What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New profile posts
New review items
Latest activity
Forums
New posts
Search forums
Gallery
New media
New comments
Search media
Reviews
New items
Latest content
Latest reviews
Latest questions
Brands
Search reviews
Opus
Birds & Bird Song
Locations
Resources
Contribute
Recent changes
Blogs
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
ZEISS
ZEISS Nature Observation
The Most Important Optical Parameters
Innovative Technologies
Conservation Projects
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
BirdForum is the net's largest birding community dedicated to wild birds and birding, and is
absolutely FREE
!
Register for an account
to take part in lively discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Forums
Birding
Vacational Trip Reports
Portugal 2008 – Another Twitch Up The Algarve
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Mick Sway" data-source="post: 1312101" data-attributes="member: 15566"><p><strong>PORTUGAL OCT 2008 - ALVOR AND QUINTA da ROCHA</strong></p><p></p><p>PORTUGAL OCT 2008 - PART 2</p><p><strong>Alvor Estuary and Quinta da Rocha, Sunday 5th and Friday 10th October 2008.</strong></p><p>The salt pans, estuary and Quinta da Rocha at Alvor, can be accessed from the N125, between Portimao and Lagos.When driving west towards Lagos (from Portimou) turn left by the Palm Tree nursery, opposite the sign for Mexilhoeira Grande.</p><p>Quinta da Rocha is a conservation organisation. During the tourist season on Thursday mornings, their premises (just off the main Alvor access track) are normally open to the public for a short talk about their work at Alvor and ringing demonstrations.</p><p>A visit is best avoided on a Sunday, since at weekends the estuary is a popular cockling destination for locals. The coming and goings of cars on the main access tracks can be frustrating, particularly if you wish to stop to view a bird.</p><p>On our journey to Alvor, both on 05/10 and 10/10, at the suspension bridge over the estuary at Portimoa, we noted several hundred migrating <strong>white stork</strong>. On 05/10, at the same point there was also, (in addition to the good numbers of grey heron, egrets and the gull roost) a large number of <strong>spoonbill</strong>. </p><p>Travelling the 1500 m or so down the lane to the car park, the track is surrounded on the right by orchards and olives and on the left by cultivated fields. Over the past few years’ commercial undertakings have fenced off part of the salt marsh, scrub and salt pans, restricting access to the tracks and unfortunately restricting the view points available to birders.</p><p>Nevertheless Alvor is still worth visiting, particularly at peak migration, although we were unable to repeat the excellent views of blue throat that we obtained on last visit two years ago, during the last week of October. On 10th October, all though warm and sunny, a strong wind was blowing over the salt marsh making even standing up straight difficult, and using the scope almost impossible.</p><p>Down the access lane to the estuary on both dates there were good numbers of <strong>little and cattle egret, jackdaw, feral pigeon and azure winged magpie. A kestrel</strong> hovered over the fields and a <strong>little owl </strong>was on a ruined farm building. Passerines on the cultivated area included <strong>northern wheatear, stonechat, whinchat, corn bunting and crested lark.</strong></p><p><strong></strong>At Alvor Estuary on both dates (though the tide was in on 10/10) we had good views, from the saltings bank of:</p><p><strong>Greater flamingo ( about 60), white stork, little grebe, shag, black winged stilt, greenshank, spotted and common redshank, grey plover, golden plover, lapwing, kentish, ringed and little ringed plover, oyster catcher, whimbrel, black tailed godwit, curlew sandpiper, dunlin, little stint, ruff, sanderling and knot.</strong></p><p>Gulls included: <strong>yellow legged, lesser black backed, slender billed, black headed and med.</strong></p><p>About 6 <strong>sandwich</strong> and two <strong>Caspian terns </strong>were present.</p><p>In the figs, almonds and scrub on the bank sides and on salt marsh, there were: </p><p><strong>White wagtail, meadow pipit, waxbill, serin, goldfinch, greenfinch, chaffinch, linnet, Spanish and house sparrow</strong>. A single <strong>nightingale </strong>and <strong>whitethroat </strong>were in the fig trees near the car park, along with numerous <strong>willow warblers</strong>.</p><p>On 5/10, on our way back up the track, on a fence, within a few yards of each other, there were male and female <strong>stonechat, whinchat, a juvenile woodchat shrike and a chiff chaff, while two red legged partridge were in the field</strong></p><p><em>Despite Alvors increasing popularity for wind and para surfing and shell fishing, it is still relatively unspoiled and offers reasonable close access for viewing the birds.</em></p><p><strong>TO BE CONTINUED..........</strong></p><p>B <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mick Sway, post: 1312101, member: 15566"] [b]PORTUGAL OCT 2008 - ALVOR AND QUINTA da ROCHA[/b] PORTUGAL OCT 2008 - PART 2 [B]Alvor Estuary and Quinta da Rocha, Sunday 5th and Friday 10th October 2008.[/B] The salt pans, estuary and Quinta da Rocha at Alvor, can be accessed from the N125, between Portimao and Lagos.When driving west towards Lagos (from Portimou) turn left by the Palm Tree nursery, opposite the sign for Mexilhoeira Grande. Quinta da Rocha is a conservation organisation. During the tourist season on Thursday mornings, their premises (just off the main Alvor access track) are normally open to the public for a short talk about their work at Alvor and ringing demonstrations. A visit is best avoided on a Sunday, since at weekends the estuary is a popular cockling destination for locals. The coming and goings of cars on the main access tracks can be frustrating, particularly if you wish to stop to view a bird. On our journey to Alvor, both on 05/10 and 10/10, at the suspension bridge over the estuary at Portimoa, we noted several hundred migrating [B]white stork[/B]. On 05/10, at the same point there was also, (in addition to the good numbers of grey heron, egrets and the gull roost) a large number of [B]spoonbill[/B]. Travelling the 1500 m or so down the lane to the car park, the track is surrounded on the right by orchards and olives and on the left by cultivated fields. Over the past few years’ commercial undertakings have fenced off part of the salt marsh, scrub and salt pans, restricting access to the tracks and unfortunately restricting the view points available to birders. Nevertheless Alvor is still worth visiting, particularly at peak migration, although we were unable to repeat the excellent views of blue throat that we obtained on last visit two years ago, during the last week of October. On 10th October, all though warm and sunny, a strong wind was blowing over the salt marsh making even standing up straight difficult, and using the scope almost impossible. Down the access lane to the estuary on both dates there were good numbers of [B]little and cattle egret, jackdaw, feral pigeon and azure winged magpie. A kestrel[/B] hovered over the fields and a [B]little owl [/B]was on a ruined farm building. Passerines on the cultivated area included [B]northern wheatear, stonechat, whinchat, corn bunting and crested lark. [/B]At Alvor Estuary on both dates (though the tide was in on 10/10) we had good views, from the saltings bank of: [B]Greater flamingo ( about 60), white stork, little grebe, shag, black winged stilt, greenshank, spotted and common redshank, grey plover, golden plover, lapwing, kentish, ringed and little ringed plover, oyster catcher, whimbrel, black tailed godwit, curlew sandpiper, dunlin, little stint, ruff, sanderling and knot.[/B] Gulls included: [B]yellow legged, lesser black backed, slender billed, black headed and med.[/B] About 6 [B]sandwich[/B] and two [B]Caspian terns [/B]were present. In the figs, almonds and scrub on the bank sides and on salt marsh, there were: [B]White wagtail, meadow pipit, waxbill, serin, goldfinch, greenfinch, chaffinch, linnet, Spanish and house sparrow[/B]. A single [B]nightingale [/B]and [B]whitethroat [/B]were in the fig trees near the car park, along with numerous [B]willow warblers[/B]. On 5/10, on our way back up the track, on a fence, within a few yards of each other, there were male and female [B]stonechat, whinchat, a juvenile woodchat shrike and a chiff chaff, while two red legged partridge were in the field[/B] [I]Despite Alvors increasing popularity for wind and para surfing and shell fishing, it is still relatively unspoiled and offers reasonable close access for viewing the birds.[/I] [B]TO BE CONTINUED..........[/B] B (: [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes...
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Birding
Vacational Trip Reports
Portugal 2008 – Another Twitch Up The Algarve
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
Accept
Learn more...
Top
