Coot - Fulica atra (Galeirão)
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All-black and larger than its cousin, the moorhen, it has a distinctive white beak and 'shield' above the beak which earns it the title 'bald'. Its feet have distinctive lobed flaps of skin on the toes, which act instead of webs when swimming. It patters noisily over the water before taking off and can be very aggressive towards others..

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Where does it live?
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Breeding

Likes areas of fairly shallow standing freshwater with a muddy bottom and plenty of vegetation at the sides. Mainly in lowland areas.
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Wintering

Sometimes found on shallow coasts, especially when freezing weather conditions make access to freshwater difficult.
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Where to see it?

Mainly on freshwater lakes, gravel pits, reservoirs, rivers and town park lakes when deep enough. Sometimes seen offshore, especially in winter if freshwater areas are frozen.
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What does it eat?

Vegetation, snails and insect larvae.
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What does it sound like?

A loud, resonant 'kut'
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When to see it?

All year round.

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
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A delightful small, long-tailed and rather sprightly black and white bird. When not standing and frantically wagging its tail up and down it can be seen dashing about over lawns or car parks in search of food.

.It frequently calls when in its undulating flight and often gathers at dusk to form large roosts in city centres.

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Where does it live?
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Breeding

Pied wagtails prefer habitats near water - river banks or lake edges with a stony or gravelly shore. Pasture, moorland, farmland - especially areas of mixed farming - coasts and estuaries, and parks and gardens.
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Wintering

They leave upland areas of Scotland and many birds can be seen around reservoirs, on caosts, on arable farmland and at sewage works. Large winter roosts may be found in reedbeds, bushes and even trees in urban areas.
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Where to see it?

They can be found across the UK, leaving some of the highland and northern areas of Scotland in winter. Best looked for near water and can be found in most habitats, even town centres. They gather together in large roosts, sometimes in towns, often assembling on roofs beforehand.
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What does it eat?

Insects
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What does it sound like?

Call a is a sharp 'chissick'; song is a quiet twittering
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When to see it?

All year round.

GOLDFINCH - Carduelis carduelis (Pintassilgo)

A highly coloured finch with a bright red face and yellow wing patch. Sociable, often breeding in loose colonies, they have a delightful liquid twittering song and call. Their long fine beaks allow them to extract otherwise inaccessible seeds from thistles and teasels. Increasingly they are visiting birdtables and feeders.

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Where does it live?

Breeding

Likes trees and bushes with areas of tall weeds nearby. Often breeds near man in parks, gardens, nurseries, orchards and churchyards. In wider countryside likes woodland edges and heaths and commons with gorse and hawthorn.
Wintering

Similar to breeding habitat, but forms into flocks which may range over waste land, coastal fields and flats, and rough pasture. Anywhere with plenty of thistles, burdock and teasels.

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Where to see it?

Anywhere there are scattered bushes and trees, rough ground with thistles and other seeding plants. Likes orchards, parks, gardens, heathland and commons. Less common in upland areas and most numerous in southern England.

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What does it eat?

Seeds and insects in summer.

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What does it sound like?

A liquid, twittering song with trills; twittering calls

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When to see it?

All year round.

BLACKBIRD -Turdus merula (Melro)

The males live up to their name but, confusingly, females are brown often with spots and streaks on their breasts. The bright orange -yellow beak and eye-ring make adult male blackbirds one of the most striking garden birds.

Where does it live?

Breeding
Blackbirds are birds of woodland and heaths which have readily adapted to farmland and gardens. They like areas with bushes, shrubs and trees, and nearby open ground and short grass.
Wintering
Blackbirds which come here for the winter like suitable cover for roosting - shrubs and trees - with feeding areas nearby. Often found along berry-bearing hedges and in open fields.

Where to see it?
Found everywhere in gardens and countryside and from coasts to hills, although not on the highest peaks.

What does it eat?
Insects, worms and berries.

What does it sound like?
A mellow, fluty song. Calls include 'chink, chink' and a clattering, ringing alarm phrase.

House sparrow - Passer domesticus (Pardal Comum)


Identification Tips:
Length: 4.25 inches
Small, seed-eating bird
Thick, conical bill
Pink legs
Extremely common in urban and agricultural areas

Adult male:
>Gray crown
>Black throat, upper breast, and small mask; less black on throat in winter
>Grayish side of neck and underparts
>Rusty-brown nape and upperparts
>Black streaks on back
>White patch in wing
>Gray rump
>Black bill in summer; yellowish in winter

Female and immature:
>Gray-brown crown
>Buffy line extends rearward from eye bordered below by gray-brown line
>Grayish-white underparts
>Black and tawny streaks on back
>Black wing feathers with wide tawny edges
>White patch on wing
>Yellow bill
>Immature males lack full throat patch of adults

Light Trails

Playing with exposure time is funny :) That a look at the results...

Snow Fun

This weekend brought one more surprise. The past Sunday the city of Guarda was visited once more by the snow.

Great gift of mother nature...

"G" of Guarda one of the city entrace...



My wheel fingertip

The roads became traps to cars, cleaning was needed...



The landscape


Landscape, view of part of "Serra da Estrela"

ICE

Yes it was cold, only now my memory card defrost. Thus, this photos are being posted only now!
As usual I hope you all like!

Portugal, January 2006