Wednesday, 12th March 2025, 7:57 a.m.
Pinhão, Alijó, Vila Real, Portugal
Bradley Waggoner
Walked trail uphill starting just above winery. Spent a good chunk of time in mid level near stone structure below the hilltop town. Some raptors up late morning. Partly cloudy, calm to light winds picking up from the west 5-10+, and temperatures rising to upper 50’s.
| 3 | Feral PigeonColumba livia (Feral Pigeon) |
| 4 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto |
| 1 | Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus “Accipiter” in flight |
| 2 | Black KiteMilvus migrans |
| 1 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo |
| 1 | Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops In flight only |
| 2 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus |
| 1 | Common RavenCorvus corax Initially on the ground near water tanks before taking flight |
| 4 | Great TitParus major |
| 4 | WoodlarkLullula arborea Could easily have passed off some displaying ones as Thekla's if not from much different song. Then noted as being slightly smaller with distinctly patterned underwing. I only was able to see the few in display flight - not on the ground. |
| 9 | Thekla's LarkGalerida theklae Likely more than this present and certainly more present than Wood Lark! Three in one spot. Many noted in display flight along with some on the ground. Outer tail feathers buffy colored. I had seen similar Crested Lark in Spain |
| 2 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica |
| 30 | Western House MartinDelichon urbicum |
| 1 | European Red-rumped SwallowCecropis rufula |
| 7 | Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita |
| 6 | Eurasian BlackcapSylvia atricapilla |
| 8 | Sardinian WarblerCurruca melanocephala |
| 20 | Spotless StarlingSturnus unicolor |
| 8 | Song ThrushTurdus philomelos Boy, were these darn things skittish. I was only able to see perched birds briefly and at a fir distance as they would flush and fly off quickly |
| 12 | Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula |
| 1 | European RobinErithacus rubecula |
| 10 | Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros |
| 1 | Blue Rock ThrushMonticola solitarius Male |
| 6 | European StonechatSaxicola rubicola |
| 1 | Black WheatearOenanthe leucura Sadly only viewed male distantly today. No chance for photo-op |
| 10 | House SparrowPasser domesticus |
| 2 | Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus |
| 4 | Pied Wagtail/White WagtailMotacilla alba |
| 1 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis Noted in flight and briefly on the ground. |
| 12 | Common ChaffinchFringilla coelebs |
| 15 | European GreenfinchChloris chloris |
| 6 | Common LinnetLinaria cannabina |
| 14 | European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis |
| 14 | European SerinSerinus serinus |
| 4 | Rock BuntingEmberiza cia Richly colored sparrow! |
| 1 | Cirl BuntingEmberiza cirlus Female. Can be a difficult to differentiate from female Yellowhammer and here I suppose the best mark might be the chestnut shoulder patch. Maybe additionally the fine breast streaking |