Zvezda & Alex BY2022: Back on track

[Dave Williams]

On 5/4/2022 at 2:57 PM, xelas said:

Our birding statistic for 3 days is:

 

31 new BY additions

9 new birds in the waiting room

7 birds joining in the waiting room

30 birds already posted

77 birds photographed

 

Around 4000 shots, after first purging 850 left.

 

One of the biggest problems I have with my R5 and electronic silent shutter is that it takes 20 frames per second. The number of shots taken in one day can be ridiculous. It's taking hours just deleting the ones I don't want to keep!

[PeterHG]

Congratulations on the first 100, Alex! Judging by the quality of the photos and the number of species seen, it must have been a thoroughly enjoyable weekend.

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

It's taking hours just deleting the ones I don't want to keep!

Ah yes, I know the feeling. I try to limit the time I am pressing the shutter button, but my finger does not always follow my good intentions....;)

[Soukous]

On 5/11/2022 at 11:56 AM, Dave Williams said:

 

One of the biggest problems I have with my R5 and electronic silent shutter is that it takes 20 frames per second. The number of shots taken in one day can be ridiculous. It's taking hours just deleting the ones I don't want to keep!

 

surely you can adjust the frame rate

[Dave Williams]

18 hours ago, Soukous said:

 

surely you can adjust the frame rate

No you can’t Martin! Not for electronic  shutter which is the silent one and best for battery life.

[Soukous]

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

No you can’t Martin! Not for electronic  shutter which is the silent one and best for battery life.

[Galana]

Does it ONLY take 20 fps or can you stop it by lifting your finger off the button?

[xelas]

Waiting at Venice airport for our flight to sunny Portugal! . Finally our first trip after the Uganda. Not a distant country but filled with great sights and good birding, I was told. Will meet with @pedro maiaand hopefully with @michael-ibk therefore a good number of new additions to Big Year is almost guaranteed . Zvezda got her target of 50 new birds … and I will support her with pointing each and every bulbul along the way 

 

In full birding outfit, somewhere between Ljubljana and Venice . 
 

 

 

[PeterHG]

Have a good time in Portugal! I look forward to photos from that wonderful country.

[pedro maia]

Looking forward to meet you and Zvezda and to see Michael again.

 

By the way Alex, if you see a bulbul while here in Portugal let me know .

[Galana]

2 minutes ago, pedro maia said:

if you see a bulbul while here in Portugal let me know .

Be assured that he will see several. Never fails.

 

Enjoy your trip.

Edited May 14, 2022 by Galana

[Kitsafari]

@xelas enjoy Portugal!

 

@pedro maiayou're a popular safaritalk pal!

[xelas]

First 5 days are over. Mixed birding results but we are enjoying Portugal very much! From Lazy Birders Team 😎

[pedro maia]

I don´t see any bulbuls in that picture but that Pastel de Nata looks tasty .

 

You´re yet to get to the best birding spots on your itinerary, for Sunday I expect no less than 15 new species for your BY (if that doesn´t happen just blame the driver and don´t tip him ).

[PeterHG]

45 minutes ago, pedro maia said:

(if that doesn´t happen just blame the driver and don´t tip him ).

And pay extra attention when the driver states : 'This is the road I once spotted a ---(fill in desired species here)---. ' It is s sure sign to get your camera ready :)!

[xelas]

Zvezda says she looks at one bulbul each morning 🥸. They do not tip this driver (even buying the beer is on the driver 😜).

The long zoom decided to become the short prime 😡, and the replacement lens has its own moments ☹️. Looks like some new gear will be under the x-mas tree 😀.

[xelas]

As the other hobby of mine has distracted me from fully identifying and processing the birds Zvezda has photographed in Portugal, here are some more from our spring trip to Seewinkel with Michael and Andreas. I put those on hold thinking that better photos will be obtained in Portugal. These birds we have not seen in Portugal.

 

 

BY 112 / AT 032

Red Kite - Milvus milvus

 

Seewinkel, 29-Apr-2022

 

 

BY 113 / AT 033

Common Starling - Sturnus vulgaris

 

Seewinkel, 29-Apr-2022

 

 

BY 114 / AT 034

Northern Wheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe

 

Seewinkel, 29-Apr-2022

 

 

BY 115 / AT 035

Whinchat - Saxicola rubetra

 

Seewinkel, 1-May-2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2022 by xelas

[xelas]

With that long of a coastline there are of course no shortage of gulls on display in Portugal. Unfortunately they were all (well, I am still waiting for experts to confirm or correct my claim) YLG in different stages of their life. Thus below two have from Austria have found their way into the BY selection.

 

 

BY 116 / AT 036

Little Gull - Hydrocoloeus minutus

 

Seewinkel, 30-Apr-2022

 

 

BY 117 / AT 037

Common Gull - Larus canus

 

Seewinkel, 1-May-2022

Edited June 4, 2022 by xelas

[xelas]

These two birds have been recorded also in Portugal but due to some technical issues better photos could not be obtained.

 

 

BY 118 / AT 038

Red-crested Pochard - Netta rufina

 

Seewinkel, 29-Apr-2022

 

 

BY 119 / AT 039

Common Woodpigeon - Columba palumbus

 

Seewinkel, 29-Apr-2022

[xelas]

To finally wrap up the 3 excellent birding days at Seewinkel, a Barn Swallow. Not that it was difficult to find it also in Portugal (or Slovenia) but these two has a story to tell. I assume the bird on the wire is the lady of the house and the other one is the gentleman coming home a bit too late . If not starting with Portugal birds soon, maybe I will be on the receiving end of that look?!

 

 

 

Seewinkel, 29-Apr-2022

Edited June 4, 2022 by xelas

[shazdwn]

Seewinkel delivers again, congratulations on your 100 and looking forward to your Portugal birds

[Dave Williams]

11 hours ago, shazdwn said:

Seewinkel delivers again, congratulations on your 100 and looking forward to your Portugal birds

Me too Alex!

[xelas]

Birding in Portugal was a big success. Mostly thanks to excellent advices, guiding and driving by @pedro maia. While we have not stayed at any of the dedicated birding lodges we have been able to visit most of the important spots that are south of Lisbon. This was our itinerary within the country, with accommodations, location and main birding spots:

 

14-May    Monte Aroeira    Setubal   Lagoas de Santo Andre 

15-May    Monte Aroeira    Setubal   Lagoas de Santo Andre

16-May    Vivenda Familia Pedro    Vila do Bispo   Sagres

17-May    Vivenda Familia Pedro    Vila do Bispo   Sagres

18-May    Vivenda Familia Pedro    Vila do Bispo   Sagres

19-May    Vila Fuzeta Bed & Breakfast    Fuzeta   Ria Formosa

20-May    Vila Fuzeta Bed & Breakfast    Fuzeta   Ria Formosa

21-May    Vila Fuzeta Bed & Breakfast    Fuzeta   Ria Formosa

22-May    Casa dos Castelejos    Guerreiro   Castro Verde   guided by Pedro Maia

23-May    Casa dos Castelejos    Guerreiro   Castro Verde

24-May    Casa dos Castelejos    Guerreiro   Castro Verde

25-May    Prai do Sal Resort    Alcochete    Salinas do Samouco

26-May    Prai do Sal Resort    Alcochete    Salinas do Samouco

27-May    Prai do Sal Resort    Alcochete   Estuario do Sado   guided by Carlos Miguel www.mirasado.com

28-May    Melia Lisboa Aeroporto    Lisbon   EVOA   guided by Pedro Maia

 

By now many knows about Pedro's guiding and driving qualities; for those interested in hiring a local pro guide I can highly recommend Carlos Miguel (who was recommended to me by, yes, Pedro!).

A few words about accommodations with photos will be shared at the end. In a few words, Portugal deserves your visit! We will be back for more.

Edited June 20, 2022 by xelas
Correction of location names

[xelas]

I have an outdated system of identifying birds: take photo first and ask the book (or a friend) later. That system has resulted in 9700 photos to browse through. After moving each specie to its won folder, and eliminating all bad shots (if a better one exited), there are 126 folders i.e. we have photographed 126 different bird species. How many of these are new for BY count ... you will have to wait till the very end . The final number really surprised me.

 

From those new additions I have selected best photos (if the specie was photographed in different locations). I have sorted them in chronological order; where I know the exact location it will be given, otherwise just the common area.

 

 

[Soukous]

6 minutes ago, xelas said:

I have an outdated system of identifying birds: take photo first and ask the book (or a friend) later.

 

I have the same system. I did not know it was outdated. 

[xelas]

Let me start with a few (and precious ) photos taken by myself. As you can find out in our itinerary, our first location was Lagoa do Santo Andre. Here we have stayed at a lovely b&b place up the hill, about 10 min drive from the lagune. The property is covered by an extensive cork oak forest, and there are excellent birding opportunities. The two young ladies that runs the business have plans to add more bird baths and in the future also to construct a bird hide or two.

 

Walking through the cork oak forest is a memorable experience. My walk was enhanced by finding (and photographing) two lovely birds. But I will start with the tiny one, spotted down near the lagoon.

 

 

BY 120 / PT 001

Short-toed Treecreeper - Certhia brachydactyla

 

Lagoa do Santo Andre, 15-May-2022

 

 

And from the enchanted forest I present you:

 

BY 121 / PT 002

Mistle Thrush - Turdus viscivorus

 

Lagoa do Santo Andre, 15-May-2022

 

 

BY 122 / PT 003

Eurasian Hoopoe - Upupa epops

 

Lagoa do Santo Andre, 15-May-2022

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, Soukous said:

 

I have the same system. I did not know it was outdated. 

 

It is, my friend. Others, like Michael for example, are using eBird or similar app on their phones. But for using such app one has to know the birds. I am still in the very early stage of naming them only by looking at them.