Sunday 31 October 2010

Sábado (Saturday)

Our last full day in Portugal. Visited a site inland near Tavira called Cascata Moinhos Da Rocha first thing: Sardinian Warbler, Waxbill (6), Azure-winged Magpie, Cattle Egret (4) and Blackcaps. Selected to take the thirty minute drive to Castro Marim: Greater Flamingo (66), White Stork (9), Caspian Tern (9), Spoonbill (40), Crested Larks, Azure-winged Magpies, Marsh Harrier (2), Stone Curlew (3), Hoopoe (1), Steppe Grey Shrike (4), Crag Martin (2), Kentish Plover (2), Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher (1), Little Stints, Blackcaps and Sardinian Warblers.

Saturday 30 October 2010

Sexta-feira (Friday)

Tavira Saltpans & Ilha De Tavira: Greater Flamingos, Spoonbills, Black-winged Stilts, Avocets, Yellow-legged Gulls, Waxbills, Spanish Sparrows, Sardinian Warblers, White Storks, Crested Larks, Kentish Plovers, Great Skua and Zitting Cisticolas.
Spanish Sparrow
Kentish Plover

Friday 29 October 2010

Quinta-feira (Thursday)

The area around Castro Verde; highlights included: Crested Lark, Steppe Grey Shrike, Black-winged Kite (2), Spotless Starling, Black-bellied Sandgrouse (20+), Calandra Lark (60+), Hen Harrier (2), Red Kite (10), Hoopoe (6), Stone Curlew (4), Woodlark (3), Griffon Vulture (20), Sardinian Warbler, Little Owl (1), Cattle Egret (80+), Little Egret, Wheatear and Azure-winged Magpie.
Black-shouldered Kite

Thursday 28 October 2010

Quarta-feira (Wednesday)

Quinta Do Lago: Bluethroat, Little Bittern (1), Squacco Heron (1), Purple Swamphens (4), Red-crested Pochard (2), & Tavira Saltpans: Greater Flamingo (80), Caspian Tern (1) and Slender-billed Gull (3)
Bluethroat
Greater Flamingo
Greater Flamingo
Greater Flamingo
Gadwall and Terrapin
Purple Swamphen
Common Sandpiper
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Red-crested Pochard
Little Stint
Yellow-legged Gull
Slender-billed Gull
Ringed Plover
Sanderling
Zitting Cisticola

Wednesday 27 October 2010

Terça-feira (Tuesday)

Cabo De Sao Vicente: Short-toed Eagles (9), Booted Eagles (7), Griffon Vultures (88), Balearic Shearwaters (6), Serins (6), Chough (70+), Blue Rock Thrush (1), Great Bustard (1) and Hen Harrier (1). Quinta Da Rocha: Osprey (1), Raven (2), Steppe Grey Shrike (1), Hoopoe (4), Stone Curlew (2) and our only Swallowtail butterfly of the trip.
Steppe Grey Shrike
Crested Lark
Short-toed Eagle
Hen Harrier
Booted Eagle
Sardinian Warbler
Griffon Vultures
Great Bustard
Great Bustard
Chough

Tuesday 26 October 2010

Segunda-feira (Monday)

Castro Marim, Barragem Do Beliche (Portugal) and Isla Cristinia (Spain): White Storks (105+), Audouin's Gull (35+), Caspian Tern (10), Steppe Grey Shrike (3), Greater Flamingo (11), Black-winged Stilts (40), Kentish Plover (16), Zitting Cisticola (3)
Azure-winged Magpie & Magpie
Black-winged Stilt
Black-winged Stilt
White Stork
White Storks
Spotless Starling
Coot
Little Egret
Crag Martin & Common Buzzard
Stonechat

Monday 25 October 2010

Domingo (Sunday). Arrival in Portugal!

Praia De Faro following arrival to Portugal to unpack the gear! Straight into some great sights and birds including: Osprey (1), Kentish Plover (10), Hoopoe (1), Azure-winged Magpie, Crested Lark, Sardinian Warbler, Greater Flamingo (50+) and Black-winged Stilt. Walking into and around the town of Tavira in the evening for our meal: Griffon Vulture (1) and Bluethroat (1).
Greenshank
Crested Lark
Azure-winged Magpie
Kentish Plover
Dunlin

Sunday 24 October 2010

Rainham Marsh RSPB Reserve (Essex): Pink-footed Goose (3), Peregrine (1), Little Egret (2)

Pink-footed Goose

Saturday 16 October 2010

Rosy Pastor

A bright and dry day tempted us out for the day to Newhaven, East Sussex to see the Adult Rose-coloured Starling present for a few days. While here, we also saw: Wheatear (2), Swallows (40+), House Martin (1), Redwing (1) and Chiffchaff (1).

Rose-coloured Starling
Rose-coloured Starling
Wheatear

Sunday 10 October 2010

October Visible Migration

With noticable visible migration in progress around the country (and county), yesterday, and expecting more today, we left at a reasonable hour this morning to see what we could find on the north east Kent headland: North Foreland, stopping first to view the area that is Margate Cemetary before moving on to the Joss Bay (Elmwood Avenue) area. At the cemetary, we met others, including: Bob Knight, Jeremy Hall, Barry Wright, John Tilbrook and Dave Gilbert. Slowly making our way round, Goldcrests were calling, we had brief views of ring-tail Hen Harrier, Firecrest and several Sparrowhawks. Along with Bob and Jeremy, we moved on to walk Elmwood Avenue, here we watched, 11 Grey Herons (a group of 6 and a further group of 5), 17 Jays (a group of 10 and a further group of 7), Swallows (3), Bramblings (6), Siskins (heard), Linnets (40+), Sparrowhawks (2), Black Redstart (1), Yellow Wagtail (1), Chiffchaff (2), Redwing (heard), before stopping for a lunch time drink at the 'Captain Digby' from where we saw: Kittiwake (1), Brent Goose (6), Sanderling (8).

Brambling
Goldcrest
Jay
Sparrowhawk