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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pink-footed Goose

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

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