Rain, ducks & other matters at the São Jacinto reserve (October 1 - 4)

This four-day stay at the Sao Jacinto reserve included two days of duck captures. However, only on our second day of trapping did we manage to catch some ducks, as with our first attempt our traps remained empty. This was possibly caused by recent disturbance of an unknown kind near our catching site. With fall migration on its way, the diversity in the duck species is increasing rapidly. Besides the usual Mallards, there is now a good number of Eurasian Teals present, as well Eurasian Wigeons and about a dozen Shovelers and Gadwalls. In the end we managed to catch and mark a reasonable number of Mallards and four teals, of which two teals were actively moulting primaries in our pond. And as autumn has arrived we also received A LOT of rain, raising the water level at the pond with several centimeters during our stay. On the fourth and final day we got some attention from national media. Two reporters from SIC television visited us for a news report about the duck work in Sao Jacinto. In the morning their visit got delayed due to massive rainfall, but in the end it all worked out it seemed and we could proudly present some of our captures on national televion. The item got aired on October 12 but can still be viewed here:

http://sicnoticias.sapo.pt/pais/2013/10/12/mais-de-20-mil-aves-foram-marcadas-nos-ultimos-20-anos-em-portugal

Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata

 

One of the 14 Gadwalls Anas strepera that were present had been marked a few years earlier.

My favorite Eurasian Teal V/Y/V appeared again for the first time after being away for the entire summer. One of six marked teals that we resighted.

Reserva Natural das Dunas de São Jacinto

During September 4 – 6 I’ve spent my time in the ‘Reserva Natural das Dunas de São Jacinto’, helping out David Rodrigues and his student Luis with the duck captures. For me only one day was dedicated to the captures, the remaining time I spent resighting duck saddles and inspecting the results of a project I initiated there last year, possibly further described in a following post. The ducks at the ponds are finishing their moult and fall migration has not started up quite yet, meaning the majority of the ducks present and all that we captured were local Mallards.

Many hands make light work...

During the resightings, which are conducted from one of several blinds present around the ponds, I always find some time for some ‘general birding’... Loads of birds, here a few 'common ones':

One of several Common Kingfishers Alcedo atthis that were foraging at the ponds.

 

The Little Grebes Tachybaptus ruficollis appeared to have had a successful breeding season. At least two pairs and two generations of their young were loudly present.

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, catching tiny fish.

Common Wood Pigeons Columba palumbus. Relatively common compared to my other visits to the park. It’s too early for their fall migration, but I believe the pigeon and dove hunting is well on its way in this country at the moment. A good reason for them to find shelter in the refuge for a while, where hunting is not allowed. 

  

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo.  Don’t worry, enough saddles were read, if not all of the 150+ of the marked Mallards that were present during those days?

European tree frog Hyla arborea, of unknown subspecies (this photo was taken elsewhere, on the opposite site of the Ria de Aveiro). It was the first time I found this frog to occur in São Jacinto. David informed me he found one on his rearview mirror while driving through the park a few days earlier (which may have been the same individual as the one I found), though he also had not observed it before. I’m curious whether there are older records for this species in São Jacinto. As far as I know tree frogs don’t disperse very far, so it’s quite remarkable it managed to find its way down south through the >15 km dry peninsula, so I suspect it has been accidentally (by car?) or purposely introduced.