycatcher! Which has been recorded here, but is a very rare vagrant. Fortified by this, I headed out and almost immediately found a Greater Hoopoe Lark. Got a few pics, then it flew, but kept track of it, then it called and displayed!
Off in the distance I could see some hirundines and having seen a Swallow this morning, and a 'Martin' a couple of times, I wanted to secure an ID. Turns out they were feeding around the local sewage treatment plant which leaks water (etc!) into the surrounding area. Some Egrets flew, along with a Purple Heron! Another very rare vagrant here. Both Cattle and Little Egret present. The Martins are Sand Martins. But with them was a Red-rumped Swallow - another rare vagrant.... In the low greenery were a small flock (4) of Phylloscopus Warblers. All of them were Willow Warblers - another very rare vagrant... I also saw a small Dove, which I later tracked down and identified as a Palm Dove, which doesn't occur here!! Think I'm on drugs! 2 Whimbrel were more expected and I also added Common Sandpiper. Finally as I headed off a Squacco Heron flew out of the greenery! It's yet another extreme rarity here. All those strong N E winds must have blown lots of birds off course!

Still no seabirds offshore, but at least we can see Boa Vista off to the South.

Pip pip!

I think you are experiencing the effects of being in a place visited by few other birders.

Niels

I reckon it's the rains - was on Boa Vista a few years ago when they had their first rain for 8 years. Sadly Inflew home the next day although Swallows appeared instantly.

njlarsen said:

. I think you are experiencing the effects of being in a place visited by few other birders.

Niels

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You're probably right Niels. Went back to the STW this morning. Two guys are taking advantage of the leakage to grow some crops, creating a largish green area' which in turn attracts birds. Added Ruff and Collared Dove this morning, and now 2 Purple Herons! According to Clarke, it's never been recorded on Sal before! There's only 3 previous records of Squacco Heron on CV the last (and only) record on Sal in1901! It is also present this morning.

I think birders coming here are more keen on racing about the islands for the endemics and probably don't spend time generallly looking for other stuff.....

The Dove I saw yesterday. I'm now considering other candidates, coz I think the tail was too short for Laughing Dove. Will google e.g. Palm Dove to see if that's closer. (Oops just did - same species! )

Hotspur said:

I reckon it's the rains - was on Boa Vista a few years ago when they had their first rain for 8 years. Sadly Inflew home the next day although Swallows appeared instantly.

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Almost certainly weather related, this is after all the calving ground, so-to-speak of all the autumn hurricanes.

All is forgiven. Some Shearwaters cruised by this afternoon. Medium size, so I'm putting them down as Cape Verde Shearwaters!

And finally today the Osprey drifted along the beach going west into the sunset. Off looking at Turtles tonight!

Jon Turner said:

And finally today the Osprey drifted along the beach going west into the sunset. Off looking at Turtles tonight!

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You say the Osprey but they are pretty numerous on Cape Verde as ground nesters.

Hotspur said:

You say the Osprey but they are pretty numerous on Cape Verde as ground nesters.

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So I gather - I saw this one (?) on the first two days, on the ground.

Went out and watched Loggerhead Turtles crawling out and laying eggs last night. Lots of hatching going on, but we only saw one tiddler! Very well organised trip with Explore Cape Verde. Despite volunteers on the beach every night, there is stll poaching going on... Grrrr:C

After the late night, we relaxed through most of today, but later this afternoon, I hired a bike and got out a) quicker, and b) further.

Still 2 Purple Herons at the STW with Whimbrel, Ruff, both small Egrets, and several Willow Warblers. Found another displaying Hoopoe Lark.

Dinner just arrived - more anon!

Apologies. Delicious.

The advantages of the bike now proved really worthwhile as I finally found a bit of 'desert' and a Lark found me! I assumed it would be the so called abundant Bar-tailed, but it turned out to be a female Black-crowned Sparrow Lark soon joined by a male - very smart, and according to Clarke, not on this island! Lovely. New bird! Also I did finally find a Bar-tailed Lark, which may also be new, have to check Israel records....

Over on the wader pool, it was heaving again. Loads of Sanderling with Kentish Plovers, Curlew Sandpipers, Ringed Plovers, Redshank and a Temminck's Stint! The Osprey flew along the coast again, I even found a short concrete post with fish scales where it clearly had it's lunch recently!

Cycled out to Serra Negro this morning, into a strong headwind. 4 species! Osprey, Alexander's Kestrel, Bar-tailed Lark, and two displaying Greater Hoopoe Larks. The wader pool was again busy, with a similar mix to yesterday, but 3 Stints.... The one I took photos of looks Little. Later rode to sewage works, where Squacco Heron, but no Purple showed. Ruff, 3 Willow Warblers, and new were 4 Turtle Doves, and what I assume must be a Spectacled Warbler, as Whitethroat doesn't occur here.

Saturday. Good to start the day with Cream-coloured Courser, plus displaying Greater Hoopoe Larks and Bar-tailed Larks only a few hundred metres from our apartment!

Odd here. Saw (3 times, if briefly) what I immediately called as Sparrowhawk. Needless to say, it doesn't occur here. Have put it on the CVBS Facebook page and await comments.... Still 2 Purple Heron and now 2 Squacco Herons too...
Also refound the Pied Flycatcher.

Lazy day today. Until about 5 I had recorded 3 species. At beer o'clock, my daughter said 'bird!' Ooh Osprey, which flew past very low over the water later returning to catch a fish, one claw, just like a Sea Eagle! In the background, another large bird, which at that distance looked like another Osprey. I followed it off left, (east) but it didn't look right for Osprey.... Fortunately it came back, closer in and was easily identifiable as a Gull. 1st year Yellow-legged on what I saw. Now up to an exciting 34 species.

Birding Sal

Jon - nice to read your report. I have birded Sal quite a few times over the past 5 - 6 years and always turned birds up. Hoopoe, Bar-tailed Desert and Black-Crowned Sparrow larks are always in the area between the Riu complex and Villa Verde. Ponta Preta area is good for CCC too as well as larks and occasionally Quail. I have had Purple Heron & Intermediate Egret too. You obviously had a good fall of migrants as passerines are always thin on the ground but there is now more vegetation than previously.
Waders are always good too. I had Azorean Yellow-legged Gull there last year so could be the same bird or another as gulls are rare. Definitely, do not rely on the literature as it is massively under-birded and Sal tends to be written off in preference of the other islands where there are more endemics, seabirds etc. John

Johnnie Lee said:

Jon - nice to read your report. I have birdend Sal quite a few times over the past 5 - 6 years and always turned birHoopoe Hoopoe, Bar-tailed Desert and Black-Crowned Sparrow larks are always in the area between the Riu complex and Villa Verde. Ponta Preta area is good for CCC too as well as larks and occasionally Quail. I have had Purple Heron & Intermediate Egret too. You obviously had a good fall of migrants as passerines are always thin on the ground but there is now more vegetation than previously.
Waders are always good too. I had Azorean Yellow-legged Gull there last year so could be the same bird or another as gulls are rare. Definitely, do not rely on the literature as it is massively under-birded and Sal tends to be written off in preference of the other islands where there are more endemics, seabirds etc. John

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Good to hear John. Jacqui told me about the RIU for Swifts, so I asked at a local hotel where it was. Been knocked down!

Back to the STW this afternoon. Cattle (1) and Little (4) Egrets. One each of Purple and Squacco Herons. 10 Swallows, 1 Willow Warbler, and a Hoopoe! Good to see a few displaying Hoopoe Larks today too.

New (male) Pied Flycatcher at the cemetery this morning. Nearby now 15 Swallows 2 Purple Heron, 1 Squacco Heron, 3 Whimbrel, Hoopoe, and the big debate: it was a Sparrowhawk, but now I think it is Cuckoo! I did mention this as a possibility when I first saw it. Better, but still too brief views today, and still no photo.