Birding Report 27th March—2nd April 2007

Tuesday 27th March

Flying from Exeter again makes it seem a really short journey—just over two hours and in no time at all [once you have been through the rugby scrum of car hire!] you’re out in the wide-open spaces of the eastern Algarve. (A new car and the brakes were on steroids!)

After a quick trip for the necessary groceries, mainly liquid, we down the donkey track to show us some orchids. A nice surprise was the call of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker which then obligingly flew over and landed nearby. It had been around for a few weeks but we didn’t see it again. The usual ‘scared’ Blackbirds were in fleeting evidence — it took all week to get a pic of one. The orchids were beautiful, especially the Woodcock [see pics] and Mirror.

Bee, Mirror and Woodcock Orchids

After the photography session we popped down to Fuzeta [my favourite easy birding place] and picked up Black-winged Stilts, Curlew Sandpiper, Kentish Plover, Red and Greenshank, Grey Plover, Little Stint, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Ringed Plover, Turnstone, Sanderling, Common Sandpiper and Whimbrel plus the expected gulls, Cormorant and Sandwich Tern. Gannets could be seen beyond the islands. Back at Casa Rosa the Hoopoes were around; Barn Swallows, Swifts [common] and House Martins flew over, a group of Azure-winged Magpies passed through. Blackcap and Sardinian Warbler skulked around and Green and Goldfinch were in the garden along with Collared Dove and masses of House Sparrows. A pair of Great Tits and a Song Thrush put in a late appearance. I wandered across to the well to find an adult Barn Owl with a chick in a hole a couple of metres down. A great end to the day!

Barn Owl Chick.

Wednesday 28th March

We made the run to Cape St Vincent which took two hours mainly because I don’t bother to read road signs! It’s very scenic but also very, very windy - you couldn’t stand up! The seas are rough and there was no sign of any sea birds. We did have close flight views of Choughs and a pair of Black Redstarts but there was little else except Linnets, Rock Dove, Kestrel, Stonechat and Spotless Starlings. We drove back to the Pera Marshes which were showing much more mud than on our last visit but few birds. There was still a cold, northerly wind. The highlight was at least five drake and three female Gaganey. There were a least ten Purple Gallinule, a good few Snipe and Iberian Yellow Wagtails. Other new birds were Cattle Egret, Spotted Red Shank, Greater Flamingo, Moorhen, Coot, Ruff, European Magpie, Shoveller, Teal, Mallard, Black-tailed Godwit, Little Grebe, Little Ringed Plover, Gadwall and Zitting Cisticola. Back at Casa Rosa we saw a Wood Chat Shrike from the kitchen window. I also found a bright yellow Crab Spider matching its flower beautifully.

Spanish Sparrow.

Thursday 29th March

The usual visit to the green oasis - Quinta do Lago! It was sunny but still the cold northerly winds. No sign of any Warblers and not as many birds as we expected. The water levels were very high on the lake. We walked the full circuit through Ludo Farm and back along the coastal path. The highlight was two fly-over Andouins Gulls and a Red Kite. New birds were Serin, Crested Lark, Corn Bunting, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Red-crested Pochard, Cettis Warbler, Chiffchaff, Little Egret, Great-crested Grebe, Spoon Bill and a single Gull-billed Tern flying along the estuary. Calling in at the Ria Formosa reserve in Olhao on the way back there was a dearth of birds. The lagoons were devoid of water although the woodland was green. Not even any Waxbills but we did find a Robin!

Little Egret

Friday 30^th March

The obligatory trip to the Alentejo, which we really enjoy. Via Castro Marim and up the long, empty, smooth dual carriageway. It was still windy and quite cold but sunny. The bridge at the border had no Crag Martins this time but there were House Martins, Spanish Sparrows and Red-legged Partridges. At Mertola, after watching a lorry scraping all the new concrete off the very narrow bridge, we were fortunate to watch half a dozen Lesser Kestrels take to the air from the castle and soar above us in a blue sky – translucent and beautiful. There were also Rock Doves, Crag Martins, Jackdaws and a showy Little Owl. We then drove the minor road to Castro Verde and started seeing the Great Bustards. They see you first and walk away before flying if necessary. On the reserve were 50 plus – altogether nearly 70! It was a good day for raptors with many Red and Black Kites, an immature Golden Eagle, Hen and male and female Montagues Harriers, Kestrel, Buzzard and a probable Bonellis Eagle. Also new were Red-rumped Swallows, Calandra Lark, Southern Grey Shrike, Carrion Crow, Raven, Green Sandpiper and the first Wood Pigeons we have seen in Portugal. Not to mention a pool full of Marsh frogs and the ubiquitous Terrapins. A great day’s birding.

Lesser Kestrel and Great Bustards.

Saturday 31^st March

A grey, misty start with rain following! We drove to the Castro Marim reserve on the Spanish border where the rain turned into a deluge and the tracks into thick, sticky mud. At 10.30 am it stopped and we quickly climbed the hill. Plenty of Avocets and an Osprey on a telegraph pole. Then a last scan, a black blob and there was a handsome male Little Bustard! A Marsh Harrier distracted us and it had disappeared never to be seen again. We drove round to the salt-works and had a ‘purple patch’ – thirty minutes great birding. Only three gulls in the lagoon but one of them was a Slender-billed Gull. While watching it a Great Spotted Cuckoo flew over and landed on a nearby telegraph pole. At that moment three Bee Eaters chose to appear, circling round and landing on the wires. A few minutes later, around the corner, we came across a flock of Collared Pratincoles - quite approachable and swooping like giant swallows. Two ‘lifers’ in that short time! There were also Iberian Yellow Wagtails ,Short-toed Larks, Grey Herons, Common Sandpiper, Spoonbill, Bar-tailed Godwits and Pallid Swifts. A really good, enjoyable – in the end - day.

Collared Pratincole

Sunday 1^st April

A good morning at Mocarapacho market with lots of ‘bargain buys’ and a bit of ‘touristy’ wandering around – although this did include Sandwich and a Whiskered Tern on the Olhao seafront!

Monday 2^nd April

We escorted an American couple to Castro Marim. The young lady was very ‘jet lagged’ but Callyn was a keen birder. There was a passage of raptors but too high to identify. Fortunately a superb Booted Eagle was quartering the hilly part of the reserve. Then we picked up a partially hidden pair of Stone Curlew. These are stunning when they fly – the wing patterns are really striking. A Southern Grey Shrike posed for us and the other previously noted birds were there – except - of course, the Little Bustard! Also of note were Spotted Redshank and Little Stints. The Pratincoles were still at the salt-works – Callyn’s ‘best bird ever’ and we able to conduct a ‘master class’ in wader identification as there were so many species different to the American species.

Great Spotted Cuckoo.

Migration was noticeably late – cold northerly winds - no warblers, herons etc. The birds were arriving as we were leaving! Isn’t that what always happens to birders?

Another great week in a wonderful birding spot. I defy you to not enjoy it!

Graham and Judith Watson April 2007

Graham explains European bird-watching techniques the Callyn.