Birding Corvo 2009: S.O.S. Cagarro

Started in a windy Ribeira do Vinte with Fred today. Despite it had been light for an hour itwas almost impossible to bird in the beginning. That wood is DARK! Anyway, we birded the place for a few hours and, as usual, found absolutely nothing of interest. Walked to da Ponte and had lunch at the chat bridge before going into da Ponte. The Black-and-white was still in as usual but nothing else.

Somehow (don't ask me why) we decided to walk up to the reservoir in the afternoon. The place looked birdable since there weren't very many clouds in the sky and the hill wasn't covered in fog (as it usually is). When we got up there only one thing could happen of course - weather change! Storm winds and RAIN! Despite lousy weather we saw a Snow Bunting, a Red-throated Pipit and a White-rumped Sandpiper. Walked back to the village and only minutes after we entered the guesthouse the skies opened up. Full metal rain! Despite the late hour and the weather people were still in the Caldeira to look for the Indigo Bunting that Bosse found earlier (new pointfor Sweden Pete!). Due to the weather I asked Manuel if I could take the pickup and go up to get the poor people that were still out in the rain and it was OK. Met five VERY wet persons along the road that seemed to appreciate getting a lift down. It seems like this weather will go on for a few more days...

After dinner we found a juvenile "Cagarro" (Cory's) in the street, as we do most nights now. The birds are out flying for the first time in their life and many of them crash in the village on their way down to the sea.

Juvenile Cagarro

Picked the bird up and walked down towards the sea. Along the way we found another one and then bumped into the SPEA guy who was glad to take the Cory's. Went back with him to their (he's got two nice female collegues as well) place and put the both shearwaters there over night. Tomorrow they will ring the birds and release them in the sea. Visit their blog here: http://lifecorvo.blogspot.com/