In the north of the island of Flores, there are some excellent birding locations. Basically these sites are between the village Ponta Delgada to the east and the lighthouse on the edge of Ponta do Albernaz on the west. The lighthouse at Ponta do Albernaz is the most powerful lighthouse of the Azores. The view is breathtaking, with the neighboring island of Corvo in the background.The lighthouse is accessed via an isolated roadway that extends to the western edge of Flores.
Here is the first point of arrival of the migratory birds to the island of Flores in fall. But beginning of October might be too early. Besides an Greenland Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe leucorhoa) there was nothing special to see on the 3rd of October. We drove to the small village Ponta Delgada and behind a bend in the road we immediately noticed a dark slender bird with a long bill standing in ditch made by a water hole for cattle. With not doubt: a Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus). Reluctantly the bird started to fly. Instantly calling it obviously marked its territory and landed in the far end of the field.
The Glossy Ibis is a species from the birds family of the Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae) are regulary observed in the northern part of the WP as well. A blog on bird-lens.com deals on a observation made on July 1st 2014 near Heemskerk in the Heemskerker Noordbroekpolder between Den Helder and Callantsoog.
Of course, the Glossy Ibis is – unlike one of the highly thought-after Nearctic vagrants– not a mega bird. But it showed, that migration has started for Flores as well – beside the fact that is was “only” a bird from the Western Palearctic.
Flores in general and the wider area between Ponta Delgada in the north and Fajã Grande in the west is convincing not only birding-wise. A few minutes from both villages there are several natural swimming pools, bathing facilities under waterfalls, restaurants and a few small pubs. In the evening you might enjoy the “westernmost sunset of Europe” over the Atlantic from the cliffs near the lighthouse or from the coast in Fajã Grande.
In order to meet the growing demand for top images of the rarer species of Palaearctic Bird-lens.com has specifically made trips to remote places like the coastal mountains of western Norway, in the winter to a secluded harbor in Denmark, or – right now – to the dunes of The Netherlands. This to do everything to ensure excellent photos of the Birds of the Western Palearctic . The yield of pictures also of rare Western Palaearctic birds is very good. The beautiful picture that you see in blog is just a first impression of what you will find behind the tab “Picture- Store” very soon are. Just give a notice if you need a picture of a bird before the new images are online.