This is the first over sea's trip of what is planned to be a year of travelling,It couldn't have started any better really with scoring the Yellow Crowned Night Heron less than 2 hours after landing in Terceira yesterday evening.
The first stop this morning was Paul da Praia with Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup, Greater Scaup & American Coot all being Azores Ticks.
Next stop was the Praia Harbour which was very quiet for Gulls but a single (ringed) Sandwich Tern was hoped to be of the American race, the now resident White Winged Black Tern flew by a couple of times. A Great Northern Diver and a 1st winter Med Gull were 2 more Azores ticks.
After leaving the harbour we headed to the tip and after a short time working out the best viewing options we settled in at the back of the tip overlooking the face where several loads of household waste came in causing a bit of Gull activity. There were no White Wingers or American Herring Gull contenders but to get some up close and personal views of Azorean Gulls was enjoyable.
This 1st winter Azorean Gull appeared so dark compared to 1st winter Herring Gull back on Pitsea tip of late.
The photo above and below shows a nice adult Azorean Gull
The four photos below show a nice 2nd winter Azorean Gull, which at present is my favourite plumage/ age of the Azorean Gull age class.
After leaving the tip we went in search of Lago Junco in order to see the Greater Yellow Legs, after scannig 3 pools near the roadside we eventually found the bird on a lone distant pool north of the main pools. The Greater Yellow Legs showed well alongside,1 Lesser Yellow Legs, 2 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank and a Wood sandpiper that is presumed to be the same individual that we saw earlier at Loga Ginjal. 5 species of Tringa is always good to see and the Greater Legs provided another Azores tick.
After leaving Junco we went to Praia da Vitoria beach for the pre roost gathering of Gulls and this did not let us down with 30 Ringed Billed Gulls, 3 Common Gulls, 1 1st winter Med Gull a Common GullxHybrid half blood (2 photos below) and also an American Herring Gull x Hybrid.
After leaving Praia da Vitoria we returned down to Angra Harbour where the Pied Billed grebe showed well in the early evening light and then the Yellow Crowned Night Heron showed on the rocks at the base of the pier at near the same location we saw it last night. For more photos visit: http://peteralfreybirdingnotebook.blogspot.com/
This is the first over sea's trip of what is planned to be a year of travelling,It couldn't have started any better really with scoring the Yellow Crowned Night Heron less than 2 hours after landing in Terceira yesterday evening.
The first stop this morning was Paul da Praia with Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup, Greater Scaup & American Coot all being Azores Ticks.
Next stop was the Praia Harbour which was very quiet for Gulls but a single (ringed) Sandwich Tern was hoped to be of the American race, the now resident White Winged Black Tern flew by a couple of times. A Great Northern Diver and a 1st winter Med Gull were 2 more Azores ticks.
After leaving the harbour we headed to the tip and after a short time working out the best viewing options we settled in at the back of the tip overlooking the face where several loads of household waste came in causing a bit of Gull activity. There were no White Wingers or American Herring Gull contenders but to get some up close and personal views of Azorean Gulls was enjoyable.
This 1st winter Azorean Gull appeared so dark compared to 1st winter Herring Gull back on Pitsea tip of late.
The photo above and below shows a nice adult Azorean Gull
After leaving the tip we went in search of Lago Junco in order to see the Greater Yellow Legs, after scannig 3 pools near the roadside we eventually found the bird on a lone distant pool north of the main pools. The Greater Yellow Legs showed well alongside,1 Lesser Yellow Legs, 2 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank and a Wood sandpiper that is presumed to be the same individual that we saw earlier at Loga Ginjal. 5 species of Tringa is always good to see and the Greater Legs provided another Azores tick.
After leaving Junco we went to Praia da Vitoria beach for the pre roost gathering of Gulls and this did not let us down with 30 Ringed Billed Gulls, 3 Common Gulls, 1 1st winter Med Gull a Common GullxHybrid half blood (2 photos below) and also an American Herring Gull x Hybrid.
After leaving Praia da Vitoria we returned down to Angra Harbour where the Pied Billed grebe showed well in the early evening light and then the Yellow Crowned Night Heron showed on the rocks at the base of the pier at near the same location we saw it last night. For more photos visit: http://peteralfreybirdingnotebook.blogspot.com/
