Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
It may not seem like it yet to most but here in Portugal Spring is definitely in the air. The first migrants are in and our Barn Swallows are already nesting in the eves outside the Quinta's dining room, though we daren't let them actually inside yet just in case we have a squall and have to shut the window again. That'll happen towards the end of April and then we'll have their constant chatter over dinner - can't wait!
Something else that we're looking forward to again this year is welcoming the winners of the BTO's Raffle. We offered the BTO a stay at the Quinta as their first prize last year and they managed to rais over £34,000 on the back of it which was, as they say, a Right Royal Result!
The winners were Chris and Derek Allnutt and we had them to stay during June and took them birding a couple of times as part of the prize during one of which we snapped their picture ...
It wasn't the only time we raised funds for education and conservation either, as we repeated our regular offer to the Birdfair of a week's stay at the Quinta for their auction. This has always been a hit, and not just with the auction winners but with us too as the winners are often past guests who return again, and so it was last year with a special couple, Debbie and Ian Durie, returning for some more Birding, Nature Watching and Photography.
All in all we helped raise close to £40,000 and were obviously over the moon - so chuffed in fact that we're offering both prizes again and we obviously hope to raise just as much this year. For the Birdfair auction you'll have to wait till August and then bid for the week at Rutland, but the BTO's Raffle is live now so click on this link - you never know, someone's got to win and your ticket price is all going towards the best of causes!
Just to give you a taste of what those four saw last year while they were with us, here're a few pictures in alphabetical order taken while we were out with them during those two weeks
Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)
Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis)
Black-headed Weaver (Ploceus melanocephalus)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)
Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio)
Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)
Rufous Bush Robin (Cercotrichas galactotes)
Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris)
Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis)
But it was only the birds that stopped at Z, for there was lots more - yes, I know we're called "Birding in Portugal", but we're so much more! There were butterflies like this lovely Southern Gatekeeper, (Pyronia cecilia),
and Dragonflies like this Southern Skimmer, (Orthetrum brunneum),
and to top one of the weeks off, a species that I wish I could find every time we had friends to stay, a Common Chameleon, (Chamaeleo chamaeleon)!
Yes, it's worth the effort! Go on, click on the link and have a go! We'll look forward to welcoming you!