![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1MdqklJFqz7bkFRaadeu_DJLWqT94IgdvQpXakMLC97iS_VnsCrEq5g8ajpNddxeO5g3x-UyFdh4Ix7eSYQkVa_DZq9XBAKr9PYXnKIlWfB6WQdcFgKBQfNYjd2sL-yYCvn2/s280/Azure-winged+Magpie_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_9076.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OIC3pA5b0nbz0IvBK8pbb6GpLBAikTHwwRi3m_H5QRJWvpK3_4a_G3-xr_Xbu06ik6rHNGgZDF_N39XAKOM5qZ5Uy_7VhTMVlgX1NaFwlXsiN0Ae8KR7fu5kgBvAG7XX6dH4/s280/Azure-winged+Magpie_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_9078.jpg)
Azure-winged Magpies were numerous and noisy but also exceptionally difficult to get close to. These shots were the best I managed all week.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmk22feJGxQJmHqJWz0jPWHpTHf3uxR7ArLv3R44pNthbjXfosQkZRaVyKtKuVJvkwJqj6ifW8dORWdnRhYSIkSJXRRNxeguKtY4AoGX8VRNz_2xnTqIDt4Ny8q14eIRYVX_8o/s280/Red-legged+Partridge_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_9095.jpg)
Partridges in Western Europe don't quite have the same mystique as partridges in Asia, but Red-legged Partridges are nonetheless pretty smart birds.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXumrArAUdh488DZsLLKrs_Ce6UYYNoJ65T-JV6ctpwwRQWk7ociCG3G1jhYuiXMXSd28aMQecAFimmh7zvuO6ZQ_egIYNK8dUK8IShT_-5IJVeSyQei87i-A2XmcmJ12QV7v5/s280/Spotless+Starling_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_9073.jpg)
My only lifer of the trip was the not terribly inspiring Spotless Starling. This was the only view I got of one on the ground.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJmgQ8ROwrqcuepFx2bJxH_S5DM4N-wJxCPVIeKgBu8J3KNCFbtjlQ4RE3CN8k0weEGj6avTZTfeSYaRBdu7FaQno4paHRwpiIybYo0Ne4aWxsAd1XrnLb9V_3uxKRiIDhWGup/s280/Black-heded+Gull_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_8972.jpg)
Mountainous waves and a thick mist of salt-spray meant I had to keep my optics under wraps, but there were a few birds passing - like this flock of Black-headed Gulls...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TIm725BLnBhK4RfS1IdayXDfGy70z7YmjM9eYx6z4QmJ53QOqj8iZeUoXIMZSYAEaEgWiJWriRd1_63iAx_WZq_A5CLghQ214fYiB3W78b945vix_iBzi5RxyT4pwFZUaQT2/s280/Great+Skua_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_9002.jpg)
There were several 'Bonxies' or Great Skuas, all well out to sea.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOMj-S33YjzGMAdSlAVt7tY1bH7DxZ9m7JHgp8cNna3vsz05Hs35EGczrKQTeLUsazLJNy2fw82XRPX6dpp2ao6bKwzoeo5EmN-OOHD_gBf1X2zo0m8oppPaMu15oldVR3IxQ/s280/Sandwich+Tern_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_9023.jpg)
And a lone Sandwich Tern flew past just offshore.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUueQXCkstVRCAuzwFT3-12nOqV1fi34ZM_sfXrbb6FDxC9YYqeVzISt6pOtiSmbR2mwIKz08mOxPSlZKydEmAZ0Pb5o9ifDS8uz3cEwmLGoLZQz-c7amyYyzrSFEuOYRdN8lk/s280/Great+Cormorant_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_9048.jpg)
...as did a Great Cormorant.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpEGkr1v8IJ0S94El9Q_B4Yfm2PEuhyphenhyphenzLdRebTrpLBpjQAuXNdU7vgNQS6cG9g-vMAtR4Y_lzAJ0b93ZolRseWuOLborl7vwU2GwMj3rGonJKmdXadG7NJe8GMTmUwYEmRKNx/s280/Yellow-legged+Gull_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_9057.jpg)
One of the resident Yellow-legged Gulls.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKV9MFSovc3hvDKNZ0sVAv1xQeoUvQ2iCwtwYGB8oU0cStw7970Erp8VCQO9b_jB8V1yWUcwbgm6yKPteEYqIsqG64u8kdDe-aGKYmZMlNyN4hLbws148Py9L5ja60aWe-WZl/s280/Ruddy+Turnstone_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_8905.jpg)
A few Ruddy Turnstones provided plenty of photo-opportunities on the beach.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlcOR3aBqP55nlETWegG9mafStQOw5f7fNHjo4mfDmzyDJQOTObVAqSfeEWGXfQG9lB0L3LXx9HyaYfrUSprr-MhhhG8gLNf2CYQCrMpty9JFHeJM-FuJE4KaP4GQnmADwOrC/s280/Ruddy+Turnstone_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_8912.jpg)
These small reddish bivalves washed up on the tideline seemed to be the prey of choice.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu00VqHGLtNOevjy4OMaIl67-fLLVUh1IQojDumEnsu9BuY55r1BTsgf7cCdKYfZ7nr4veSQ637zDH6SLu_3_ZqdIK801USTq5JYfx_6yvib2VibMPGbfIKsxG7SiybmB7Jc7z/s280/Ruddy+Turnstone_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_8938.jpg)
Once one was found it was whisked away to a solitary spot suitably distant from other turnstones.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguVu2NQe-Q-cPMi24uvs4mbx5s9t0n7eYH3e_BlLFIafUAs2rVJQGdk09x6MDDEM0W__HAokVvXRCbrzwhjSfGfynxxuLpEt69y1GjTIQMBBPZM2vzj4oSMwZzQwTlNyconqZh/s280/Ruddy+Turnstone_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_8940.jpg)
The shellfish's muscle was no match for the chisel bill of the turnstone, and before long, the succulent-looking white flesh was extracted, shaken and eaten.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_3I50PcrPhfs7fpwchOm6LrEafUHJEC3QCY3qXKWlIaWCefs44ZhOIoDxEPJLZf3e1BVQnjrCbRgCff5omJxjyXZA4YdgNEJs7fyRC2eDmjo_fT2NWg_1lt4Xbq6ToGzFxcQ/s280/Ruddy+Turnstone_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_9020.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPR5WO_peHK84L6wxGO3-Raw22KsN_HRpfm7n3A5fGuTmZxfkvRmXqEtTJkYeny7M3yBr5HtrHnAXgBcHXHNtmgEKLiGfG89aYwy9f_gCHkky0qO-tLa3yiTmuz9UY2QywCAJ0/s280/Ruddy+Turnstone_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_9039.jpg)
Some birds preferred to hunt on the beach, others preferred the rockpools, where they seemed fairly unconcerned by the .regular surges of breaking surf.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0XpMm5-DkDC37yEIZqHXcCzCKcAkGARFAJ2xvjRA5Mife7K9c6FcaTwmV02vrVQtN0js7hrElnfHlBoX471R5C0IUpDCaV-auXHP8TPJS_AkNn7Vw4PZdiHCTjOiQGd4hu_vU/s280/Ruddy+Turnstone_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_8981.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xbNj9r_V-EZsU2MsL3bDXkfvxVBn3dHPXcODadug0LeUvrcfwxl-QxX0uRZni_iJ_yd3ltjheKJRwbTgzMrWVm9pAvxTq1564FCHUigoAvjtHXnxre_ZoACseCSnyfw7CkbM/s280/Ruddy+Turnstone_Olhos+De+Agua_241209_IMG_9043.jpg)
Getting flight shots was a challenge as the sun was always on the seaward side, so getting the light behind me meant getting wet feet!
Thanks Dave for the Azure-winged
ReplyDeleteMagpie, one of my dream birds when I am in Japan, didn't realize there
is another range in Spain -
Portugal.
Nope, I didn't get to see it in Japan.
Choo Eng.
what an amazing documentation while having a holiday! Nice work Dave.
ReplyDelete