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Portugal Algarve

Great-spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius ©Steve Blain http://www.steveblain.co.uk/

Birding The Algarve

Watching along the Algarve coast is focused on the Ria Formosa Reserve and the salt pans of Castro Marim, bordering the Guadiana River, which marks the border with Spain. While the West is now over overrun with tourists much of the Eastern Algarve remains off the beaten track.

Salt Marsh Natural Reserve at Castro Marim

Covering an area of 2,089 hectares, the reserve's biggest attraction is undoubtedly the large number of birds - especially aquatic birds - that can be seen there. There are 153 species to spot, including storks, avocets, sand pipers, mallards and the ever popular flamingos. Because the reserve is a permanent home to some species, a seasonal refuge for others and a migratory stopping off point for yet others, it offers ornithologists a constantly changing year round panoply of sights and sounds. A visitors’ centre at Cerro da Rocha provides documentation and guides to itineraries.

The Ria Formosa

Now a UN recognised nature reserve stretching from west of Faro to the Ilha de Tavira in the east, is important for numerous water-birds, especially beach-nesting Charadrius alexandrinus and Sterna albifrons and for wintering waders and duck. Over 20,000 water-birds winter regularly. The reed-beds of the site and salt pans at Tavira are important for several nesting water-bird species, as well as for large numbers of migrating Passerines during both autumn and spring migration.

On land, holidaying birders regularly sight Short-toed Treecreepers, the Azure-winged Magpie, Serin, Golden Oriole, Waxbills, Hoopoe, Sardinian Warblers and Nightjars.

Ilha de Tavira , an easily accessible tidal lagoon system, is home to Redstart, Melodious Warblers and more common migrants in the mixed vegetation in the dunes, which flood at high tide.

Barrill Beach, between Santa Luzia and Luz de Tavira is reached by a miniature railway for the idle or a 10 minute walk for the vigorous. There are many creeks – and the Canal de Tavira – where waders and terns are plentiful.

The Tavira saltpans can be accessed from the road between St. Luzia and Tavira, or viewed from the road from Tavira to Quatro Aguas, the town’s beach. It is relatively easy to find parking spaces. Species to be found there include Audouin’s Gull, Greater Flamingo and breeding Avocet. Excellent close views of waders and Spoonbillls are possible.

top sites

Sagres and Cape St Vincent

This is the most south-western end of Europe and can be exciting in autumn, when hundreds of breeding raptors move through the area.

contributor

Gerald Malone
geraldmalone@zoo.co.uk
http://www.yellowvilla.com/

useful reading

An Atlas of the Wintering Birds in the Western Algarve

M Bolton 82 pages, maps, line drawings. A Rocha Bird Observatory 1987
ISBN: 435
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Books, CDs etc

See the Fatbirder Portugal page for fieldguies etc. to Portugal or the Iberian penninsular as a whole...

Breeding Birds of the Algarve

GA Vowles and RS Vowles 364 pages, b/w illus, maps. Centro de Estudos Ornitol?gicos no Algarve 1994
ISBN: 0952376202
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Summer Birding On The Central Algarve

Written & Published by Jon Hardacre - 124 pages, colour photos, maps.
See Fatbirder Review
ISBN: 0955230209
Buy this book from NHBS.com

reserves

Ria Formosa National Park

http://www.manorhouses.com/parks/formosa.html
The dunes, the sand banks, the canals and the marshes run along the undefined line of the horizon, guaranteeing the Formosa Estuary in the Algarve its role as one of the most important points in the network of wetlands that links Europe and sub-Saharan Africa...

trip reports

Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com
The Travellingbirder.com birding trip report search engine guides you to 7,000+ birding trip reports on the Internet. You can search for trip reports from a specific country and time of year. Not all these reports are in English. So, if you can’t find the trip report you want on this Fatbirder page… give them a try!

2001 [November] - Geoff Williams - Winter Birdwatching

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/portugal/portugal12/port-nov2001.htm
We stayed at Oasis Village in Vilamoura,which turned out to be a brilliant place for birdwatching. With a recently created nature reserve The Parque Ambiental in the Riba de Quarteria marshes & Laguna golf course area. It has a hide overlooking a pool with others planned. I could have happily spent the whole week there and wouldn`t have needed a car as the apartment was in walking distance...

2002 [October] - Hans Schick

http://www.ornithos.de/Ornithos/Trip_Reports/Portugal_Algarve2002/Portugal2002_Excursions.htm
year I spent two weeks with my wife in the Algarve (Portugal). We arrived by plain at Faro Aerport. There we took over a prepaid car and drove to Carvoeiro, where we had booked a hotel with half-board. During the two weeks I had the opportunity to visit different landscapes of southern Portugal between the Guadiana river at the Spanish border and the Cabo de Vicente, the most south western point of the Iberian Peninsula. Birds were seen during hiking tours in the Serra Monchique as well as along the steep coast of the Atlantic. But also on farmland or in villages birds were observed. Most productive, however, were the saltworks of Castro Marim near the Spanish border, the Environmental Education Centre of Quinto Marim near Olhão, the saltworks of Ludo near Faro Aerport, and the Lagoon of Alvor near Portimão...

2004 [August] - James J Packer

http://www.somersetbirder.fsnet.co.uk/portugal_web.htm
Booking a trip to Portugal in August was done with the usual expectation of picking up some local bird species on a few birding and other outings. The result was that the area was generally excellent, even in August...

2004 [January] - David Mason

http://www.realbirder.com/portugal.htm
Portugal is not like a conventional birding holiday for Amanda & I; we have now visited the Algarve 10 times since 1992...

2004 [March] - Hans Schick

http://www.ornithos.de/Ornithos/Trip_Reports/Portugal-Algarve2004/Portugal2004-Excursions.htm
From March 3–12, 2004 I spent 10 days for birdwatching in the Algarve (Portugal). I arrived by plain at Faro Airport. There I took over a prepaid car and drove to Praia do Ancão near Almancil, where I had booked an accommodation with half-board in the Formosa Hotel. From this base I reached the interesting sites between Portimão in the west and the River Guadiana in the east using mainly the coastal highway or the road 125. All these places I knew already from my visit in October 2002...

2004 [October] - Pat & Judy Hayes

http://www.realbirder.com/PortugalOctober2004.htm
Although we have birded in Portugal previously this was our first time on the Algarve . The Field Guides used were several years old and with the continued development of the Algarve we suspected that we would have problems finding our way around...

2006 [March] - John Durdin

http://www.honeyguide.co.uk/pdfs/2006Algarve.pdf
Honeyguides tour - pdf

2007 [April] - Honeyguide

http://www.honeyguide.co.uk/pdfs/2007-Algarve.pdf
Pdf

2007 [August] - Stephen Burch

http://www.stephenburch.com/trips/algarve/algarve.htm
This is an illustrated trip report on the birding and dragonfly highlights from a two week family holiday to Praia da Luz, Algarve in August 2007. With limited time available for birding etc, my focus was on connecting with my target lifers and getting some photos, not rushing around numerous different sites building a long list. Nevertheless, my final list was c. 70 species, which I didn't think was too bad for an August visit...

2007 [March] - Glen & Debbie Moore

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/Portugal/portugal23/portugal-march-2007.htm
...As we had arrived in the dark I had no idea what our local area was like so my pre-breakfast outing was a walk to get a feel of the place. Almost the first bird seen was Hoopoe, and Serins were singing all around. Within five minutes I had my first lifer in Azure-winged Magpie, which turned out to be common in the area. Already I was starting to like this place!..

local guides

Algarve Birders

http://www.algarvebirders.com/
From our base in Tavira in the Eastern Algarve we offer guiding services to birdwatchers and bird photographers visiting Southern Portugal...

Simon Wates

http://algarvebirdman.com/
Simon Wates is resident in Portugal on the nature-rich Sagres peninsula right at the tip of southwestern Europe. He can bring you in close contact with all the birdlife of this region – as well as its unique flora and other wildlife. Using personally acquired and detailed local knowledge his guided tours focus on revealing the more difficult species apart from the well known. Also available are day trips and short holidays to other areas in southern Portugal & Spain where your guide is equally at home...

places to stay

Casa Flor de Sal - Ria Formosa

http://www.casaflordesal.com/
Casa Flor de Sal lies in the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve and enjoys sea views and a seclusion. The 250 year old house has been renovated with true regional and historic features and atmosphere. Enjoy the sun, pool, and peace. Otherwise, the wonderful, long, sandy beaches and the birdlife of the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve are close at hand. The nature reserve is very rich in bird life and other wildlife, being the crossing point for migratory birds traveling between Africa and Europe...

Casa Geminada - near Tavira

http://www.twinvilla.com/
Self catering pool villa family holidays. Casa Geminada (The Twin Villa) is near Tavira in the quiet, unspoilt Eastern Algarve in Portugal, bird watching, clean beaches, waterparks, golf and other amenities kidney/renal patients, haemodialysis or P.D. arranged, wheelchair friendly too with specialised transport available for disabled visitors...

Casa Jasmin

http://www.casa-jasmin.co.uk/
Casa Jasmin is a stunning villa set in nearly an acre of gardens. It is located in an area of outstanding natural beauty in the heart of Caramujeira, yet is only a short drive from Carvoeiro...

Casa Redonda - Quinta da Saudade

http://quicksitebuilder.cnet.com/melaniecondon/melanieathome/id1.html
The Quinta da Saudade is a small British-run estate of privately-owned villas occupying approximately twenty-four acres about five miles west of Albufeira. Nestling in the peaceful country setting of an old hillside farm estate and set amid orange, almond and olive trees, the Quinta is about forty-five minutes drive from the Airport at Faro. There are attractive country walks in the vicinity and there is a wetlands nature reserve nearby with a wealth of bird and plant life not commonly found in the UK. Purple Heron, Little Bittern, Alpine Swift, Bee Eater, Red Necked Night Jar, Azure Winged Magpie and more...

Casa Rosa

http://www.casarosa.net/
Welcome to Casa Rosa a bird watching paradise in Portugal. In the peaceful rural Eastern Algarve, Portugal. Just 20 minutes from Faro Airport on the outskirts of the unspoiled historic old village of Moncarapacho, is the ideal base for a bird watching break...

Na Curva do Rio B&B between Portimao & Silves

http://www.nacurvadorio.com/
...a small luxurious rural Bed & Breakfast in a natural reservation. It is located in between the towns of Portimao and Silves on the Arade River. This river is a natural wild habitat for 50 bird species...

Quinta Dos Pinheiros

http://www.yellowvilla.com/
Quinta dos Pinheiros offers a peaceful family holiday on one of the few remaining unspoilt stretches of Algarve coastline in the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve. There are two family villas for rent located in 25 acres of - now unworked - farmland. Neither villa is within sight of the other...

Quintassential Holiday Cottages

http://www.quintassential.com/
Welcome to Quintassential where Rosa and Mike offer four delightful cottages in their old Quinta. Quintassential occupies an acre of hilltop 15 minutes from Faro International Airport and the coast. The property is south facing and is set in beautiful Algarvian countryside overlooking the town of Loulé with panoramic seaviews and spectacular gardens!

Vale Grifo, Western Algarve

http://valegrifo.com/birds.htm
This list is of some of the birds which have been seen in this area of the Algarve...

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