Birds of the Alentejo

Yesterday, 21st Nov 2014,  I guided a day-tour to the Baixo Alentejo-region, about one hour inland from the coast. I include some photos / record shots of the main target species I took during the tour. Other than the birds shown in the pictures, we also saw a.o. Little Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Peregrine Falcon, Hen Harrier, Calandra Lark and also the first Cranes of the season (2 Ind.). After sufficient rain falls, now the steppe-like plain of the southern interior is back to life!

Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti) adult. Parque Natural da Vale Guadiana, 21 Nov. 2014. 

Same Ind. as above.

Same Ind.as above.

An immature pair of Spanish Imperial Eagles (Aquila adalberti). Probably 3 cy. Castro Verde-area, 21 Nov 2014.

Eurasian Black Vulture (Aegypus monachus) Monte Salto, CV, 21 Nov. 2014.

Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) date and location as above.

Great Bustards (Otis tarda) near Castro Verde. 21 Nov. 2014.

Yellow-browed Warblers and others

Yellow-browed Warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus) near Sagres on the 30th October 2014.

Like the previous year, we experience an influx of these Siberian Warblers here in South Portugal, with about a dozen records made ofer the past 2 weeks. Finding them is tricky, as most Individuals do not- or rarely call. Meanwhile the first birds showed up on the Maroccan coast and the Canary islands, as well. I found my first one on Wednesday, 29th, next to the "Laranjal golf course" in Quinta do Lago-area, not far from Faro. It was accompanied by Common Chiffchaffs, two birds of which looked good for the eastern taxon "tristis". It was early in the  morning and the photographs I got are rather poor.

Possible "tristis" Chiff chaff (Phylloscopus collybita tristis) in Quinta do Lago- area on October 29th.