We have been feeding the birds, amongst the regular visitors are nuthatch’s. They have been attracted by the sun flower seeds which they take away and deposit in the bark of surrounding trees. They are very adept at landing on a tree head down. We nicked name them N.N. because they have a loud and strident call.
Have a look at the pics, you can see the seeds in their bills.
I was tempted to use the word iconic but, I feel that it is overused. Two species that people come to see in the Algarve and Andalucia are the azure winged magpie and the hoopoe.
The azure winged magpie is colourful and are real character’s. Smaller than the black and white variety that we are familiar with they share many of the same traits, go to a picnic area, camp site, anywhere that food may appear and they will be there waiting to move in on any food.
The hoopoe, a very handsome bird with a distinctive call, can be shy but not difficult to see.
Have a look at the pictures.
We moved to this site on Monday the 28th, very rural. Go to google earth and punch in long lat, N38.18361 W8.10361 Rural and peaceful. Monday 7th. We are still at Markadia planning to move on Wednesday 9th. Did not intend to stay as long but, the 8th is a national holiday in Portugal and, therefore,busy. So we decided to stay put.
Today, Monday 29th, we leave the Algarve and head north at the start of the return leg. We plan to take a zig zag course through Portugal visiting places on the way, then into north west Spain. More detail as we go.
We have booked a pitch on the Casa Rosa from December 2011 to March 2011.
Wandering around a supermarket, look, Cross and Blackwell baked beans, how much? 89cents. We bought six tins. Heinz baked beans are readily available, the cheapest we have seen them is 97 cents, dearest €2.09.
Tea bags. We brought with us two boxes of our favourite coop tea bags, 240 bags per box. Having opened the second box we decided that they would not last until our return to the U K. The presence of many Brits in the Algarve means that several supermarkets have a section selling brands popular in the U K, including P G tips. Decided that it might be advisable to purchase a box before we leave the area. €6 .09 for a box of 80, ouch.
A chance for you to gloat. For the last four days and nights it as rained heavily with some short dry periods. Hopefully, today, Thursday, it will improve.
We visited on Saturday, good decision, a sunny and warm day. Started off with a horse drawn carriage ride around the sites. Worth the money because the horse drawn transport is permitted to use areas and streets off limit to motorised transport, and, it is very pleasant. A busy city with pleasant pedestrianised streets and a street cafe culture, lots of families enjoying the fresh air.
I will bring to your attention to one photo in particular. The guy in the sitting position with is head in his hand, yes it is a man not a statue. Just to look at him made us ache, how can he do that?
On Friday Keith visited Parque natural Ria Formosa, 18,400 hectares. Several structures around the site are in a poor state of repair, one with a partly collapsed roof, all gave unfettered access to the public. In the U K these would have been fenced or taped off with the usual array of signage highlighting every conceivable hazard.
This posed the question, are we risk adverse? I. E., we totally devolve personal responsibility and do not allow individual decision on the risk we are prepared to take. On that note we noticed people walking along the railway line, not the odd individual, whole families. Shock, horror. Our reaction is natural because as UK citizens we are brain washed in these matters, (jobs worth says, you can’t do that).
Not saying we are right or wrong. However, it doe’s pose the question, why are we hung up with these issues when other European states are not? Is the incentive financial, the cost, to society, of providing protective measures is greater than the need for individual protection? In the UK there is a huge industry built around health and safety and the blame culture. Empire building for self interest?
We have moved to different site the nearest large town is, Olhao. The site is in a small village called, Lagoao. Small, seven pitches, all occupied by Brits. Free internet, a large sat dish which everybody can plug into giving access to the main British channels. Pictures to follow.
Me, Keith is going to have a rant and I am not going to apologise, including the dull pictures of an axpanse of mud.
I previously did a blog under the heading of the vanguard at Quinta Da Saudade, At the time it was a lake with thousands of birds, including many threatened species. It is also the bird equivalent of a motor way service area for birds migrating from Africa. I met people there, both Portuguese and foreign visitors who were enthralled by the place.
The pictures you see are as it is today, drying mud, drained by developers who said it threatened their golf course. The cost of installing a sluice gate to control the water level is pennies compared to the money being spent on nearby developments.
I am both angry and sad that this as been allowed to happen in a country that is part of the European union and all its conventions on protecting habitats.
It is nothing less than vandalism promoted by greedy people who have no respect for anybody or anything which gets in the way of profit. A short sighted view when ecotourism is on the rise.
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