Birding in the algarve - questions (1 Viewer)

BIRDING WEEK IN THE ALGARVE – 2.1.06 to 6.1.06


My wife and I just returned from a few days in Portugal and had a wonderful time birding. Being a little inexperienced I wondered if anyone could help me with one or two identification problems:

•At Cape St Vincent we saw many Crested Larks – or were they Thekla Larks? We couldn’t tell. Any idea what they may have been or could we have possibly seen both?

•At a large reservoir near Bensafrim (Barragem da Bravura) we had 2 brief sightings of a very green bird – almost like a parrot. About blackbird size and seen from above had a uniform, totally green appearance, very striking, pea-green not iridescent. They flew across the water and into bushes only a few feet from the ground.

•What looked like an eagle at the reserve at Castro Marim near the Spanish border. Seen fleetingly in flight from above, very dark brown with leading white wing edges. It landed on a vacant stork’s perch and stayed for about an hour (about half mile away – we only had binoculars!). It took off and landed on the ground where it appeared to be very black with a white breast. Any suggestions would be welcome!

In addition to the above, we visited the Rio Formosa national park near Olhao and the mud flats near Alvor. Our full list is as follows:

Willow Warbler
Greater Black Backed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Thekla/Crested Lark
Hoopoe
Serin
Greenfinch
Kestrel
Jackdaw
Sardinian Warbler
Stonechat
Black Redstart
Buzzard
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Blue Rock Thrush
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Blackcap
Spotted Flycatcher
Azure Winged Magpies
Grey Heron
White Stork
(Little?) Ringed Plover
Black Winged Stilt
Flamingo
Little Owl (x2)
Lapwing
Redshank
Greenshank
Turnstone
Marsh Harrier
Avocet
Kentish Plover
Black Tailed Godwit
Whimbrel
Shag
Cormorant
Oystercatcher

Hi Andy, welcome to BirdForum from all the moderators and staff here.

Sounds like you had some good birding (and a little warmer than back home )!

I can't help you with the lark - no books here and I've not birded in Portugal.

There are a couple of species of parakeet, maybe more, that breed ferally in Spain - Monk and Ring-necked I think. It's likely to be one of those.

Does Spanish Imperial Eagle have a white leading edge? There would be a few in the general area, I think.

Good list of species, including one I haven't seen! I should think someone will be along soon to give positive ID's for you.

Cheers,

Andy.

Hi Andy & Andy
Sorry can't help with the larks but I would suspect Crested is the most likely, I have never been to that area of the Iberian Penisular
As for the eagle, an Adult/Sub-adult Spanish Imperial Eagle (age when they would develop a pale tailing edge) would look all dark bodied I think. However adult Bonelli's Eagle would show a very visible pale body (when sat) and they sometimes can show a pale area on the leading edge.

Edit: I would have thought sitting in a tree would be more indicative of SIE!.

This is just guesswork though, I am sure either are contenders, John Butler might be worth a PM since he guides around that area and knows it very well.
Cheers Jules

Andy Parkin said:

BIRDING WEEK IN THE ALGARVE – 2.1.06 to 6.1.06
•At Cape St Vincent we saw many Crested Larks – or were they Thekla Larks? We couldn’t tell. Any idea what they may have been or could we have possibly seen both?
•At a large reservoir near Bensafrim (Barragem da Bravura) we had 2 brief sightings of a very green bird – almost like a parrot. About blackbird size and seen from above had a uniform, totally green appearance, very striking, pea-green not iridescent. They flew across the water and into bushes only a few feet from the ground.
•What looked like an eagle at the reserve at Castro Marim near the Spanish border. Seen fleetingly in flight from above, very dark brown with leading white wing edges. It landed on a vacant stork’s perch and stayed for about an hour (about half mile away – we only had binoculars!). It took off and landed on the ground where it appeared to be very black with a white breast. Any suggestions would be welcome!

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Hi Andy.

Due to the fact that you said there were many larks at Cap St Vincent, I would lean toward them being Crested, although I would not rule out 1 or 2 Theklas being present.

The green birds would almost certainly have been Monk Parakeets. There is an ever increasing and expanding population of these birds in Spain and Portugal.

With regard to the eagle. I think it is most likely, given the location and behaviour, that the bird would have been a dark morph Booted Eagle, although I would not completely discount S.Imp or Bonelli´s

A good list of birds seen, but I was surprised to see a Shag on your list as these are very uncommon in that area.

I've seen shag at Cape St vincent

Great places

I've been to several of the locations you mention and I love birding out there, some really great spots, especially the National reserve on the Ria Formosa. I've only ever seen Crested Larks on my three visits but Larks are tricky things to identify when sat on a sandy coloured floor.

Very jealous of your eagle sighting, the best bird of prey I've seen at Castro Marim was a Marsh Harrier, no Iberian natives. I did see my first Pratincole there though.

Sorry I can't help with any more identity issues. Still learning my Iberian birds.

Long time since I birded the far SW of Portugal and then it was in March. At the Cape the larks were Crested but there were a few Thekla only a little way to the north just inland. Haven't got notes with me but I think I had Shag at or near the Cape.

Algarve

Hi guys

I'm afraid that there's no way of telling about the larks as both occur in that area I think, both flock and sometimes are seen together. In all probability they were crested but.....

If it helps, Thekla larks (generally speaking!) are the only larks to be found on steep slopes and prefer more rugged ground. Crested tend to inhabit flatter land such as arable/fallow areas.

The two species of parakeet already mentioned (Rose-ringed or Ring-necked, and Monk) are the most likely, though its incredible what unusual creatures have managed to survive escaping here in Iberia.

Griffon Vultures in flight from distance fit your general description (depending on what you mean by leading edge, and whether upper or lower) but not (usually) once landed.

Taking leading edge in the strictest sense, then Spanish Imperial seems to be the favourite - and may be Marsh Harrier - but neither appears to fit with your 'landed' description either. With Bonelli's, it seems the reverse.

There aren't many Booted Eagle around in Iberia during winter and I don't know if they frequent the area you speak of. Because of their colour variants its almost the easy option to pin this label on your bird but again I'm afraid there's just no way of telling.

When viewing raptors, its useful to notice tail and wing length (to body ratio) and the number of primary feathers sticking out, forming the hand (known as the wing-formula).

Size can also be useful in eliminating at least some species (best done by direct and 'live' comparison to other nearby species).

You also give no indication of the habitat other than mentioning the reserve, which may have been useful.

All in all, all I can say is - welcome to bird watching! There's a lot of that going on. As part of the 'programa migres' counting raptors and storks crossing the straits of gibraltar, I can tell you that sometimes, to quote Vic and Bob, 'we just don't know'.

All the very best

Stephen Christopher
www.catalanbirdtours.com (from 12.1.06)

Stephen C said:

There aren't many Booted Eagle around in Iberia during winter and I don't know if they frequent the area you speak of. Because of their colour variants its almost the easy option to pin this label on your bird but again I'm afraid there's just no way of telling.
Stephen Christopher
www.catalanbirdtours.com (from 12.1.06)

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Hi Stephen.

I was not taking the easy option of pinning the label of Booted Eagle on this bird. It was sound reasoning on my part, based on my local nowledge of the site and the birds that frequent it.

Your assertion that there are not many Booted Eagles in Iberia during the winter may be true in the area in which you live, but here in the Doñana region we have a minimum of 15 overwintering birds, some of which are regularly seen on a daily basis on my tours. It is a well established fact that small numbers also overwinter in the area along the the southern Portuguese coast and I saw two at a site near Ayamonte on the 2nd of January 2006 (1 dark and 1 light morph), only 1.5 kms across the Río Guadiana (the Spanish/Portuguese border) from the Sapal visitors cente at Castro Marim. Another was seen at Isla Cristina, less than 5 kms away, on the same day.

?

John Butler said:

Hi Stephen.

I was not taking the easy option of pinning the label of Booted Eagle on this bird. It was sound reasoning on my part, based on my local nowledge of the site and the birds that frequent it.

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My apologies, I wasn't referring to you; I meant in general, i.e. that many unidentifyable raptors can easily (on the part of the observer) be put down as Booted, justifying it because of the variant plumages.

To be honest I did wonder if the line could be mis-interpreted and cause offence but I decided 'not'. I'll be more careful in furture.

Meanwhile, the info on calçadas was interesting, thanks. Presumably, there are a lot more in summer though, no?

Best wishes

Stephen Christopher
www.catalanbirdtours.com (from 12.1.06)

Stephen C said:

To be honest I did wonder if the line could be mis-interpreted and cause offence but I decided 'not'. I'll be more careful in furture.
Stephen Christopher

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Hi Christopher.

Certainly no offence taken. I was just pointing out that we do have numbers of Booteds in this region in the winter and this was the bird most likely seen by the threads originator.

Good luck with your new bird guiding business and I look forward to the launch of your website.

Thanks

Thanks guys for all that information - very useful. Don't think I can honestly count Thekla, Booted Eagle, Monk Parakeet as firsts for my life list though!
If it helps, we spotted the eagle next to the river Guadiana about half a mile south of the main road bridge. Unfortunately, we couldn't get very close to it and could only view from the path about 600m away.

Hi Andy, I have just returned from a holiday in the Algarve (29.12.05 - 05.01.06), we stayed in the Santa Eulalia area, it was a 'holiday' not a birding holiday but I did persuade my Husband and Daughter to fit in just a few hours of birdwatching, fortunately they do enjoy birdwatching almost as much as myself.

For a morning and part of an afternoon birdwatching (approx 4 - 5 hours) at Salgados (Pera Marshes) and general balcony birdwatching in the gardens surrounding the apartments, here is my list in no particular order:

Goldfinches
Lapwings
Robin
Collared Doves
Great Tits
Blackbirds
House Sparrows
Coots
Swans
Sparrowhawk
Grey Herons (18+)
Reed Buntings
Little Ringed Plover
Little Egret
Pied/White Wagtail
Cormorants
Moorhens
Mallards
Greenfinch
Crested Lark
Woodlark
Blackcap
Greater Flamingoes (70-80)
Various Gulls
Snipe
Marsh Harrier
Sanderling
Corn Bunting
Sardinian Warbler
Little Bustard
Little Grebe
Shoveler
Purple Gallinule
Stonechat
Chiffchaff
Black-Winged Stilt (strangely only one)
Hoopoe

Our lists are very similar, we intend to go to Alvor Estuary on our next visit to Portugal hopefully in the next few months.