Bom dia.

[Colin Key]

Hello everyone. I am a retired university lecturer (geologist) now living in the Algarve, S Portugal where I have a small farm in the Ria de Alvor - Quinta da Rocha area between Lagos and Portimão; the "A Rocha" field studies centre and ringing station are my neighbours.

I am involved in a number of conservation issues here, especially the preservation of Lagoa dos Salgados ("Pêra Marsh" to most visiting Brits), and also act as a moderator on "Fórum Aves" ( http://aves.team-forum.net/index.htm ), the newly established Portuguese equivalent of Bird Forum. The forum is in Portuguese but I moderate an English Language section. We also have a "Galeria" where resident and visiting birders are encouraged to post their photographs. The administrators are working hard to get this forum going in a small country where birdwatching is a minority pastime; I would urge anyone who has visited, or is thinking of visiting, Portugal on a birding trip to take a look, join the forum, and contribute by asking questions, submitting your Portugal bird photos or contributing your trip reports (however brief). Don't be put off by the language barrier since almost all of the "indigenous" members speak perfect English!

I will try to answer any questions about birding in Portugal either here or via the Fórum Aves site.

Um abraço,

Colin :beer:

[sue-o]

Hi Colin,

Good to have someone from Portugal here. I took a peek and found the English section. Will go back later and sign in.

Sue

[Bobolink44]

Hi Colin, thanks for the post and link. Looks like a very worthwhile venture.

[Brian S]

Colin

Having visited Portugal many times over the years, currently I run trips there and Madeira in May for Limosa Holidays, I know of the wealth of birdlife for anybody visiting.

I have a number of bird lists from my trips and would like to send them, but even with a basic knowledge of Portuguese, I have struggled to sign into the website. I have managed to log-in and get a reply, but it doesn't seem to want to activate just yet.

Unusual find over the years have been a summer-plumaged Franklin's Gull past Cape St Vincent, with Robin Chittenden and a group on 25 May 2005

Last October we saw an African White-backed Vulture at Cape St Vincent, but not the Moussier's Redstart as we were too early - or it was there and we missed it!

This May we had a Ruppell's Griffon Vulture northeast of Mertola, plus a Spanish Imperial Eagle on the same day.

So much to see.

Brian Small

[Jacqueline Burrell]

Hi Colin

Having really enjoyed your personal photo album, although I haven't to the end yet, I would love to know what camera equipment you use.

Happy New Year

Jacqueline

[Colin Key]

Hi Colin

Having really enjoyed your personal photo album, although I haven't to the end yet, I would love to know what camera equipment you use.

Happy New Year

Jacqueline

Hello Jacqueline,

I am a "birder" rather photographer and up until last year have been using the digiscoping method (a Nikon Coolpix 4500 attached to my Swarovski ATS80 HD telescope). I became frustrated with this; takes too long to set up a shot, birds in flight are more or less impossible, and getting any shot in focus is a case of "trial, error and luck". Last year I invested in the best DSLR equipment available and have just upgraded that this spring (VERY expensive!): I now use a Canon EOS 1D Mk III with a 500mm f/4 L IS prime lens (coupled with a x1.4 TCII this gives a focal length of 700mm) and also a 100-400mm L IS zoom as a "walk-about" lens. I will be adding Canon's new 800mm lens as soon as it becomes available.

I think that a much cheaper way of doing it would be a Canon 40D with a 400mm f/5.6 prime lens (I have seen superb results from this combination, or even cheaper, with the 400D body, which I also own and which gives excellent results).

I have only posted a few images here so far, and they are not my best, nor have they had the best post-processing.

WARNING: Bird photography is addictive and expensive!!!

Merry Christmas,

Colin :beer:

[john robinson]

Hi Colin
Enjoy the forum
And Yuletide greetings !
JohnR

[Jacqueline Burrell]

Hi Colin

As a semi-retired journalist although I am editor of two English language magazines published in Cairo, I am a photographer rather than a birder. But I get to travel a great deal around the country and my birding addition is growing with frightening rapidly. As a geologist, I am sure you are aware of the varied topography of this country which offers a great variety of bird habitats and of course, the importance of the Red Sea and River Nile migratory corridors.

I have been a dedicated Nikonian for many years and currently own a Nikon F5 with a range of lenses from 60mm f/2.8 macro (as favourite subjects include flowers and insects) to 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D and 20mm f/2.8 for streets scene Fascinating here) landscapes and making sure I don’t cut off the tops of the minarets on the mosques!

I have found few disadvantages of living in a developing country until recently. A couple of years ago, 35mm film was no longer imported. Initially it was no problem as I got friends to bring in vast quantities of my very favourite Fuji Velvia 100 from the UK or Dubai. Then to my horror, the only two professional processors in the country could no longer obtain the necessary chemicals. The cost of processing a roll of 36 slides here was equivalent to £1.10 and as I’d have to pay about four times more outside the country, I have turned to digital with a Nikon D100 that has been dubbed ‘the toy’ so I have a D2X on its way from the UK. I would have preferred to convert to Canon but could not possibly afford to replace all my lenses.

However, I do need a new telephoto but Nikkor are too expensive so I’m tossing up between a Sigma 300mm and 2 x teleconverter or facing the possibility of being divorced by getting a Sigma 300-800mm f5.6.


Colin’s WARNING confirmed: Bird photography is howling addictive and very expensive!!!

[Jacqueline Burrell]

Hi Colin

As a semi-retired journalist although I am editor of two English language magazines published in Cairo, I am a photographer rather than a birder. But I get to travel a great deal around the country and my birding addition is growing with frightening rapidly. As a geologist, I am sure you are aware of the varied topography of this country which offers a great variety of bird habitats and of course, the importance of the Red Sea and River Nile migratory corridors.

I have been a dedicated Nikonian for many years and currently own a Nikon F5 with a range of lenses from 60mm f/2.8 macro (as favourite subjects include flowers and insects) to 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D and 20mm f/2.8 for streets scene Fascinating here) landscapes and making sure I don’t cut off the tops of the minarets on the mosques!

I have found few disadvantages of living in a developing country until recently. A couple of years ago, 35mm film was no longer imported. Initially it was no problem as I got friends to bring in vast quantities of my very favourite Fuji Velvia 100 from the UK or Dubai. Then to my horror, the only two professional processors in the country could no longer obtain the necessary chemicals. The cost of processing a roll of 36 slides here was equivalent to £1.10 and as I’d have to pay about four times more outside the country, I have turned to digital with a Nikon D100 that has been dubbed ‘the toy’ so I have a D2X on its way from the UK. I would have preferred to convert to Canon but could not possibly afford to replace all my lenses.

However, I do need a new telephoto but Nikkor are too expensive so I’m tossing up between a Sigma 300mm and 2 x teleconverter or facing the possibility of being divorced by getting a Sigma 300-800mm f5.6.


Colin’s WARNING confirmed: Bird photography is howling addictive and very expensive!!!

Happy New Year

[AndyB]

Hi Colin, thanks for the into. Best, Andy

[Colin Key]

Colin

I have a number of bird lists from my trips and would like to send them, but even with a basic knowledge of Portuguese, I have struggled to sign into the website. I have managed to log-in and get a reply, but it doesn't seem to want to activate just yet.


Brian Small

Hello Brian,

Sorry for delay in getting back on this one; I have been trying to resolve the issue but contacting admin over the holiday period has been impossible. I have managed to do a "workaround" of the problem by signing up myself under another email address. You may have solved this yourself, but I am putting this here just in case others are interested.

In the registration procedure:

p1. Click on Aceito os termos (Accept the terms).

p2. Fill in Nome de usário (apelido) Username OR (nick-name)

Endereço de email (email address)

Senha (Password)

Then click Salvar (Save) to proceed or Reiniciar (Re-start) if you want to change or re-enter details.

p3. Confirmar senha (Confirm password)

p4. States: "Your account has been created and you will be sent an email asking you to activate your account".

*This is where the problem is occurring. You will receive an email (automatically and very quickly) to the address given which confirms your username and password but there is no activation link.

Reply to this email (press Reply, do not initiate a new email) saying "I have attempted to register at Fórum Aves but there seems to be a problem and I do not understand Portuguese. I would be grateful for your help, Thank you."

You will in due course receive another email (in Portuguese) which states that you are now a registered user of the Fórum Aves site; you should be able to go directly to the site from here, or else you might have to log in with the username and password you provided.

I hope that this helps, and hope that you do visit the site even if only occasionally (we are currently very small and there is only "light traffic" with a limited amount of new material being added). We would certainly welcome any input you might have, especially trip reports, significant sightings and useful birding localities which are "off the beaten track" (i.e. not in the guide-books). Or anything to do with your birding experiences in Portugal which might be of interest to others.

All the best,

Colin

P.S. When it comes to making something intrinsically easy into something very difficult, the Portuguese are Olympic standard!! :laugh:

[RaptorBirder]

Hi Colin - Happy New Year and welcome aboard!

Hope you enjoy the Forums.