Hide Pond

Portugal Wildlife

Hide Pond

See Iberian Fox Gallery for a truly astonishing sequence of photographs.

For details of the construction of the Hide Pond/(Bird Drinking Station) see here.

Species Seen from Bird and Mammal Drinking Station. The low resolution photos below are taken by a remote Trail Camera. The rest by a Digital SLR:

Wildlife Seen at Hide Pond

Species	Notes	Photographs	Photographs	Photographs
		BIRDS
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis ibis Carraceiro
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Garça real
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Garça vermelha
Redlegged Partridge Alectoris rufa hispanica Perdiz		Redlegged Partridge and Eleven chicks.	Redlegged Partridge and 5 chicks at pond.	Redlegged Partridge and 7 chicks at pond.
		Two adult birds with half-grown chicks.
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus Maçarico bique bique

Common Woodpigeon Columba palumbus palumbus Pombo torcaz
Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Rola turca		Drinking.		Pair of Eurasian Collared Doves. One bird is partially leucistic, being almost white in colour.
		Pair of Eurasian Collared Doves. One bird is partially leucistic, being almost white in colour.	Partially Leucistic Eurasian Collared Dove.	Partially Leucistic Eurasian Collared Dove drinking.
			Breaking the ice on the pond one December morning in order to drink.
		Most birds have to take water into their beak and then ift their head up to let the water flow down their throat. Doves and Pigeons are among the few types of birds that can suck up water while their beak remains in the water. So birds such as this Eurasian Collared Dove are much quicker at drinking than most birds.	So while other birds have to keep bobbing their head in and out of the water, a Dove is able to take a good long drink in one go.
Common Barn Owl Tyto alba Coruja das torres		Barn owl at pond at night.

		Sequence of TrailCam Photos showing Common Barn Owl bathing.


Little Owl Athene noctua vidalii Mocho galego
Tawny Owl Strix aluco sylvatica Coruja do mato
		Sequence of 12 photos showing Tawny Owl bathing in Hide Pond.


				Finally, a nice clean Tawny Owl !
				Tawny Owl drinking.
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis ispida Guarda rios		Kingfisher after diving into the pond.		Note Orange lower mandible which marks this bird as a female.


Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops Poupa		Singing on Cork oak behind pond.
Iberian Green Woodpecker Picus sharpie Peto real		Adult Male with red malar stripe.
		Adult Female with black malar stripe.	Juvenile showing spotted breast markings.
		Adult male.	Juvenile, with black malar stripe, drinking.
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major hispanus Pica pau malhardo		Male, clinging to window frame of hide.		Sitting on pond wall.
		On Cork Oak.	Male, showing characteristic red nape.	Hammering at Cork Oak bark in search for insect food.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor buturlini Pica pau galego		Female.	Female.	Female.
Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra calandra Calhandra real
Woodlark Lullula arborea pallida Cotovia dos bosques
Redrumped Swallow Cecropis daurica rufula Andorinha dáurica
Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis pratensis Petinha dos prados
Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta Petinha ribeirinha
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea cinerea Alvéola cinzenta		Catching insect at water's edge.
		Grey Wagtail Ice-Skating on the Pond ! At -1 degrees the pond has a thin ice-cover one early December morning.
White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba Alvéola branca

Dunnock Prunella modularis modularis Ferreirinha
European Robin Erithacus rubecula Pisco de peito ruivo

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros gibraltariensis Rabirruivo			Male Black Redstart showing dramatic wing and tail colours.	Female.

Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus phoenicurus Rabirruivo de esta branca		Juvenile.
Eurasian Stonechat Saxicola torquatus rubicola Cartaxo		Female.	Male.

		Female.
Common Blackbird Turdus merula merula Melro		Male.	Juvenile.	Male shaking off water.
		Female drinking.	Swallowing.	Bathing.
		Juvenile drinking.	Juvenile. Showing spotted breast and darker bill than an adult female.	Female common blackbird washing prey (spider) before eating it.
		Drinking.	Female.	Close up of Male.
			Juvenile.	Juvenile showiing well spotted breast - which distinguishes its plumage from that of an adult female.
		Juvenile drinking.	Adult Female.
Song Thrush Turdus philomelos clarkei Tordo pinto


Redwing Turdus iliacus Tordo ruivo
Zitting Cisticola (Fantailed Warbler) Cisticola juncidis cisticola Fuinha dos juncos		Photographed from the pond hide.
Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta Felosa poliglota
Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata undata Toutinegra do mato		Male Dartford Warbler.
Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephalamelanocephala Toutinegra dos valados		Male.
		Juvenile Sardinian warbler, with an insect caught at the pond.	Juvenile.	Female.
		Juvenile.	Juvenile.

Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans iberiae Toutinegra de bigodes		Male, showing bluish-grey head and upperparts.	Male.	Male Subalpine Warbler (screen grab ex video clip)

Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis communis Papa amoras
Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla heinekin Toutinegra de barrete		Male.	Female.	Female after Bathing.
Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita collybita Felosinha	Abundant Winter Migrant (they over-winter). Approximately October to March.
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus trochilus Felosinha musical	Non-Breeding Migrant Visitor. Approximately March to May and July to October.
		Bathing.
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata striata Taralhão cinzento
Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca Papa moscas		Female or Immature.		Female or Immature.
Longtailed Tit (Bushtit) Aegithalos caudatus irbii Chapim rabilongo
		After a longtailed tit somehow fell into the pond it started swimming.	It soon managed to swim towards a rock that leads into the pond.	When it reached the rock, the longtailed tit managed to drag itself out of the water.
		The rather bedraggled longtailed tit then sat on the rock, in the sun, while it recovered and dried enough to be able to fly away.
		Showing relative sizes of Longtailed Tit and Blue Tit.
			Flock of five longtailed tits.
European Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus weigoldi Chapim de poupa		Bathing.	At water's edge.
Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus ogliastrae Chapim azul		Singing.	Bathing.	Blue Tit shaking head while bathing.
		Juvenile drinking.	Adult drinking.	Bathing.
			Bathing.	Juvenile, showing characteristic yellow cheeks.
			Blue Tit in classic 'hanging upside down' position.
Great Tit Parus major corsus Chapim real		Bathing.
		Juvenile at pond. Note duller plumage and cheeks not pure white.

Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea hispaniensis Trepadeira azul				Bathing

		Eurasian Nuthatch in classic head-downward pose. Nuthatches are one of the few types of bird that can run up and down a vertical tree trunk.

Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla megarhynchos Trepadeira
Iberian Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis meridionalis Picanço real		Iberian Grey Shrike preening at pond.

		Bathing.

Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator rutilans Picanço barreteiro
Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius fasciatus Gaio

		Landing at pond. Showing beautiful blue and black feathering on wings (greater wing-coverts).
Iberian Azurewinged Magpie Cyanopica cooki Charneco			Juvenile food-begging, with bill wide open, showing red gape, and wings held half-open while being vibrated.
		Juvenile Calling - possibly food-begging, with wings half-spread.
		Shimmering its wings.	Fourteen Iberian Azurewinged Magpies drinking and bathing at sunset.
		Juvenile Food-begging - calling and shivering half-open wings.	Juvenile bathing.	Juvenile swallowing water.
		Close up of Juvenile - showing white speckling on head.
		Juvenile, head thrown back, swallowing water.
Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor Estorninho preto			Spotless Starling showing aggression towards female Common Blackbird.

		Adult and Juvenile.
House Sparrow Passer domesticus domesticus Pardal		Male.	Male drinking.	Female.
		Female.	Female.	Male drinking.
		Female.	Male.	Male.
		Wet from bathing.
Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis hispaniolensis Pardal espanhol			Drinking.	Bathing.
		Male.	Male.	Male. Showing heavily marked back.
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs coelebs Tentilhão		Male landing on rock in pond.	Female landing at pond.	Male.
		Male Chaffinch.	Female.	Female.
European Serin Serinus serinus Milheirinha		Male European Serin.
European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis parva Pintassilgo
Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina mediterranea Pintarroxo		Male Linnet
Eurasian Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula pyrrhula Dom fafe		Female Eurasian Bullfinch.	Male.
Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra calandra Trigueirão				Drinking.
			Bathing.	Bathing.

		Drinking.	Swallowing water.	Singing.
		MAMMALS
Iberian Hare Lepus granatensis Lebre ibérica
Iberian Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus algirus Coelho bravo
		Extraordinary trailcamera sequence of airborne Rabbit coming down to earth !




Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus Ratinho do campo ; Rato do campo
Black Rat Rattus rattus Ratazana preta		The tail is longer than the head and body combined, a feature that distinguishes the Black Rat from the similar Brown Rat.

Garden Dormouse Eliomys quercinus Leirão ; Rato dos pomares
Iberian Fox Vulpes vulpes silacea Raposa
		Fox lying down.	Iberian Badger and Iberian Fox at Hide Pond.



			Nice view of a dog Fox's brush (tail).


				Nice view of the fox's tail.
		Two Iberian Foxes drinking at the pond.


Mediterranean Polecat Mustela putorius aureola Toirão


Beech Marten Martes foina Fuinha

Iberian Badger Meles meles marianensis Texugo
		Iberian Badger and Iberian Fox at Hide Pond.	Iberian Badger and Iberian Fox at Hide Pond.
Common Genet Genetta genetta Geneta
Iberian Mongoose Herpestes ichneumon widdringtonii Sacarrabos ; Manguço				Female on left and much larger male on the right.
		Male Iberian Mongoose drinking.



		REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS
Iberian Pond Turtle Mauremys leprosa leprosa Cágado Mediterrânico
Snake Serpente
Horseshoe Whip Snake Hemorrhois hippocrepis Cobra de ferradura		Approximately 1.6m in length.
Viperine Snake Natrix maura Cobra de água viperina		Viperine Snake swimming in Hide Pond.	Two Viperine Snakes at Hide Pond.	Two Viperine Snakes intertwined.
Western Montpellier Snake Malpolon monspessulanus Cobra rateira		Western Montpellier Snake drinking.	Male Western Montpelier Snake showing yellowish front part of body.
Algerian Sand Lizard Psammodromus algirus Lagartixo do mato		Sitting on pebbles of the pond's beach.
Sharp-ribbed newt Pleurodeles waltl Salamandra de costelas salientes
Spiny Toad Bufo spinosus Sapo comum
Iberian Water Frog Pelodytes perezi Rã verde


		DRAGONFLIES
Iberian Bluetail or Bluetailed Damselfly Ischnura graellsii Iscnura ibero magrebina		Male.	Male.	Male.
Broad Scarlet or Scarlet Dragonfly Crocothemis erythraea Libélula escarlate		Female.
Redveined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombii Libélula de nervuras vermelhas		Female.

Gallery of Photos showing Hide Pond Construction

	Wildlife Seen at Hide Pond (Water Drinking/Bathing Pond)

	BIRDS

1	Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis ibis	Carraceiro
2	Grey Heron	Ardea cinerea cinerea	Garça real
3	Purple Heron	Ardea purpurea	Garça vermelha
4	Redlegged Partridge	Alectoris rufa hispanica	Perdiz
5	Green Sandpiper	Tringa ochropus	Maçarico bique bique
6	Common Woodpigeon	Columba palumbus palumbus	Pombo torcaz
7	Eurasian Collared Dove	Streptopelia decaocto	Rolaturca
8	Common Barn Owl	Tyto alba alba	Coruja das torres
9	Little Owl	Athene noctua vidalii	Mocho galego
10	Tawny Owl	Strix aluco sylvatica	Coruja do mato
11	Common Kingfisher	Alcedo atthis ispida	Guarda rios
12	Eurasian Hoopoe	Upupa epops epops	Poupa
13	Iberian Green Woodpecker	Picus sharpei	Peto real
14	Great Spotted Woodpecker	Dendrocopos major hispanus	Pica pau malhardo
15	Lesser Spotted Woodpecker	Dendrocopos minor buturlini	Pica pau galego
16	Calandra Lark	Melanocorypha calandra calandra	Calhandra real
17	Woodlark	Lullula arborea pallida	Cotovia dos bosques
18	Redrumped Swallow	Cecropis daurica rufula	Andorinha dáurica
19	Meadow Pipit	Anthus pratensis pratensis	Petinha dos prados
20	Water Pipit	Anthus spinoletta	Petinha ribeirinha
21	Grey Wagtail	Motacilla cinerea cinerea	Alvéola cinzenta
22	White Wagtail	Motacilla alba alba	Alvéola branca
23	Dunnock	Prunella modularis modularis	Ferreirinha
24	European Robin	Erithacus rubecula	Pisco de peito ruivo
25	Black Redstart	Phoenicurus ochruros gibraltariensis	Rabirruivo
26	Common Redstart	Phoenicurus phoenicurus phoenicurus	Rabirruivo de testa branca
27	Eurasian Stonechat	Saxicola torquatus rubicola	Cartaxo
28	Common Blackbird	Turdus merula merula	Melro
29	Song Thrush	Turdus philomelos clarkei	Tordo pinto
30	Redwing	Turdus iliacus	Tordo ruivo
31	Zitting Cisticola (Fantailed Warbler)	Cisticola juncidis cisticola	Fuinha dos juncos
32	Melodious Warbler	Hippolais polyglotta	Felosa poliglota
33	Dartford Warbler	Sylvia undata undata	Toutinegra do mato
34	Sardinian Warbler	Sylvia melanocephala melanocephala	Toutinegra dos valados
35	Subalpine Warbler	Sylvia cantillans iberiae	Toutinegra de bigodes
36	Common Whitethroat	Sylvia communis communis	Papa amoras
37	Eurasian Blackcap	Sylvia atricapilla heinekin	Toutinegra de barrete
38	Common Chiffchaff	Phylloscopus collybita collybita	Felosinha
39	Willow Warbler	Phylloscopus trochilus trochilus	Felosinha musical
40	Spotted Flycatcher	Muscicapa striata striata	Taralhão cinzento
41	Pied Flycatcher	Ficedula hypoleuca iberiae	Papa moscas
42	Longtailed Tit	Aegithalos caudatus irbii	Chapim rabilongo
43	European Crested Tit	Lophophanes cristatus weigoldi	Chapim de poupa
44	Blue Tit	Cyanistes caeruleus ogliastrae	Chapim azul
45	Great Tit	Parus major corsus	Chapim real
46	Eurasian Nuthatch	Sitta europaea hispaniensis	Trepadeira azul
47	Short-toed Treecreeper	Certhia brachydactyla megarhynchos	Trepadeira
48	Iberian Grey Shrike	Lanius meridionalis meridionalis	Picanço real
49	Woodchat Shrike	Lanius senator rutilans	Picanço barreteiro
50	Eurasian Jay	Garrulus glandarius fasciatus	Gaio
51	Iberian Azurewinged Magpie	Cyanopica cooki	Charneco
52	Spotless Starling	Sturnus unicolor	Estorninho preto
53	House Sparrow	Passer domesticus domesticus	Pardal
54	Spanish Sparrow	Passer hispaniolensis hispaniolensis	Pardal espanhol
55	Chaffinch	Fringilla coelebs coelebs	Tentilhão
56	European Serin	Serinus serinus	Milheirinha
57	European Goldfinch	Carduelis carduelis parva	Pintassilgo
58	Common Linnet	Carduelis cannabina mediterranea	Pintarroxo
59	Eurasian Bullfinch	Pyrrhula pyrrhula pyrrhula	Dom fafe
60	Corn Bunting	Emberiza calandra calandra	Trigueirão

	MAMMALS

1	Iberian Hare	Lepus granatensis	Lebre ibérica
2	Iberian Rabbit	Oryctolagus cuniculus algirus	Coelho bravo
3	Wood Mouse	Apodemus sylvaticus	Rato do campo
4	Black Rat	Rattus rattus	Ratazana preta
5	Garden Dormouse	Eliomys quercinus	Leirão
6	Iberian Fox	Vulpes vulpes silacea	Raposa
7	Mediterranean Polecat	Mustela putorius aureola	Toirão
8	Beech Marten	Martes foina	Fuinha
9	Iberian Badger	Meles meles marianensis	Texugo
10	Common Genet	Genetta genetta genetta	Geneta
11	Iberian Mongoose	Herpestes ichneumon widdringtonii	Sacarrabos

	REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS

1	Iberian Pond Turtle	Mauremys leprosa leprosa	Cágado Mediterrânico
2	Large Psammodromus	Psammodromus manuelae	Lagartixo do mato
3	Horseshoe Whip Snake	Hemorrhois hippocrepis	Cobra de ferradura
4	Viperine Snake	Natrix maura	Cobra de água viperina
5	Western Montpellier Snake	Malpolon monspessulanus	Cobra rateira
6	Sharp-ribbed newt	Pleurodeles waltl	Salamandra de costelas salientes
7	Spiny Toad	Bufo spinosus	Sapo comum
8	Iberian Water Frog	Pelodytes perezi	Rã verde

	DRAGONFLIES

1	Iberian Bluetail	Ischnura graellsii	Iscnura ibero magrebina
2	Broad Scarlet	Crocothemis erythraea	Libélula escarlate
3	Common Darter	Sympetrum striolatum	Libélula comum
4	Redveined Darter	Sympetrum fonscolombii	Libélula de nervuras vermelhas


83	<--- Total Number of Species Recorded