Day 2 - Sagres area

Where to start. The wifi in this room and hotel I think must have a lot of people using it or just not that good as it is working so slow.
Unusually for me I didn't make the notes I usually do so will put it together as best as I can. I know we started on the Sagres peninsula doing a quick sea watch. This is where fishermen climb down a rope to then perch on a ledge halfway up a cliff to go fishing, madness or dedication? The wind picked up pretty quickly as well so we didn't spend too long there. Chough were wheeling about in the wind, Ring Ouzel darted across the road. Stonechat, Sardinian Warbler and Black Redstart all sharing the rocks with us. Out to sea there were lots of Gannets, a few Razorbill, a Shag and real Rock Doves. A porpoise was also quite close into shore.

We made various stops, some like Little Owl and Blue Rock Thrush (new for me) were stop and see it and go. One area produced very close Thekla Lark (also new for me) not so keen on my photos though. Hoopoe, Song Thrush, Iberian Magpie and one I always like Serin were added here. There were a lot of Cattle Egrets around and a distant Short-toed Eagle showed. The sweetwater lagoon was one area we visited and it produced more Flamingo, Black-winged Stilt, Glossy Ibis and plenty of duck species. Also there Crag Martin, Swallow and House Martin. Gulls added here were Audouin's and Mediterranean. We went looking for a Marsh Sandpiper that had been in the area with no luck but did get 1st Yellow Wagtail (Iberian!) of the year along with Kentish Plover, Little Stint, Snipe and a ringtail Hen Harrier. Ruff, Red-rumped Swallow, Buzzard and Crested Lark are just a few of the other species we added.
The last place we visited was full of Collared Dove but thankfully also Cetti's Warbler, Siskin, Jay and Spoonbill. Within this reserve there is a bird hospital and they had a Griffon Vulture, Goshawk and Sort-toed Eagle all being looked after. No cuckoo as I had hoped but did have a close encounter with a Little Grebe. Two orchids were pointed out to me one a Mirror and the other I am going to look up. Unfortunately I should have used my other camera for those photos.

See what I mean. Tomorrows will be better.

The evening produced a local Sea Bass dinner which went down very nicely. It feels like my laptop is going to give up on me soon so I need to shut it down.