It looked as if today was going to be a repeat of yesterday but over the morning the weather improved and the wearing of waterproof trousers was only necessary for a short while. Some heathland near Vila da Bispo produced a small flock of Cirl Buntings which showed nicely and later nearby a couple of Crested Tits, Nuthatch and Mistle Thrushes.
After this we drove up to Aljezur for a comfort stop but soon pulled up as we passed a roadside Goshawk, a male, mantling a feral pigeon. Sadly, having disturbed it, it left its prey and soared away.
The coffee/comfort stop was next to a river full of dodgy ducks and Muscovys. Afterwards, a track down to the beach at Praia de Armoreira found another Osprey plus Peregrine and Iberian Shrike plus a couple of Common Sandpipers.
A Kentish Plover on the beach and the now ubiquitous Gannets offshore was about it for this site.
An outdoor picnic lunch was taken at the site below.
Next stop was Ponta da Atalaia, a scenic headland sticking out into the Atlantic and which gave us a very close encounter with a Thekla Lark near the carpark. I walked off and found two more, one of which showed well and one which disappeared over a fold in the land. Back on the bus either these or two more flew behind as we were preparing to leave.
Some old White Stork nests on the cliffs below were an unusual setting. It was suggested these were the only cliff nesting Storks in Europe.
Just a few Shags, Gannets and Yellow-legged Gulls offshore.
One minibus went further inland to try for Eagle Owls at dusk but I opted for an earlier return and a brief look around the harbour near the hotel where two Kingfishers chased each other and a single Shag was on a sea wall with numerous gulls and Cormorants. More Crag Martins and, best of all, cracking views of a Blue Rock Thrush, something I'd missed at Monchique. No Purple Sandpipers found here but the 'owl group' had been successful despite the handicap of end-of-day lighting.
