field notes from 02/08/23

Ria Formosa waders in January

· Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, Portugal · Mild for January, 54°F, overcast, low tide in late morning · Fujifilm X-T5, 150-600mm

Flew into Faro with friends the day before. The Ria Formosa is a big shallow lagoon system along the Algarve, and in January it holds huge numbers of European waders and ducks. We walked the trails out of Quinta do Lago in the morning and spent afternoon on the coastal edge at Ludo. Greater Flamingos close to the trail, three or four spoonbills in a little flock.

Didn’t expect the light to hold flat all day but it did. Perfect for the white birds.

Flamingos in shallow water
Small group close to the boardwalk. Unhurried. Greater Flamingo 400mm, 1/2000s, f/6.3, ISO 1250
Spoonbill in shallows
Small group working the flats. Eurasian Spoonbill 400mm, 1/1600s, f/6.3, ISO 1000
Stilt at mudflat edge
Feet for days. Black-winged Stilt 300mm, 1/1250s, f/6.3, ISO 640
Curlew on low-tide mud
Probably the bird of the day for me. Eurasian Curlew 500mm, 1/1250s, f/7.1, ISO 400
Whimbrel on mud
Smaller cousin, shorter bill. Next to a curlew for scale. Whimbrel 200mm, 1/1000s, f/6.3, ISO 200
Caspian tern flying past
Big red bill. Clean frame, low and fast. Caspian Tern 450mm, 1/1600s, f/8, ISO 800
Swamphen in reeds
Another swamphen, more cooperative than the last. Purple Swamphen 500mm, 1/2000s, f/8, ISO 1000
Sardinian warbler on a branch
Male at Quinta do Lago. Black cap and red eye. Sardinian Warbler 300mm, 1/800s, f/6.3, ISO 800
Little egret dancing
Little egret doing a version of the reddish-egret dance. Little Egret 400mm, 1/1250s, f/8, ISO 1250
Wide view of lagoon at low tide
Flat winter light on the flats. Ria Formosa lagoon 23mm, 1/500s, f/8, ISO 400