Ourique area - small report (1 Viewer)

[Bert]

Common Teal, today 18-12-2013 at the lagoon of Santo André in the Alentejo region of Portugal.

Another great morning with clients and you can see the list of the 57 different spotted birds at the next link:

http://birdwatchingalentejo.com/list-of-57-spotted-birds-18-12-2013-santo-andre-lagoon-portugal/

Happy Birdwatching,

Bert

 

[Coati]

Well done Bert,very cold here, really quiet..
Still have Red Kite, Kestrel , Buzzard, and I think Hobby today. Usual locals too
A Very Merry Christmas to you
PS off to Donana early January!

 

[Gonçalo Elias]

Common Teal, today 18-12-2013 at the lagoon of Santo André in the Alentejo region of Portugal.

Another great morning with clients and you can see the list of the 57 different spotted birds at the next link:

http://birdwatchingalentejo.com/list-of-57-spotted-birds-18-12-2013-santo-andre-lagoon-portugal/

Happy Birdwatching,

Bert

Hello Bert,

I looked through your report and I noticed a Ruddy Duck. This is unusual and although introduced in Europe it is considered a rarity. Could you please provide more details about this bird?

Thanks,
Gonçalo

 

[Bert]

Hello Bert,

I looked through your report and I noticed a Ruddy Duck. This is unusual and although introduced in Europe it is considered a rarity. Could you please provide more details about this bird?

Thanks,
Gonçalo

Hello Gonçalo.

This bird has been reported on E-birds a few days earlier. After that I went with clients to the lagoon and we saw it as well. We were in a party of 3. It was to far off to make decent photos but there can be no doubt. Perhaps you remember my record of the same bird last year? Then I did send you a photo but this time I can not unfortunately.

Cheers,

Bert

 

[Pedro Ramalho]

The bird as also reported on Raridades, Frederico Morais and Stuart Mackay reported the bird some time ago.

 

[Bert]

The bird as also reported on Raridades, Frederico Morais and Stuart Mackay reported the bird some time ago.

I guess those are which I mend

 

[Gonçalo Elias]

That's right. I had forgotten that it had been seen a few days earlier.

Thanks.

 

[Bert]

You are welcome

 

[Coati]

Hi all

Nice today much warmer than of late
9 Red Kites along with 2 Kestrel playing on thermals all at once. Great views of about 20 each of Common Crane and Great Bustard yesterday, not so far from home.
Pic is panaroma crop of GB;S

 

[Bert]

Common Crane, 11-01-2014 at the steppes of the Alentejo region of Portugal.

Another great day with clients and you can see the list of the 61 different spotted birds at the next link:

http://birdwatchingalentejo.com/list-of-spotted-61-birds-11-01-2014-steppes-alentejo-portugal/

Happy Birdwatching,

Bert

 

[Coati]

Latest

large numbers of Lapwings in the area
re appearance pair of BWKites
Sparrowhawks, 2

 

[Coati]

Little Bustards have turned up today in the meadow. I counted 30 with one or 2 stupidly close like within 5 m of the car.
Went the camera but they flocked off. Lost them and then picked em up on a far ridge.
Hopefully photofun will begin soon

 

[Coati]

Hi

Spending the last few days with the Little Bustards out in the meadow. After the first sighting they returned to another area close by but now only 12; this has gone down to 2 - one male one female, maybe they paired, though isnt it too early?

They are weird birds, such masters at cammo. Yesterday they came really close and I got some expected closish shots; they seem to love hiding in the lush green barley

Others include Hoopoe, Little Owl, Blue Tit, Crested Lark, RRSwallow, Storks a plenty, Buzzards, Kestrel, Red Kite, South Grey Shrike, Spotless Starling, Azure w /Magpies and so on....

Let me know you encounters with LB's please!

 

[Simon Wates]

Hi

Spending the last few days with the Little Bustards out in the meadow. After the first sighting they returned to another area close by but now only 12; this has gone down to 2 - one male one female, maybe they paired, though isnt it too early?

They are weird birds, such masters at cammo. Yesterday they came really close and I got some expected closish shots; they seem to love hiding in the lush green barley

Others include Hoopoe, Little Owl, Blue Tit, Crested Lark, RRSwallow, Storks a plenty, Buzzards, Kestrel, Red Kite, South Grey Shrike, Spotless Starling, Azure w /Magpies and so on....

Let me know you encounters with LB's please!

Still seems most are in big flocks - a few tens about 3kms south of Carregueiro- and usually big floclks - some 200+ north-east of the same village. There are lots more though - in the whole 800+sq kms of SPA Castro Verde there are over 5,000 ad. males which will equate to easily in excess of 12,000 birds. Its the area with the highest recorded density on the World - at least up to 2008 ish.

 

[Coati]

Hi Simon
nice to hear from you.
Thats mind boggling. Watching them is great, feeding in the barley - did you notice often there will be a male on sentry duty?

 

[Simon Wates]

did you notice often there will be a male on sentry duty?

Richard - not sure exactly what you mean but - if you mean a bird in the group keeping an eye out for the rest, yes once or twice I've seen non feeding birds using that sideways upward glance - but I think they all do it quite a bit, not sure. If you mean a male out displaying - in about a month - yes, they are over much of the whole landscape.!

 

[Coati]

Yes , the bird out on watch, seems can be quite a distance away to. so I mean one separated from the group.

Agreed on displaying, hope I get them in the lens this year, better than last.

Here's a shot of 2 immature males having a chat

 

[Simon Wates]

Here's a shot of 2 immature males having a chat

Ok - I see what you mean - can't say I have seen that happening.

Nice photo! They are 2 adult males showing breeding plumage coming through - soon they will display antagonistic behaviour to each other - once those springtime hormones kick in fully.

 

[Coati]

Adults - thanks
been with them 4 hours today but now gone to ground

better pics today

 

[Bert]

Lesser Kestrels are back! Today I went there with clients and we saw 20 Lesser Kestrels divided in 3 groups, 1 of 9, another of 6 and 1 group of 5 at 3 different locations. I will put up the list later. Going there tomorrow again