Sun, Sea, Sand and Storms continued.

A wonderful sunrise en route to Portugal...image taken at 7.10am.


Sunrise over Lagoa dos Salgados


Rainbow over Lagoa dos Salgados


Lagoa dos Salgados



Qiunta do Lago


Cape St Vincent


Bird of Paradise
One of many in the gardens at the Apartment.


An amazing amount of snails found on posts at Lagoa dos Salgados.


Wasp nest
One of 3 that I found in vegetation at the lagoon, the first I have ever spotted in this area.


Red-veined Darter

Incy wincy spiders!!!


Lang's Short-tailed Blue
A record photo of a new butterfly for me seen at Vila do Bispo, a Swallowtail butterfly was also seen in the same area.

Mighty Cork Oaks from little acorns.....
Not so little are they the Cork Oak acorn compared to UK acorns.





Sunset over Galé beach


The following images are Sand sculptures on show in Albufeira Old Town. As the weather changed during the latter part of the second week with rain and strong winds during the night it is clear that the sculptures do not stand up to inclement weather. Someone's hard work in tatters!






The following photo's were taken on the 26th as the clouds and rain began to take over from the glorious sunshine.






The roof of Faro airport took a battering through the night of Sunday the 23rd/Monday 24th. At around 5.00am in the morning the strong winds buckled each end of the airport roof! Fortunately the airport was closed to passengers at that time in the morning and just 5 staff were injured, not seriously thank goodness! The airport was evacuated on the 26th (Wed) due to strong winds again and the fear of more disruption. Manual check-in took place on one of the carparks!! Fortunately the following day when we were due to fly home all was back to normal...well check in was as normal and the Duty free shop was in business. It was sad to see the airport in such a mess but fortunately no fatalities.



View over Faro.


Flying High!

Quebra sol!

Serviço normal será retomado quando estou em casa do meu feriado!

Warks W T Brandon Marsh NR....02/10/2011

My previous visit to Brandon Marsh was on the 1st May so a long overdue visit was made today! The sun shone warmly and brightly and thankfully not as hot and oppressive as yesterday! It was evident looking at the Goose pool and the pool viewed from the Carlton Hide that rain is desperately needed.
Highlight birds today were Gadwall, Teal, Lapwing, Common Snipe (13), Grey Heron, Cormorant, Starling (c200), Long-tailed Tits (15+), Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and a fleeting glance of a Hobby, which was nice! A Cetti's Warbler and a Nuthatch were heard only.
A Southern Hawker was whizzing around the Dipping Pond and flying quite close at times, a delight to see but a monkey to photograph! I did however manage a photo when I spotted one perched in a tree!
Speckled Wood and what I believe was a Red Admiral were the only butterflies seen today.
As is the norm it had been an extremely enjoyable day at Brandon Marsh today!

Whilst I type this post the temperature outside is 20c and it has started to rain, maybe I should send the rain to Coventry.lol!!

Image taken at the Entrance to the Reserve.

View from the Carlton Hide.

Goose Pool.

East Marsh Pool.


Southern Hawker.


Common Darter.


Starlings were plentiful and many of them were enjoying a bath.


Grey Heron.
Teasel.

Water Boatman.


Mute Swans taking a stroll.

When Autumn leaves....29/09/2011

....start to fall and the temperature is in the high 20's it is a surreal feeling! I went for a mid morning walk along the bridlepath next to Bunkers Hill Wood, the sun was already giving off quite a bit of heat!! Birds were few and far between with Blue Tits being the predominant species seen and heard closely followed by Robins! A Mistle Thrush flew into the wood followed shortly afterwards by a Jay. A Green Woodpecker was heard only and apart from the Buzzard that deemed to take flight just as I was about to get into my car that was as good as it got for birdlife...nearly forgot Magpies and Woodpigeons put in appearances! Unusually no Yellowhammers today!

The faded Ferns along the hedgerows looked a treat in the sunshine and the leaves that had fallen were a colourful mixture of mainly gold and copper colours! As I walked the odd acorn fell like a missile, a hard hat it seems would come in handy at this time of year!! No doubt Squirrels were at work!

As I walked back down the path I became aware of huge...well they seemed huge...insects flying past me! I watched as several of these insects flew to an oak tree and seemed to just hover around the leaves and then disperse and return again, they were I believe Hornets! I have never knowingly seen them before! I have since read up on them and I am so pleased that they did not take a disliking to me standing there and trying to get a pic of them...they have a right sting in the tail!!!!

A clear blue sky and warm sunshine!

The same view ( a closer shot) taken on Christmas day 2010 when out viewing the Waxwings which were in the area! A taste of what is to come for Winter 2011/2012? Hopefully Waxwings again but without the snow!!!.lol!!







A Hornet is there in the pic...honest!!


How about this little beauty...well it was quite big actually...that I found hanging around in my greenhouse!!!

A refreshing break around Brake Lane....24/09/2011

After a busier than normal week it was good to be out in the early morning fresh air and taking in the sights and sounds around me! It was misty on the start of my walk though the sun did put in an appearance later, but it was still cool in the shade, especially when lingering in the small woodland area of the walk. Blue and Great Tits were numerous and so where Robins on the walk, it seemed as though there was a Robin around every corner singing. Lovely to hear! Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow numbers had increased since my last walk here along with Jackdaws and Magpies. On the lake were several Black-headed Gulls, Mallards, Coot, Moorhen with young and the Mute Swan family! The four Cygnets are almost as big as their parents now, good to see they are safe and still thriving. A Pied Wagtail flew overhead, 3 House Martins, 2 skeins of Geese (distant but presumably Greylag or Canada) and a Buzzard mewing. I was delighted to see a Kingfisher fly in low over the lake! I had been told that a pair had been spotted here so I was thrilled to see my first Kingfisher on this walk! A noisy Jay flew on to the low branches of a tree that was overhanging the water and then flew down to the water to bathe. The adjacent fields held a few Jackdaws and Crows and a delight to see and hear was a Green Woodpecker that flew from the ground to a distant tree!
The wooded area gave me sightings of Chiffchaff, Wren and Dunnock. A Starling flock were perched on wires by the paddocks when I started my return walk with a Mistle Thrush perched a few feet away from them, I later spotted 2 Mistle Thrush in the paddocks. I was surprised to see a pony that was lying down in a paddock tolerating the Magpies that were around it and on it's back! I watched for a good 5 minutes as the Magpies hopped on and off the back of the pony, I wonder if the Magpies were just sunbathing or perhaps finding a mite or something off the pony? I can imagine the Magpies in Spring would help themselves to loose mane hair or fur for nesting material but at this time of year I cannot see what benefits they are getting?

A very enjoyable 3 hour walk...I linger a lot.lol!!!

The Obelisk on top of Wychbury Hill can just about be seen in the mist! On a clear day a good view can be had from this point of the walk.