Airport Birding in Lisbon

It is no secret that travel these days is quite an exhausting ordeal. And when you're traveling great distances to get to remote areas on the planet, it is even more so. On my way to Cape Verde, I had a full day stopover in Lisbon, Portugal. There was no way I'd be trapped the entire day inside the airport's narrow and uncomfortable international terminal. Even the employees told me to go explore! With a US passport, it's easy entry. The inside of that airport was cramped and awful.  And I had zero desire to eat another overpriced Portuguese sandwich with coffee. 

I knew in advance that it would be a long day at that airport. And as most birders do, we research what's around the airport and take advantage of our time. I had two options.  Hire a guide for the day OR just hang outside of the airport and take a siesta counting birds. By this time, I was going on a full day of travel without sleep. I didn't want to go too far from the airport and risk it. And I'm glad I didn't  leave the area because they had a screw up that would have cost me my flight to Cape Verde. That's the issue these days with airlines and airports. The service is so uneven around the world that it affects ALL airports and connecting flights. And it wouldn't be the biggest one I'd have to suffer this summer. West Mexico, I'm looking at you! The Lisbon crew made a security mistake at the port and allowed Moroccans to enter an already secured space without being processed. So everyone had to redo security again right before boarding the flights. It was a nightmare and I felt bad for the elderly who couldn't move as quickly as everyone else. Over 2 thousand people had to redo luggage checks and go through security again. So inside the airport, not a great experience.  Outside was a whole other matter. People were exhausted. And I had to run to board before the doors shut. TAP Air Portugal was not the best airline. It wasn't the worst, but it wasn't great either.  

Before all the chaos happened, I decided to leave the airport and sleep under a tree watching whatever bird would come my way. The breeze was divine. In fact, it was probably one of the most beautiful days I had experienced in months. I had my camera equipment with me.  It was a safe place to relax.  I sprawled out at the roots of a tree and nestled my body like a proper hobbit into the recess of the tree. 

I had no expectations other than see a few birds that I hadn't seen in years.  Or maybe I would see new birds?  During my investigation, I saw that swifts were quite commonly seen around the airport. In the Arizona, swifts are fun but not commonly seen like other birds are.  You have to go into the canyons or near water areas to see them fly over. But not here in Lisbon. My first swift and lifer was the Pallid Swift. It was actually quite large! And reminded me of a gray boomerang by the way it flew.  It is similar to the Common Swift, and even Cape Verde swift in some ways, so I had to study the slight differences between the Commons and Pallids. My first lifer for the trip! And in Portugal!

As I did my "big sit" or siesta, still not sure as the day was a sleepy blur, I noticed this cute White Wagtail bobbing around my legs.  I had been there so long that the birds got used to me and started to feed from the lawn. Awww that breeze.  While the White Wagtail wasn't a lifer, it was the closest I've ever been to one!

A bird that wasn't on my list, the European Serin, was calling from the shadows of the leafy trees.  My ears can pick out different bird calls, and these Serins have a high twittery call that lasts for 5-10 second bursts.  They stop and then sing again.  I was so frustrated I couldn't see them better but they eventually came to the grasses to feed and I got my top notch looks. Yes!  Lifer!  This seemed so easy!  Imagine spending your whole day in an airport versus observing new birds in that beautiful outdoor fresh air next to the airport. 

Then I noticed a...bluebird?  What the hell was it?  I definitely had not seen this bird before.  It was actively foraging around me and very friendly.  The bird reminded me of the North Island Robin from New Zealand. The bird was very confiding and would sit on a branch next to me.  So I put my brain to work eliminating what it was not.  I had studied European birds a few years back and Redstart came to my mind!  Wait?!!  Was this a Black Redstart?  I had read pages on this bird before my trek to England.  I had listened to audios of people recalling their experiences with this bird and how it was declining in certain parts of England.  It all started coming back to me!

And after reaching out to my friends in Britain, they confirmed that it was indeed a Black Redstart.  Redstarts in the US do not look like this as they are actually warblers!  Europe's version of a redstart is more like a thrush.  This is a very sweet and curious bird. 

I wanted to show everyone an overview of Lisbon.  There is a lot of great habitat down there which include, believe it or not, flamingos! If I am to be honest, I would have loved to go out with a Portuguese birder to see them, but I didn't want to risk it. And the other bird I really really wanted to see was the Eurasian Hoopoe.  There will be other opportunities. 

The inside of the airport has plenty of great places to eat but I couldn't help the feeling that I was trapped in a long narrow corridor.  Choices for food was rather limited as well.  If a traveler didn't know Portugal and just stopped in their airport, they'd think that all Portuguese eat only sandwiches.

After the brutal heat of my Arizona summer, these temps were amazing. It felt like a cool Wisconsin summer day in June....but in Lisbon! I had thought Cape Verde would be brutal as well but it turned out to be really nice.  My worst trip would actually be to western Mexico several weeks later and it would be my downfall.  I just didn't know it at the time.  

Another lifer in Portugal turned into a Spotless Starling.  We unloaded from the plane into a bus and were whisked off to the international terminal. I glimpsed starlings on a telephone line but they didn't look like any European Starling I had seen. Where were the stars on that dark plumage?  A European Starling has plumage that reminds me of a galaxy with stars.  These birds were clearly starlings but absent of stars.  A black hole?  Also I noticed that their heads had plumage that was quaffed? I went straight to the ebird report that I had started on the plane and noticed that Spotless Starling was on the list.  "No way", I said to myself, I never knew that there was such a species out there.  During my time outside, I watched several feed around the bushes. They were so beautiful. 

And I just kept sitting outside and counting birds.  There were waaaaay more lifers than I had expected!  Time and experience have taught me to be patient and just....sit in a spot.  I hadn't planned for anything big to happen at the airport.  Nor had I really studied the birds that could be seen in Lisbon. I just wanted to challenge my brain while waiting for my flight to Cape Verde. It certainly made my day fly by.  

Western House-Martins were all around the airport and were typical of swallows back home.  The blue blue backs could be seen while others had a grayish back or darker back.  Some birds appeared blockier in flight. 

And finally!  There was a bird I had on my ebird life list but it was taken off as it was considered an escapee.  So I essentially lost a lifer.  While at the airport, I heard 2 parakeets flying close to my location.  As I looked up, I saw a pair of Rose-winged Parakeets head over the airport. These parakeets have made their homes around urban centers all over the world.  In Europe, they breed and are quite common. Not escapees.  I regained a lost tick and "gained" a new lifer.  In total, while in Lisbon, I gained 6 new lifers.  They were unexpected bonuses from the trip.  As you can see, birding at an airport can be quite lucrative.  You can add birds to your world or state map and possibly pick up a few lifers along the way.  Not a bad deal!  Next time, we'll take one last look at Cape Verde birding exploring watering holes and the birds that like these salty brackish waters.