Black Stork in Flight

This Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) flew over us near Sagres at the southwest corner of Portugal, this afternoon. It was migrating south, along with many other species--above all raptors.

We had a wonderful day, including more than two hours at a raptor watch (with several dozen birders in that time); we saw booted eagles, short-toed eagles, a few peregrines, at least one Egyptian vulture, but just a single buzzard (buteo buteo--Europe's commonest raptor. After our picnic lunch we walked in the woods nearby, mainly in search of crested tits; we heard them, and then finally some of us (not me) had brief glimpses. It was then that the black stork appeared, thrilling all of us (they are far less common than white storks, which are widespread, especially in southern Europe). We saw three more as we drove home, as well as four red-billed choughs (pronounced chuffs). I had good shots of a thekla lark as well as a peregrine directly overhead, chasing gulls.