Due to recent heavy rains, Kat and I spent a couple of days camped out under a grove of Stone Pine trees a day’s pedal away from Lisbon.
Stone Pines (Pinus pinea) are majestic trees. They look like giant umbrellas and give any campsite a magical ambiance (even when dripping with rain). They are native to Portugal and man has been enjoying the pine nuts they produce since prehistoric times.
Between the waves of heavy showers and winds, we’d get out and walk beneath the canopy of these giants.
Each night, right at sunset, we heard birds calling high up in the pines. I assume they were owls. But I don’t know. I did record one call though.
Any ornithologists out there? Can you identify this bird by its call?
Sister-in-law says it sounds like a dove.
Missed you both @ BAW auction, still made big $$.
Sounds like you’re having a great time.
Yes – It sounds like a dove to me, too.
trying to find out what breeds of doves inhabit Portugal, I came across this lovely story of the Miracle of the Doves in Portugal in 1946.
I found a little bit about Collared Doves and Mourning Doves in Portugal, whose song it sounds like to me.
http://www.birdjam.com/birdsong.php?id=7
Sorry – this is the link for the story of the Miracle of the Doves. I am not Catholic, but Portugal is, largely 🙂 And it is a lovely story.
http://eucharisticadoration.com/articles/42/1/Miracle-of-the-Doves/Page1.html
Oh,my, Willie. If I never ask anything else of you, I really WANT a copy of the photo of the Stone Pine trees. Just lovely. I miss you guys!!!!
Hi Kat & Willie – Jan sent your recording to our Audubon Society and they say it is a male Tawny Owl. I’ll ask Jan to send their recording to you (I don’t know how.) Love the posts and pictures – keep ’em coming! – Doug
Thanks for the clip. Now that the Audubon society has chimed (or chirped) in … I think we can call the mystery officially solved!
Neat!! 🙂
I love the photo looking up into the Stone Pines. I get lost up there. Lost in a good way.
Lovebruce