Castro Verde fieldwork

Spent the last two days working inside Castro Verde SPA. It is really lovely here. Probably best bit of steppe or agro-steppe left in southwest Iberia. We spend most of our days walking and walking. Great fun and work is proceeding well. I have few photo opps, too busy and in fact not easy to approach birds here on foot. Nice numbers of expected steppe species - Great Bustards, Calandra and Greater Short-toed Larks, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Montagu's Harriers etc. This Monty did get quite close in the nice afternoon sun today, stunning bird:

I am especially happy to find healthy densities of Little Bustards. For instance, this morning I had over 20 singing males in my box section. Most are heard only giving their weird fart-like song; few are seen, just. This is a typical view, full frame:

This is another typical view - flying away:

Calandra Larks are present in good densities mainly in grazed, short and dry pastures:

Black-bellied Sandgrouse also favour drier fields and pastures. They are typically heard first, and then seen in flight:

Quite many raptors, including Black and Red Kites:

Red Kite

You can check my eBird checklists from recent days here: 1, 2, 3, 4
We have another week here in Castro Verde. Should be fun!