11 October 2009

Three Azores tick day

Went looking for an American sparrow, decided to turn right where Peter went left, I found a Wheatear, Peter found a Bobolink. Luckily, I required both for the all-consuming Azores list. After a bit of fannying around the Bobolink eventually showed rather well, not that you could tell that from my pictures. After lunch took a walk to refind the Baltimore Oriole and blundered,... turned up the Rose-breasted Grosbeak instead,... DOH! A late afternoon seawatch produced thousands of Cory's and a Merlin heading off towards Flores. In this wind the Cory's were doing a passable impression of a proper seabird, shedding 90% of the lazy-poor-excuse-for-a-shearwater character and taking on their wind-inspired, almost dashing, alter ego. The Merlin, was the third Azores tick of the day, but didn't fly past close enough to allow the detection of a yankee accent.

Bobolink in the rain, moments after it was found early this morning.

Bobolink in the sun, moments after it was refound a good few hours, and one despairing Frenchman, later.

[Edit: Manuel, our erstwhile host, went and won the local mayoral elections today,... we're staying with royalty! For more information on Manuel and Partido Socialista Açores see here. Go on! You know you wanna.]

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