Algarve trip Nov 7-23rd 2009 (3 Viewers)

[Dr Manjeet Singh]

J.h..i loved your report..for me it is a dream come true..knowing i may never go there but my friend..reading your report..it felt that i was there .(p/s...are you sure there wasnt a Singh shadow followig you..lol.).esp viewing the pictures..oh what a thrill..keep them coming Jonh-henry and thanks.:t:

 

[john-henry]

Hi Andrew,

I read there was terrible weather along the Algarve while you were out there, glad it didn't spoil your holiday as I know you really look forward to being there. Fact is these days you just don't know what weather you will get anywhere at any time but the Algarve makes me feel good just by being there and I expect you feel the same.

Interesting about the Bald Ibis, there was no sign or news of any while I was at Salgados, I checked daily, so I wonder if they turned up after the 13th Nov.

Go for a trip report Andrew, however small, it gives a broader picture over a longer period of time of what's going on out there and it sounds like you've some interesting experiences to relate.

Cheers for now, wishing you a good 2010

John

 

[john-henry]

Really enjoyed your description of the raptor movement - it s great to stumble on something like this - never seen more than one Short-toed Eagle at a time, so 8 really blows my mind!

Cheers
Mike

Thanks Mike, glad you enjoyed it, I think what made it extra special was that it was totally unexpected, one of those memorable days we all get someime.

regards

John

 

[Andrew]

Evening John,

Yes, I do feel right when I am in the Algarve like I do when I go to Scilly.

There was a birder looking all over the golf course for the Bald Ibis at from the car park Salgados for about half an hour and they were on the wire behind him all the time preening!

One small shocker. I never saw a single Red-crested Pochard.

No Alpine Accentors at Vicente. I am not sure but I think I have only seen them once in early January so maybe it needs to get real cold up north for them to turn up there. Got Little Bustards there though for the first time.

Cheers,
Andrew.

 

[john-henry]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it Manjeet,

Thank you for making me realise how worthwhile these trip reports are when it gives someone from a totally different area of the world a small insight into a country and its birds so far away.

I don't think you could ever be a shadow Doc, you've too much personality for that but I'd have been honoured if I had your company.

Wishing you all the best for 2010

John

 

[Ruby]

Thanks for the info re: the Bald Ibis, Andrew..... I'm due out again in June but probably won't be able to have a look on that trip as we will be based in Tavira (as usual) and I will have 3 non-birding pals in tow, so the idea of sneaking off with the hire car for a day is a bit of a non-starter really....

Sorry to hear that the weather for your trip put a bit of a damper (literally!) on things but hopefully you still found plenty of good birds etc - the Algarve is a great place alright!!

All the best and happy new year.... Ray

 

[carpentera]

Hi Peter & June.

The colour-ringed black-tailed godwit I saw is the one shown in the photo above, feeding on the mud next to the road at Fuseta station on 7th November.

The bird's left leg had rings of green over orange and the right leg was yellow over orange.

Hope this helps.

Alan

We now have details of the colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit seen at Fuseta on 7th November 2009. It was ringed as a breeding male in Iceland on 20th June 2002. It has been reported from the Algarve (Tavira and Fuseta) in 2003, 2007 and 2008 and was last seen in the Netherlands on 16th March 2010.
Not very surprising but interesting all the same!

Peter & June