Birds in Portugal 1

In August 2015 I stayed for 10 days in Portugal with my husband who was there for work. Not being familiar with the place at all plus having no car to get us somewhere we had hired a birding guide for one day to see the birds of the Tagus Estuary near Lisbon.
This got us into the nature reserve before opening time, when the sun had just risen and the light was soft and red. perfect fit for the Purple Heron, the first bird on our list.

Not long after that a flock of well-known shapes appeared in the west.

Glossy Ibis

100s of them landed in one of the fields

  

We couldn't get close there, but later in the day we found some around farm land with cattle

One bird among Black-winged Stilts. Soon the Stilts that took to the air

Holland 2016 - 5 The Weerribben

Giethoorn and nature reserve the Weerribben are best visited by boat. Great for a social event!

In the wetlands: Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea, Purperreiger)

Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica, Blauwborst)

Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus, Rietgors)

And to everybody's joy a very friendly family of Mute Swans (Cygnus olor, Knobbelzwaan)

  

Far away in one of the water fields was a  Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus, Fuut) carrying babies on its back.

Every country has children who like catching water creatures during the holidays