[SUN BIRD]

A BOOT IN THE ALGARVE – TRIP REPORT 03 OCT TO 09 OCT 2009
ITINARERY:
This is my first trip report, so please bear with me.
Departing Manchester Airport Sat 3rd October, returning from Faro, Portugal at 11.00 am Sat 10th October.
Flying with Thomas Cooke via Manchester Airport we picked up the car, from Auto Jardim, from Faro Airport at 10.45 am on Saturday 3rd October.
I had booked this self catering package, which included a week’s car hire, with Style at a cost of £530, for both Michael and myself.
The studio apartment was Qiuinta Da Sesmarias, in Vale de Parra, approx 5 kilometres west of Albufeira and less than an hours drive away from Faro.

Two common buzzards crossed the N22motorway in front of the car, on the journey up.

For anyone choosing to stay in this area the Style apartments are just a few minutes from local beaches and lovely cliff top walks. The location is very close to Perra Marsh, which is only a few minutes drive away.
For fresh fish, local dishes and excellent Algarvian wines, try the Marinheiro Restaurant, which is only a few minutes walk away.

Incidentally, despite the wild steppe beauty of the area, we consciously decided to give Castro Verde a miss on this occasion. A previous autumn visit had involved a long days driving, only for largely distant and consequently unsatisfying views of bustards and raptors.

Sites visited:
Alvor Estuary: Sunday 4th and Wednesday 7th October
Cape St.Vincent & Val do Bispo : Tuesday 6th October
Perra Marsh : Sun 4th , Wed 7th , Thurs 8th October
Quinta do Lago: Monday 5th October, Thurs 8th October
S.Bras de Alportel: Mon 5th October
The above locations can be found quite easily using Google Maps.
Weather:
Warm and sunny most of the week with day time temperatures in the high 20’s C.
Tuesday morning was dull and misty, with sunny spells the rest of the day.
On Tuesday night we had thunder and lightening.
On Wednesday we had the only day time rain, when we woke up to rain, which continued until
lunch time, after that it was fine.
(pictures by my husband Micheal by the way)

[SUN BIRD]

SITE REPORTS:
Vale de Parra birding
Although quite built up, as we discovered, the area can hold a number of species in early October, including:
rock dove, yellow legged gull, terns, cormorant, blue rock thrush, red legged partridge, hoopoe, azure winged magpie, little owl, sardinian warbler, willow warbler, egrets, chats, kestrel, jackdaw, grey shrike,
spotless starling, flycatchers and common garden birds.

[SUN BIRD]

SITE REPORTS (cont):
Alvor Estuary,:
Sunday 4th:
Alvor estuary is about thirty minutes drive east from Guia, on the N125.
Unfortunately a twerp named Michael made the mistake of asking me to drive to Alvor on a Portuguese Bank Holiday weekend, when the locals were out in force on a beautiful Sunday morning, cockling and fishing on the Estuary. In a addition the wardens from Rocha were taking a party of some 30 visitors around the site , which made it rather a busy affair. We did however take a lovely walk around the reserve.
Crested larks, cattle egret, azure winged magpie, northern wheatears, spotted flycatchers and stonechats were easily viewed on the track accessing the main estuary site.

With so many people about it was a surprise when Michael pointed to the sky, as a magnificent osprey rose over the sea wall flying inland with a small fish, whilst being mobbed by gulls and swallows as it climbed higher and disappeared from view.
A little tern hovered and fished out near a dredger in the river mouth.
The sanctuary in the middle of the sea walls held a variety of small waders :
plovers, red and spotted redshank, bar tailed godwit, stilts, greater flamingo, white stork, grey heron, common gulls, and curlew sandpiper.
Sardinian and willow warblers flitted amongst the scrub.

Wednesday 7th
Following the early morning storms I drove to Silves where the rain continued unabated until around noon.
Eventually it stopped sufficiently for us to venture out for a lunch of chicken piri piri and sardines and a walk around the old fortress town. On the river a kingfisher flew between both banks. White Storks were congregating everywhere, including a very high construction crane.

A much quieter scene greeted us late afternoon, when we arrived at Alvor estuary.
Several species of beautifully coloured dragon flies were skitting about the water surfaces.
A greenshank was wading in one of the channels and I spotted a king fisher as it flew over the sea wall.
Several hundred plover, sanderling, shanks and sandpipers roosted in the middle of the sanctuary.

During our walk a man walking his dog remarked on our Brit status, since we were wearing shorts in October. This interestingly turned out to be Colin Key, who chatted to us about conservation in the Algarve, giving us particular insights into Perra Marsh and the status of Alvor, whilst in the process pointing out a Black Winged Kite and the Osprey which had summered in the area. Unfortunately we weren’t quick enough for the bluethroat which he spotted as he walked on ahead ( if Andrew and john-henry read this Colin sends his regards, for more info also go to http://www.algarvebirder.blogspot.com/ ). Interestingly from a logistics point of view, Colin informed us that municipal improvements to the Castro Verde - Mertola road, may have made accessibility along the road for viewing bustards more difficult, because of the instillation of deep drainage ditches along the side of the road, making it more difficult to pull in.

A number of med gulls roosted on the drained salt tank walls. As we neared the car park area a southern grey shrike called from a cattle feeder, waxbills, greenfinch and serin fed amongst the cord grass.
To be continued...
Tina

[john-henry]

Great start to your report Tina, some good photos too. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Glad you met Colin, he's such a pleasant man to spend some time with, a real gent, and a mine of information about the birds of the Algarve.

regards

John

[Andrew]

Like John says, a good start. Thanks for passing on the words from Colin and 'taking us back' to the Algarve. I wish I was there now. Sardines, yum.

[Bubbs]

I can't believe this is your first trip report! Fabulous read and photo's - so keep them coming.

John.

[SUN BIRD]

SITE REPORTS (cont):
Cape St.Vincent & Val do Bispo : Tuesday 6th October

Colin was a very nice guy and provided us with lots of info relating to birding in the Algarve. He also sent his regards to Ruby, hopefully we will visit the other sites he mentioned next year.

The Cape is about one hours drive north west of Guia via the N22 and 20mins from Lagos via the N125. The best and the quickest way into the Cape itself, from a birding point of view, is to take the Val do Bispo exit from the N125. However please be aware that I was driving a small family car on the connecting road from Bispo, which varies from tarmac to track.

Evidently they must have had rain in the area, which coupled with a heavy bull dozer working on the track, made it difficult in places. There are numerous sub tracks well worth exploring, if you can afford to hire a four wheel drive, which is really necessary for the area.

It is along these tracks that in the past, we have had;
Egyptian vulture, common buzzard, short toed eagle, hen and montagu’s harrier.
However we have not been fortunate enough to sight little bustard, which Colin Key informed us that both that species plus dotterel had been reported in the area in recent weeks.

We had sighted two black shouldered kites on the side of the N125 as we drove up.

On the track at Bispo a very large bird took off from the ground in the distance, as a farmer passed by on a tractor. By the roadside; northern wheatear and crested lark took flight as we passed by. While corn bunting,greenfinch, goldfinch and linnet picked at the thistle down.

A great grey shrike was on a wire alongside a spotted flycatcher.
Near the farm half way along, we moved inland stopping to view a small chattering of choughs feeding near by on the rough steppe ground along with some spotless starlings. Before my lovely man could get a camera shot, they were dispersed by the sudden stoop of a peregrine in the middle of them.

Michael spotted two tawny pipits, but they disappeared before I could get my bins on them.
Several kestrel hovered over the plane as the sun came out, stonechats and a whinchat were by the side of the road as two ravens flew over the pines to the south.

We pulled in at a sunny Cape St Vincent near the Lighthouse for a cuppa and something to eat.
Suddenly half way through my drink, Michael alerted me to a raptor drifting over the cliffs.
As we got out of the car five magnificent booted eagles, in various stages of adulthood, passed over our heads and out to sea, before passing briefly back over the cliffs inland.

Whilst this wonderful event took place, the many busy Cape tourists milled about the cliff tops, obliviously videoing and photographing the old lighthouse. Surprisingly there were no swifts or martins to be seen on the cliff tops.

I pointed out a black redstart on the car park before I drove off for the raptor watch point, encountering several more Kestrel whilst on the way. A small group of birders hunkered down on the sandy hill above the heath as many more booted eagle and a goshawk passed overhead.

After half an hour or so we made are way back to Bispo, with out adding any new sightings to our tally.

To be continued.
Tina

[SUN BIRD]

SITE REPORTS (cont):
Perra Marsh : Sun 4th , Wed 7th , Thurs 8th October, Fri 9th Oct
Perra Marsh is located about ten minutes west of Guia turning left off the N125 , heading towards Armacao de Pera.
On the sea wall near the estuary we saw a beautiful sea daffodil growing.

Perra Marsh/Lagoon Conservation.
Not that I fully understand the complexities of the environment in this area, however we have been informed that the birds and wildlife of Perra Marsh have suffered through excessive drainage over recent years.
The Marsh is fed by “fresh” (apparently part of the sewage sytem outflow is connected to it) water from a small river, creating, a brackish area to the north and more saline water from, the sea.
The lagoon thus formed is linked to the water table shared with the adjacent Salagados Golf Complex which tends to get water logged when the lagoon is full. When this happens, at the request of the Golf Course management, the municipal council breach the sea wall with a JCB, resulting in a major outflow of water back into the sea and consequently leaving a desert where the lagoon was and a dry golf course.
Although full at the time of our visits this process has happened three times this year, crucially including the breeding period, apparently breaking previous undertakings not to do so at that time.
On the poop deck:
Not withstanding the above problems, I’m pleased to say that the birds may have had the last laugh on the golfers. We were reliably informed that earlier this year, some bald ibis* took up residency on the golf course itself and one of their number pooped in the members club room.
* relatively tame birds, part of a breeding program
CONTINUED BELOW

[SUN BIRD]

SITE REPORTS (cont):
Perra Marsh : Sun 4th , Wed 7th , Thurs 8th October, Fri 9th Oct
Birds seen:
On Sunday 4th I spotted a single lapwing, where Michael believed that he found a Audouin’s gull, we noted that the gull was quite large and had white rings on the right leg ( please refer to photo below – confirmation would be appreciated). There were a number of lesser black backed, black headed and a few med gulls present.
Zitting cisticola were landing on the boardwalk ropes a few feet away and a few willow warblers were flitting in the scrub and along with parties of house sparrow. Mike said that he saw a single reed warbler on the marsh grass.

On Wednesday as we strolled down the board walk just past the (access currently flooded) viewing platform, we saw three purple swamp hen on the grassy margins.

Quite a number of mallard, gadwall and pochard were swimming on the lagoon on all three occasions.
A large flock of spoonbill, grey heron and a number of greater flamingo were in residency, but too far away to count acurately. On Wed 7th October we scoped five glossy ibis at the ruined Farm House end. Also on Wednesday there were literally thousands of coot and little grebe. On the same day hundreds of white storks were in the surrounding fields along with a large gathering of cattle egret, which appeared to feeding on grasshoppers.

On all our visits northern wheatear and stonechat were about in good numbers.
The only raptor that we saw was a single kestrel on Sunday, though normally the marsh is good for harrier.
On an acacia on the dunes, on 4th was a great grey shrike.
To my surprise on the 8th, although we were looking unsuccessfully for a bluethroat, surprisingly there was a common magpie on one of the boardwalk fence posts, an Algarve first for us.
The fringes of the marsh held a number of waders including:
Common and curlew sandpiper, stilts & godwit, dunlin, ringed and little ringed plover.
On the 8th I stopped the car for a little owl resting on almond tree as we left for Quinta da Lago.
On the 9th two avocet were near the marsh parking area, though I’m sure that there must have been more about.
(to be continued)
Tina

[SUN BIRD]

SITE REPORTS (cont):
Quinta do Lago: Monday 5th October, Fri 9th October

Lying west of Faro,in the heart of the Rio Formosa National Park,located amidst a maze of competition class golf courses, Quinta do Lago is probably the most reliable place in the Algarve to see the endangered purple gallinule or swamp hen. These magnificent radiantly coloured members of the rail family, breed on the reserve and can be viewed from the hide to the west of the golf course lagoon just off the nature trail (see map below).
To be continued..
Tina

[Andrew]

Nice photo of a Magpie! Not a common bird in the Algarve indeed. Often go some weeks seeing just one and hundreds of the more colourful variety.

[SUN BIRD]

SITE REPORTS (Cont.)

SITE REPORTS (cont):
Quinta do Lago: Monday 5th October, Fri 9th October

On Monday afternoon, a dull afternoon occasionally threatening rain was punctuated by milky sunshine. The estuary tide was out exposing the expanse of mud flats but few wading birds.
In contrast arriving late morning on Friday, it remained bright and sunny all day as the tide gradually slipped away. A large roost of gulls including lesser black backed, yellow legged, blacked headed and a few med gulls were on the cord grass banks west of the bridge. A few whimbrel and godwits (of both species) picked their way along the shore line. Turnstone, grey, kentish, ringed and little ringed plovers tramped in the mud flats,with stints, dunlin, sanderling and curlew sandpipers. Greenshank, red and spotted redshanks waded the shallows.

On the Friday we followed the footpath west, to a deserted Quinta do Lago Lake, as fan tailed warblers took the morning sun and sardinian warblers skulked in the cover. A party of waxbills chattered from the pampas grass on the fringes of the hotel gardens while northern wheatear and crested larks stalked insects on the neatly cut lawns. Grey heron were fishing from salt marsh channels, along with a few white storks and little egret.

I alerted Michael to the gulls on the reserve as they took to the sky enmas. We soon identified the cause of the disturbance as I picked out a pale phase booted eagle, drifting on the warm air current out to sea.
As we made our way back, I lost Mike for a few minutes as I read a natural history visitors board, during which time he said that he had been calling me to see a bluethroat, however (of course!) by the time that I arrived on the scene it had disappeared into a shrub.

After a short tea break we then headed east towards the bird hide, for good views of purple gallinule, glossy ibis, kingfisher, several species of duck, a singing cetti’s and both crested and little grebe. On the Friday a couple mentioned that little bittern had been seen from the hide. After scanning the far reeds for a while Michael thought that he’d found one. Soon a nice man with a scope was pleased to confirm the view of a well concealed little bittern.

Running parallel to the fringes of the San Lorenzo golf course, the nature trail from the bird hide, leads south east towards the salt pans (and Rio Formosa if you are up to walking that far). The surrounding woodland holds some good birds during autumn migration including;
azure winged magpies, warblers, finches, robin, chats and flycatchers.

Near the bird hide on the 5th (day…. not hole!!!) a single yellow wagtail was on the lagoon bank whilst later a greater spotted woodpecker flew between the eucalyptus trees. The star bird however was the black headed weaver that I pointed out to Mike, among a number of house sparrows, as it caught flies over the swampy area between the acacias.

On Friday two preening hoopoe were startled from their perch by a golf buggy.
Walking further towards the salt pans a few serin were in the pines as a cetti’s called from a ditch.
At the salt pans the numbers of wintering birds had begun to build up.
Thousands of ducks, avocet, herons, cormorant, godwit, flamingo, grebe, moorhen, coot and stork were competing
for space on the water. In the distance we could make out a single red crested pochard and spoonbill.

S.Bras de Alportel: Mon 5th October
On the Monday we made a diversion about 20 minutes inland by road, to Alportel.
For some time now it has been our hope to settle in the Algarve and had arranged to view a couple of houses through Worthy Properties which were built in the beautiful wooded hills surrounding S.Bras which are covered with cork and eucalyptus trees. Whilst driving through the area I noticed a road sign with binoculars painted on it and pulled onto a track leading to a view point for a walk in the fresh mountain air.
Half a mile or so up the track we were soon rewarded with views of calling European nuthatch, along with jay, short toed treecreeper, robin, woodpigeon, blue, great and long tailed tit and a large dark unidentified raptor.

Thanks to anyone who has read this and the guys for their kind comments.
Tina

[Ruby]

Thanks Tina - a great report that takes me back to my own trips to the Algarve (wish I was there right now quite frankly, rather than watching the rain in sunny Surrey!)

Your Audouin's Gull is indeed an Audouin's Gull - if it was out of the water a bit more you would be able to see the pale grey legs, which together with the red/black bill makes (as far as I know!) a unique combination...

In my experience, by far the most common gulls in the Algarve are Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed, and Audouin's stands out from either of these by it's comparatively small size and much paler grey mantle colour, so quite often easy to pick out from some of the large gull roosts that you get in that area.


All the best.... Ray

[Andrew]

Thanks for this enjoyable report Tina.

Are you able to divulge more details on the 'binocular sign' site in Sao Bras del Alportel by way of maps or GoogleEarth images?

I am keen to know after your mention of Short-toed Treecreeper and Nuthatch which would be good trip ticks to have in the Algarve. I also like to explore for new sites not in the books.

[s.g.]

hi tina & mick,
great report seems like you both enjoyed your holiday. some great birds/photos.
hope to see you both soon.

[SUN BIRD]

The best that we can say is that the view point was a couple of Kilometres out of Sap brao heading north on the N2.
There are a number of rough tracks from the main road heading into the hills, surrounded by cork oak woodland.
Good luck!


Tina & Michael

[mäkpe]

Andrew, Short-toed Treecreeper and Nutchat seemed to be very easy to find from Monchique. More detailed notes can be found here.

[Andrew]

Thanks for that Tina & Michael, also to Mapke.