Salgados lagoon over the week.

 An average of 50 bird species a visit with a week total of 76 species for 5 visits

To be early before the boardwalkers gives more opportunity for calling Waterrail, Cetti`s Warbler and maybe a Little Owl. Cormorants and Glossy Ibis fly in also early at the place wakes up slow.

During the week, away from the boardwalk near and around the viewing hide there was more Marsh Harriers than birdwatchers and the reserve was peaceful with afind your own birds scenario

By 10am it starts to warm up and Caspain Terns are about , the Marsh Harriers are up and also Booted Eagles come by, with 2 pale phase most days

Open Grasslands surrounding the lagoon are good to watch  for flocks of Waxbill, Serin, Linnet , Greenfinch, Meadow Pipts , Bluethroat, lots of Chiffchaff and of coarse Moorhens

The Iberian Grey Shrike with a fly over Booted Eagle was my highlight of the week at the Rocky field near the Ruin. The Rocky fields was good for Red legged Partridge , Hoopoe, Black Redstart, Crested Lark and Spottless Starling.

Caspian Tern

Iberian Magpie

Granada Hare

Cormorants

Hoopoe

Zitting Cistacola

Salgados Lagoon , Algarve, Portugal

A glorious wetlands teaming with birdlife with easy access and a boardwalk along the southern end of the reedbeds.

The 1st hide is a disgrace but the 2nd gives great views from the west end.

Birding highlights seen here during 2 visits

Audouins Gull, Lesser black backed Gulls, Med Gulls, 6 Caspain Tern,  4 Penduline Tits, 2 Bluethroats, Cragg Martins, Marsh Harrier, Purple Swamphen, Flamingo, Avocet, Ruff, Blackwits, Glossy Ibis, White Storks, Black headed Weaver, Fan tailed Warblers, Shoveler,  Pochard, Coot , Cattle Egret, Grey Herons, Cormorants, Common Sandpipers, Chiffchaffs and Hoopoe plus a rare Greenshank.

Glossy Ibis

Black winged Stilt

Caspain Tern

Audouins Gull

Spoonbill

Penduline Tit

Marsh Harrier

Cettis Warbler

Cattle Egret

Black headed Weaver

Fan tailed Warbler

Bluethroat

Birds of Saint Eulalia , Algarve Portugal

The first few days of my xmas family holiday in the Algarve
I have stayed local with a morning walk to myself along the beach to find local birds seen around St Eualia beach area.
A dried flood run off that goes aroung the carpark was useful with Hoopoes , Common Waxbills, Black Redstarts and Chiffchaff were on show.
Serins were tweeting away in the Pines and Red legged Partridge, Fan-tailed Warbler were seen in the scrub area around the headland.
Not a bad start

Hoopoe

Common Waxbill

Red legged Partridge

Serin

Black Redstart

Fan-tailed Warbler

Ria Formosa Portugal. Part 2 . Quinto de Ludo

Early up and only a mile walk over the boardwalk that crosses the wetlands and I was was into Quinto de Ludo,
25` with a good wind to keep cool.
This wetland area is amazing for birdlife and a birding paradise
Greater Flamingo , Black winged Stilt,  Avocet,  Black tailed Godwit, and  Kingfisher, were in the shallow lagoons
Zitting Cistocola, Sardinian Warbler, Common Waxbill and a Bluethroat were seen in the scrub areas and edges
Osprey and Booted Eagle were distant

Greater Flamingos

Black winged Stilt

Avocet

Sardinian Warbler

Common Waxbill

Zitting Cistacola

Bluethroat

Booted Eagle