Trip Report: Azores October 4-11, 1998

Gonçalo Elias, Portugal; elias@telecel.pt

Participants: Gonçalo Elias, Alberto Carvalho, Domingos Patacho

Islands visited: Faial, Pico, Terceira and São Miguel

Itinerary:

October 4Dep. Lisbon at 8 a.m. on TAP flight to Horta, Faial Island. Day spend travelling around the island of Faial, including a visit to the famed Capelinhos volcano. Overnight at Horta.
October 5Early departure with boat to Madalena, Pico Island. By hired car to Lajes do Pico, where birdwatching in the afternoon. Evening visit to altitudinal lagoons and São Roque do Pico. Overnight at Lajes do Pico.
October 6Morning birdwatching at Lajes do Pico. Departure after lunch on a car trip round the island, with evening visit to the slopes of Pico mountain. Overnight at Madalena.
October 7Departure with morning boat to Horta, Faial. Morning spent walking around Horta. Lunch at Horta. Afternoon flight to Terceira. Evening visit to the famed coastal quarry at Cabo da Praia, for recognition. Overnight at Praia da Vitória.
October 8Morning spent watching birds at the quarry. Lunch at Praia da Vitória. Afternoon visit to Angra do Heroísmo city. Overnight at Praia da Vitória.
October 9Morning spent travelling on hired car through central parts fo the island. Afternoon spent at the quarry. Late afternoon flight to São Miguel. Overnight at Ponta Delgada.
October 10Day spent on eastern half of São Miguel island - Fogo Lagoon, Furnas Lagoon and Serra da Tronqueira (the site for Azores Bullfinch). Overnight at Ponta Delgada.
October 11Day spent on western half of São Miguel - Mosteiros and Sete Cidades Lagoon. Late evening flight to Lisbon, where arrival at 1 a.m.

Weather:

Good weather during the whole week, partly sunny, partly overcast, but with no rain and little or no wind.

Birds

The following is a list of bird species seen during this trip

  1. Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) - Generally common around all the islands

  2. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) - Seen only on October 11th: 1 at Mosteiros and 2 at Sete Cidades Lagoon.

  3. Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) - 1 at Madalena harbour in the morning of October 5th. Excelent views + pictures taken. If accepted, this will be the 3rd record for the Azores and for the Western Palearctic.

  4. Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) - Uncommon but apparently widespread. Singles seen an Madalena and at Lagoa do Caiado (Pico), at Cabo da Praia and at Lagoa do Ginjal (Terceira) and 2 at Sete Cidades, São Miguel.

  5. Teal (Anas crecca) - 1 at Cabo da Praia on 8th and 9th and 2 at Sete Cidades on 11th.

  6. Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) - 3 at Sete Cidades lagoon on 11th.

  7. Buzzard (Buteo buteo rothschildi) - Fairly common and widespread.

  8. Coot (Fulica atra) - 1 at Lagoa do Capitão, Pico on 5th.

  9. Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) - 1 at Porto Pim, Faial on 7th

  10. Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) - A few at Cabo da Praia on 7th, 8th and 9th and 1 at Mosteiros, São Miguel on 11th.

  11. Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) - Recorded only at Cabo da Praia on 9th, where a maximum of 24 birds was counted.

  12. Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) - 2 birds seen at Cabo da Praia on 9th.

  13. American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica) - 1 at Cabo da Praia on 8th and again on 9th

  14. Knot (Calidris canutus) - 1 at Cabo da Praia on 8th and 9th.

  15. Sanderling (Calidris alba) - 2 or 3 at Madalena on 5th and 6th, 1 at São Roque do Pico on 5th, 2 at porto Pim, Faial on 7th, 50+ at Cabo da Praia on 8th and 9th (the most numerous wader there); 9 at Ponta Delgada harbour on 11th.

  16. Dunlin (Calidris alpina) - Singles at Lajes do Pico on 6th, at Cabo da Praia on 9th and at Mosteiros on 11th.

  17. White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) - 1 at Lajes do Pico on 6th.

  18. Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) - 2 at Cabo da Praia on 8th and 2 to 4 birds there the following day; 1 at Mosteiros on 11th.

  19. Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) - 4 birds at Cabo da Praia on 8th and 9th.

  20. Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) - Singles at Lagoa do Caiado, Pico on 5th and Cabo da Praia on 8th and 9th.

  21. Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Tryngites subruficollis) - 1 at Cabo da Praia on 9th.

  22. Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) - 1 at Cabo da Praia on 8th and 9th.

  23. Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) - Although a palearctic species and common migrant in Europe, this is apparently a rare visitor to the Azores. 2 records were made: 1 at Cabo da Praia on 8th and 9th and one at Mosteiros, Sao Miguel on 11th.

  24. Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) - Recorded in small numbers in various places: 1 at Madalena and 3 at Lajes do Pico on 5th; 1 at Lajes doPico on 6th; 2 at Cabo da Praia on 8th and 3 at the same place on 9th; 2 at Mosteiros on 11th.

  25. Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) - 2 at Cabo da Praia on 8th and again on 9th.

  26. Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) - Recorded in small numbers in Pico and Terceira: 2 at Lajes do Pico on 5th and 6th; 2 at Cabo da Praia on 8th and 9th; 1 at Lagoa do Ginjal, Terceira on 9th

  27. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia) - 1 at Lajes do Pico on 5th and 2 (possibly 3) on 6th. Possible birds (unconfirmed) were also seen at Almoxarife (Faial) on 4th and at Mosteiros on 11th.

  28. Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) - Seen at various places on Pico, Faial, Terceira and São Miguel, with largest numbers on Lajes do Pico (15+) and Cabo da Praia (several 10's).

  29. Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus) - Scarce. Seen only at Cabo da Praia on 7th, 8th and 9th (maximum 2 birds).

  30. Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) - Not common. Single birds seen at various places on Terceira, usually among large flocks of Yellow-legged Gulls.

  31. Yellow-legged Gulls (Larus cachinnans) - The common species of gull in the Azores. Large numbers seen on all islands, especially on Terceira and São Miguel.

  32. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) - Common around all islands, with flocks of up to 70 birds in harbours.

  33. Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) - Recorded only at Varadouro and Capelinhos, Faial on 4th

  34. Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus azorica) - Uncommon. 1 seen at Faial on 4th, 1 at Pico on 5th, 2 at Pico on 6th, 3-4 near Algar do Carvão, Terceira on 9th and 1-2 at Serra da Tronqueira, São Miguel on 10th.

    Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) - 1 found dead on a road in Faial on 4th.

  35. Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea patriciae) - Common and widespread.

  36. Robin (Erithacus rubecula) - Common and widespread.

  37. Blackbird (Turdus merula) - Common.

  38. Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) - Common.

  39. Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) - Rather common in suitable habitat. R. regulus inermis was seen on Faial, Pico and Terceira, while R. regulus azoricus was observed at São Miguel.

  40. Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) - Common and widespread.

  41. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) - Common and widespread.

  42. Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) - Numerous.

  43. Canary (Serinus canaria) - Common, sometimes gathering in large flocks.

  44. Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) - Not common. Seen in small numbers at Faial and Pico.

  45. Azores Bullfinch (Pyrrhula murina) - Recorded only at Serra da Tronqueira, São Miguel on 10th, where at least 1 ad. and 2 juvs, were seen.

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    This page served with permission of the author by Urs Geiser; ugeiser@xnet.com; October 21, 1998