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A Report from birdtours.co.uk

One week Birdwatching at Tavira Algarve Portugal,

Alec Cheney

My wife and I had a pleasant time in warm sunshine mainly centred on the saltpans which are part of the ria Formosa natural park. We saw about 80 species of birds which included large flocks of migrating waders and some leaf warblers. We did not hire a car so were limited in habitats visited i.e. we did not visit any pine forests so had no chance to such birds as Azure-winged Magpie ,Crested-tits etc.

We were based at the Hotel Albacora (river view recommended) which was ideal for our purposes. We could bird before and after outings and we were only a few minutes away from the ferry to isle de Tavira.

Habitats explored

(1)            Hotel Vila Gale Albacora – Environs of hotel grounds & river banks plus salt marsh ( Daily )
(2)            Saltpans ( south of Tavira ) on left & right of road between Tavira & Albacora plus road to Cabanas (2 days walking)
(3)            Saltpans west of Tavira  upto  Santa Luzia ( 1 day walking )
(4)            Vila Real ( Nr Spanish border ) half day by train
(5)            Isle de Tavira – 10 minutes ferry from Hotel Albacora

Species seen

Cormorant – Common around the saltpans at (1)
Cattle Egrets – Seen from the train at Castle Marim  ( lots of birds amongst the cattle )
Little Egret – Common on all the saltpans
Grey Heron – odd ones here and there
White Storks – Several nests in Tavira and one at Vila Real. Birds seen flying nr saltpans
Greater Flamingo – about 50 birds (incl juv ) on (2) about 15 birds (4 juv ) on (3)
Mallard – Seen on several occasions (2) ( 3) & (4)
Shoveler – Large flock on (3) and also seen on (2) & (4 ) (from train)
Spoonbill – 10+ seen nr the Gtr Flamingos on (2) close overhead flight of 6/7 birds
Kestrel – Only seen at castle ruins nr Hotel Albacora .Only raptor seen throughout the week !
Avocet – Seen on all the saltpans. Large flock on (3)
Black-winged stilt – Common on all saltpans.
Ringed plover – All plovers common on all saltpans. ( Little-ringed also in ditches on the Cabanas rd)
Little-ringed plover
Kentish plover -  probably the commonest plover overall
Turnstone – common around coasts. Also few on saltpans
Sanderling – Common on sandy shore nr Hotel (1)
Grey plover – Common overall.
Curlew sandpiper – Small flocks feeding intently on saltpan pools, also mixed in  with the Dunlins.
Dunlin – common on all saltpans.
Little-stint – several seen with the dunlins.
Black-tailed Godwit – Sizable flocks seen on many saltpans. Many in full summer plumage.
Bar-tailed Godwit – Several seen in the ditches around the saltpans
Redshank – Common around saltpans
Greenshank – several seen on saltpans at (2) & (3)
Spotted redshank – Several seen on saltpans at (2) & (3)
Common Sandpiper – many seen in ditches around all saltpans
Green Sandpiper – Several flushed from ditches at (3)
Snipe – One flushed from a saltpan bank at (3)
Yellow-legged gull – Common overall.
Lesser Black-backed Gull – several seen with the YL
Black-headed Gull – many seen on the saltpan pools and on the river in Tavira
House-sparrow – very common overall. Large flock around the Hotel.
Spanish -sparrow- a couple seen at the Hotel.
Collared Dove – A few around the Hotel
Feral Pigeons – Common in small flocks overall
Swift – Several seen flying around tavira
Hoopoe – Single birds seen at (2) (3) & (5) a number calling in the fig plantation Nr Santa Luzia
Crested lark – Omnipresent
Swallow – Common overall
House martin – A few seen at Tavira & Vila Real
Pied wagtail – Common overall
Yellow wagtail – a Blue-headed bird in full summer plumage seen in ditch at (2)
Grey wagtail – Several seen nr the Blue-headed
Robin – One seen at Hotel
Blackbird – Common overall
Zitting cisticola – Common overall, many nr Hotel.
Sardinian warbler – ditto
Chiff-chaff – A few seen in the bushes at Hotel
Willow warbler – ditto
Blue tit – Several seen
Great tit – ditto
Starling – Many seen (no Spotless, wrong habitat better in the pine forests)
Chaffinch – Several seen (mainly females)
Serin – Flocks around the Hotel and, elsewhere
Goldfinch – Probably the commonest small bird overall
Quail – Heard in fields at (2)
Coot – Many seen from the train nr Vila real. Small numbers elsewhere.
Woodpigeon – Many seen overall.
Black redstart – One (m) just outside hotel balcony.
Stonechat – Several males seen around boundaries on (2)
Long-tailed tit- One seen in Hotel bushes
Greenfinch – Several seen at (2)
Linnet – seen at (2)
Corn bunting – Many seen on bushes & trees in fields nr (2)
Stone Curlew – Four seen flying on Isle de Tavira (5) also one seen landing .
Gadwall – one pair seen from the train on water nr Vila Real
Oystercatcher – Many seen around the shore lines.
Sandwich tern – One seen fishing close to beach at (5) also others seen in the estuary.
Meadow pipit – Seen in fields & Bushes at (2)
Water pipit – One seen walking along the edge of saltpan at (2)
Sand martin – One seen on our last day at (3)
Whimbrel – Single birds seen daily on shoreline nr the Hotel.
Curlew – One bird seen on saltpan at (3)
Redstart – One seen on last day at (3)
Stock Dove – Several seen on (2)
Dunnock – A few seen around the Hotel.
Knot – One saw on shoreline nr the Hotel.

 

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