Catching your supper in the Algarve

Olhão is an active fishing port, with boats of all sizes going out daily. The fishing doesn’t just occur on the water though, you will see fisherman out daily on the mudflats and remember there was one occasion when we even spotted a snorkeler catching an octopus! Today I thought I’d share a few shots of a successful crab hunter using sustainable fishing techniques. I spotted him, or is it a her, a few moments after photographing the fishing boat.

Common Redshank

This wader is a Redshank, latin name Tringa totanus, Portuguese name Perna-vermelha-comum. Unlike in England where they can be found year-round they are mainly a winter resident in Portugal. However their status is more robust here in mainland Europe than in the UK where numbers in recent years have declined.

It isn’t just their red legs though that make this wader unmistakable, they are also recognisable by their alarm call. A very loud cry which is also very annoying for bird-watchers as all too often they disturb the other waders too, hence their nickname ‘sentinel of the marshes’. Fortunately on this occasion this one decided to ignore me and my camera. The crab was obviously too good a supper to let go.

Common Redshank with crab

 

Author: BeckyB

It had been a good life walking, cooking, photographing, volunteering, blogging, and best of all spending time with MrB, family, & friends. Sadly it is no longer what it was, as suddenly and unexpectedly I became a widow.

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