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PeterHG's seventh Big Year


PeterHG

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It was a great day and a real pleasure to spend it with Peter and Jeannette, part of the morning was pretty quiet but overall I think we saw some very cool birds, it was just a pitty that we didn’t see those owls and also no vultures, I was counting on them.

 

I confirm that I refused myself to take pictures, it would be just embarrassing for obvious reasons :P.

 

The weather wasn’t great but still Peter managed to take some very nice shots, the cuckoo is my favourite.

 

I think we saw some other species, like the sparrowhakw and the little ringed plover, but maybe Peter is keeping them for later if he doesn’t get better pictures.

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wow it's a Pedro-Peter Day of Raptors! and a great shot of the cuckoo. I totally get why @pedro maia refused to take shots, what Peter said was "the best he could do" for the lesser kestrel, well  the  moon will be blue when I have that kind of shot. 

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Thank you @xelas@michael-ibk@Soukous@pedro maia@Kitsafari.

9 hours ago, pedro maia said:

I think we saw some other species, like the sparrowhakw and the little ringed plover, but maybe Peter is keeping them for later if he doesn’t get better pictures.

You are right Pedro, we saw quite a few other species as well. I do believe I'll be able to get a better picture of the Little Ringed Plover, but the Sparrowhawk may be a challenge. I noticed however that I did skip a few others we saw, so I'd better add them.

 

82 /PT 21. Red-legged Partridge. Castro Verde, March. We saw plenty, but they were pretty shy.

 

P3120772-Edit-L.jpg

 

Our guide for the day told me I should scan the storks' nests for Spanish Sparrows, so I did...

83 /PT 22. Spanish Sparrow. Castro Verde, March

 

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And he was kind enough to stop whenever I asked, allowing me yet another addition.

 

84 /PT 23. Spotless Starling. Castro Verde, March

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According to my list we saw 43 species in total, which was very good!

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Some excellent photos here. I too would sell my camera to get a shot like that of the Lesser Kestrel.

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Some excellent sightings and photos from your trip to Portugal 

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Thank you @Galana@TonyQ!

A few more from the coast and the southern edge of the Sado Estuary..

 

85 /PT 24. Eurasian Collared Dove. Sao Andre, March. Well, I could have tried for these at home, but why not deal with them here.

 

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86 /PT 25. Black Redstart. Sao Andre, March

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87 /PT 26. Yellow-legged Gull. Sao Andre, March

 

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Ah, of course you need proof of the yellow legs..

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88 /PT 27. Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon. Sao Andre, March. I'll take either, but I suspect this is not a pure Rock Dove

 

P3131570-L.jpg

 

 

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The trip to the Sado Estuary gave distant views of some waders. We already had most, but not this one.

 

89 / PT 28. Eurasian Whimbrel. Sado, March

 

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90 / PT 29. Green Sandpiper. Sado, March

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We had been looking for this African immigrant before, but not yet seen it.

91 /PT 30. Common Waxbill. Sado, March

 

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Along the coast I also managed a shot of this little warbler. 

 

92 /PT 31.Sardinian Warbler. Sao Andre, March

 

P3141904-L.jpg

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On our last full day in Portugal we made a trip to Lezíria along the river Tagus. A large wetland area with at the southernmost tip the EVOA visitor centre, where one can take a walk along several bird hides, overlooking patches of water. The location was recommended to us by @pedro maiaon our joint birding day and it is a great birding area. Unfortunately photography conditions were not good at all, due to the fact that the skies had turned a sort of gloomy mixture of brown and grey on account of the sahara sand from North Africa. To give you an idea of this, just take a look at this photo of the Osprey we saw after we had entered the area.

 

P3151947-XL.jpg

 

Of course by brightening up the shadows afterwards or applying a lot of exposure compensation in-camera the final results were a little better, but the whole scene had an eerie feel to it. Having said that, I must add that we enjoyed our day there very much. We grabbed some lunch at the visitor centre and walked around for a few hours. You pay 14 euros pp to enter the area and, if you wish, that includes a guided drive along the hides, which we declined. Very friendly people at the centre. We were the only guests so we had the whole walk and all the hides to ourselves. 

93 /PT 32. Osprey. Leziria, March

 

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Some additions from the the day:

 

94 /PT 34. Common Sandpiper. Leziria, March

 

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95 /PT 34. Western Swamphen. Leziria, March. We had good views from one of the hides.

 

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96 /PT 35. Black-winged Stilt. Leziria, March

 

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97 /PT 36. Spotted Redshank. Leziria, March.

 

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98 /PT 27. Red-crested Pochard. Leziria, March.

 

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99 /PT 38. Northern Pintail. Leziria, March

 

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100 /PT 39. Western Yellow Wagtail. Leziria, March. The 'iberiae' subspecies, which differs slightly from the one we have here. Always a beautiful bird to find!

 

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101 /PT 40. Little Grebe. Leziria, March.

 

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102 /PT 41. Zitting Cisticola. Leziria, March. 

 

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103 /PT 42. Greater Famingo. Leziria, March.

 

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104. PT 43. Squacco Heron. Leziria, March. A very nice surprise, suddenly flying up from the reedbeds

 

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105 /PT 44. Yellow-crowned Bishop. Leziria, March. Another African immigrant we had hoped to find. Just before we left the area there was a little group at the side of the road. No males in their striking summer plumage, but we were happt just the same.

 

P3152604-X2.jpg

 

And, of course, we did see the beautiful Black-shouldered Kite again..

 

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I think that concludes our Portugal trip. We only spent a week there, but it felt like a real break after all the Covid restrictions and we'll certainly be back.

 

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Dave Williams

Fabulous Portugal experience, it's on my list it's finding the time that's the problem. Would love to see a Great Spotted Cuckoo never mind get as good a shot as yours. 

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michael-ibk

The Leziria is awesome. Portugal is awesome. Sorry about the conditions on your visit to the Estuary but you still did very well.

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Well done on racing past 100. You did well in Portugal 

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Another one passed the 100 marker. Congratulations, Peter. I am happy to learn that Portugal was a success despite the non-optimal light conditions.

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You weren´t lucky with the weather Peter, we usually treat our visitors better, it was far from ideal for your photod but still you saw some nice species, I never saw Squacco heron in the Lezíria and Spotted redshank isn´t rare but you don´t see it everyday there.

 

Congrats on the century!!

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michael-ibk
9 minutes ago, pedro maia said:

we usually treat our visitors better

 

I can attest to that! Sorry Peter, totally missed you racing past #100 - congrats!

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Thank you @Dave Williams, @michael-ibk @TonyQ @xelas, @pedro maia.

2 hours ago, pedro maia said:

we usually treat our visitors better

We have been treated very well in all aspects but the weather. We still enjoyed Leziria very much and, like you said, we really saw some good species. All the more reason to try again when the sun is out !

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Congrats on the 100th. 

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Congratulations on a well constructed century. 

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One more to congratulate on the magic ton up milestone. And with some lovely birds to achieve it. I must get Portugal on my visit list soon.

As for your Feral/Rock Dove puzzle, the odds are about 50/50 in rural Iberia so it is anyone's guess.

Being totally without scruples, I had the operation early in business life, I count them both!!;)

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Thank you @Kitsafari @Soukous @Galana.

Back to the home country.

 

106 /NL 62. Mute Swan. Amersfoort, March. At the local lake

 

P3170086-X2.jpg

 

From the same spot I saw a blue flash across the water. Quite unexpectedly my camera and lens locked on (well, it's a new camera body, so I had hoped it would ;)). A considerable crop, but even so...

107 /NL 63. Kingfisher. Amersfoort, March.

 

P3170239-Edit-XL.jpg

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108 /NL 64. Stock Dove. Arkemheen, March. Fairly common in the meadows, but mostly keeping their distance

 

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109 /NL 65. Gadwall. Arkemheen, March

 

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110 /NL 66. Northern Lapwing. Arkemheen, March. Very common in the local wetland areas, but still beautiful.

 

P3210157-Edit-Edit-XL.jpg

 

111 /NL 67. Great Crested Grebe. Arkemheen, March. A couple in spring mood

 

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And in the right light even the starling shows its true colours.

112 /NL 68. Common Starling. Arkemheen, March

 

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And some duplicates, on a bright sunny day...

Black-tailed Godwit

P3240364-X2.jpg

 

Barnacle Goose

P3210429-Edit-Edit-X2.jpg

 

Eurasian Wigeon

P3180303-Edit-X2.jpg

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That new Camera certainly seems to make things look easy. Love the Grebes but I always do.

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