10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2024

My plan was to do research for this post, so I decided to enter as a common mortal and not use the electronic pass. We exchanged notes on where to find good birds in southern Portugal. Mid-February is an early start for spring – even this far south – but spring is spring, and birds were waiting. The encounter made me think.

Psychology 161

Psychology Portugal Japan Eagles 161

10,000 Birds

APRIL 27, 2023

It seems that the Red-billed Leiothrix can be vocally dominant (it accounts for 37% of an entire bird community soundscape in northern Italy) and can influence the singing behavior, particularly of native Eurasian Blackcaps and European Robins (in Portugal and Italy). And who wants birds with highly visible Hitler mustaches anyway?

Italy 182

Italy Birds China France 182

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2016

Either way, Europe’s White Storks seem to have found a year-round food source, and it’s changing their migration habits, according to new research. Instead of wintering in Africa and breeding in Europe, growing numbers of the birds now appear to be staying put in Spain and Portugal.

Portugal 102

Portugal Spain Research Europe 102

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2024

Then it’s a matter of doing a little research on the internet to find who rang the bird you saw, and then emailing the details of your sighting. Once again I did my internet research and managed to contact the person who had ringed the gull. With luck you will get a speedy reply, telling you the bird’s history.

Lithuania 130

Lithuania Morocco Iceland Ireland 130

10,000 Birds

MARCH 22, 2024

These binoculars were made at Leica’s factory in Portugal. Soon afterwards I flew to Trinidad and Tobago to research for an article, and was hugely impressed with the small Swarovskis when I used them to watch tanagers and toucans in the rainforest. With hindsight this wasn’t a great move.

Austria 191

Austria Factory Branding Germany 191

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 18, 2022

In Europe, most of them winter south of the Sahara but an increasing share winters north of it – which sounds like an interesting research topic for people who, ahem, find such topics interesting. It is rumored that one of the researchers later became a software developer.

Cattle 147

Cattle Portugal Buffalo Humane 147

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 15, 2019

Late June night at the Casino Estoril, then the largest casino in Europe, located in the neutral Portugal where spies of all colours met. Yet, it will be several more years until James Bond was born. The year was 1941. The casino was thick with people and tobacco.

Saint Kitts and Nevis 152

Saint Kitts and Nevis Antigua and Barbuda Dominican Republic Cuba 152