Monte Gordo, March 2023 (2 Viewers)

[DaveRi6]

Our first visit after a 3-year absence, cycling and walking locally from 12 to 26 March. We saw 100 species, albeit that one was an escape!

Notable (for us) sightings included Black-necked Grebes (five on the main saltpans), Ospreys (two on the mudflats from Vila Real harbour, one on the resting tower and one fishing for 30 minutes next to the main road to Castro Marim), two Glossy Ibis at Altura reservoir, two Collared Pratincoles on mudbanks from Monte Gordo station, several Caspian Terns here and there, Booted Eagle (seen twice over the saltworks entrance track), and a Black-eared Wheatear (next to the saltworks entrance track).

Our best individual location was the pine wood west of Monte Gordo. On the pool (‘Aldea Nova Lake’), there were six Red-crested Pochards (4m, 2f) as well as a Purple Heron and a Purple Swamphen lurking on the edge of the reeds. Nearby, Crested Tits, Short-toed Treecreepers and Iberian Magpies were plentiful. One day there, we heard some loud raucous sounds and at least two Green Woodpeckers began calling in alarm. We then saw a flash of red and blue, and a Scarlet Macaw appeared just above us! Sorry we have no photos, but hopefully the owner has now retrieved it. After that, a Great-spotted Woodpecker and Common Cuckoo were a bit of an anti-climax.

Unfortunately we had no Stone-curlews or Little Bustards at previous reliable sites.

Birdwatching from the platform at Monte Gordo station is much improved, as someone has cut down some of the vegetation. Binoculars OK for some good views, but a telescope even better. Numerous Flamingoes, Stilts, Avocets etc.

Good to see that cycle lanes are being constructed between Sao Bartolomeu and Castro Marim.

We know that this isn’t a general tourist website, but we can recommend three Monte Gordo restaurants - O Jaime, Vale do Douro, and O Tapas. All good for meat and fish dishes.

Also, Ruiz Bikes (next to Blue Parrot restaurant) is good for cycle hire (35 Euros for 11 days).

Dave Riley and Andrea Jackson

 

[Gonçalo Elias]

Unfortunately we had no Stone-curlews or Little Bustards at previous reliable sites.

Little Bustards have decreased sharply in recent years and are nowadays very hard to find in the Algarve.

Even in the Alentejo the population has declined and the species has vanished from many areas where it used to breed.

 

[jogresh]

That's a pity, is it known why they've decreased Goncalo?..

 

[Gonçalo Elias]

That's a pity, is it known why they've decreased Goncalo?..

In a way Yes. It is related to big changes in agricultural practices. change in soil use and high adult mortality.

There was a national census in 2006 and another one in 2016 and in just 10 years the population decreased by 50%.

A third census was carried out in 2022 and the results show that the decrease rate has accelerated and by now the species has vanished from all places that are not Special Protection Areas (twenty years ago it was easy to find Little Bustards wherever there was suitable habitat).

Attached is a chart with the European trend (source: EBCC)

 

[jogresh]

Jeez that's amazing. What specific changes? Presumably moving away from traditional shepherding. To what? Avocados?.. 😲

 

[Gonçalo Elias]

Mainly what we call "permanent cultures", which includes superintensive olive trees and almond trees.
In other cases cattle grazing has become the main activity, and of course causes a lot of damage on vegetation.
Hay is grown for feeding cattle and because hay is harvested in mid spring,many nests don't succeed.

This are the main reasons. Additionally, it has been found that many adults are killed due to collisions with power lines or vehicles. As the productivity is very low, these adult deaths are not replaced by new young and so the population has been decreasing sharply.

Some time ago I did a webinar about the present situation of the Little Bustard.
The title is "O que está a acontecer aos sisões?" ("What is happening to Little Bustards?").
I am afraid it's in Portuguese, but here is the link anyway:

 

[jogresh]

Mainly what we call "permanent cultures", which includes superintensive olive trees and almond trees.
In other cases cattle grazing has become the main activity, and of course causes a lot of damage on vegetation.
Hay is grown for feeding cattle and because hay is harvested in mid spring,many nests don't succeed.

This are the main reasons. Additionally, it has been found that many adults are killed due to collisions with power lines or vehicles. As the productivity is very low, these adult deaths are not replaced by new young and so the population has been decreasing sharply.

Some time ago I did a webinar about the present situation of the Little Bustard.
The title is "O que está a acontecer aos sisões?" ("What is happening to Little Bustards?").
I am afraid it's in Portuguese, but here is the link anyway:

Thanks for the info. I wonder if there are any biodiversity gains from the changes - it seems unlikely though.
Mike.

 

[Gonçalo Elias]

As far as we know, losses are far larger than gains and most farmland birds are decreasing at a fast rate.
This problem is affecting many other European countries.

Best wishes,
Gonçalo

 

[bella34]

Last summer we had a two week stay at a cottage just SW of Ourique, the lady owner told us she had a Female Little Bustard with chicks the season before and i saw a Female with 3 young in her garden so it seems she has a small population on her land which is nice considering the situation as a whole.
Her property was the typical Alentejo scene, brown earth dotted with Olive and Eucalyptus plantation, looked like the African Savannah to me.
On / over her property Little Bustard, Golden Oriole, Bee Eater, Hoopoe, Azure winged Magpie, Sardinian Warbler, White rumped Swift, Griffon Vulture, Buzzard, Booted Eagle, Swallow, White Stork, Black Vulture, and other Eagles i couldn't identify, either Golden or Imperial.
Also saw the Great Bustard, Short toed Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, a Mongoose ! and some sort of snake whilst out and about the Alentejo.
I couldn't believe how many storks were nesting in the trees around Ourique
Out in the fields near her place a ranger puts out a carcass for the Black Vultures to feed on and obviously this attracts all the other predators, there was a aerial column of easily 50+ circling birds all of the bigger birds mentioned above were in there, never seen anything like it, the wife said "i'm going to count them " she soon gave up .
Also did a trip to the Castro Verde Reserve but at totally the wrong time of day so saw very little, my fault for not getting up early enough, temp was 44 so everything was probably hidden in the shade somewhere.