The Storks of Silves, Portugal # 2
First an UPDATE from yesterday's Fun Monday post. For anyone who might be remotely interested Sam and I did de-scale, gut and clean the sardines. It really is not as bad as it sounds. Also to clarify, the taste of fresh sardines bears absolutely no resemblance to the tinned version!! There are some more sardine photos over at Sam's.
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In my first post about Silves I mentioned some special inhabitants..........so let me explain. As we were eating dinner on our first evening in Silves we heard a really weird clacking sound. The restaurant owner showed us what was causing all the noise! He was able to explain that the storks had become a protected species and because of this numbers are increasing. Apparently, they are now becoming something of a nuisance. I imagine it's a bit like the problem we have here in the UK with pigeons and seagulls!
Quite a few pairs were actually nesting on the chimneys and tall buildings. For the visitors they are quite a fascinating sight, but I can see for the residents all the mess and noise could easily become a problem.
It was not that easy for me to get a good photo because I only have a simple camera but I think these pictures will give you an idea. Not sure if there were any babies up there!!
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2007: The weary wanderer returns
posted by ChrisB @ 8:38 am
16 comments
16 Comments:
I so wish I was back there, soaking up the sun, swimming in the pool and eating fresh fish with all my family.
The residents must be going stork-raving mad.
I saw Sam's pictures, she really should get paid- she's a brilliant photographer!
I've found if you can clean one fish, you can clean them all, and it's really not too bad. I hope you enjoyed them.
Lisa
Beautiful pics Chris. I understand the frustration of locals with those storks.
My grandfather had some Pigeons and Doves. They multiplied in a year and became a menace nesting and pooping all the roof and snakes appeared to eat the eggs. That's when he got rid all the birds!:P
Fresh Fish sounds good to me. It smells only if they are day old or something!:)
Hmm, fresh sardines, will have to try it sometime.
Your photos were good. I hope no one starts a fire in that chimney below them!
I like the way you stick the knife in the sardine's arsehole and then run it along it's belly until the guts spill out. The scales are more annoying because they clog up the sink and stick themselves all over the kitchen.
For all the sardine haters, don't diss them till you try them. Mum will tell you I hated sardines as a kid, but I was won over by fresh ones in France at the age of 14. They couldn't be more different. Fresh ones couldn't be more delicious, seriously , and so good for you too.
beccy oh so do I.
AC good comment!LOL
Sam the second lot I did after you had left took me for ever to clean up the scales.
lisa I'm bias but she is a pretty good photographer.
asha I wouldn't fancy having snakes slithering bout the place!
kila Luckily I don't think it was in use!
you are a better woman than me for cleaning the sardines!!!
Great pictures...the storks are beautiful, but I can see how they would become a nuisance!!
"babies up there"...
Did you mean baby storks or the kind that get dropped down chimneys?
CC I wondered if anyone would pick up on that!!
Alison I promise you it wasn't that bad
Wonderful photos.
Just the thought of the sardines turned my stomach, the cleaning that is not the eating!
Oh Chris they are magnificent! I love them and their huge nests!
Great pictures of the storks. They are beautiful, but I'll bet the residents do not like them at all, lol.
lisa marie now if you had been with us, we would have had some really good photos! It's at times like these that I wish I had a better zoom lens.
I love the photos.
Sardines are really tasty but I call the line at gutting and descaling them.
ick @ the sardines, but the storks are lovely :)
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