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Spain/Portugal in early Sept (1 Viewer)

meg2772

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Hello, I have one week of annual leave more than my partner this year, so would like to spend it birding in Spain/Portugal.
My main targets are roller, steppe birds (especially the sandgrouses, bustards and I would love to see a nightjar), vultures, great spotted cuckoo, Iberian magpie, woodpecker and other local specialties, then heading to the coast to try for a pelagic outing. I would love to see lynx so have booked a hide - nothing else is locked in other than that.
With work commitments the only time I can travel is end-August/start-September, I imagine it will be hot, hopefully still doable with early starts...

I’m looking for any advice or tips on my itinerary, and any recommended sites in these places. Also this will be my first time travelling solo on a trip like this, and so any safety/travel advice is appreciated as well.

Day 1 - fly into Barcelona, pick up a car and drive via Lleida, birding along the way until Belchite
Day 2-3 - birding around Belchite, then drive to Ciudad Real.
Day 4-5 - lynx hide and potential birding in region?
Day 6 - fly from Madrid to Faro, pick up a car and then birding in Algave
Day 7 - boat ride for sea birds, afternoon in Algave.
Day 8 - birding in Algave, fly out.
 
I love when that happens to me and I can avail of a few days of solo birding :) In Spain and Portugal is difficult to go wrong, there loads of great birding spots, I would personally:

1. Keep in mind that there are parts of the country that can be seriously uncomfrotable hot at that time of the year i.e. Madrid and around in particular.
2. It looks like you will be doing quite a lot of driving + a fly mid journey what will take nice birding time. Just one to watch.

For your target species, Extremadura sounds like the perfect spot (no pelagic tour, off course), but not at that time of the year.

Safety
-Thieves are known to operate in Barcelona airport targetting luggage of passengers while they are picking up rental cars. Make sure you keep your bags with you at all time, regardless what others may tell you. They are opportunitstics.
-Don't rent a car too small, ideally one with the body not too close to the ground, useful for small local roads that may not be in perfect condition...if you know what I mean.
-If in a city, use a covered car park. They are not expensive and you know your gear should be safe from thieves and heat.
-I find both Spain and Portugal very safe, in particular futher away of cities. Just don't attract attention or leave valuables visible, etc.
-Just general common sense and awareness goes a long way...how to excercise this depends on age, gender, etc.
 
I love when that happens to me and I can avail of a few days of solo birding :) In Spain and Portugal is difficult to go wrong, there loads of great birding spots, I would personally:

1. Keep in mind that there are parts of the country that can be seriously uncomfrotable hot at that time of the year i.e. Madrid and around in particular.
2. It looks like you will be doing quite a lot of driving + a fly mid journey what will take nice birding time. Just one to watch.

For your target species, Extremadura sounds like the perfect spot (no pelagic tour, off course), but not at that time of the year.

Safety
-Thieves are known to operate in Barcelona airport targetting luggage of passengers while they are picking up rental cars. Make sure you keep your bags with you at all time, regardless what others may tell you. They are opportunitstics.
-Don't rent a car too small, ideally one with the body not too close to the ground, useful for small local roads that may not be in perfect condition...if you know what I mean.
-If in a city, use a covered car park. They are not expensive and you know your gear should be safe from thieves and heat.
-I find both Spain and Portugal very safe, in particular futher away of cities. Just don't attract attention or leave valuables visible, etc.
-Just general common sense and awareness goes a long way...how to excercise this depends on age, gender, etc.
Thanks for such a detailed reply!

I have had a quick look at Extremadura now and it does look to have most of the birds that I would be targeting around Belchite, so I am wondering if that might make more sense to reduce travel and have more time birding.
However you mentioned it’s not the right time of year for Extremadura - would you say it’s less suitable than the north at that time? Or just compared to spring?

Very good tip on the hire car, I probably wouldn’t have thought about that at all and hired a completely inappropriate hatchback!
 
I think you may be a little late in the year for some of your target species - great spotted cuckoo in particular are very early migrants, and I'm not sure if there will still be rollers or red-necked nightjars around either.
The other steppe birds like sandgrouse, bustards and vultures will still be around if you can find them - as there won't be tall crops or grassland in the fields they may be easier to see at that time of year. Note that in Portugal you need to drive about an hour north of the Algarve to the Alentejo (Castro Verde - Mertola area) to have a chance of seeing these species, so if these are your priority Extremadura may indeed be a better bet (with additional chance of pin-tailed as well as black-bellied sandgrouse). Note I've had two trips up to Castro Verde area so far this year and still haven't set eyes on a bustard or sandgrouse - little bustard in particular are in serious decline - so as you have limited time you might want to look at doing a day trip with a local bird guide.
On the other hand it is an optimum time for pelagic birding - if you are still thinking of the Algarve, it is however worthwhile contacting some of the boat trip operators early on to see if they are offering any dedicated pelagic birding trips while you are going to be here. Most of their scheduled trips (outside of the Sagres Birdwatching Festival in early October) are for cetacean watching, and they won't be chumming for seabirds.
Of your other targets, Iberian magpie is closest to being nailed-on; although they're patchily distributed, they're easy to find and quite abundant in some areas. Iberian green woodpecker is widespread enough but can be tricky to see - if this is a priority for you, I'd suggest coastal pinewoods at places like Lagoa de Aldeia Nova.
Algarve in September can indeed still be hot, easily mid-30s, but there's little need to drive far off road so it's not necessarily too dusty. The far west is usually cooler due to the maritime influence. The main attraction at that time of year are migratory waders in coastal wetlands, plus raptor migration near Sagres - it is regarded as an great time of year for birding here, just maybe not for all of your targets.

In terms of safety, I really don't think you need to worry about Portugal, it's one of the safest countries in Europe - I can't comment on Spain but I think thefts from cars are more of a problem there (and Barcelona is another matter!). You don't need high ground clearance here as road surfaces are generally good, even small roads in the Alentejo - however there are advantages in renting a small (2WD) SUV style vehicle, as the taller driving position is useful for steppe birding where you're doing frequent roadside stops to scan for birds.
 
August to September in Spain or Portugal can get very hot, so starting early will help you a lot. Your itinerary seems well-structured, especially with the Lynx hide booked, which sounds exciting.

For bird watching places, Belchite and Ciudad Real are very good choices. You can see many steppe birds and vultures there. Algave is also a nice idea for coastal bird watching; it seems like an exciting place too! Since you're traveling alone, make sure to have all important things - like a good GPS, enough water, and maybe a local SIM card for your phone. For safety at night, stay in well-lit areas, trust your instincts if something feels wrong, and keep emergency numbers close.

To see local special birds like the Iberian magpie and woodpecker, it's a good idea to visit special reserves or parks in those regions. Also, if you can be flexible with your schedule, it helps because sometimes you might find unexpected sightings or get advice from locals you meet during your trip.

It looks like you have a fantastic trip coming up. Just go with the flow, drink enough water, and take pleasure in those early mornings when the birds are singing. And maybe this article can also give you insights: The ten most visited monuments in Spain | spain.info If you're looking for a personalized tour, I would suggest checking out this one: Spain Private Tours & Local Tour Guides Have a great time! 🍻
 

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