Wednesday, 19th February 2025, 6:58 a.m.
PN Ria Formosa--Praia dos Cavacos, Olhão, Faro, Portugal
Peter Milinets-Raby
Bright sunny morning. I kept to the main track beside the rail line. Walked west to the wooden walkway by the tidal creek and back. Most birds on the lagoon west of the farmhouse.
| 8 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna 2, 2, 2, 2, scattered around the various salt pans |
| 27 | Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata Flocks of 6 and 5 passing over and 16 on the preferred lagoon west of the farmhouse |
| 5 | GadwallMareca strepera 2 males and female on one dalt pan and a pair on another |
| 9 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos Male, female, and a group of 7 (six males). |
| 2 | Northern PintailAnas acuta Pair on the preferred lagoon west of the farmhouse |
| 6 | Common WoodpigeonColumba palumbus Groups flying north and inland 4, 1, 1 |
| 14 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto On rooftops on the properties adjacent the saltbpans |
| 1 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus On the marsh north of the rail track |
| 9 | Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, scattered throughout the site |
| 24 | Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta 24 on the preferred lagoon west of the farm house |
| 7 | Grey PloverPluvialis squatarola Roosting groups of 2, 4, 1 on the salt pan embankments |
| 26 | Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula Resting groups of 3, 16, 3, 3, 1, on the salt pan embankments |
| 4 | Kentish PloverAnarhynchus alexandrinus Resting groups of , 1, 1, 2, on the salt pan embankments |
| 9 | Common RedshankTringa totanus 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, scattered around the salt pans |
| 5 | Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres 5 feeding on the salt pan embankment |
| 6 | SanderlingCalidris alba 2, 3, 1, feeding on the salt pan embankments. Always moving around!! |
| 7 | DunlinCalidris alpina Resting groups of 3, 3, 1, on the salt pan embankments |
| 21 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus 5, 4, 2 2, 6, 2 scattered around the site |
| 25 | Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis 1, 1 2, 2, 4, 10, 2, 3, scattered around the site |
| 2 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus Passing over |
| 2 | Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia Two on one of the salt pan embankment. |
| 79 | Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus On the preferred lagoons west of the farm house |
| 3 | White StorkCiconia ciconia Two soaring over and one perched on the nest by the wooden walkway |
| 14 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo Perched on posts around the fish farm complex. |
| 3 | Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia On the preferred lagoon west of the farm house |
| 3 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta On the muddy marsh west of the tidal creek |
| 9 | Western Cattle-EgretArdea ibis 2', 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, flying north east, and 2 feeding jn the donkey field north of the train track. |
| 3 | Grey HeronArdea cinerea 1, 1, 1 individuals around the salt pans |
| 1 | Iberian Green WoodpeckerPicus sharpei Heard calling several times in the western edge of the site |
| 86 | Iberian MagpieCyanopica cooki Groups left their roosting site at dawn heading east 9, 1, 12, 14, 16, 24, 4, and 6 seen on the scrub north of the train track. |
| 5 | Common MagpiePica pica 2, 2, 1 |
| 2 | Great TitParus major Heard singing from the scrub by the properties and one seen on the western edge of the site |
| 9 | Crested LarkGalerida cristata 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2 Lots of singing, some birds showing very well. |
| 8 | Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis H, H, H, H, 1, 1, H, 1, individuals singing throughout the site |
| 12 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica 3, 1, 2, 2, 4, passing through |
| 19 | Western House MartinDelichon urbicum 7 , 4, 6, 2 passing through |
| 2 | European Red-rumped SwallowCecropis rufula Probably a pair, checking out the small bridge by the tidal creek. |
| 21 | Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita 2, 2Heard singing, 1, 1, 3, 1, 2, 2, 3, H, 2, 1 Scattered around the site. Numbers lower than the last few days. |
| 3 | Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti H, H H, individuals heard singing . |
| 2 | Eurasian BlackcapSylvia atricapilla H, H, individuals heard calling from scrub near the rail crossing |
| 8 | Sardinian WarblerCurruca melanocephala H, H, 2 pair with displaying male fluffing up its wings, 1, H, 1, 1 Lots of singing. |
| 3 | Spotless StarlingSturnus unicolor 2, 1, on the rooftops of the properties adjacent the site |
| 1 | Song ThrushTurdus philomelos Feeding near the farmhouse |
| 9 | Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula 1, 2H, H, 1, 1, 1, 2, scattered around the saltbpans |
| 2 | European RobinErithacus rubecula Heard singing at dawn from the gardens and one seen briefly on the western edge of the site. |
| 1 | Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros In the gardens of the properties adjacent to the salt pans |
| 4 | European StonechatSaxicola rubicola Pair, male, and another male along the wooden walkway |
| 17 | House SparrowPasser domesticus Around the properties adjacent to the salt pans |
| 4 | White Wagtail (alba)Motacilla alba alba/dukhunensis 1, 1, 2, around the site |
| 6 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis 2, 1, 1, H, 1, scattered around the site |
| 1 | Common ChaffinchFringilla coelebs By the rail crossing |
| 2 | European GreenfinchChloris chloris In the gardens |
| 7 | Common LinnetLinaria cannabina H, 2, 1, 1, 2 flying over |
| 5 | European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis 1, 2, 2 feeding on the scree scrub by the train cutting. |
| 11 | European SerinSerinus serinus H, 1, 1, 1, H, 1, H, 1, 1, H, 1 loads of singing nales. Mostly around the properties and by the rail crossing. |