birding...

Wryneck Jynx torquilla ©Sue & Andy Tranter http://www.suesbirdphotos.co.uk/

The Alentejo is huge; comprising fully one third of mainland Portugal, it is extremely sparsely populated and stretches from the River Tagus in the north down to the high, tangled hills bordering the Algarve in the south, and from the west coast all the way to Spain. The population is friendly and driving is easy, though as the distances are so large it pays to have a guide. For the wealth of top class birding it holds it is still surprisingly under-birded. Predominantly flat, gently undulating plains, covered in old Cork Oak forests and wheat fields there are however some surprisingly mountainous areas and the bird life, and nature in general, has a diversity that mirrors these changing habitats.

Though sometimes cold during the winter, during the summer the interior can become really quite warm with the temperatures reaching regularly into the 100’s; with rainfall rare for six months of the year, water is scarce everywhere and small dams abound in the constant attempt to keep livestock alive through the gruelling summers. If you want to go birding here between June and September it’s best to be an early riser, if only to beat the heat haze! However the Autumn and Winter are good birding periods and there are few places in the Western Palearctic to rival the Alentejo for the Spring Migration.

From October through to February there are many species that over-winter here from northern latitudes and massive flocks of Lapwings, Wood Pigeons and Golden Plovers abound in the interior while on the salt pans and rice paddies near the coast there is a wealth of waders and waterbirds in general.

That jewel in the Alentejo’s crown, the Spring Migration, takes place during March, April and May and it’s at this time of the year that the place really shines. With such a small human population, and little pesticide or herbicide use, insects and wild flowers abound, and there are huge splashes of colour across the landscape, reds, blues, yellows and purples all set within a dazzling green; it’s this, just as much as the warm, sunny weather, total peace and quiet and wealth of species which makes the birding experience here during these months a particularly memorable one.

Flagship species of the Alentejo include Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Stone Curlew, Montagu’s Harrier, Bonelli’s Eagle, Scops Owl, Purple Swamp Hen, Black-winged Kite, and Azure-winged Magpie amongst many others.