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Ann and Roland Go Birding in Portugal. The Algarve. April 2023 (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter seedyrom
- Start date
kb57
Well-known member
Thanks for sharing...you managed to get round a lot of sites I've yet to visit after living here over a year - I hadn't appreciated the wetlands near Vilamoura were good for night heron but there are lots of eBird records - one of a number of species I've yet to catch up with here.
I think some of your disappointment with bird numbers is down to season, sites like Esteiro da Carrasqueira (the watercourse north of Vila Real) and the lake at Quinta do Lago will be full of birds now, while the saltpans really come into their own in autumn migration, with a smaller number of breeding species.
Don't know what Dave meant about expensive parking in Tavira though - it's free apart from the on-street parking in the town centre...and Salinas do Forte do Rato (near Hotel Albacora) is normally a great site - I had slender-billed gull and marsh harrier today, and although wader numbers were down from their autumn peak there was still plenty to see.
I think some of your disappointment with bird numbers is down to season, sites like Esteiro da Carrasqueira (the watercourse north of Vila Real) and the lake at Quinta do Lago will be full of birds now, while the saltpans really come into their own in autumn migration, with a smaller number of breeding species.
Don't know what Dave meant about expensive parking in Tavira though - it's free apart from the on-street parking in the town centre...and Salinas do Forte do Rato (near Hotel Albacora) is normally a great site - I had slender-billed gull and marsh harrier today, and although wader numbers were down from their autumn peak there was still plenty to see.
It was unseasonably hot when we were in Portugal - it should have been the breeding season but spring was early because of the drought and high temperatures so the breeding season was over! A lot of the birds were hiding during the day, apparently 
Dave's book isn't recent of course so some background details will have changed. Even so, we didn't see anywhere near as many birds as he did at a similar time of year.
Re-visiting for autumn migration is a possibility but not just yet as we have other plans in the pipeline. A quick visit to stuff ourselves on prawns and oranges and enjoy some peace and quiet is also a possibility!
I think I could manage to live in Portugal - it has a lot to offer i you can escape the Brits!
Dave's book isn't recent of course so some background details will have changed. Even so, we didn't see anywhere near as many birds as he did at a similar time of year.
Re-visiting for autumn migration is a possibility but not just yet as we have other plans in the pipeline. A quick visit to stuff ourselves on prawns and oranges and enjoy some peace and quiet is also a possibility!
I think I could manage to live in Portugal - it has a lot to offer i you can escape the Brits!
