The end of September saw myself and the Mrs fly out to Portugal for a few days of Sunshine …. what a great trip it was with some brilliant weather and as ever some great birds too!!
Flying out this time was completely hassle free – no problems at all, landed mid evening and it was warm!!! The first birds on the list were Spotless Starlings with hundreds roosting near the airport terminal, we picked up the hire car and we were off!! Again we stayed near Carvoeiro about mid way along the Algarve strip: if staying at Carvoeiro, there are two important wetland areas which are easy to visit. In this report I have just included the highlights of what birds were recorded -rather than a day by day account.
one directly east which is Salgados or Pera Marsh.
one directly west which is Alvor Marsh.
29th Sept: Carvoeiro Lighthouse highlights included a distant circling Honey Buzzard, Sardinian Warblers in abundance, Serin and lots of Stonechat giving their short chattering alarm calls and back at the villa small flocks were constantly flying over as the birds flew to their night- time roosts.
30th Sept: a real day of surprises. This afternoon I had a walk around the local golf course – luckily no one was playing so it was very quiet. There were several Pied flycatchers that were great to watch and photograph: a new species on my photo list. Then a call that I had not heard for a long time – Short- toed treecreeper. Brilliant. Then it just went nuts!!! Another call high up in the pines and movement, a silhouette, a crest then the penny dropped Crested Tit!!! The adrenalin really kicked in now … would it come down … then another very close bird …. and another!!! Finally I managed to get some shots, another bird I hadn’t photographed …. What a great afternoon!!! And once back at the villa beers were being popped as I reviewed the images … a bit twiggy but a few images were sharp enough!! Suddenly, another call I wasn’t expecting stopped the editing …. Alpine Swifts!! I wasn’t really expecting these birds as I thought they would have migrated by now .. but no… about 100 birds were wheeling very high over the sea cliffs near the coast. A great end to the day.
2nd Oct: Today I had an afternoon trip to Lagoa Salgados: one of my favourite sites on the Algarve. It was great to see such a wide variety of birds in just over 2 hours. Salgado Visit 1 .. Birds included:Magpie, Grey Heron,White Stork,Flamingo, Cormorant,Northern Wheatear, Sanderling, Turnstone, Little- ringed Plover,Little Egret, Crested Lark, Coot, Black Headed Gull, Cetti’s Warbler, Green Sandpiper, Gadwall, Mallard, Common Sandpiper and Glossy Ibis.
4th Oct: This morning I had a nice flock of Spoonbill fly east down the coast; always nice to see. I had an afternoon trip to Lagoa Salgados and had a usual record; a Great White Egret it is a few years since I have recorded one on the Algarve. Salgados Visit 2 … Birds included: Teal, Little Grebe, Water Rail, Black Winged Stilt, Yellow Wagtail, Marsh Harrier, Ringed Plover, Pochard, Turtle Dove and Great White Egret.
5th Oct: Had a great morning … whilst having a coffee on the terrace this morning a large bird of prey approached from a westerly direction … suddenly it started circling but I could not get any detail – however the silhouette and size looked very promising. It was too small for an eagle … silhouette wrong for a falcon I knew then it was a buzzard then the flat wings dawned on me … a Honey Buzzard … by this time it was circling directly above me about a hundred feet and the camera was working over time!!! After looking at the photos I realised it was a juvenile bird – brilliant to see …. only problem it was 9:50 am I could not have a celebratory beer!!! In the afternoon I had a ride to Carvoeiro Lighthouse and I was very lucky to see about 4 Common Dolphin which was great to see. However, a number of commercial boats in the area were far to close to the animals which was distressing to see.
7th Oct: Another trip up to Carvoeiro Lighthouse a number of Wheatears were flitting around as were the Stonechats and then a bird I’d been hoping for around Black Redstart!! The bird was first seen flying around the out buildings, then it perched on a low wall near the the main building of the lighthouse itself flicking its tail the orange tail showing really in the low afternoon-early evening sun. However, the bird was too quick for me and disappeared around the back of the Lighthouse. Really pleased with this sighting, I headed back to the car and as I walked past some thick scrub I heard a very familiar ‘ticking’ call – a Robin … first one Ive heard on the Algarve for about 10 years .. and then a great piece of luck a Fan tailed Warbler showing right out in the open. What a gorgeous little bird.I went back to the villa a happy chappy!!!
8th Oct: Today I had a drive out to Alvor Marsh as I said earlier so lucky to have two excellent reserves within 15-20 minutes drive of Carvoeiro. As I approached the the reserve’s car park there were some very close Flamingos which gave brilliant views. Some great birding with the following new birds seen. Alvor Visit…Birds included:Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Snipe, Kentish Plover, Osprey, Dunlin and Audouin’s Gull.
9th Oct: another trip to Salgados this afternoon brought some new birds which were very welcome. Lagoa Salgados Visit 3… Birds included: Avocet, Pintail, Tufted Duck, Caspian Tern,Greater Black Backed Gull. It was great to see Greater Black Backed Gull as they are quite scarce on the Algarve, the Pintails were all female no males amongst them!!
10th Oct: this was one of those Deja Vu moments!! This morning we had to go on a supermarket run for some final supplies. However, I managed to get out of the actual shopping, I was merely the taxi … Lidl in the Middle or Birding… mmm difficult decision. Anyways, the supermarket has some fantastic agricultural land directly in front of the store – old pasture and some open ground too. Last year on my visit I had Black Shouldered Kite here … surely lightning does not strike twice?? I started methodically scanning the fields …Quarter of an hour passed .. then half an hour … and then… surely not. OH YES IT WAS!!!! A Black Shouldered Kite was flying straight over the field – what a brilliant bird: quite scaly on its upper parts suggesting a juvenile bird. It seemed to float past very leisurely, with a buoyant purpose flight – and I had no camera as I had left it at home.I followed the bird as it disappeared over the fields at the back of the supermarket!! Sadly it did not come back … for the two remaining days of my holiday I did come back to see if I could relocate the bird – this time I had my camera but no bird!!
11th Oct: Last throw of the dice to see if I could crack the hundred barrier for this trip so last visit to Salgados – and what a great trip!! The Flamingos gave a great show as did the resident Marsh Harrier. However, I was quite lucky when an Osprey came over and then I heard a strange grating call… loud and coming towards where I was standing, suddenly 3 birds came into view: Caspian terns !!! What a great time I had photographing these birds.
Salgados Visit 4 the following new birds were seen Purple Gallinule, Lapwing, Shoveler, Grey Plover and Bluethroat.
12th Oct: Well another great trip to the Algarve has finished. October can present some great birding … so if you can get your self here!! You won’t be disappointed!!
