COVER STORY: MAGPIES
HOLIDAY birdwatching can result in surprising results. There are different types of birdwatchers and many like to dress in camouflage and stalk their chosen bird. Others more casually visit nature reserves, etc. I am the type that either puts myself in good locations or relies on chance encounters. One example of the former came with a holiday in the Algarve area of Portugal, where my family rented a villa.
At dusk every day, a flock of up) would fly in to roost on the trees behind our property. So, as we lounged with a drink by the pool, a spectacular display of these exotic birds entertained us all. This is the stronghold of this species and it does not venture far inland. In other areas, these magpies can be seen in lesser numbers in adjacent Spain.
