Pedro´s Big New Year

[PeterHG]

That sure looks like a fantastic day!

[michael-ibk]

Absolutely, mouthwatering. Now I need a way to figure out how to still do Castro Verde.

[pedro maia]

10 minutes ago, michael-ibk said:

Absolutely, mouthwatering. Now I need a way to figure out how to still do Castro Verde.

 

Why would you want to go there?

 

 

[michael-ibk]

Bastard!

[pedro maia]

3 minutes ago, michael-ibk said:

Bastard!

 

We saw the Great but not the Little.

 

Oh, you meant bastard...

[xelas]

What 

16 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Bastard!

What, a vulture ?!

[pedro maia]

Just a few pictures of one of the Imperail eagles (while you can´t compare with Zvezda´s pictures ):

 

 

 

 

 

I really need to buy a new camera...

[Galana]

4 hours ago, pedro maia said:

I really need to buy a new camera...

The call of a dedicated birder.

[pedro maia]

Saturday was another great birding day with Zvezda, @xelas and @michael-ibk, who is here for a few hard (not)working days, after spending the morning in the Lezíria we drove the Pancas area road where, at a certain point, my most sought-after and nemesis bird suddenly landed on a pole, a couple of meters from the car, with a worm on its beak.

 

That´s something I never thought that could happen and maybe because of that I had my camera in the trunk, so as Zveszda and Michael took some (surely) great shots, there was nothing I could do but to go and get the camera, but by then the @#$%&! wasn´t visible any more.

 

But there was some hope because it was answering to the call and was still in the area, and soon showed itself again, not posing like when we first saw it but good enough for my BY. Or so I thought, because in the rush I had inadvertently change the camera settings and this was my best effort:

 

 

But the bird hadn´t gone away, I changed the settings, saw some and had anoother go:

 

 

I wasn´t quick enough this time...

 

Another chance, now I think I have but I only get a silhouette behind twigs:

 

 

Another go but now I focused the branches:

 

 

And now only a pole but no bird:

 

 

Another try, this time I have the whole bird, or so I thought...

 

 

Some unreliable sources say that at this point I may have shown some signs of anger and frustration but those are unconfirmed rumours that I will deny under any circumstances .

 

And finally the bird showed some mercy and gave me a last chance:

 

#16 (284), 28/5, Common nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos), Pancas area

 

[pedro maia]

Saturday night we all had dinner with the @Game Warden himself, his wife Lizzie and my wife also joined and us and at after dinner it was time for a group selfie, as the best photographer in the place it was up to me to take the selfie and the result was brilliant as ever:

 

 

Matt wanted to go to explore Lisbon´s nightlife but Alex, Zvezda and my wife had early flights next morning and me and Michael had to wake up before 4:00 am for a pelagic boat trip so that was not an option...

Edited May 30, 2022 by pedro maia

[pedro maia]

Sunday was a looooooooong day, we spent 15 hours in the boat, 85 nautic miles in total, it was nice but not as productive as expected, but I got a new bird for my Big Year, and a very nice one (even if the pictures don´t make him justice):

 

#17 (285), 29/5, Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica), Pelagic trip, Percurso Cascais - Mt dos Ursos

 

[pedro maia]

One of the highlights of the day was a pair of Red phalaropes, I had them on my 2020 Big Year but this time they were on breeding plumage and I´m quite happy with my pictures:

 

I think this is the male:

 

 

And this one the female:

 

 

[pedro maia]

The other highlight of the trip were the storm petrels, European and Wilson´s, they performed really well several times feedind on the chum, just a couple of pictures of the Wilson´s, not so good because they are small, fast and the light wasn´t good to get details, I´ll be looking forward to see Michael´s pictures:

 

 

[Soukous]

Does your new career as a birding guide leave you any time for other stuff?

[pedro maia]

41 minutes ago, Soukous said:

Does your new career as a birding guide leave you any time for other stuff?

Plenty of time, but my new career is driving, not guiding.

[PeterHG]

What a perfect get-together! The pelagic may not have produced all you'd hoped for, but the petrels, phalaropes and puffin were special all the same. Those phalaropes are really beautiful in summer plumage! I've never seen them like that, unfortunatley.

[TonyQ]

Beautiful Phalarope, and a stunning GTG photo!

[Galana]

53 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

Beautiful Phalarope, and a stunning GTG photo!

times two.

[xelas]

20 hours ago, pedro maia said:

Plenty of time, but my new career is driving, not guiding.

As on other occasions, Pedro is severely underestimating his birding guiding skills! For foodies like us, he even brought with him a food&wine expert, Joao (to Castro Verde)! What a fantastic two days of birding we have had!

Obrigado, Pedro

[pedro maia]

4 hours ago, xelas said:

As on other occasions, Pedro is severely underestimating his birding guiding skills! For foodies like us, he even brought with him a food&wine expert, Joao (to Castro Verde)! What a fantastic two days of birding we have had!

Obrigado, Pedro

It was a pleasure to spend some time with you and Zvezda!

Edited May 31, 2022 by pedro maia

[shazdwn]

Some great sightings there, and it sounds like a great time was has by all

[pedro maia]

Yesterday it was "night safari" time with @michael-ibk in the Pancas area near Alcochete, only one new tick but a very nice one:

 

#18 (286), 1/6, Red-necked nightjar (Caprimulgus ruficollis), Pancas area

 

[Dave Williams]

Envious….. full stop! I have to put Portugal on my agenda!!!!

[Galana]

Me too.

[Soukous]

I believe @pedro maiawill soon be opening a guest house to accommodate his many clients