So this post is about three months late...
Early in June I visited Portugal for my first time, the vibrant city of Lisbon to be precise. This was far from a birding trip, but during the three days I was there I managed to snatch a bit of time out. Most of this was just walking the parks and small strips of green within the city, which proved surprisingly productive..
The commonest species in Lisbon were; Serin, Black Redstart, Spotless Starling, White Wagtail, Ring-necked Parakeet, Pallid Swift, Blackbird, House Sparrows and Yellow-legged Gull.
 |
| Male Serin. Although Serin was probably the commonest bird - they're not always easy to see! |
 |
| Adult Spotless Starling - just as it says on the tin! |
 |
| Adult Yellow-legged Gull |
 |
| Adult White Wagtail |
 |
| Male Black Redstart |
 |
| Male Black Redstart |
 |
| Juvenile Black Redstart |
 |
| Juvenile Black Redstart |
 |
| Juvenile Black Redstart begging Daddy for food |
 |
| And it worked! |
Unfortunately I didn't have a camera to hand when I stumbled upon a Short-toed Treecreepers nest. And more parrot action was provided by a pair of Monk Parakeets that flew past us whilst we were stood on the roof of a high rise hotel.
Away from the city, the salt pans along the Tagus Estuary were bonkers. Absolutely crammed full of birds, I could have spent a week here alone. Totally amazing place...
 |
| Tagus salt pans from the air |
There were so many waders here.
Black-winged Stilts breeding on every pool, with a pair of
Kentish Plovers on most. Interestingly, despite the date (early June), there were large flocks of non-breeding waders too; 450+
Dunlin, 5+
Curlew Sandpipers and almost 200
Avocet! The local guides said how unusual these numbers were so late on in spring, especially the
Avocet as they don't breed here.
The massive numbers of breeding
Little Terns were a spectacle for the eyes and ears, and larger birds on the water included the usual
Cattle Egrets,
Spoonbills and up to 100
Greater Flamingos...
 |
| Sleepy Flamingos, almost all were first-summers with just a couple of adults on site |
 |
| Some feeding Flamingos with Avocets behind |
Fan-tailed Warblers were everywhere, along with one
Sardinian Warbler, a
Great Reed Warbler, several
Crested Larks and
Hoopoes. Hunting over the marsh were a couple of
Black Kites, a
Marsh Harrier and at least one stunning
Black-shouldered Kite...
 |
| Flight views were close, but the only perched view was distant. |
The trip finished with me sharing this view of Lisbon...
....with hundreds of
Common and
Pallid Swifts, a chorus of singing
Serins and this very showy
Turtle Dove...
 |
| I miss seeing Turtle Doves in the UK |
 |
| Such a beautiful bird |
And don't get me started on the food... wow! Some of the simplest yet finest food I've ever eaten. Completely uncomplicated, they simply allow the quality of the ingredients do the talking. And it's easy to tell they only use the finest and freshest of ingredients. Sublime.
Better stop writing really as the memories are making me hungry...
