More 'ticks'

Some more ticks today for my life lists.  Starting with another bird which I had previously not seen, this time a group of three Caspian Terns (Hydroprogne caspia, formerly Sterna caspia).  These enormous members of the Tern family were found standing on a small island in the wetlands.  They were also a long way from us and keeping their distance, so taking a picture was rather tricky.  The tall bird standing with them on the left, was a Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) not new to me, but a big 'tick' for Malcolm.  Both Caspian Terns and Spoonbills are threatened species in Europe due to loss of habitat.  So much wetland and marsh has been drained and built on in the recent past that birds which depend on these sites are under huge pressure.  As if they're not under enough pressure, Malcolm decided to rename the Spoonbills 'Tablespoon-faced dickie birds'......!  What would you do with him?

Next, a plant species new to me.  Growing in the sand dunes between the wetlands and the sea were lots of  these Sea Daffodils (Pancratium maritimum).

The name 'Pancratium' comes from the Greek meaning "Strength" as the plant is able to grow in extremely hot, dry conditions which would kill many other plants.  They can do this because the bulbs are deeply buried so the roots can reach more fertile soils.
A couple of insects next.  The first was spotted on the road by Malcolm as we walked to Albufeira.  This large specimen is an Egyptian Grasshopper (Anacridium aegyptium).  About 3" long, it was quite an impressive insect and quite common around Southern Europe and the Mediterranean.  Close inspection reveals the fantastic striped eyes.  They have been recorded in Britain, but prefer the more warm, dry habitats.

An invasive and unwelcome species next.  A Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus).

This insect is the most dangerous and deadly pest of Date, Coconut, Oil and Sago Palm trees and has been introduced to Europe from it's native Southern Asia and Melanesia.  As with most alien species, they have spread by human intervention as we have transported palms and palm products infected with these insects, all over the world.  At about 2" long, it too was an imposing little creature as it scuttled across the footpath.
Lastly for today, a four legged animal and a far more attractive one too.  This delightful creature goes by the name of Large Psammodromus Lizard (Psammodromus algirus).  Still fairly common in many Southern European countries especially around the Med' it too is under threat from habitat loss (we humans have a lot to answer for).  This one was found sunning itself on a rock by the sea and didn't seem too bothered as I took it's photo.  What a little stunner!

Birdies

It's always nice to be able to add a new species to your life list.  I must be a bit odd as I have several 'life lists',  for birds, for plants, for invertebrates, for mammals and for 'others'.  Our trip to Portugal has added to most of these lists.  We will start with the one which has had the biggest gain; the Birds list.
Staying near to an area of wetland is always a good start if you want to see birds as they are usually very rich in species and numbers.  Staying as we were, next to the Salgados Wetlands, we were not disappointed.  The first new species was also the smallest we saw.  A little bird with a big name - in fact two big names - A Fan-tailed Warbler (Cisticola juncidis).

It may be a bit difficult to spot in amongst the dry grasses and shrubs of dunes, but that is, after all, the whole point of camouflage.  I mentioned that this little bird has two names, apart from Fan-tailed Warbler, the other name it goes by is the Zitting Cisticola.  Weighing only about 1/4oz and being entirely insectivorous, it can sometimes have a very difficult time during cold weather when it's food source is scarce.  It is the only member of the Cisticola family of Warblers to be found in Europe.  Most of it's cousins are native to the African continent.
Secondly, a slightly larger bird and one which really has no business being in Portugal.  Native to Sub-Saharan Africa, the Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild) has become resident in Portugal over the past few years and is spreading into Spain.  We were lucky enough to have a small flock of about 10 individuals which regularly visited the trees next to our apartment.  Always flitting about and never sitting still for more than a few seconds at a time, these handsome little finches took a lot of patience and not a little luck to capture on camera.  The red markings on it's face give it the the look of wearing a mask.

Moving up the size scale just a bit more, we saw several Crested Larks (Galerida cristata) scuffling around the dry, dusty ground of the car-parks and footpaths, leaping into the air as soon as I managed to focus on them. So, these were also rather difficult to get a good 'shot' of, but here goes...

Bigger still now and a bird which blended so well into it's environment, that it was all too easy to miss.  However, as we peeked over the wall which ran around the golf course nearby, I was astonished to see another 'new' bird for my list.  This time, it was standing absolutely motionless on a rock by the side of a small river which ran through the greens of the golf course.  A Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides).  This a is a very small member of the Heron family measuring only about 18" tall.  Wintering in Africa, they are very seldom seen further north than these Southern European and Mediterranean coasts.  Pale in colour when out of breeding plumage, they show shocking, white wings when they take to the air, as this one did a few seconds later.  What a beauty!

I have saved the best for last...
Crashing around the reed-beds and making strange 'mooing' noises was a large, heavily built bird, rare (indeed endangered) in Europe and nowhere very common.  Related to our more familiar Moorhen, but much bigger, the Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio subspecies porphyrio) is a sight to behold.

You can get a good idea of size when compared to the Coot next to which this one was standing.  We did in fact see several Purple Swamphens (also called Purple Gallinules) while we were walking around the wetlands, never straying too far from the reed beds and always ready to scuttle off and hide among the tall stems at the first sign of threat.  Purple Swamphens feed on the reeds, especially the white 'pith' within the stalks.  They cut the reeds off at the base with their formidable bill, then hold them it their huge feet while nibbling the stems from the soft base upwards.  They have also been known to eat eggs, small ducklings and invertebrates (especially water snails) but what a stunning bird and what a wonderful 'tick' for my list!

More new ticks tomorrow...

Cliffs and Chimneys

Portugal is famous for it's plethora of chimneys.  Wherever you look, it seems, you are presented with a forest of the most ornate smoke-stacks.  Most service fireplaces below, in the house, but many are rooftop extensions of barbecues built in the yards.  Walking back from Albufeira, we were presented with several chimney-laden vistas.

Modern houses, villas and apartments are just as chimney-covered as the older properties.

The coastline of this part of the Algarve is punctuated by hundreds of tiny coves and miniature sandy beaches.  The crumbly nature of the cliffs which line this coast, are both picturesque and - in places - dangerous.

In some places you have to take care not to tumble down large 'blow-holes' which have been carved out by the crashing surf..

Some of the cliff-carving waves were in evidence during the middle weekend of our holiday as the warm wind picked up from the South-West sending the surf in to pick away at the base of the cliffs.  The piles of large boulders on the beach bore testament to the forces involved and the potential dangers of walking too close to the edge.

Even after the weekend, when the weather had mellowed a little and the wind had died down, the sea still had quite a swell for a couple of days sending waves crashing against the rocks.  We wondered how much of the coastline is lost to the sea each year, especially as it must be very exposed to the worst of the winter gales.

First day

Our first full day in Portugal saw us taking a long walk into Albufeira.  It was rather sunny and very warm, so the 10 mile round trip was a bit of a slog, but the coffee we had by the Marina, provided a most welcome break in the middle.  The approach the the modern marina area is dominated by a splendid fountain.

Walking down to the marina itself, it soon became clear that the developers had been given a hefty discount at the paint suppliers... very colourful!

Bobbing around in the water were hundreds of craft of all sizes and shapes.  Most were rather modest in size, but a few went to prove that even in these recessionary days, there is still 'some money about'.

Swimming around between the boats, small fish seemed oblivious to the comings and goings of the rest of us, but were more concerned when one of their larger cousins swam past looking for a meal.

Returning 'home' after our coffee and a well earned sit down, we were impressed by the Bougainvillea tumbling from almost every villa wall.  Most was of the usual purple, red and pink colour, but a few were brilliant white in the afternoon sunshine.  Gorgeous as it is, you do have to watch for the thorns as you walk past.  You could 'have you your eye out' if you're not careful.

Home again

Malcolm and I got back to Blighty yesterday at around 'tea-time'.  We have spent a very pleasant 9 days in Portugal and have had some lovely walks along the coast, exploring the cliffs, coves and wetlands.
Being close to a large area of coastal wetland, we have managed to see lots of wonderful wildlife and I have added several 'new' species to my life-list.
Rest assured, there will be lots of photos to bore you all with over the next few days, but for now, here's a small taster to be going on with while I sort through the 300-odd pictures I have taken.

Ratty

Once again, it was nice to get out for a walk again this morning. We didn't even step out of the door yesterday and we always get a bit 'twitchy' when we haven't been able to get out for a walk, so it was nice to see the sun shining again this morning.
It was very wet under foot as you might expect, so we had to stick to the 'proper' paths. Unfortunately, this meant we couldn't get away from the cyclists who seem to think they own the paths at the weekends and we walkers are a nuisance which must be pestered out of existence at every opportunity (enough of the bitching).
The pond at Straw's Bridge known locally as Swan Lake, is always popular with bread-throwing duck feeders. This glut of bread also attracts rats and we have often seen these little brown darlings running around on the water's edge, but I have never been quick enough to take a picture of them as they tend not stand still long enough. But today was different. I manged to capture one picture before it scampered off - and it turned out to be not too bad.

This is a young Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus). Named 'norvegicus' in the mistaken belief that they had originated in Norway and had migrated to England on Norwegian ships in the 18th century.
Brown Rats are the archetypal omnivore and will eat almost anything.  Cereals are their main food source in the wild, but human wastefulness and our habit of throwing food about (bread in this case) provides a welcome and easy meal.  Brown Rats have been reviled by almost everyone since time immemorial, especially since the days when the Black Death took it's toll on the population.  Once again, the blame for the Bubonic Plague, which has often been placed on the Brown Rat, was misplaced.  In fact, it is thought that the Brown Rat actually helped with the eradication of Plague by displacing the Black Rats which were the carriers of the fleas which really were responsible for the disease.
To end with today, here's another short video of some of my pictures, set to music.  These pictures are from our past holidays in Spain and a few from closer to home.  Hope you enjoy them.

Wet Again

Once again, we are confined to barracks. The rain is falling steadily, making a walk in the country a miserable prospect. So, some more pics from previous walks starting with a view across the lake which once formed an ornamental feature of Shipley Hall. Later, the lake was the scene of the Shipley Woodside Colliery and later still, it formed the central feature of the Britannia (later the American Adventure) theme park.

In 1896, the mine employed 591 people underground and a further 184 on the surface. Owned at that time by the Miller-Mundy family from the Hall, it mined coal for domestic and industrial use. Looks a bit different today thankfully.

One more picture for today. This one was taken yesterday on our rather misty walk around the lake mentioned above. The trees, shrubs and grass was almost covered with webs. Glistening in the struggling sunlight and coated in water droplets from the mist, they almost glowed white among the turning leaves of an Autumn morning. These 'hammock' shaped webs were particularly prevalent and in some cases, very large. I'm still working on what made them, I'll get back to you with that one....