What can I expect to see in the Algarve, Portugal ? (1 Viewer)

A very nice hols is coming up end June beginning July in Lagos, Portugal.

A local site or link to local lists would be very useful.

TIA

g8ina said:

A very nice hols is coming up end June beginning July in Lagos, Portugal.

A local site or link to local lists would be very useful.

TIA

Click to expand...

Hi g8,
here's a trip report of my visit last year, it should give you a good idea of the birds and a few good sites. If you need any further info just get in touch.

regards

John

john-henry said:

Hi g8, here's a trip report of my visit last year, it should give you a good idea of the birds and a few good sites. If you need any further info just get in touch. regards John

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Thanks John, but what report ?

Nowt visible as text, link or attachment ...

g8ina said:

Thanks John, but what report ?

Nowt visible as text, link or attachment ...

Click to expand...

Sorry about that, forgot to put the link in, old age creeping in I guess.
here it is

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=34490

Here is a link to an old report of mine in Birdtours.com.

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/Portugal/portugal3/index.htm

If you go into Birdtours.com you will find quite a few more.

Hope that helps.

John

Urgh !

Im gobsmacked. There were about 100 species listed there, thats more than I have in my life list !

If I get 20 I will feel very lucky

Thanks for the link...

g8ina said:

A very nice hols is coming up end June beginning July in Lagos, Portugal.

A local site or link to local lists would be very useful.

TIA

Click to expand...

Check out my trip report it has lots of site info and species.

http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/portugal/portugal.htm

Mark

Thanks to you too Mark, nice report

Hi David,

I'm going over at the weekend - will be spending a couple of days bird-watching in Donana, which is just over the border in Southern Spain, before heading to the Eastern Algarve where I won't actually be bird-watching (but the BINs will always be close at hand, of course!)

I'll let you know how I get on....


Rgds... Ruby

Birding in Lagos Area

There are some good spots for birdwatching near Lagos and Portimão.

From East to West:

Leixão da Gaivota - small rocky islet near the Arade river mouth, it's acessible form Ferragudo. There's a colony of Cattle Egrett and Little Egrett. Peregrin Falcon, Alpine Swift and Pallind Swift breed locally

Arade Estuary - Between Portimão and Silves, due it's size i will present some locations:

- Portimão ETAR - a complex of former salt pans were converted to a Waste Water Treatment Palnt in the early 90's. Good place to see breeding Kentish Plover, Black-winged Stilt and Iberian Yellow Wagtail.

- Morgado de Arge (Betwen the Via do Infante and the EN125) - a former agriculture complex nowdays abandoned. Good marsh and scrub areas. Short-toed Eagle, Sardinian Warbler, Upopoe, Green Woodpecker are some of the breeding species. In the marshes Flamingos and Spoonbill are regular migrants.

- Fonte de Estombar Area (from Estombar - between Portimão and Lagoa - follow the Park Municipal da Fontes Signs, there leave the car on the parking lot and walk North to a rice field area with a goo area of reed. Were Purple Gallinule, Little Bittern, Great and Reed Warbler, Cetti's and Melodious Warbler breed.

Morgado do Reguengo

- Turistic complex between Portimão and Monchique, just 1Km North of the highway exit (follow the signs) - There are two dams on the property (Lago do Morgado the smaller one and the Barragem dos Álamos) wich have Coot, Gadwall, Mallard, White Wagtail breeding. In the Barragem dos Álamos Purple Heron, Black-winged Stilt and Bonelli's Eagle are regular.

Elsewhere Golden Oriole, Woodchat shrike, Southern Grey Shrike, Dartford Warbler, Theklae's Lark, Short-toed Eagle, Azure-winged Magpie, Spotless Starling, Red-rumped Swallow, as well as other can be seen.

Ria de Alvor (between Portimão and Lagos, in Mexilhoeira Grande turn left and follow the dirt road to the sea), you will find a marsh area goof for Kentish Plover, Black-winged Stilt, Iberian Yellow Wagtail.

Paul de Lagos (Noth of Lagos) - river valley with some reed patchs, good for reed warbler, cetti's warbler, great-reed warbler.

Ponta da Piedade (South of Lagos) - rocky cliffs and islets provide good breeding areas for Cattle Egrett, Little Egrett, Pallid Swift, Peregrin Falcon and Blue-rock Thrush.

In June i will post some observations wich could help you to find some good species.

hehehehe, this place rocks Thanks again.

Must also say a public thank you to Jono who sent me a booklet of the region and where to see what, very nice.

You just watch the plane break down, or we miss it, or some such !!

g8ina said:

hehehehe, this place rocks Thanks again.

Must also say a public thank you to Jono who sent me a booklet of the region and where to see what, very nice.

You just watch the plane break down, or we miss it, or some such !!

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Hi David,
Thanks for this. Hope the book proves useful and enjoy a wide variety of lifers.
Jono

Hi,

Just back yesterday from a week in Spain and Portugal, and I did promise to post some info....

Main bird-watching was done in Donana - I'll post a separate trip report of that later on when I've got a bit more time....

As rgds the Algarve, we only went to one place specifically bird-watching - part of the Rio Formosa National Park, just to the west of Faro (very close to the airport!!).

If anyone wants any more info on this place, just let me know....

Anyway....notable birds seen :-

Azure-winged Magpie
Black-winged Stilt
Little Tern
Avocet
Kentish Plover
Curlew
Black-tailed Godwit
Turnstone
Yellow Wagtail
Crested Lark
Zitting Cistacola
Serin
Hoopoe
Sardinian Warbler (crippling views - perched up @ approx 2m!)
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
White Stork
Little Egret

In addition to the brief birdwatching trip, there were also a few new birds seen elsewhere....

Seen whilst driving around list :-

Montague's Harrier
Black Kite
Red-Rumped Swallow
Southern Grey Shrike
Woodchat Shrike
Quail (heard!)
Cattle Egret

...and at the beach (Santa Luzia) :-

Bee-eater
Barn Swallow
House Martin
Crested Lark
..and a large pale grey snake which scared the living daylights out of us!

... and at the swimming pool (Tavira) :-

Greenfinch
Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Common Swift
Common Waxbill

Had a surreal moment whilst reclining on my sunbed by the pool.... Enjoying close-up views of one of our resident Hoopoes grubbing around to the left of me at about 5m range, when I became aware of 2 Common Waxbills calling in some ornamental bamboo about 5m to my right. Luckily my mouth hadn't quite dropped wide open, otherwise I'm sure that a Sardinian Warbler would have roosted in it!...as it was, it contented itself with zooming past my nose within touching distance!!!

Not something readily experienced in sunny Surrey!


All the best.... Ruby

The more I read, the higher the chances of my wife hijacking my birdwatching time ! It does look good I must say. Thanks Ruby

Some recent records from Algarve

Here are some interestind birds records in the Algarve

Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
May, 25th - 2 ads. Barragem dos Álamos, Morgado do Reguengo (north of Portimão)
June, 1st - 1 ad. Barragem dos Álamos

Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus
June, 1st - 1 ad. hunting Morgado do Regueno

Purple Gallinule Porphyrio porphyrio
June, 3rd - 3 ads. Quinta do Rosário, north of Fontes de Estombar (Lagoa)

Little ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
June, 1st - up to 5 couples Barragem dos Álamos, Morgado do Reguengo

Red-necked Nightjar Caprimulgus ruficollis
June, 1st - 1 couple breeding in the Morgado do Reguengo pine forest

Woodlark Lullula arborea
May, 25th - at least 13 inds. Castelo Belinho, Morgado do Reguengo

Blue Rock Thrust Monticola solitarius
May, 31th - 3 inds. (1 pair breeding) in Ribeira das Mercês valley near Querença (Loulé)

What great time !! THANKS !!

Sadly my birding time was severely restricted due to our host's other commitments. We were well out of town, and nicely high up at Montinhas De Luz, near Lagos, so it was a case of what could I see in the back garden and surrounding fields. BUT then Helen very kindly took us to the A Rocha ringing and research station nr Alvor, what a find !!!

I got Bee Eaters, Shrikes, Waxbills, Serins, Cattle Egret, Turtle Doves and Crested Lark. Not at all bad for two hours. Bee Eaters and Waxbills - beautis indeed ;-)

It's a fantastic place, but only open to visitors on Thursdays. Great to watch them bringing the birds from the nets, do all the measuring and ringing, and, in one sad case, de-ticking a Juv Blackbird - poor little fella had 23 ticks !!!!

Sorry I didnt get round to contacting those guys who said they might visit me, but time was oh so tight...

Just a couple days to go now, coming home late Monday, so I may yet get my 100th species up before we leave, which would be great (esp if it's a Hoopoe !!)

See life list link below for what we did see.

g8ina said:

Sadly my birding time was severely restricted due to our host's other commitments. We were well out of town, and nicely high up at Montinhas De Luz, near Lagos, so it was a case of what could I see in the back garden and surrounding fields. BUT then Helen very kindly took us to the A Rocha ringing and research station nr Alvor, what a find !!!

I got Bee Eaters, Shrikes, Waxbills, Serins, Cattle Egret, Turtle Doves and Crested Lark. Not at all bad for two hours. Bee Eaters and Waxbills - beautis indeed ;-)

It's a fantastic place, but only open to visitors on Thursdays. Great to watch them bringing the birds from the nets, do all the measuring and ringing, and, in one sad case, de-ticking a Juv Blackbird - poor little fella had 23 ticks !!!!

Sorry I didnt get round to contacting those guys who said they might visit me, but time was oh so tight...

Just a couple days to go now, coming home late Monday, so I may yet get my 100th species up before we leave, which would be great (esp if it's a Hoopoe !!)

See life list link below for what we did see.

Click to expand...

I have been lucky enough to go to Alvor a few times, and on Thursdays as well. It is an excellent day there. Not only that but the surrounding reserve is excellent to.

I had my only day time sighting of a Red-necked Nightjar there as well as a Quail that popped up, inches away from my feet.

John

Got my Hoopoe on our last but one day ;-) plus a couple of others, Crag Martin, Sand Martin and Black Redstart all at Cape St Vincent.

All in all a fabulous holiday.

Going again in spring next year.

Hi Dave,
Sounds like you had a superb time and getting hoopoe near the end must have finished your holiday off on a high. Getting to the ringing station etc must also have made the whole trip worthwhile. Can't beat Telford though!
all the best,
Jono

I'm off to the Algarve for first week of October and wondered if any one has any tips?