Birding in Portugal, Spain May june 2024 (4 Viewers)

[brooke65]

I'm leaving for Portugal in April for a walk with friends. Would like to tag on a few weeks of birding Mid May and have read some good places for Spring Migrations.

Would love to know people's favorites. Portugal, Spain, Greece, and any others.

Also, if anyone has contact for good guides, would appreciate it. We don't want a group tour but would love a recommendation on any one in an area. It might help us better decide where to focus our limited time. Hoping for some updated info since the last i saw pertaining the Algarve and Portugal was in 2022.

Thank you in advance.

 

[temmie]

So you'll be in May, June in Portugal?

The only answer I can give is that migration is basically finished second half of May and temperatures can be very high from mid-May into June, depending on how far you're from the coast. Beginning of May will be great though for having all breeding birds on the ground in full action / song / display.

A specific time frame and location you're based in, would help to give more specific recommendations.

 

[brooke65]

thank you for your reply. i will be in the algarve in april, walking up the coast. on a schedule with friends so my husband has decided to come meet me because of the birding and walk the coastal camino. we would prefer to walk north from porto first since that is where we are meeting but realizing that we may miss the birds in the south then, just as you are indicating. He will land mid may and we wonder if we have to give up notion of seeing birds now.

 

[kb57]

There is no shortage of information on the Algarve - @Gonçalo Elias ' book is very useful: https://www.amazon.co.uk/100-Best-Birding-Hotspots-Algarve/dp/B08HGNS813 , and there are lots of eBird hotspots with regularly updated information.
In terms of where to go it depends on what you want / need to see of the European avifauna - you'll see plenty of birds in the Algarve in April, but you may need a bit more planning if you have specific targets. I hesitate to generalise, but (for example) if wetland species are your focus, then you'll need to visit central and eastern coastal wetlands (from say, Vilamoura Parc Ambiental east to the Spanish border); for some of the more specialist Iberian breeding species, inland sites in the hills are best.

 

[brooke65]

Your information is so helpful. I'm really appreciative. I'm new to this forum and so happy to have found it. I love your cock of the rock profile pic btw. thank you again.