Sal, Cape Verde, April 2018 (1 Viewer)

Day 10

We had a cumulative total of nearly three weeks on Sal before surrendering to an island jeep tour today. As you might expect wildlife observations were somewhat limited, but there were some.

A Greenshank was seen at Murdeira. At the shark observation site we saw several Lemon Sharks at close range, and a sea slug. At Pedra de Lume we didn't have long but there were clearly a few waders about including Black-winged Stilts, Turnstones, Sanderling and Little Stints.

Day 11

A day which showed what a tourist staying in Santa Maria could expect when birding is good.

An initial walk to the two sewage farms produced a Night Heron and the first two House Martins of the trip at the Santa Maria one. Heading out to the other one didn't yield anything new, but nevertheless some good birds including the American Golden Plover, Red-throated Pipit and Marsh Harrier.

Heading back via Ponta Preta I heard the distinctive call of Bee-eaters again. There were clearly quite a few, and I was still trying to work out exactly how many when they were disturbed by a jogger and took off high and left. My best count of the swirling group was 25, it is obviously easy to link them to the remarkable group of 26 at Terra Boa the other week.

As I got back to the hotel a few hirundines were moving through. Initially it looked like they were all House Martins (at least four) but then a Red-rumped Swallow joined them.

With the evidence of migration in action I did the circuit again in the afternoon but there were no additions.

Later in the day I wandered back towards Ponta Preta and the 25 or so Bee-eaters were again back in the same place, whilst I also saw the two Short-toed Larks for the first time today. Overall very rewarding.

Any info on the Sea Slug?

Looked like this one on the web from the same site.

Oooh! An Aplysiomorph, or a Sea Hare to give it it's common name. Nice; I've only seen the small purple British species. Its a seaweed eater.

Day 12

Uwe suggested going to Palmeiras / Buracone area and splitting taxi costs. This was on the basis there was a Western Reef Heron wintering there. I wasn't sure it would still be there but a change is as good as a rest so I agreed to go.

To cut to the chase the Reef Heron wasn't there and neither was much else, Little Egret, Greenshank and Whimbrel about the best. A few Spectacled Warblers were just inland. In mild desperation (no scope, limited success all week) I started trying to seawatch and it was clear the winds moving to a touch of westerly were pushing Cape Verde Shearwaters closer to shore. In around an hour and a half I had about seventy birds moving north, and an Osprey also passed over.

Days 13 and 14

Day 13

A walk to the more distant sewage works produced no new birds, but still present were a good variety of waders, the Marsh Harrier and Red-throated Pipits.

At lunchtime I responded to an ID request from Uwe on a tern sp in Santa Maria harbour, which was clearly a Sandwich Tern. Jane and I were planning to walk into town in the afternoon anyway, and the bird was still showing well then.

Day 14

Nothing new to report. Stayed fairly local to Santa Maria, eight Curlew Sandpipers were among the waders on the saltpans and there were still a few House Martins dotted about. Bird of the day was the Brown Booby seen a couple of times patrolling the beach of the hotel.

If anyone wants the full trip list of further information let me know.

If you are due to go to Sal it may be worth joining the Facebook group 'vogelfreunde von Sal', where Uwe puts more or less daily pictures up from his birding including all the good birds.

I always enjoy "find it yourself" birding trip reports like these. Looking forward to seeing your pix!

Cheers
Mike

Thanks Mike, will sort pics when back.

If Neil reads this the area by the Riu hotels has filled partially on a high tide.