TonyQ Big Year 2022 - We go again

[Galana]

3 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

Lovely capture!

Absolutely.I did know they clipped the wings but have never witnessed it like you did.

[shazdwn]

Fabulous shots, especially love the last owl image

[PeterHG]

Very nice and interesting sequence of the Hobby!

[Zim Girl]

Great pictures of the Hobby!

[Kitsafari]

great shots of the hobby. that's really interesting about the dragonfly's wings. 

[Dave Williams]

I haven't seen a Hobby in a long while. Must admit my enthusiasm has taken a dive of late. We had Dotterel on the Great Orme, just a 10 minute drive away but I couldn't be bothered. Osprey has been at a small reserve down the road and folk getting great shots of it catching fish but again lethargy has struck.

Must get it together. New Mac ordered and I'll be able to process some shots for the BY soon!

[TonyQ]

A bit of a delay!

Thank you for all of the kind comments about the Hobby

I do have one bird from the UK to add

 

154.UK.154 Ruddy Shelduck  Tadorna ferruginea   

A first in the UK for us (we did see some in India)

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           09.11.22

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           09.11.22

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           09.11.22

[TonyQ]

And a duplicate from the same day at Upton Warren

Always a treat to see a Water Rail

[Galana]

10 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

Always a treat to see a Water Rail

Indeed. And such a lovely view too.

[PeterHG]

Excellent photos for both!

[TonyQ]

Thank you @Galanaand @PeterHG

 

In September we went for a week in Portugal - the Algarve. We stayed in a small town called Olhao,  just to the east of Faro. We had stayed there before about 5 years ago and really liked it. We had an apartment and rented a car, but wanted a relaxing holiday where we didn't drive to far.

 

It has taken me a long time to get round to the photos, but here is a start. They are generally posted in the order of sightings.

Olhao Salt Pans are just over the road from the apartments, so about a 5 minute walk. We visited a few times.

 

155.P1 Black-winged Stilt  Himantopus himantopus                        

Olhao Salt Pans          14.09.22 

        

Marinha do Grelha, nr Olhao  15.09.22

Marinha do Grelha is a very short drive away. It has a number of ponds and a water treatment works. What holiday is complete without a visit to a sewage works?

[TonyQ]

P2 Dunlin  Calidris alpina     

Already posted from UK

      

Olhao Salt Pans          14.09.22         

[TonyQ]

156.P3 Grey Plover  Pluvialis squatarola                              

Olhao Salt Pans          14.09.22  

       

Quinta de Marim, Olhao         19.09.22

[TonyQ]

157.P4 Yellow Wagtail  Motacilla flava                                 

Olhao Salt Pans          14.09.22

And some other sub-species (probably!)

Lagoa dos Salgados   16.09.22

Lagoa dos Salgados   16.09.22

[TonyQ]

158 P5 Slender-billed Gull  Chroicocephalus genei                          

Olhao Salt Pans          14.09.22

Showing the red legs, Olhao Salt Pans          14.09.22

I think these are really attractive looking gulls. This first afternoon gave us our best and closest views of them, but we did see them on other days as well.

[Galana]

19 hours ago, TonyQ said:

And some other sub-species (probably!)

Nope. Just adults of your #157 flava.  Nice pictures.

[TonyQ]

Thanks @Galana- I don't claim subspecies anyway, but Yellow Wagtails are so complicated!

 

Quinta de Marim is afairly small, but excellent reserve on the edge of Olhao - about a 10 minute drive. It has a really goo range of environments. We visited more than once.

 

159.P6 Western Bonelli's Warbler  Phylloscopus bonelli                             

Quinta de Marim, Olhao         15.09.22

Quinta de Marim, Olhao         15.09.22

One not very good photo and one terrible one! I put the second one in because it shows tha wing markings more clearly

[TonyQ]

160.P7 Greater Flamingo  Phoenicopterus roseus                           

Quinta de Marim, Olhao         15.09.22

Enjoying the Sewage works, Marinha do Grelha, nr Olhao  15.09.22

[TonyQ]

161.P8 Spotless Starling  Sturnus uniclolor                          

The only one we saw, Quinta de Marim, Olhao         15.09.22         

[TonyQ]

162.P9 Common Waxbill  Estrilda astrild                              

Quinta de Marim, Olhao         15.09.22

Olhao Salt Pans          18.09.22

An introduced species, now widespread and pretty common

[TonyQ]

163.P10 White Stork  Ciconia ciconia                                   

On a chimmney, just up the road from the apartment, Olhao  15.09.22

From our balcony as we had lunch, Olhao  15.09.22

Taking what looks like an eel, Lagoa dos Salgados   16.09.22

[TonyQ]

164.P11 Cattle Egret  Bubulcus ibis                         

On the wall of a farm building, Marinha do Baeta, nr Olhao   15.09.22

Lagoa dos Salgados   16.09.22

[Kitsafari]

what a gorgeous looking ruddy shelduck!

[michael-ibk]

Great additions from the Algarve, it really is such a lovely area for a birding holiday. And a fantastic Water Rail photo, about ten times better than the best one I ever took.

[TonyQ]

@Kitsafarithank you - it is a beautiful bird

@michael-ibkthank you - it is a good base for a relaxing holiday. Good food and drink as well

Lagoa dos Salgados is about 45 mins drive from Olhao. A good variety of different environments.

 

165.P12 Crested Lark  Galerida cristata                                 

Lagoa dos Salgados   16.09.22