My first day in Lisbon was spent recovering from a red eye flight the night before and despite being extremely sleepy I made it to Monsanto Park which was a short ten minute walk from my hotel - the Corinthian. It looked a little sketchy on the way there but the park was wonderful once I got in.
Eurasian Kestrel was my first EU bird with the exception of Rock Pigeons.
Eurasian Jays were everywhere but did not want to stay still for a picture.
ChiffChaffs were the most common small warbler like bird. Most of the other warblers were already in Africa or wherever they go. If there was a late Willow Warbler, I wouldn't know because they can easily be confused with ChiffChaffs.
This Pied European Flycatcher was my most rare find. They should be all moved on to Africa as well but I think the white wing markings are fairly diagnostic.
ChiffChaff
This was one that I was not sure about. Probably a ChiffChaff but the light coloration on breast and the fairly strong eye line made me consider Wood Warbler or Willow Warbler.
I think I can see relatively short primary projection here but its hard to be sure. If it is, then a Chiffchaff is more likely.
European Robin - I would take these over American Robins any day of the week. They were signing beautifully too. The light was fading at this point hence the out of focus picture.
I managed this poor shot of a Wood Pigeon in the waning light in the forest.
On the way back to the hotel from the park I stopped and saw a bunch of activity off the side of the road. There were Spotless Starlings, Kestrels, European Blackbirds and this Black Redstart.
The next day before my conference started I hopped on the subway and headed to the NE side of Lisbon to try for some shorebirds. There are some really good spots just outside Lisbon but I did not have enough time so I had to settle for an urban park (Tejo) and the river mouth at Trancao.
Lesser Back-backed Gulls were everywhere. This one had pinkish legs so I was confused. Usually I would expect an adult bird to always have yellow legs. Way too dark to be a Herring.
Little Egret - new species despite looking similar to our egrets or maybe closest to our white morph Little Blue Heron.
I was excited to see this grungy looking European Blackbird even though it was an ugly example of it's species. Probably a youngling.
This Wood Pigeon was more obliging than the one from the previous evening.
Zitting Cisticola - such a strange name, presumably named for the call it gives. Looks and acts a bit like a sedge wren but is in the warbler family.
Common Waxbill - introduced from Africa but I think fairly established.
Teal - I was confused because my field guide called these Eurasian Teal with white stripe being horizontal versus a vagrant Green-winged Teal with a white stripe vertical posterior to breast. However in eBird this was just classed as Green-winged Teal. Kind of a bummer that it was not considered a new species for me.
When I saw this pop up on the fence next to me I quickly thought "European Serin" but now that I have scrutinized the picture I am starting to second guess myself. It has more brown tones than that species but I don't see anything else in the guide that looks like it.
Bar-tailed Godwit - unfortunate this also was not a new bird for me, I saw one in Delaware a couple years ago. This bird was still very colorful and lacked the barring on breast that a Black-tailed would have.
In flight you can see the wings do not have the willet-like white strip of a Black-tailed Godwit.
Zoom in close and you can see the flock of Greater Flamingos. Unfortunately I never got a very close look.
Gray Herons and Little Egrets.
My first White Wagtail before I knew that I would see many in the coming days.
Common Sandpiper - much like our Spotted Sandpiper but a little larger. This one also had a penchant for bobbing up and down.
Common Ringed Plover - our Semipalmated counterpart. The breast band is usually much wider than our SP Plover and the eye brow more pronounced although the bottom picture illustrates that better.
Meadow Pipit - check out the long "fingernails"
White Wagtail Party.
The bridge across the Tagus.
The park walkways went for miles along the waterfront.
Hoopoe - the star of the party in EU. How can you not love this bird??
Black-headed Gulls were everywhere in central Lisbon.
I think now I will be able to tell one apart easily in USA, if one shows up.
This one was interesting, almost no head markings but I think a Black-headed none the less.
Yellow-legged Gull - unfortunately he sat down before I could get a picture. His legs were yellow and mantle lighter than the Lesser Black-Backed Gulls.
My last day of birding was done at Monsanto again since I had little time for anything else. The lighting was again bad.
Common Buzzard - this one field was freshly mowed and there was tons of birds but unfortunately in Lisbon none of the dog walkers use leashes so dogs routinely came tearing through the park and scared all the birds.
White Wagtail - I had Gray Wagtails too but did not get any pictures.
Blue Tit - I had Coal Tits too but this was the only Tit I photographed. On one branch I had a nice pair of Great Tits (I feel funny saying that).
Chaffinch
Blue Tit
I was really disappointed I did not get a decent photo of a Sardinian Warbler but I did get some good looks at them. On the center of this photo you can just barely see the red eye circle in the black capped head.
Common Buzzard
Eurasian Jay
Firecrest
Common Buzzard again.
A better specimen of a European Blackbird but a more poor shot due to waning light.
Short-toed Treecreeper - Our version of the Brown Creeper
I had a great time in Lisbon despite the long travel and bad work schedule. Next time I am bringing the family and staying longer so I can explore outside the city limits.
Cheers.
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