Portugal - 25^th April 2007 to the 2^nd May 2007

by Mike Fox, Sean Murphy and Colin Murphy

This was our fourth birding holiday as a trio and this year we choose to go to Portugal for a week’s Spring Birding. We were based at the Pedras de Rainha apartments in Cabanas de Tavira.  

Arriving at our accommodation around 9:30 in the evening we decided that the best thing to do would be to grab a meal and have a few beers.

26^th April 2007 - Sunny all day with Temperatures around low 70 deg F

We spent the majority of the day birding locally in Cabanas which border’s the Rio Formosa Reserve. There were plenty of birds to keep us occupied. The lagoons held Whimbrel (pic left), Little Egrets, Sanderling, Kentish Plover, Dunlin, Greenshank, Turnstone, White Stork, Little Tern. The fields, orchards etc had Woodchat Shrike, Bee-eaters, Crested Lark, Zitting Cisticola, Cetti's Warbler (heard), Skylark, Serin, Sardinian Warbler, Hoopoe and Linnet. Later in the afternoon we decided to walk to the outskirts of Cabanas to have a look at a river we crossed on our drive in the night before. There were a lot of roadwork’s going on and consequently no pavements which made the walk a perilous one so Sean suggested we tried a path to our left. A new road was under construction. Along side the road there was a small stream which gave us an unexpected bonus Waxbill!

Bathing in the water were Serins, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Great Tit, House Sparrows and four Waxbills. Mike also added a Spotless Starling which Sean and I missed.

27^th April 2007 - Sunny all day with Temperatures around low 70 deg F

We started the day with a pre breakfast wander by the lagoons and added Bar-tailed Godwit and Knot (pics below) to our list. 

After breakfast we headed for Castro Marim which was about a thirty minute drive. On route we made a couple of birding stops for the numerous White Storks in the fields, flying and on nests (pic below). There were plenty of Cattle Egrets and Corn Buntings around plus Southern Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrikes, Black-winged Stilts, Montagu's Harrier etc. Mike again found three Spotless Starlings sitting on a TV aerial so Sean and I could add them to our list (pic below). Around the saltpans at Castro Marim we added Purple Heron, Stonechat, Cormorant, Marsh Harrier, Coot, Common Sandpiper, Kestrel, Sand Martin and two very obliging Spoonbills (pic below). We also had stunning views of a male Montagu's Harrier quartering the marsh. On our way back we decided to have a look at Monte Gordo. Sean saw a  sign for a Nature Reserve so we gave that a try. It was mainly coniferous trees and we added Chaffinch. About three hundred yards along the path we found Crested Tits flitting around in the trees which included a family of two adults with three youngsters begging for food.

28^th April 2007 - Sunny all day with Temperatures around low 70 deg F

Today we headed for Montenegro to have a look around the saltpans near the airport. This was a little disappointing with very few birds in evidence. Our only additions were Reed Bunting and Yellow Wagtail. While having a spot of lunch a waiter told us of the fairly recently created Rio Formosa natural park at Quinta de Marim. We headed back along the N125 past Olhao and it was clearly signposted on our right. The park has Pine woodland, Salinas, reed beds, salt Marsh, freshwater pond, orchards etc. It was quite late in the afternoon so we only spent about an hour and a half there, covering about a third of the park. Here we found our first Azure-winged Magpies and Little Grebe, Gadwall, Black-headed Gull, White Storks, Grey Plover, Hoopoe (pic below), Dunlin and Black winged Stilts.

29^th April 2007 - Sunny all day with Temperatures around low 70 deg F

Today we decided to try for the Bustards so Mike undertook the long round trip drive up to Castro Verde across to Mertola and back down to Castro Marim. It was an eventful journey. On one of our stop offs Mike nearly trod on a Red-legged Partridge we also saw Short-toed Eagle, Azure-winged Magpies, Wren, Nightingale and Southern Grey Shrike. While we were standing there around fifty Fiat 500’s drove past tooting their horns and all the occupants waving to us (at least that is what I thought they were doing). Further along the road we passed a similar number of Citron CV’s who were less noisy. When we reached Castro Verde we had a lot of trouble finding the road to Mertola due to road closures for the car rally. Eventually we were on our way again and at couple of our stop offs we added Red-rumped Swallow, Carrion Crow, Black-eared Wheatear, plenty of White Storks and a few Bee-eaters. The Convent at Mertola has a breeding population of Lesser Kestrels of which we saw about half a dozen. Jackdaw was also added here. As you can guess with no mention of them so far, we missed out on the Great and Little Bustards.

30^th April 2007 - Weather variable, sunny with cloudy patches - low 70’s again

Today we went back to the Rio Formosa Natural Park to give it the attention it deserved. The first birds we saw after paying out 1.50 Euro entry fee were five Waxbills. There have been sightings of Masked Weaver but we were unable to locate them. We had an excellent day there with plenty of Azure-winged Magpies, Hoopoe's, Zitting Cisticola, White Storks, Grey Plover (in full breeding plumage, pic left), Kentish Plover and Black winged Stilts. We were also very fortunate to see a flock of 300+ feeding/roosting Red Knot on one of the lagoons. We also had a good view of their emblem bird Purple Swamp Hen. The Reserve is a must for anyone visiting.

1^st May 2007 - A bit cooler than previous days but still dry and sunny at times - Temp late 60’s F.

This was our last day’s birding as we would be leaving early the next day so we went back to Castro Marim and Monte Gordo. 

Again we saw a lot of the birds we encountered on our previous visit and added Little Ringed Plover, Avocet and Cuckoo (Heard). Stunning views of male Montagu's Harrier again. At Monte Gordo we ventured more into the park and found a freshwater pool that was pretty much devoid of life but did see another Purple Swamp Hen. We added just two new birds to our list but they were Short-toed Treecreeper and Golden Oriole. Again, this place is well worth a visit.

Systematic List

Little Grebe                              Rio Formosa Natural Park

Cormorant                                 Castro Marim

Little Egret    (pic right)           Any Suitable Habitat

Cattle Egret                              Everywhere

Purple Heron                             Castro Marim

White Stork                              Everywhere

Spoonbill                                  Castro Marim

Mallard                                     Everywhere

Gadwall                                     Rio Formosa Natural Park

Short-toed Eagle                       on route to Castro Verde

Marsh Harrier                           Castro Marim

Montagu's Harrier                     Castro Marim

Kestrel                                      Castro Marim

Lesser Kestrel                           Mertola

Red-legged Partridge                 on route to Castro Verde

Purple Swamp Hen                     Rio Formosa Natural Park, Monte Gordo

Moorhen                                   Any Suitable Habitat

Coot                                         Any Suitable Habitat

Ringed Plover                            Rio Formosa

Little Ringed Plover                   Castro Marim

Grey Plover                               Cabanas, Rio Formosa

Turnstone                                 Cabanas, Tavira, Rio Formosa

Whimbrel                                 Cabanas

Bar-tailed Godwit                     Cabanas

Common Sandpiper                    Rio Formosa

Redshank                                  Rio Formosa

Greenshank                               Tavira, Cabanas

Knot                                         Rio Formosa, Cabanas

Dunlin                                       Any Suitable Habitat

Sanderling                                 Cabanas

Avocet                                      Castro Marim

Black-winged Stilt (pic right)     Any Suitable Habitat   

Yellow-legged Gull                     Everywhere

Black-headed Gull                      Faro

Little Tern                                Cabanas, Castro Marim

Collared Dove                            Everywhere

Cuckoo                                      Castro Marim

Swift                                        Everywhere

Bee-eater                                  Everywhere

Hoopoe                                      Everywhere

Crested Lark                             Everywhere

Skylark                                    Cabanas

Sand Martin                              Castro Marim

Swallow                                    Everywhere

Red-rumped Swallow                  on route to Mertola

Yellow Wagtail                          Rio Formosa, Faro

Pied Wagtail                             Castro Marim

Woodchat Shrike                      Everywhere

Southern Grey Shrike               Castro Marim, Castro Verde

Golden Oriole                           Monte Gordo

Spotless Starling                      Everywhere

Jay                                          Cabanas, Rio Formosa

Azure-winged Magpie                Everywhere

Magpie                                     Everywhere

Jackdaw                                   Mertola

Carrion Crow                             Mertola

Wren                                        on route to Castro Verde

Cetti's Warbler                         Castro Marim

Zitting Cisticola                         Everywhere

Sardinian Warbler                     Everywhere

Black eared Wheatear               on route to Mertola

Stonechat                                  Everywhere

Nightingale                                Heard most places, seen Mertola

Blackbird                                  Everywhere

Crested Tit                               Monte Gordo

Great Tit                                   Everywhere

Short toed Treecreeper             Monte Gordo

House Sparrow                          Everywhere

Chaffinch                                  Everywhere

Serin                                        Everywhere

Greenfinch                                Everywhere

Goldfinch                                  Everywhere

Linnet                                       Everywhere

Corn Bunting                              Everywhere

Reed Bunting                             Faro

Waxbill                                    Cabanas, Rio Formosa