Michael´s Sixth Year

[pedro maia]

I have no ideas on how those bishops ended up here .

 

Anyway, it was great to see you again and to meet Andreas, it was really a very pleasant day!

[PeterHG]

Great photos of the Osprey and Bishop, Michael!

[PeterHG]

12 hours ago, pedro maia said:

I have no ideas on how those bishops ended up here 

That’s the trouble with them. We do have bishops in our country, but I would be shocked if it was a self-sustaining population 

[Kitsafari]

19 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

 Normally I´d kick you out of my thread instantly but since I just said what a nice guy you are I´ll allow it.

@pedro maia

 

ahhh since Michael has given permission....

it's a long story. Singapore has just opened up vaccination travel lanes with 11 countries, including UK, US, canada, spain, italy germany, etc which allows fully vax people to travel to these places without any quarantine. Herman wasn't keen on the cold so the UK, Canada were out, I wasn't keen on Italy and germany. that left spain and we likedd barcelona. portugal wasn't in the list, else we would have picked it as @pedro maiaand Matt would be there. 

We wanted to keep onnly to Catalonia region as we didn't want to travel far. 

 

So if the vaccinated travel lanes continue to hold till we travel on November 25, our birding itinerary is seven days to Ebro Delta, Steppes/central catalonia, Pyrenees/Steppes, gallocanta lagoon, barcelona. 

 

 

 

 

[elefromoz]

I love the shot of the Storks lined up across the path

[pedro maia]

1 hour ago, Kitsafari said:

@pedro maia

 

ahhh since Michael has given permission....

it's a long story. Singapore has just opened up vaccination travel lanes with 11 countries, including UK, US, canada, spain, italy germany, etc which allows fully vax people to travel to these places without any quarantine. Herman wasn't keen on the cold so the UK, Canada were out, I wasn't keen on Italy and germany. that left spain and we likedd barcelona. portugal wasn't in the list, else we would have picked it as @pedro maiaand Matt would be there. 

We wanted to keep onnly to Catalonia region as we didn't want to travel far. 

 

So if the vaccinated travel lanes continue to hold till we travel on November 25, our birding itinerary is seven days to Ebro Delta, Steppes/central catalonia, Pyrenees/Steppes, gallocanta lagoon, barcelona. 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like a great plan!

[Peter Connan]

Those Bishops are definitely not of African descent.

 

They never sit in the open like that here!

[michael-ibk]

On 10/30/2021 at 3:46 PM, Kitsafari said:

our birding itinerary is seven days to Ebro Delta, Steppes/central catalonia, Pyrenees/Steppes, gallocanta lagoon, barcelona. 

 Looks great! A lot of different habitats, so you should collect plenty of new birds. And Barcelona, one of the great cities of the world - wonderful!

[michael-ibk]

The next day was not very frutiful for new birds, but we did go to some very scenic places, including Cabo da Roca, Europe´s westernmost point. And Cabo Espichel on the peninsula South of Lissabon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But the most special sighting of the day definitely was ...

 

 

Mr. Safaritalk himself (in full beard glory), the one and only @Game Warden! We spent a great afternoon and an even better evening with Matt and his lovely wife Lizzie, chatting about all things Safaritalk and more. And enjoyed what is Portugal´s best seafood restaurant in Sesimbra according to Matt (I think @wilddogwill agree?) - sumptous clams, fish, mussels, octopus, the best bread I´ve ever eaten, the most unorthodox dessert I´ve ever had (a terrific beef burger!), and quite a lot of wine. Fantastic place to have dinner, and incredibly enough it´s insanely cheap as well. We really ate like kings (in quantity and quality) - and when the bill arrived it was only EUR 85,-- for all four of us!

 

Thanks for a really great day Matt, it was really good to see you again and meet Lizzie!

[michael-ibk]

230/E230.) European Shag (Gulosus aristotelis) / Krähenscharbe

 

Sagrés. Our next stop, the most South-Western point in Europe. Lovely weather was waiting for us, and we checked out the lighthouse cape first. The two Shags flying by were actually lifers for me. Undoubtedly I must have seen them before somewhere in Ireland or Scotland I think but those were pre-birding days.

 

 

 

 

 

All the surfers were waiting for the perfect wave - but not much luck while we were there, the sea was relatively calm.

 

 

A very nicely posing Redstart:

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

231/E231.) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) / Basstölpel

 

Sagrés. We booked a private pelagic boat trip here which was really cool. Obviously you don´t get many different species out on the open Sea but most of them were lifers for me. Not the Gannets though which were plentiful.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

232/E232.) Great Shearwater (Ardenna gravis) / Großer Sturmtaucher

 

Sagrés. One of three birds we saw. Not easy getting photos from a speedboat rocking on the waves, and since I´m not really familiar with pelagic birds I found it tough to find the special birds our guide was pointing us among the common species.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 2, 2021 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

233/E233.) Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) / Balearensturmtaucher

 

Sagrés. One of two birds I hardly saw, just frantically took some shots. Heavy crop.

 

Edited November 6, 2021 by michael-ibk
Corrected ID, originally posted as Manx Shearwater

[michael-ibk]

234/E234.) Cory´s Shearwater (Calonectris borealis) / Sepiasturmtaucher

 

Sagrés. The default Shearwater here, and our "Captain" found two spots where dozens of them were hunting for fish. Really cool birds!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

235/E235.) Great Skua (Stercorarius skua) / Skua

 

Sagrés. One of two we saw. Impressive birds, we saw one of them attacking and mobbing a Gannet.

 

[michael-ibk]

236/E236.) Wilson´s Storm Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) / Buntfuß-Sturmschwalbe

 

Sagrés. Tiny! We needed some patience to find them, the Captain said they only ever arrive when you want to leave, always! I had my hands full with them, it´s like getting Swallows in flight - but with the added "fun" of being in a boat. Got them but not really sharp unfortunately. But you should see the other 500 or so photos I deleted!

 

Not a lifer for me - I´ve seen this bird on a whale tour in Gabon.

 

 

 

Edited November 2, 2021 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

237/E237.) European Storm Petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus) / Wellenläufer

 

Sagrés. The last pelagic. The close cousin of the Wilson´s. The toes are not protruding, and there´s a whitish bar on the underwing.

 

 

 

 

 

[PeterHG]

Beautiful scenery photos! And I’m impressed by your pelagic shots. You really nailed those petrels, shearwaters and gannets! Great stuff.

[pedro maia]

3 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

233/E233.) Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) / Atlantiksturmtaucher

 

Sagrés. One of two birds I hardly saw, just frantically took some shots. Heavy crop.

 

Michael, you know I’m not very reliable with birds ID but I’m pretty sure that’s not a Manx shearwater, it looks like a Sooty shearwater (Ardenna grisea).

[Kitsafari]

excellent pelagic shots on a rocking boat!

[shazdwn]

Just caught up.  A belated congratulations on your 200 and am loving your Portugal shots

[wilddog]

Your trip seems to have yielded some great bird sightings and views. How lovely. 

..and yes I can confirm that the food at Sisembre is superb. A really sumptuous feast with copious quantities of wine. I am hoping to get back there with Matt and Lizzie in 2022  It is great that you had a chance to meet up with Matt again .

Edited November 3, 2021 by wilddog

[TonyQ]

A great sighting of Matt!

You did very well from the boat. We did a Pelagic from Sagres, and it was really hard getting photos from the rocking boat.

[Peter Connan]

Wonderful!

[michael-ibk]

On 11/3/2021 at 12:24 AM, pedro maia said:

Michael, you know I’m not very reliable with birds ID but I’m pretty sure that’s not a Manx shearwater, it looks like a Sooty shearwater (Ardenna grisea).

 

Thanks Pedro, you´re right that cannot really be a Manx. Hm, before I correct it to Sooty (which it very well could be) a question to the jury: Possibly Balearic? Keep in mind, this is a very heavy crop. I´m asking because our Captain definitely alterted me to Manx and Balearic  - but not Sooty.