Business as usual...

With rather strong Southerly winds resuming today, birding was again difficult in the most exposed wooded valleys. As a result, only a few new discoveries were made, including the fourth Ovenbird of the season in Cancelas, at least the fifth Northern Waterthrush this autumn in the bottom of Ribeira de Lapa and the fourth Blackpoll Warbler this month in Lapa fields. The later bird soon joined yesterday’s Tennessee Warbler which had been relocated during early morning hours, with both birds being eventually observed for a brief moment in the same field and on the same fennel stick!

Other additions to today’s log include Hooded and Black-and-White warblers that were seen again at the same spot where they had initially been discovered, with both birds performing very well for those who had decided to have a second look at them!

So overall, a rather ‘ordinary’ day on Corvo as compared to the major fallout reported yesterday. Notably, yesterday marked a special occasion for Pierre-André Crochet who reached 850 species in the Western Palearctic thanks to the Hooded Warbler tick; an incredible total only met by 2 WP birders so far (Ernie Davis and Pierre-André) that would have been allegedly out of reach without a firm dedication to autumnal birding on Corvo since 2006. With the ‘heat’ going down today, it was thus time to celebrate this moment altogether with most birders gathering at night at the famous Comodoro guesthouse around a superb cake prepared by Rosa and Manuel Rita, our wonderful hosts over the last 12 years. 

Nearctic species seen today include:

Spotted Sandpiper: 1 (Old Harbour)

Tennessee Warbler: 1 (Lapa fields)

Blackpoll Warbler: 1 (Lapa fields)

Ovenbird: 1 (Ribeira de Cancelas)

Black-and-White Warbler: 1 (Ribeira da Ponte)

Hooded Warbler: 1 (Ribeira de Cancelas)

Red-eyed Vireo: 1 (Fojo)
Northern Waterthrush: 1 (Ribeira de Lapa)

Tennessee Warbler, Lapa fields, 21 October 2017 (David Monticelli)

Club 800 with from left to right Pierre-André Crochet, Markku Santamaa, Bosse  Carlsson, Vincent Legrand, David Monticelli, Gordon Beck, Ernie Davis, Hannu Palojärvi and Thomas Lang (Mika Bruun)