Bird Ringing in Parque Ambiental de Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal. 27/09/2016

During our Algarve holiday we enjoyed a splendid days guided birding with June and Peter of http://jupiterbirding.blogspot.co.uk/

A visit to Parque Ambiental de Vilamoura was a real treat as a team of British Bird Ringers had arrived to ring the birds in the Parque. The birds were not at all distressed and were released very quickly after being weighed and rung etc! As we watched the ringing a Booted Eagle and Marsh Harrier passed overhead and the sun shone brightly!

A Spotted Flycatcher was perched in a tree close by us and was unsuccessfully trying to catch the Monarch Butterfly that was chancing it luck by repeatedly flying in the vicinity of the Flycatcher and a Swallowtail was also a welcome sighting though it did not hang around to tease the Flycatcher!

A few images taken on an interesting and informative morning with the friendly and welcoming British Ringers.


                                                 
                                                  Black-headed Weaver               

 

 

   I believe I have named these two Warblers correctly.   ;-)                                           

                                                           Chiffchaff

 

Willow Warbler

 

 

Common Waxbill

 

 

Kingfisher

 

 

 

 

Pied Flycatcher

 

 

Sardinian Warbler

                                                               
                                                             Stonechat

 

                                                      Subalpine Warbler

                                        

                                                               Whinchat

      
                                             
                                                 Zitting Cisticola

                                                    Spotted Flycatcher

 

 

 
                                        
                                                 Lesser Emperor Dragonfly

   

 

 

Emperor Dragonfly

 

                                      


                                                         Booted Eagle

The art of funambulism!

Namely....tightrope walking.

                                                    Ready

                                                  Steady

                                
                                                     Go!

 

Time now for some fishing!

What or who is W:099?

W:099 is the ring number of a Great Black-backed Gull that I sat watching in Saundersfoot harbour as it tried and tried to consume a Dogfish! I informed the relevant organisation and I had information back from Skokholm that they had rung the Gull as a fledgling on the 21st June 2015 and this had been the first sighting since.

The images were taken from 16.06pm to 16.26pm in that time the Gull did not get very far with eating the fish!

 

 

I had a wander around the harbour and found a few more birds.

 

 

 

 

Devil's and a Dipper.... 29/08/2016

It was a delightfully sunny and warm August Bank Holiday Monday (for a change) and perfect for a walk around Dowles Brook in the Wyre Forest. Surprisingly not many people seen on the walk, a few people out walking and a few cyclists and only a few birds were seen! However a Dipper preening and 3 Grey Wagtails were an uplifting sight, this was my first Dipper sighting for  ages! Nuthatch, Magpie, Blue Tit, Wren, Bush Cricket, numerous Speckled Wood butterflies and a couple of worn Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary being the remaining highlights.

                                                         Devil's-bit Scabious
They looked a treat growing in abundance in a meadow we walked through.

Information taken from Plantlife:
The name 'scabious' derives from 'scabies' - one of the many ailments that flowers bearing this name were supposed to help cure.
According to one legend, the Devil grew angry about these medicinal properties and tried to get rid of them by biting the roots off. Hence why this wildflower has short and stubby roots and why it is called 'Devil's-bit' scabious.

There is always something new to learn with Nature.

                                                           

                                                          Bush Cricket.

                                                    
                                                     Harvestman Spider

 

 

                   Berries aplenty, bird food for the forthcoming Autumn and Winter Season.

The fish and chip supper was enjoyed whilst viewing Bewdley Bridge, the River Severn and several Swans and Gulls.

The Nuthatch was spotted pecking at the bark on a tree. I am not sure what it was the Nuthatch emerged with in its beak, it looked like a spider egg sac or maybe it had wedged an acorn or hazelnut in the bark and it was the fruit it had extracted?

 

.......................................................

 

The months without an 'R' in them have now passed and goodness me they passed by quickly!

 

Soon we will have misty mornings, cooler temperatures and colourful leaves carpeting woodland floors, parks, pavements and blocking up road drains!

 

I shall embrace the Autumn when it arrives!