THE WHITE STORK. CICONIA Ciconia

On scrolling through my photographs I came upon a post I had meant to share a few years ago of White Storks in the Algarve. I have posted about storks before, but not with these photos. Here they are with more information. 

After we arrived in Vau, we set out to purchase some provisions from the nearest supermarket. As we travelled from Vau to Portimão we saw storks perched on almost every lamppost by the road side. I can't imagine why they perch on such a busy road with heavy traffic.

It seemed so odd to see them. These photos were taken from a moving car

White Storks have made the Algarve their permanent home. Storks from all over Europe that used to migrate to Africa, flock to the Algarve and stay here all year.

Storks nest on high chimneys of the regions former factories. These factories are protected, and it is unlawful to knock any down.

Their nests are enormous and besides chimney's the Storks build their nests on telephone poles, church towers, and trees.

Portuguese law protects the nests, which are made of sticks, twigs, branches,and grass. Storks are faithful to their spouse and to their dwellings.The same nests are used year after year.

This is the same tower as in the three previous images, but just enlarged a little. Here you can see just one chick, I'm not quite sure what is happening in the first image! There seems to be at least four White Storks in the nest. 

Another chimney, and another nest.

Another chimney and a lopsided nest.

Another closer look at the stork which is mute from birth. Storks communicates by body language, and clapping their beaks, bill clattering.

Here they have built a large nest on a light fixture.

I took this shot from the other side of the nest, which was in the centre of a roundabout.

In April the female usually lays five eggs. Both parents share the task of sitting on the eggs,  feeding the babies, and protecting them from danger. 

We were driving past this field full of storks in their nests, when I quickly took a shot through the window. Although blurred you can, see them. 

We later went in search of the field, and I took many photos, which I shared in an older post, but I did not share this one taken in the field.

I was surprised to see a Stork on the beach, it somehow didn't look as if it belonged there, however they now nest among coastal cliffs. and you can see them on the western cliffs of the Algarve. This behaviour is a relatively recent adaptation, and Portugal is the only known country that harbours White Storks at sea.