The Azores, Winter trip 2022, Day Two

 Been experimenting with the new Ebird Trip Report function today. See here for trip report so far HERE (Best viewed by clicking on Show All Details).

Bird of the day was a Swift sp flying high over Paul da Praia. Almost certainly a Pallid Swift with noticeable large white throat patch and looked brownish in the strong light. The flight was relatively tardy too and the wings appeared rather blunt-tipped. Unfortunately Ruben's camera couldn't focus on it and when I took my bins off it we couldn't find it again. A few hours later a couple of House Martins appeared in the same area suggesting there was some kind of very early Spring movement occurring of aerial feeding birds , in the high pressure and north east winds. Iberia is being affected by an unseasonal heat wave at the moment so these rather unprecedented early Spring migrant sightings may be explained by the atypical warm weather. I need both Common and Pallid Swift for the Azores so an Azores tick either way but considering the time of year in addition to the impression, it was almost certainly a Pallid.

Other highlights included seeing the two Spotted Crakes that have been around, the Water Rail showed again to the delight of all the locals that needed it, a winter plumaged Least Sandpiper in the quarry, the Bonaparte's Gull again, at least 8 different Med Gulls, Great Northern Diver, 3 Sandwich Tern and the Belted Kingfisher again. 

Tomorrow I'm exploring other parts of the island and looking for a few Azores lifers that have been around. 

One of two Spotted Crakes on Paul da Praia 

The first-winter Bonaparte's Gull 

Med and Black-headed Gulls . There was at least 500 Black-heads coming into roost in the harbour this evening. The choppy harbour waters in the north east wind made it difficult to scan through them but there presumably has to be something else in them apart from the one Bonaparte's ?

Adult and first-cycle Azores Gull- for our paper on Azores Gull identification see HERE

Azores Noctule (endemic)- had 15 of this day flying bat, over the ridge from Paul da Praia this evening 

I believe this is Madeiran Wall Lizard, an introduced species . As far as I'm aware, this is the total herp list for the Azores HERE, although I had what sounded like Marsh Frogs today at Belo Jardim- will check that out. Also had Clouded Yellow and Red Admiral today and a brief view of a dragonfly. 

Stunning view over Praia da Vitoria area. I've literally just birded this area for the last two days. Venturing further afield tomorrow.