From here on to the ferry over to Sao Jacinto and a 3 mile walk around to the Nature Reserve. Weather varied from drizzle to hit 20C sunshine.
A turtle dove in trees as I walked along was a good bird to start with, also hearing plenty of serins, fan tailed warblers and black redstarts.
I chatted briefly with the chap at the reserve office. There are 4 trails and as I had all day( it was by now 10a.m.) I opted for the long 6-7 mile route.
The path was flooded in places, so waded through ankle deep water. Vegetation was dense so more hearing than seeing birds.
Plenty to be listened to and occasionally seen, with chaffinches everywhere. Regular birds made the list, nothing noteworthy.
A board walk took you to the beach which is left to nature. Overhead black kites and common buzzards whilst out to sea little and sandwich terns and a flock of Kentish plovers.
In the centre of the reserve is a lake where there are several battered old hides. From here, a coot, grey heron and little grebe!
I carried on, noting various lizards, speckled wood butterflies, a red admiral and the best: a green hairstreak. A new butterfly for me. The signs for the red trail petered out and after 15 minutes I ended up back where I had been. I tried again but clearly hadn't missed a sign, the path wAs fenced off so back I headed. The path was very flooded so I cut my loses and headed along a track to the road and a 3 mile wander back. All fine, except it poured down for half an hour.
I arrived back, soaked and had a wait of some 40 minutes for the ferry. A beer and pastry but the ferry still not going. Apparently it was postponed as no one was waiting. Eventually got across and bus back, noting greater flamingoes in lagoons I shall explore tomorrow. Cracking day.
Additional species: greater flamingo, sandwich tern, grey heron, greenfinch, turtle dove, chaffinch, great tit, blackcap, robin, wren, goldcrest, coal tit, chiffchaff, great spotted woodpecker, black kite, whitethroat, coot, little grebe, crested lark and a very briefly glimpsed nightjar species. Over 50 sp for the trip.
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