Simon Wates
Well-known member
As last year's thread (http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=266202) I’m reminding folk of the excellent autumn birding around the Sagres peninsula. The area is monitored from 15th August till the end of November and also receives many visitors, especially during the Sagres Bird FestivaL in early October, see; http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=289763 and here: http://birdwatchingsagres.com/?lang=en
A characteristic of the Sagres peninsula raptor migration is that most species are pretty late compared to the Strait of Gibraltar – and are juveniles in the great majority. Nevertheless we’ve seen a quite a few species already – throughout the 60 sq kms or so of the Sagres peninsula’s migrant and resident birds. Those recorded since 15th August 2014 up to today are included in the list below:
I have included each species’ status on the peninsula to help those who are not familiar with the area. (Note that a small number of sensitive breeding species only cross slightly into the area and in undisclosed parts).
(M) = migrant
(R) = resident breeder
(S) = migrant breeder
(W) = winter visitor
Common Scoter (M) (W)
Red-legged Partridge (R)
Great Northern Diver – rare visitor – a very early one seen on 25th August at Cabo de São Vicente
Great Egret – rare visitor
Little Egret (R) (W?)
Cattle Egret (R)
Cory's Shearwater (M)
Great Shearwater (M)
Sooty Shearwater (M)
Manx Shearwater (M)
Balearic Shearwater (M) all year
Wilson’s Storm Petrel (M)
European Storm Petrel (M)
Northern Gannet (M)(W)
Black Kite (M)
Egyptian Vulture (M)
Osprey (M)
Short-toed Eagle (S)(M)
Booted Eagle (M)
Bonelli's Eagle (R)(M)
Honey Buzzard (M)
Marsh Harrier (M)
Montagu's Harrier (M)
Goshawk (M)
Common Kestrel (R) (M)
(Lesser Kestrel) “2 probables”
Eleonora's Falcon (M)
Peregrine (R) (M)
Little Bustard (R)
Dotterel (M)
Ringed Plover (M)(W)
Kentish Plover (R)(M)(W)
Greenshank (M)
Whimbrel (M)(W)
Curlew (M)
Knot (M)
Dunlin (M)(W)
Turnstone (M)(W)
Red Phalarope (M)
Parasitic Skua (M)(W occasional)
Great Skua (M)(W)
Yellow-legged Gull (R)(M?)(W?)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (M)(W)
Mediterranean Gull (M)(W)
Black-headed Gull (M)(W)
Sandwich Tern (M)(W)
Common Tern (M)
Rock Dove (R)
Turtle Dove (S)(M)
Collared Dove (R)
Eagle Owl (R)
Little Owl (R)
Barn Owl (R)
Tawny Owl (R?)
Common Swift (S)(M)
Pallid Swift (S)(M)
Alpine Swift (S)(M)
European Bee-eater (S)(M)
European Roller (M)
Eurasian Hoopoe (R)(M)(W?)
Wryneck (M)(W?) also occasional breeding probably – they do so nearby in same habitat.; Cork Oak
Short-toed Lark (S)(M)
Thekla Lark (R)
Skylark (R)(M)(W)
Woodlark (R)(M?)(W?)
Sand Martin (M)
Barn Swallow (S)(M) wintering records clouded by early/late migrants
Red-rumped Swallow (S)(M) wintering records clouded by early/late migrants
Sand Martin (M)
House Martin (S)(M) wintering records clouded by early/late migrants
Tawny Pipit (S)(M)
Yellow Wagtail (S occasional) (M)
Nightingale (S)(M)
Stonechat (R)
Whinchat (M)
Northern Wheatear (M)
Black-eared Wheatear (S)(M)
Common Whitethroat (M)
Garden Warbler (M)
Subalpine Warbler (S)(M)
Spectacled Warbler (S)(M)
Sardinian Warbler (R)(M?)
Zitting Cisticola (R)(M?) one was seen heading out to sea due south of Cabo de São Vicente in late August!
Melodious Warbler (S)(M)
Western Bonelli's Warbler (M)
Iberian Chiffchaff (S)(M)
Willow Warbler (M)
Spotted Flycatcher (M)
Pied Flycatcher (M)
Golden Oriole (S)(M)
Spotless Starling (R)
Woodchat Shrike (S)(M)
Iberian/Southern Grey Shrike (R)
Crested Tit (R)
Great Tit (R)
Azure-winged Magpie (R)
Red-billed Chough (R)
Jackdaw (R)
Common Raven (R)
House Sparrow (R)
Spanish Sparrow (M)
Goldfinch (R)(M)(W?)
Serin (R)(M)(W?)
Greenfinch (R)(M)(W?)
Linnet (R)(M)(W?)
Ortolan Bunting (M)
Corn Bunting (R)(M)(W?)
(That's 107 species so far)
I'll try and update with new species as and when they occur till the end of November.
A characteristic of the Sagres peninsula raptor migration is that most species are pretty late compared to the Strait of Gibraltar – and are juveniles in the great majority. Nevertheless we’ve seen a quite a few species already – throughout the 60 sq kms or so of the Sagres peninsula’s migrant and resident birds. Those recorded since 15th August 2014 up to today are included in the list below:
I have included each species’ status on the peninsula to help those who are not familiar with the area. (Note that a small number of sensitive breeding species only cross slightly into the area and in undisclosed parts).
(M) = migrant
(R) = resident breeder
(S) = migrant breeder
(W) = winter visitor
Common Scoter (M) (W)
Red-legged Partridge (R)
Great Northern Diver – rare visitor – a very early one seen on 25th August at Cabo de São Vicente
Great Egret – rare visitor
Little Egret (R) (W?)
Cattle Egret (R)
Cory's Shearwater (M)
Great Shearwater (M)
Sooty Shearwater (M)
Manx Shearwater (M)
Balearic Shearwater (M) all year
Wilson’s Storm Petrel (M)
European Storm Petrel (M)
Northern Gannet (M)(W)
Black Kite (M)
Egyptian Vulture (M)
Osprey (M)
Short-toed Eagle (S)(M)
Booted Eagle (M)
Bonelli's Eagle (R)(M)
Honey Buzzard (M)
Marsh Harrier (M)
Montagu's Harrier (M)
Goshawk (M)
Common Kestrel (R) (M)
(Lesser Kestrel) “2 probables”
Eleonora's Falcon (M)
Peregrine (R) (M)
Little Bustard (R)
Dotterel (M)
Ringed Plover (M)(W)
Kentish Plover (R)(M)(W)
Greenshank (M)
Whimbrel (M)(W)
Curlew (M)
Knot (M)
Dunlin (M)(W)
Turnstone (M)(W)
Red Phalarope (M)
Parasitic Skua (M)(W occasional)
Great Skua (M)(W)
Yellow-legged Gull (R)(M?)(W?)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (M)(W)
Mediterranean Gull (M)(W)
Black-headed Gull (M)(W)
Sandwich Tern (M)(W)
Common Tern (M)
Rock Dove (R)
Turtle Dove (S)(M)
Collared Dove (R)
Eagle Owl (R)
Little Owl (R)
Barn Owl (R)
Tawny Owl (R?)
Common Swift (S)(M)
Pallid Swift (S)(M)
Alpine Swift (S)(M)
European Bee-eater (S)(M)
European Roller (M)
Eurasian Hoopoe (R)(M)(W?)
Wryneck (M)(W?) also occasional breeding probably – they do so nearby in same habitat.; Cork Oak
Short-toed Lark (S)(M)
Thekla Lark (R)
Skylark (R)(M)(W)
Woodlark (R)(M?)(W?)
Sand Martin (M)
Barn Swallow (S)(M) wintering records clouded by early/late migrants
Red-rumped Swallow (S)(M) wintering records clouded by early/late migrants
Sand Martin (M)
House Martin (S)(M) wintering records clouded by early/late migrants
Tawny Pipit (S)(M)
Yellow Wagtail (S occasional) (M)
Nightingale (S)(M)
Stonechat (R)
Whinchat (M)
Northern Wheatear (M)
Black-eared Wheatear (S)(M)
Common Whitethroat (M)
Garden Warbler (M)
Subalpine Warbler (S)(M)
Spectacled Warbler (S)(M)
Sardinian Warbler (R)(M?)
Zitting Cisticola (R)(M?) one was seen heading out to sea due south of Cabo de São Vicente in late August!
Melodious Warbler (S)(M)
Western Bonelli's Warbler (M)
Iberian Chiffchaff (S)(M)
Willow Warbler (M)
Spotted Flycatcher (M)
Pied Flycatcher (M)
Golden Oriole (S)(M)
Spotless Starling (R)
Woodchat Shrike (S)(M)
Iberian/Southern Grey Shrike (R)
Crested Tit (R)
Great Tit (R)
Azure-winged Magpie (R)
Red-billed Chough (R)
Jackdaw (R)
Common Raven (R)
House Sparrow (R)
Spanish Sparrow (M)
Goldfinch (R)(M)(W?)
Serin (R)(M)(W?)
Greenfinch (R)(M)(W?)
Linnet (R)(M)(W?)
Ortolan Bunting (M)
Corn Bunting (R)(M)(W?)
(That's 107 species so far)
I'll try and update with new species as and when they occur till the end of November.
Last edited:
. If there is any other news I'll put it on here.
