Final Day: Aveiro

Up early to make the most of the time left. Train from the station to Porto at 12.19 so a few hours to have another wander around the splendid saltpans and mud flats west of the town centre. Usual fare, still pleasing to see. Dunlin numbers had decreased considerably and the black winged stilts appeared to have the place to themselves, apart from the occasional curlew sandpiper and little stint.
A walk around the back of some old buildings gave up the expected black redstarts and fan tailed warblers before a bird shot past overhead, briefly alighting on the wires: a woodchat shrike, bird species 57. No photos and a search for it for half an hour failed to relocate it. A bird I had expected to find.
Finally, back to the hotel to pick up rucksack and off to the airport. I arrived with time to spare so a wander around the airport and a binocular search to the hills in the distance. A few raptors remained unidentified but several crag martins flew by. This gave me the challenge: photograph these quick moving birds in flight to get the white windows on the tail. I set up in a corner of the pavement and continued to get blurred images of airport buildings etc. After 45 minutes, however, I had a couple that although not of any value to publish did show the windows. At this point 2 birds landed on the concrete right next to me and posed for some really pleasing photos. A great finish to the trip.

Black redstart

Although 58 species is not a great list, basically one habitat in late April was not going to give up too much else, with most of the waders having moved north and maybe some of the later summer migrants not arrived. However, for a first trip, I was pleased with the 3 days.