Another brilliant trip down to the Algarve … Strange to think within a few hours from home in Pickering, North Yorkshire you can be watching Bee-eaters, Alpine Swifts, Hoopoes,Nightingales, Montagu’s Harriers, Black winged Stilts and a host of other brilliant birds. Again based in Carvoeiro my birding mate Graham and I had a great week.
We saw 119 species which was not to shabby at all. With some great sightings including Black -Shouldered Kite which was a first for Graham – he was, as they say in this part of Yorkshire ‘Mightily Chuffed!!’ We also racked up a nice rarity for the Algarve which was a Whiskered Tern at Salgados Marsh. Apparently they only get 2 0r 3 records a year. As the old saying goes right place right time!!
Our score for the week could have been substantially better – however, we saw very few waders which was a little disappointing. I suspect that we were slightly late for the wader passage. But it shows with a bit of planning 130- 150 birds is quite easily attainable in just a weeks birding.
Sites we visited included Salgados Marsh, Alvor Marsh, Quinta da Lago area and the Alentejo area around Castro Verde. As usual I’m just posting some of the star birds we saw on our trip, rather than a day to day account. If you want any specific information on any of the sites regarding access/location etc. Please don’t hesitate to drop me an e-mail.
