TonyQ Big Year 2017 (A second attempt)

[TonyQ]

209. (P12). Red-rumped Swallow  Cecropis daurica

Lagoa de São Lourenço          23.09.2017  

Vilamoura        24.09.2017

[TonyQ]

210. (P13). Iberian Chiffchaff  Phylloscopus ibericus

Vilamoura        24.09.2017

Vilamoura        24.09.2017

A pretty little bird in the evening sun.

Edited November 13, 2017 by TonyQ

[Galana]

Some very unusual birds here. Well done. The Weaver really had me on the edge of my seat.

Nobody has taken up the challenge of the mammal. Not a Mink but "Egyptian" Mongoose.

Did you name the bird in the same shot? It could count!!

[TonyQ]

@Galana

Thank you for that - it is indeed an Egyptian Mongoose. It is interesting how ones's assumptions impact on what one sees. Mongoose never occured to me because I didn't know you got them in Spain and Portugal!

 

I think the bird is a Yellow Wagtail - there were quite a few of them in this area. I will dig out a better image and post it- but it won't add to the total

() as we saw some in Mallorca.

[Galana]

6 hours ago, TonyQ said:

I didn't know you got them in Spain and Portugal!

Neither did I until I saw your photo. A quick trip to Wikipedia confirmed my I/D as I have seen them elsewhere if not in Egypt.

[TonyQ]

211. (P14). Crested Lark  Galerida cristata

(NewBird)  

Lagoa de São Lourenço  23.09.2017 

Sagres 26.09.2017

Edited November 25, 2017 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

212. (P15). Slender-billed Gull  Chroicocephalus genei        

(New Bird)

Olhao  22.09.2017

Olhao  22.09.2017

Edited November 25, 2017 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

213. (P16). Spotted Flycatcher  Muscicapa striata

(New Bird)   

Quinta de Marim, Olhao 22.09.2017

Vilamoura 24.09.2017

Sagres 26.09.2017

[TonyQ]

214. (P17). Red-breasted Flycatcher  Ficedula parva  

(New Bird)        

Sagres   27.09.2017

[TonyQ]

A few duplicates:

(P18). European Pied Flycatcher  Ficedula hypoleuca

 

(P19). Garden Warbler  Sylvia borin 

 

(P20). Purple Swamp Hen  Porphyrio porphyrio

 

(P21). Dunlin  Calidris alpina 

 

(P22). Sanderling  Calidris alba

 

(P23). Little Ringed Plover  Charadrius dubius

 

(P24). Sardinian Warbler  Sylvia melanocephala

 

(P25). Yellow Wagtail  Motacilla flava

 

And we found this interesting (there were hundreds of them)

 

[PeterHG]

Beautiful additions, @TonyQ, and some really special ones. The Red-breasted Flycatcher would have been a new one for me, too!

[Galana]

Nice collection @TonyQ

Is not P19 a Reed Warbler?

[TonyQ]

@PeterHG thank you

@Galana thank you - you are right, it is a Reed Warbler! (doesn't make any difference to numbers)

[Dave Williams]

Some great addition there Tony.

[TonyQ]

Thanks Dave..

(P26). Black-winged Stilt   Himantopus himantopus

                                                                       

(P27). Bar-tailed Godwit   Limosa lapponica

 

There were huge numbers of Godwit

(P28). Cattle Egret   Bubulcus ibis

     

[TonyQ]

215. (P29). Curlew Sandpiper  Calidris ferruginea    

Alvor    28.09.2017

Alvor    28.09.2017

[TonyQ]

216. (P30). Red-billed Chough  Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax 

New Bird

  

Sagres 26.09.2017

Sagres 26.09.2017

There were about 12 of them - a great sight to see.

Edited December 5, 2017 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

217. (P31). Short-toed Eagle   Circaetus gallicus  

New Bird

  

(Very high EBC) Sagres 27.09.2017

[TonyQ]

218. (P32). Northern Goshawk  Accipiter gentilis

New Bird

  

Sagres 27.09.2017

[TonyQ]

219. (P33). Melodious Warbler  Hippolais polyglotta

New Bird

Vilamoura        24.09.2017

[TonyQ]

(P28). Northern Wheatear   Oenanthe oenanthe

                                   

(P28). Zitting Cisticola     Cisticola juncidis

                                   

(P28). Grey Plover   Pluvialis squatarola

                                   

(P28). Great Skua   Catharacta skua

[TonyQ]

220. (P38). European Storm Petrel   Hydrobates pelagicus 

New Bird

Sagres 27.09.2017

Sagres 27.09.2017

These were from a boat trip - it was really difficult to take rapidly moving birds from a moving boat!

[TonyQ]

221. (P39). Sabine's Gull   Xema sabini 

New Bird

   

Sagres 27.09.2017

Sagres 27.09.2017

[TonyQ]

222. (P40). Great Shearwater   Ardenn gravis   aka Puffinus gravis

Sagres 27.09.2017

Sagres 27.09.2017

[TonyQ]

That pretty well wraps up the birds from Portugal. One left

 

I debated if this was a Lesser Kestrel - pale cheek and indistinct "moustache" but I couldn't convince myself. Unfortunately the claws are hidden as Lesser has white claws. So I went with

 

(P41). Kestrel  Falco tinnunculus       

Sagres 26.09.2017

But I am quite prepared to be wrong