birding...

The Azores are a group of nine islands that form a semi-autonomous part of Portugal. They are situated in the northern Atlantic west of Portugal, roughly one third of the distance to North America. The islands are in three groups – Flores and Corvo in the west, a central group consisting of Faial, Sao Jorge, Graciosa, Terceira and Pico, and Sao Miguel and Santa Maria in the east. The most developed islands are Sao Miguel and Terceira, and to a lesser extent Faial.

Transport between the islands is straightforward except in the winter months when schedules are frequently disrupted by the weather. All the islands have airfields, with flights to Lisbon and a few other international sites departing from Terceira and Sao Miguel. Inter-island flights are operated by TAP and SATA. Ferries operate within the central group year-round and more extensively in the summer season. There are direct flights to The Azores from Scandinavia but mostly flights involve changing in Lisbon, sometimes involving an overnight stay. During the main tourist season at least it is possible to fly between The Azores and Madeira.

The islands attract birders for four main reasons. Firstly, being so much nearer America than continental Europe, and Britain of course, the islands have an excellent record for attracting trans-Atlantic vagrants, especially water birds. One site, a disused coastal quarry at Cabo da Praia on Terceira, has an unrivalled reputation as the best western Palaearctic site for American waders, and birds have been found at many other sites. American birds tend to be found throughout the autumn and often stay for the winter. Secondly, the islands host healthy numbers of breeding seabirds such as Cory's Shearwater and Roseate Tern, and the colonies have recently been found to harbour individuals of highly sought after species such as Sooty Tern, Red-billed Tropicbird and even Bermuda Petrel. Thirdly, large numbers of migrating sea-birds can be seen, especially in late August and September. And fourthly, there is one Azorean endemic, the Azores Bullfinch, which is found in one area of forest at the eastern end of Sao Miguel; there are also endemic subspecies of several species such as Goldcrest, Grey Wagtail and Chaffinch, amongst others.

Being at the junction of three continental plates the islands are subjected to volcanic activity and earthquakes. The resulting landscape is often spectacular, and the site of the fairly recent eruption at Capelhinos, the western tip of Faial, is particularly memorable, as is the area of caldeiras and crater lakes in central Flores.

Prices on the islands are comparable with mainland Portugal. Roads are generally good, and there is a wide variety of accommodation available. The main tourist season finishes in September, when the weather becomes less settled.