Birding Portugal & Spain
  • Birding blog
  • Natureza e Biodiversidade
  • Sobre mim
  • Projectos
  • Contactos
  • Birding blog
  • Natureza e Biodiversidade
  • Sobre mim
  • Projectos
  • Contactos

A nice Rock pipit in Peniche today

15/10/2020

0 Comments

 
Before sunrise, I arrived at a small sheltered beach, on the south side of Peniche, looking for rare birds that might be protected from the persistent north wind. This spot, (Portinho da areia Sul) has a small garden with tamarisks and other evergreen bushes, and a couple of fig trees. Also, has an almost concealed little stream surrounded by cane (Arundo sp.). I started visiting this area, this autumn, and it looks promising. 

I parked the car, and start walking towards the beach, to scan the algae for any wader. Instantly I heard a single sharp call from a Rock pipit (Anthus pretrosus), I scanned the beach and there it was walking along and feeding quite busy. I tried to pick my camera from my backpack, and the bird flew away, out of sight, and quite a distance. No photo or sound recording, that´s a pity! I know that other pipits are creatures of habits, and like to return to the same area to feed, so I persisted and just continued to bird around, but keeping my eye and hear towards the beach. A Spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) in the fig tree, a freshly arrived Chiffchaff (Phyllsocopus collybita) in the bushes and that was pretty much it for migrants. And then the pipit came back again, sharply calling above my head, and landed on the beach again.

Finally some photographs, the low light made the small sensor of my camera work hard, but for record shots, it´s not too bad. I guess the low weight of a bridge comes with a price. By that time I had already my recorder running and got also some nice calls.

Rock pipits, although they are considered a rare bird in Portugal, its seems they are quite frequent, the low number of observers allied to poor coverage of suitable habitat (Rocky coasts), contribute to the low numbers of records each year.
Picture
Darkish legs, strong bill with subtle yellowish wash at the base
Picture
Picture
Heavy bold chest lines that run to the flanks
Picture
It´s possible to age pipits by the moult limits in Great coverts, this ind. is a 1cy, notice some darker moulted great coverts, acquired during post-juvenil partial moult

Calls

Picture
Single "Tzeep" metalic call.

View on Vocaroo >>
Picture
Flight call when flushed. Recalls Medow pipit, but sharper and more metalic

View on Vocaroo >>
0 Comments

    Birding Portugal & Spain - Blog


    2020 Count Totals:
    Picture

    Picture

    About me

    I was born in west Portugal and began birding at the age of 11. I have particular interest in bird ringing (banding),  moult, seabirds and rarities. Currently I work as a guide for Birds & Nature Tours.
    Picture
    Picture

    Search by month:

    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019


    Search by keywords:

    All
    American Golden Plover
    Audouin´s Gull
    Azorean Yellow-legged Gull
    Birding Trips
    Book Review
    Caspian Gull
    ChiffChaff
    Franklin´s Gull
    Fulmar
    Fulmarus Glacialis
    Glaucous Gull
    Greenshank
    Gulls
    Herring Gull
    Kittiwake
    Lesser Scaup
    Madeira Island
    Moths
    Moult
    Nocturnal Flight Calls
    Peniche Seabird Count
    Richard´s Pipit
    Ring-billed Gull
    Ring-necked Duck
    Rock Pipit
    Sylvia Curruca
    Testing Gear
    Videos
    Yellow-browed Warbler


    RSS Feed



    © Helder Cardoso. All rights reserved.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.