birding mid to late July

Walked to Woodoaks farm where I  met  Paul  Frost  in the orchard I had a brief glimpse of Little Owl.I or we were waiting for other nocturnal visitors.
We had a brief glimpse of  Barney but he did not stay.

Some  two days later Paul  Lewis and I  were at Lake Park in Hayes where a confiding Red backed Shrike gave slightly distant views  for the camera .We met Ephraim Perfect a young birder not a name
to forget and a nice lad to boot.
Returned to Woodoaks again but  alas only the sun going down over Lady Walk Wood.

Sabines gull at last

On  the 4th of July Paul Lewis  and I had a window of 2 hrs to get to  Tring.
On  arrival at Startops res the rape of the Sabine women came to mind but better
still to get to grips with a Sabine's gull gave me pleasure as I had not managed
this bird before, dipping on the Thames some years ago.

So  a lifer a brit tick and a Herts tick all in 2 hours.

monday 11th june last day on Sal

A final walk in the dunes was pleasant before finding Iago sparrow feeding young.
On cue greater hoopoe lark was scouring the vegetation looking for food.

Finally Kentish plovers obliged as I  made my way back .Not a bad weeks birding
21 species recorded and 3 Lifers.
Iago sparrow,Cape Verde Swift and Black faced finch lark.
2,025 species to date.

Cape Verde birding in the dunes

Sunday 10th of June 0700HRS walking the malpais and rocky ground south of the hotel.

I follow the beach for half a mile and see nothing.As I approached Ponta Preta four
Whimbrel are calling overhead and land on the beach.

I  manage a shot before the dogs scare them off.
At the rear of the restaurant no sign of yesterdays Kentish plovers.Even the dogs avoid me
as I walk in the dunes.

A pair of Greater Hoopoe Lark oblige I find these birds fascinating only seeing them

in the desert like habitat in Eilat ,Israel many years ago  I still  recalled their song.The
now ubiqutous Black faced finch lark was showing well today and in flight 2 Turnstones flew
over the dunes.
Spent the morning around the pool in the sunshine and on on route to the bar saw Alexanders
Kestrel once more.

After lunch its warmer the blue sky is endless not a cloud in sight,1700 an afternoon
stroll in the dunes for an hour.

An evening in Santa Marie the local town a local band is playing in the street. A meal
at the Odjo Agua hotel where fillet Mignon with Mateus rose all for 70 Euros with fellow
holiday makers ended our last night in Sal.

Another windy day on Sal Cape Verde

Saturday 9th of June got up 0700hrs made tea before another windy day commenced at
near Villa Verde the hotel complex adjacent to our hotel.
Made  my way to Ponta Preta near the restaurant I managed some shots of Kentish Plover
holding territory.

It's not quite Dungeness here not enough birds,but certainly its bleak,the wind increased as I
 found it hard to track down birds.But saw 2 Greater hoopoe larks in the distance and started

tracking them.Eventually caught them in displayn flight I was well pleased.
Next up a family of Bar tailed desert larks with juvs constituted a breeding record.

Time was moving on as I ambled back for breakfast,while round the pool Cape Verde swift
flew over and House Martin.After lunch watched Holland lose to Denmark with the Dutch
air stewardesses its a hard life.

Cape Verde Sal Ponta Preta

Friday the 8th of June morning walk in the dunes around O800hrs,larking around you might say.

Of note a horse grazes on sparse vegetation in the dunes behind the Ponta Preta restaurant.
Still trying to get a perfect shot of Black faced finch lark.

At last not a bad effort,tried nearer the sand dunes and got bar tailed desert lark and greater
hoopoe lark before the dogs came running from the Quad bike area near the restaurant.

The  greater hoope larks gave me much pleasure as they raced around the dunes like road runners.

Also of note Kentish Plovers were holding territory in the dunes and are probably breeding along
with the larks as they are all displaying an singing.
A swallow flew over the hotel later today.