We were crossing the Portim�£o bridge today below and I was looking up at the storks in the second tower (I took this photo in May) ... when t'other half shouted "flamingos" ... sorry, I couldn't get a better photo than I did because I had to get the camera out of my bag and stuck it out of the window and aimlessly aimed backwards ... they were a bit far away. I did try. We always have a little grouping of them here this time of the year but the major are more near Tavira and the Spanish border where all the seahorse colonies are. The highway in the background is the Via de Infante which runs from Lagos on our West Coast to Seville in Spain.
We'll take your word for it Lol. :D You have to go back for another look! I'm not sure where yours will end up maybe Morocco, I don't think they stay in the Algarve or Spain for the 'winter'
I can vouch for them being there, we saw them often enough this past January. But it is difficult to stop and take pictures.
Sorry, strongy ... I had only moments to launch myself under the dash, grab the camera from my handbag and stick the camera out of the window facing backwards ... I didn't even have time to think to change it to zoom in which would have helped. The alternative is to wade out or get a little rowing boat. :rolleyes: No, I don't know where they go to. We only ever have a small grouping here, as mentioned above the majority are near Tavira and the seahorse colonies ... I wonder if they dine on seahorses??? Sis, thanks for the backup.
No Lol, only crustaceans and usually a particular kind, the pink to red colour of them depends on the colour of the crustaceans. If they ate sea horses there would be none left. :(
I know there's flamingos and sea horses left ... and storks ... I'm very fortunate. Oh, our friends go grocery shopping a couple of hours before us on the same day (Thursday) and said they saw at least ten pairs circling over the grocery store ... can you even imagine the sight as they circle low ???????
I can't work it out, Some sources say that flamingos are pink because they eat crustaceans and others say they are pink because they eat blue green algae. :confused: According to QI, it's algae
Sorry, strongy ... why do I keep saying this ??? STORKS ... I don't THINK seahorses fly ????????? They ... THE STORKS ... are all apparently back again from Africa or wherever Geoffhandley said they were going to ... but ours never really seemed to have left ... perhaps we are too warm at the moment? Evening, NurseWhen ... I think they are pink because of the crustaceans ... but I'm new to this game so ........... :rolleyes:
So NW ... now we sort of know why they are pink and if I can wade out or row myself out into the River Arade, maybe I can get a nice closeup of these beautiful creatures ... anyone want to come and help ??????????
The colouring is caused by Spirulina, a blue-green algae abundant in the waters of Lakes it makes up lesser flamingoes' entire diet. Although called blue-green, this particular algae provides the red pigment for flamingoes' feathers. Lesser flamingoes, who survive solely on Spirulina, have a more intense pink color than greater flamingoes, who get their lighter color second-hand from their prey, crustaceans who have themselves digested the algae.
