Birding report for February 2006 courtesy of Graham Watson.

Leaving a cold, seemingly endlessly grey, Britain seems like a good idea in February – and it was! Flying from Exeter was different, certainly no crowds to jostle through! Flight an hour late – lack of cabin crew –, which rather makes you worry that they know something that you, don’t! Strong tail winds made up all the lost time and we emerged at Faro to the chirping of House Sparrows, blue skies and the heat of a late spring day at home [a hot one for us]. Collected the car [pod] and were off to Casa Rosa seeing White Storks on nests already bill clattering, a sound which can carry for miles. Roads empty as per usual, perhaps they knew we were coming!

The difference from August is astonishing; everything is green. Sheets of yellow and white flowers interspersed with purple but still only a suggestion of what will be there in a few weeks time. Okay, there are many dead trees, resulting from last summer’s drought, around, especially the Almonds and Pines, but the winter rainfall has been kind. Swallowtail and Clouded Yellow butterflies were soon spotted amidst the hum of insects.

The Azure Winged Magpies were around this time – every evening they gathered in a flock of 30+, very loudly, in a pine tree at the end of the donkey track. Very atmospheric against the sunset. 25+ Cattle Egrets flew over along with a Buzzard. The Swallows had arrived and there were plenty of small birds. One had to look twice at the female Blackcaps with orange bibs – from the pollen on the flowers when sipping nectar one presumes. The males stayed clean! Hoopoes were around prospecting their nest site on the terrace. A young Hedgehog strolled across the drive – good job Fudge didn’t see him!

    Hoopoe on terrace      Hedgehog

It is a lot quieter at this time of year though plenty of people were strolling at the town end of the promenade. A decent selection of waders was around including Whimbrel, Sanderling and always the Black Winged Stilts. I walked around some of the pans by the rubbish dump this time [there certainly is some rubbish – a lot of it airborne!] seeing a smart male Black Redstart, Chiffchaff, Meadow Pipits and White Wagtails. Crested Larks of course!

Lovely – no one around at all, a bit windy though. Fantastic close-up views of a Spoonbill. We sat on a bench and watched Sandwich Terns fishing a few feet away. A scattering of the usual waders and there’s always a Crested Lark or three!

On the Fuseta saltpans was a largish flock of Flamingos, a good selection of ducks including Shoveller, Pintail, Gadwall and Mallard. Waders included Greenshank and Avocet. A single Med Gull lurked amongst the others. The high light though was the sudden panic caused by the arrival of an Osprey. It circled rolled, spiralled and dived – the ducks left, fast and high. The osprey also left – I think it enjoyed the havoc! Did I mention the Crested Larks?

Quite a few dead trees but there is no way you would have recognised this landscape after seeing it last August. Green and verdant with huge sheets of flowers. Pleasantly warm thank goodness. On the way Crag and House Martins were already nest building at bridges. Mertola had Lesser Kestrels but it was early and they were sitting in the sun at the entrances to holes in the castle walls. There were Spotless Starlings, Jackdaws, ‘Rock Doves’ and a Grey Wagtail by the river. Azure Winged Magpies everywhere and, occasionally the boring black and white type! There were White Storks on dozens of telegraph pole nests and a positive cacophony of bill clattering. [Later in the day every nest is deserted as they fly off to feed] A weird calling suddenly resulted in two Great Spotted Cuckoos – unfortunately at long range. We were on our third search for Bustards and, as usual, there were none to be seen! That is until, while trying to photograph some Spanish Sparrows at the bottom of a Stork’s nest, a little Bustard flew, with a loud wing clap, from the field besides me. Good views of the great white wing bars. Then, two minutes later. ‘Is that a bush on the horizon – no it’s moved!’ Two Great Bustards, miles away but still huge – good scope views. Got both Bustards at once! Also picked up in the area were a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Black Redstart, Woodchat Shrike, Southern Grey Shrike, Red Kite, Raven, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Hoopoes and many commoner birds. Unusual were a pair of Bullfinches near the Spanish border when we detoured.

Great Spotted Cuckoo

We have never seen a lot here but there were the usual Marsh Harriers, Fan Tailed Warblers, Serin, Corn Buntings, Black Redstarts and plenty of Willow/Chiffs. I also disturbed a Brown Hare. Crested Larks!

Always a pleasant stroll but very variable in what you can see depending on the tide, [which goes out to the other side of the world] or the time of year. Purple Gallinule on the pool as usual. All the expected waders in very small numbers, a White Wagtail or two and a Goldcrest in the pinewood. Crested Larks!

I like it here, not much walking and the waders come close. This time the warm weather had gone and it was grey, windy and after the beautiful first three days – freezing!

Watched a local make a basket in no time at all from the grasses by the saltpans. New were Bar Tailed Godwits, Spotted Redshank and Common Sandpiper. Crested Larks!

It is always green here! Nearly found it first time! At the lake there were several Purple Gallinule and a skulking Glossy Ibis. New ducks were Teal, Tufted and Pochard. Wigeon were on the saltpans. Great and Little Grebes, large numbers of Coot and Moorhen. The orange-bibbed female Blackcaps were here to, mystifying quite a few! Crested Larks!