Lesser spotted Woodpecker

 My first ever chance you get to take views of Lesser spotted Woodpeckers 

Early morning I came into the Ludo from the top forest road. The Heronry Dirt Road

I had knowledge of LSW could be seen within this area of Faro - but not common

An hour previously to finding this drumming bird I was tracking down Iberian Green Woodpecker which were calling in a Pine wood 🌲 I got to see two but they were always aware of me.

This little fella came out onto a dead tree to drum and call and was still hard to see and find.

As it hammered away another LSW came to an adjacent tree to check out the noise but didn't stay and flew off. This was all happening as Cettis Warbler  bombed me with calls only a few feet away

A special morning within the Ludo NP

   I had the morning to myself and I felt yesterday that I overlooked the boundaries of where a Pine Forest meets a Marsh that flows into the salt ponds along a dusty road that passes the Stork and Heronry . I walked the road Rua Henrique Fernandes Serrão, Faro into the Ludo

7am. The  Azure winged Magpies take you into the Pines, 2 Iberian Woodpecker in the Pine Forest as  graffiti ruined building gave up a nest building pair of Red rumped Swallows, a few Barn Swallows and House Martins.

The Pines 

I got to the area I wanted to be and it turned out to be one of the best days birding I could have asked for, the Morning song of Corn Buntings, Sardinian Warblers, Waxbills, Goldfinch , Zitting Cistacolla and Cettis. A Marsh Harrier was perched at distance.

A drumming and calling along the track was a Lesser spotted Woodpecker that gave unreal views once found, attracting another but it flew of pretty quick 2 unreal,  a noisy Cettis Warbler gave itself up for photos

Take a breath.

I moved along the path 20 Little Egrets were still at roost with Glossy Ibis and a bit away a Purple Heron. The Storks were busy nesting. A few fly over Glossy Ibis and a Booted Eagle stamped a fantastic morning of birding, with more to come.

With mid day approaching and the heat kicking in I walked back getting a few Red Rumped Swallow shots now the light was up.  I caught site of and what turned out to be a female Western Sub Alpine Warbler as it moved through the leaves of nearbye tree

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