Visit your favourite destinations
Western Europe
North America
Caribbean
Africa
Asia
Eastern Europe
South America
Australasia
Middle East
East Indies

A Report from birdtours.co.uk

Winter birdwatching report for Portugal,

Geoff Williams.

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.

We did do a trip to the Alentejo which took a couple of hours to get to. and also a day trip to Spains Coto Donana about 2-3 hours away.However the Coto was a big disappointment with hardly any birds at Acebuche[6 hides & nothing to see.]The bridge at El Rocio was slightly better but I found Faro marshes just as good,with Flamingos Spoonbill & Caspian Tern there and only half an hour from the apartment by car.

Selected list of birds seen.
108 species seen in total.

LITTLE BITTERN .1 ,23/11was a surprise as I thought they would all be gone by November.Flew out of reedbed at dusk Riba de Quarteria.
CATTLE EGRET & LITTLE EGRET common at Parque Ambiental.
WHITE STORK. A few at Parque Ambiental,Faro and Coto Donana.
SPOONBILL. Faro marshes.
FLAMINGO. Faro marshes & El Rocio.
RED CRESTED POCHARD.10 at water treatment works in Parque Ambiental.
RUDDY DUCK. 1 female at water treatment works,P.Amb.
BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE. 1 seen daily hunting near golf course & Parque Amb. in mornings & evenings,was the highlight of the trip as I didn't expect to see them in the Algarve. 1 was also seen perched on a telegraph pole in Alentejo.
RED KITE. 2 in Alentejo,Castro Verde/Mertola road & 2 in Coto Donana.
MARSH HARRIER. 6 Parque Ambiental.
HEN HARRIER. 3 ring tails Parque Ambiental.Watched from hide at dusk. 1 seen in Castro Verde area.
BUZZARD. Common at Parque Ambiental but worringly 4 found dead under electric pylons there,probably electrocuted.
BOOTED EAGLE. 1 or 2 Parque Ambiental.
OSPREY. 1 Parque Ambiental.
QUAIL. 1 Parque Ambiental.
PURPLE GALLINULE. A maximum of 18 seen on fairways at Laguna golf course.
LITTLE BUSTARD. A party of 17 on track opposite the village of Sao Marcos de Ataboeira off the Castro Verde/Mertola road,marked by a now faded 'Reserva Biologica' sign featuring a Little Bustard.
GREAT BUSTARD. 3 flew up together and disappeared into the distance,the same area as the Little Bustards.
WADERS. 21 species were seen mostly Faro marshes & the water treatment plant near Faro airport.
GOLDEN PLOVER. 60 at Parque Ambiental.
SPOTTED REDSHANK. 1 at small pool Bustard sight.
GULL-BILLED TERN. 1 at Parque Ambiental.
CASPIAN TERN. 2 or 3 Faro marshes.
SANDWICH TERN. A few at Vilamoura beach.
HOOPOE.Common.3 in apartment gardens.
CALANDRA LARK. A few in Alentejo.
SWALLOW. Up to a dozen still Parque Ambiental.
WATER PIPIT. 1 Parque Ambiental.
BLACK REDSTART. 1 around apartment and common in Coto Donana.
CETTIS & FAN- TAILED WARBLER. Common in Parque Ambiental.
CHIFFCHAFF. Probably the commonest bird around. 200 ca. Parque Ambiental.
GREAT GREY SHRIKE. Fairly common Parque Ambiental & Alentejo.
AZURE WINGED MAGPIE. Common, 51 counted going to roost at Parque Ambiental.
SPOTLESS STARLING. A few at Parque Ambiental & Alentejo.
WAXBILL. Fairly common at Parque Ambiental.
SERIN. Small flocks with other finches at Parque Ambiental.

OTHER WILDLIFE.
OTTER & POND TERRAPIN at Parque Ambiental.

To get to Faro marshes, as you come out of Faro airport its the first road on the left signpoted to the beach.The marshes , pools and estuary can be viewed on both sides of the road.
Faro water treatment works is by the airport and marshes.Coming from the airport turn right into the town of Monte Negro, in the town centre turn right again, going down hill all the way to the airport perimeter and then turn left onto dirt tracks to treatment works.You can view pools and the works through wire fence.
Parque Ambietal,Vilamoura is west of the marina,there are notice boards in english by the beach with a map of the park.There is an information centre open from 2pm till 6pm Monday to Friday on the road out of Vilamoura signposted to The Desportivo Parque.They have various info leaflets in english.

Geoff Williams.

Why not send us a report, or an update to one of your current reports?

Back to Birdtours.co.uk