We soon reached the lake and once ensconced in hide were enjoying good views of Little Bittern, Little Grebe, Red-crested Pochard, Gadwall, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot and Purple Gallinule. Swallow and House Martin were hawking over the lake along with Little Tern and several Blue-headed Yellow Wagtails inhabited the small islands. In the pines adjacent to the lake were, Goldfinch, Serin, Waxbill and Cetti’s Warbler could be heard and seen. We continued from the hide towards Ludo Farm with good views across the marsh. The pine woodland here contained Short-toed Treecreeper, Goldfinch, Serin, Corn Bunting and Waxbill.

Emerging from the woodland we were soon walking between saltpans towards the farm. Kentish Plover, Sanderling, Dunlin and Black-winged Stilts lined the edges of the pans. Bee-eaters sat calling from the telegraph wires and Turtle Doves purred from the scrub nearby. In the distance a Black Kite circled and moved towards the coast and below a White Stork adjusted its nest material in a large tree behind one of the saltpans. It was hard to believe we were so close to the Airport, but we were frequently reminded as flights descended towards Faro.

We passed the farm without incident and were soon looking across Ludo Farm Lake. Here we saw our first Great Crested Grebe and was soon treated to the unmistakable sound of Great Reed Warbler singing in the distance. We continued to the Quarry but then retraced our steps back towards Quinta do Lago.

It had been another long day and we were now ready for our evening meal. We broke the journey back to Burgau by stopping at the restaurant ‘A’ Oficina Petisqueira in Mexilhoeira Grande. This second meal here confirmed its excellence and gave a perfect end to the day.

Recorded Birds :- Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Purple Heron, Little Bittern, Mallard, Gadwall, Red-Crested Pochard, Moorhen, Coot, Purple Gallinule, Black-winged Stilt, Grey Plover, Kentish Plover, Sanderling, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Bee-Eater, Yellow-legged Gull, Black-headed & Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Tern, Great Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Fan-tailed Warbler, Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Yellow Wagtail, Cetti’s Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Fan-tailed Warbler, Azure-winged Magpie, Swallow, House Martin, Serin, Goldfinch, Common Waxbill, Short-toed Treecreeper, Corn Bunting.

Saturday 12 May 2001

Alentejo Plains (Ourique - Castro Verde - Viseus - Guerreiro – Figuerrinha - Penilhos – Joao Serra)

As usual we had an early start hoping to arrive about 08:00 hours, but after missing the turn for the IP1 we were slightly delayed. However shortly after eight we were soon amongst ‘The Plains’ and enjoying excellent views of Montagu’s Harrier, Woodchat Shrike, Hoopoe and a new bird for the trip, a Night Heron. This was seen flying as we travelled from Santa Barbara de Padroes towards Viseus. We stopped by a small bridge for breakfast and watched Common Kestrel, Red-rumped Swallow, Swallow, Common Cuckoo, Stonechat and Corn Bunting as the sun began to rise burning off a slight mist that hung over the fields.

We carried on past Viseus to Conroy’s pond where we were greeted by a Great Bustard, which flew directly in front of us just as we stopped. This was one of our target birds for today so this was a good start. Looking beyond the pond we picked up another two Great Bustards soon identified as a male and a female. We stayed by the pond for some time watching Collared Pratincole, Black-winged Stilt, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Little Ringed Plover and Crested Lark. Continuing on the same route as before through Penilhos and Joao Serra we again saw White Stork, Spanish Sparrow and another Little Bustard in flight.

Our next destination was up the east side of the River Guadiana through remote savannah country to the spectacular waterfall at Pulo do Lobo. Here the might of the river is forced through a gorge only metres wide. The valley here is very wild and the rock formations stupendous. Once on the road to Corte Gafo de Cima we soon stopped to watch a pair of Calandra Lark a short way from the road. I was surprised at their size and was much impressed by these birds, which before I had only seen at a distance. We stopped in the village for an ice cream as the temperature was rapidly rising and dinner seemed far away. This was our first stop for a Magnum, which was to become routine for the rest of our stay in Portugal. We continued northwards through Amendoeira stopping at a clearing at the side of the road where we heard Woodlark. We had trouble locating this bird but the call was unmistakable. Montagu’s Harriers and White Storks were also still common on this stretch of the road.

Eventually reaching Pulo do Lobo for lunch we settled down at a picnic table to take in the views. Despite its remoteness there were two other cars here with sightseers. On the rocks not surprisingly was Rock Bunting and Blue Rock Thrush. A Raven soared above the gorge and Crag Martins hawked over the waterfall, a beautiful location on this hot spring day.

We decided now to return to Castro Verde in search of Black-shouldered Kite. Checking on several sites shown in Dave Gosney’s guidebook for Southern Portugal we continued on towards Entradas just North East of Castro Verde. However these searches were all in vain and the onset of a thunderstorm and heavy rain prompted us to return early.

Our return journey took us past Pera again so it was too tempting not to call and check out the marsh, which had already been so productive. As usual there was a good selection of herons, egrets, waders and ducks but the only new bird was a Greenshank.

We stayed only half an hour; our previous meals had only been snacks so we could not resist calling again at the restaurant ‘A’ Oficina Petisqueira in Mexilhoeira Grande. These evening meals were certainly a highlight of the holiday and provided a fitting end to a good day’s birding.

The Plains and Pulo do Lobo

Recorded Birds :- White Stork, Night Heron, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Montagu’s Harrier, Kestrel, Red-legged Partridge, Little Ringed Plover, Black-winged Stilt, Little Bustard, Great Bustard, Cuckoo, Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Collared Pratincole, Calandra Lark, Woodlark, Crested Lark, Tawny Pipit, Red-rumped Swallow, Swallow, Crag Martin, Stonechat, Blue Rock Thrush, Black-eared Wheatear, Great Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Nightingale, Raven, Spanish Sparrow, Rock Bunting, Corn Bunting.

Pera Marsh

Recorded Birds :- Little Grebe, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Mallard, Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard, Pochard, Purple Gallinule, Moorhen, Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Greenshank, Turnstone, Sanderling, Dunlin, Yellow-legged Gull, Swallow, House Martin, Fan-tailed Warbler.

Sunday 13 May 2001

West Coast :- Carrapateira, Borderia, Aljezur, Marmalette, Casais Oak Woodland, Odelouca Valley & Quinta da Rocha.

Leaving at 06:30 hours we headed for the ‘West Coast’ to have another look at an area we had found on Monday just north of Carrapateira. The track here leads off to the left about ½ mile north of the village. There is a small stream and pine wood adjacent leading towards a farm.

As previously we were soon listening to Nightingale, Cetti’s Warbler and for the first time had good views of Melodious Warbler. Cirl Bunting again was easy to find and Bee – Eaters were everywhere. No new birds were discovered so we continued on up the coast.

At Borderia we turned right inland to try and find some cork oak woodland. In the next village we were soon looking at piles of cork, which had been harvested by the locals. We stopped at a couple of likely areas and at one had perfect views of a Nightingale singing and also several Blackcaps, which seemed to like this habitat.

We returned to the coast road and we were soon entering Aljezur, where we had an appointment for breakfast, Portuguese style. After coffee and pasties followed by cakes we were ready for the open road again. We continued north along the coast before we turned left on the road to Praia Amoriera and the beach. Returning along this valley we stopped to look back to the coast and had good views of a Peregrine Falcon. To our left suddenly a large raptor appeared gliding effortlessly around. Its pale underbody contrasted with dark carpal patches, which then led diagonally to the base of the body. The wing tips were dark with a broad terminal band on the under tail. It was gliding on flattish broad wings and had a distinctly pale grey tail. These features led me to believe we were looking at our first adult Bonelli’s Eagle.

Satisfied with sightings of one of our target birds we decided to head inland on the mountain road to the Monchique. I made the mistake of entering the village of Marmalette and nearly burnt the clutch out negotiating some of the steep cobbled roads. Eventually back on the main road we stopped by a cork oak wood, which had a good viewpoint. We had good views of Short-toed Treecreeper, Spotted Flycatcher and Blackcap here, but we were approaching a less productive time of day and it was quiet.

The main road led us past the Casais Oak woodland again so we were tempted to stop. However this was similar to the last site so we were soon moving on towards our second visit to the Odelouca Valley. Here the situation was improved and we were soon looking at Bee-eaters, Azure-winged Magpies, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Hoopoe and Kingfisher, amongst other more common species. As usual Nightingale, Cetti’s Warbler and Melodious Warbler were singing in profusion. However the heat of the day persuaded us it was time for our Magnum moment and visiting the local café I was pleasantly surprised to find a new species of Magnum, a Double caramel, a new tick for the trip. We drove along the valley stopping often to check the riverbed and surrounding fields. One bird that was proving elusive was Common Sandpiper, but despite it absence we spent some time observing the Kingfishers along this stretch of the river and achieved some good video footage.

It was time to start our return journey but we decided to call at Quinta da Rocha on the way back to Burgau. Apart from the usual waders, terns and warblers there was nothing new about, so it wasn’t long before we were heading back for dinner.

Recorded Birds :-

Little Egret, Cattle Egret, White Stork, Bonelli’s Eagle, Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Quail, Oystercatcher, Black-winged Stilt, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Curlew, Dunlin, Yellow-legged Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Little Tern, Turtle-dove, Cuckoo, Little Owl, Kingfisher, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Green Woodpecker, Crested Lark, Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, House Martin, Grey Wagtail, Wren, Nightingale, Stonechat, Blackbird, Cetti’s Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Crested Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper, Golden Oriole, Great Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Jay, Azure-winged Magpie, Jackdaw, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Serin, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Fan-tailed Warbler, Cirl Bunting, Corn Bunting.

Monday 14 May 2001

Castro Marim Reserve, Monte Gordo & Azinhal

The previous evening we had decided to spend a couple of days at Castro Marim Reserve and the surrounding area so we packed an overnight bag and set off early for the east. The motorway leads all the way to the Spanish border so by 08:00 hours we were nearing our goal. We turned off the IP1 for Monte Gordo and soon joined the N125 heading east. Within a mile we were turning left for Castro Marim and just before a bridge turned right along a dirt track towards the saltpans. We parked just right of the entrance to the works gates and had to wait for them to be opened before we could follow the trail anti-clockwise around the reserve.

Expected birds soon came into view Crested Lark, Little Egret, Woodchat Shrike, Black- winged Stilt & White Stork. However we were soon viewing about fifty Greater Flamingo and sixteen Spoonbill and new a bird for the trip a Stone Curlew. Other birds of note were Avocet, Collared Pratincole, Dunlin, Sanderling and Purple Heron. The path around the saltpans continued for miles, so we decided to retrace our steps to the car as hunger pangs were setting in and breakfast was the order of the day.

We made our way to Castro Marim and found a suitable café where we managed to order coffee and toast. This café was where Mike was introduced to the Portuguese kiss, a skill at which he became very proficient. Following breakfast we made for the castle, which we believed, had an information centre. Here we learnt that a new centre had been opened to the east of the town.

The new building was quite something with no expense spared. There was good viewing from here to a newly formed lake and wetland close to the border and the River Guadiana. This area produced Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Coot, Montagu’s Harrier, Red-Crested Pochard, Grey Heron, Gadwall and Little Ringed Plover. Dave Gosney’s guide had indicated that Lesser Short-toed Lark could be found in this area. Although it had now become quite windy, several small larks were singing close by. The technique was to follow these birds down to the ground and then try and identify them. This proved successful and we soon had Lesser Short-toed Lark under our belts.

Flushed with success we now made for Monte Gordo to look for accommodation. Here we soon found the local Turismo office and was provided with several addresses for Pensions. The first we found looked fine and after inspecting the rooms was satisfied they would be suitable for our stop over.

We decided to spend the remainder of the afternoon at a new site north of Castro Marim off the Mertola road at a place called Azinhal. Once through the village the road soon turned into a dusty track and we used the directions from the ‘Breeding Birds of Portugal’ as our guide. Our target birds here were Rufous Bush Robin, Spectacled Warbler and Orphean Warbler. The site consisted mainly of scrubland with dry riverbeds and patches of prickly-pear cactus. The weather was deteriorating and the wind becoming stronger. These were not good conditions for birding and limited our sightings to Kestrel, Quail, Corn Bunting and Peregrine Falcon.

We returned to the Pension and an evening meal. Our hotel was on the seafront and our balcony gave us sea views. The strong wind was bringing some sea birds in close and to our amazement we were soon watching Cory’s Shearwater from our balcony. There were also several Gannets, Yellow-legged Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gulls fighting to overcome the strong wind. After an excellent meal at the Pension we ventured out for a walk, but rain had now set in and the light was fading fast.

Recorded Birds :-

Little Grebe, Cory’s Shearwater, Gannet, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, White Stork, Greater Flamingo Spoonbill, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard, Montagu’s Harrier, Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Quail, Moorhen, Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet, Stone Curlew, Collared Pratincole, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Grey Plover, Sanderling, Dunlin, Whimbrel, Redshank, Dunlin, Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Tern, Feral Pigeon, Little Owl, Swift, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Lesser Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, House Martin, Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Stonechat, Blackbird, Fan-tailed Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Great Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Azure-winged Magpie, Jackdaw, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Serin, Linnet.

Tuesday 15 May 2001

Azinhal, Mertola, Mina de San Domingos, Serpa, Pias, Brinches, Beja.

Before breakfast we made for Azinhal to see if we could improve on yesterdays sightings. The weather had improved and we were soon looking at a variety of species including Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Golden Oriole, Great Grey Shrike, Turtle Dove, Azure-winged Magpie, Cattle Egret and Little Egret. We continued on a full circuit back to the main road, with further sightings of Nightingale, Woodchat Shrike, White Stork and Fan-tailed Warbler. In a small portion of dense shrub we heard the calls of Long-tailed Tits but were surprised by their appearance. These were Iberian Long-tailed Tits looking much browner than our English counterparts. Another new tick along this section was Sparrowhawk, surprisingly the first of the trip and taking our total to 149 species.

Following a good breakfast back at the Pension we headed towards Mertola to take us further north to Serpa. We were soon taking a road diversion east and then north following the River Guadiana with Spain on our immediate right. We stopped at a bridge crossing and were surprised to be looking at our second Caspian Gull of the trip. After passing through the castle town of Alcoutim we turned west back towards the N122 and onto Mertola.

We stopped for a lunch snack in Mertola but we were soon on the road again heading for Mina de San Domingos. For the second time we were hoping for Black-shouldered Kite and Roller along this road, but again we were to be disappointed. We continued on to Serpa hoping for a change in fortunes. Following directions from a previous trip report we drove the Serpa-Pias-Brinches triangle

This area was unexpectingly poor with little grassland or trees. Only bird of note being our one and only Eurasian Magpie sat on a farm chimney. The day was ebbing away and we decided to head back to Monte Gordo. To return to Mertola we had to pass through Beja a large town. Mike had taken over the driving by now and was about to have a small adventure. Rather than bypassing Beja we made the mistake of entering the town, not realizing there was only one way in and out. Mike spent a frantic half hour taking us on an unexpected tour of the town. It was only thanks to a taxi driver that we found our way out of the maze. The rest of the journey was uneventful and we arrived back at our Pension ready for another good dinner.

Recorded Birds :-

Gannet, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, White Stork, Mallard, Montagu’s Harrier, Kestrel, Quail, Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Caspian Tern, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, Little Owl, Swift, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Green Woodpecker, Crested Lark, Crag Martin, Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, House Martin, Nightingale, Stonechat, Blackbird, Cetti’s Warbler, Fan-tailed Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Golden Oriole, Great Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Jay, Azure-winged Magpie, Magpie, Raven, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Serin, Linnet.

Wednesday 16 May 2001

Azinhal, Vaqueiros, Martim Longo, Loule & Pera Marsh

We covered Azinhal again before breakfast and had some more new birds for the area. These included Purple Heron, Little Owl, Sardinian Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Great Tit, Stock Dove, Jay and Goldfinch. This was our third visit to this excellent site but unfortunately we did not find any of our target birds.

We returned to the Pension for breakfast and after paying our bill headed towards an area between Vaqueiros and Martim Longo another area highlighted in the book ’Breeding Birds of the Algarve’. This journey took us through Sentinela, Quebrados, Corojos and Estrada. Somewhere between Corojos and Estradas we took a wrong turning and got completely lost. The hills around here all look the same whichever direction you turn. The signs on these quieter back roads leaves a lot to the imagination and for an hour we went round in circles. All was not in vain however and after stopping at a river crossing we managed to find a Common Sandpiper a bird that had eluded us on several occasions. The same valley also produced a very confiding pair of Cetti’s Warbler.

Eventually we made our way back to the cross roads were we went wrong and got back on the road to Vaqueiros. This village had a small bar and provided us with our daily quota of Magnums and some drinks. It was now midday and getting rather warm. Once refreshed we carried on towards the area near Martim Longo which would give us another opportunity to find Rufous Bush Robin. At a sign indicating Ribeira de Foupana we followed the riverbeds upstream for some way but were only rewarded with Kingfisher and Little Ringed Plover.

We decided to cut our losses and head back to Burgau calling at Pera Marsh. However we had only travelled a short distant when Brian shouted “Large raptor to your right”. We piled out of the car and after a few moments realised we were looking at our first Griffon Vulture. Apparently this is a good area to see them as they come over the border from Spain sometimes in good numbers. This had made up for our other misses and we were in good spirits as we headed towards Loule. Once through Loule we were soon on the IP1 and quickly approaching Pera. We did not stop long at the marsh but was pleased to see six Greater Flamingo feeding here again.

Back at the villa we were in good time for a wash and brush up before taking the road to Burgau for our evening meal. Our target tonight was the Beira-Mar an English run restaurante near the beach. We had a smashing evening here and probably the best meal of the holiday.

Recorded Birds :-

Little Grebe, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, White Stork, Greater Flamingo, Mallard, Shoveler, Griffon Vulture, Montagu’s Harrier, Kestrel, Red-legged Partridge, Quail, Moorhen, Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Tern, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, Collared Dove, Little Owl, Swift, Kingfisher, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Crag Martin, Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, House Martin, Grey Wagtail, Nightingale, Stonechat, Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Fan-tailed Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Great Tit, Golden Oriole, Great Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Blackbird, Jay, Azure- winged Magpie, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Serin, Goldfinch, Linnet & Corn Bunting.

Thursday 17 May 2001

Budens Marsh, Bordeira, Aljezur, Carrapateira, Vila do Bispo

Decided to go to Budens Marsh again before breakfast, or as it is known locally Boca do Rio. The habitat comprises of marshy river valley, an old reed bed, scrub and some mature trees. As we drove to the marsh just west of Burgau we were surprised to see a Scops Owl on the telegraph wires. Little Owl was also common in this area.

Budens Marsh is a good area for Melodious Warbler and Nightingale and their song dominated the morning walk. There was a flock of Serin in a large tree and flocks of Linnet and Goldfinch in the scrub. Golden Oriole was heard and several Azure-winged Magpie were noted close by. One call that perplexed us initially was Iberian Chiffchaff for this was the only site to see them consistently. It was an ideal morning walk, producing twenty species.

There was only one place for breakfast now and that was the Café Brizze in Burgau with a ’Full English’ on the menu. After an excellent meal we headed for the West Coast as we attempted to find an old cork oak woodland at Espinhaco de Cao. This proved unsuccessful, but we did find one small oak woodland near Bordeira, with a viewable singing Nightingale. This was added to Bryan’s ever growing video snapshots.

Our next port of call was the beach road north of Aljezur River signposted Praia Amoreira This passes marshland, saltpans and sand dunes, with a good selection of typical species. The highlight of this second visit was a pair of Tawny Pipits on the road as we were leaving. We returned to Carrapateira for lunch finding a pleasant small restaurant on the beach road.

After lunch we explored a marshy river valley behind Carrapateira where a Purple Heron and several Bee-eaters were noted. We finished the afternoon by driving through the grasslands between Vila do Bispo and Sagres, stopping first in Vila do Bispo at a small café for our Magnum break. There is a maze of tracks in this area and it was easy to get lost. We were treated to good views of Turtle Doves as they walked along the side of the road and in the adjacent fields Short-toed Larks were in abundance. One bird that had proved elusive in this area was Dartford Warbler but again we were spoilt with superb views much to Brian Woods delight. We also had another bird under our belt as we caught up with Lapwing near the coast.

We returned to Burgau and the villa but not before visiting John and Madge Measures. They have a wealth of natural history knowledge and it was interesting to exchange information and discuss our exploits. They have written a book called ‘Southern Portugal, Its people, traditions and wildlife.’ John runs guided trips both in Southern Portugal and into Spain so is a useful contact if you do not have the confidence or experience to explore on your own. Their address is Quinta dos Almarjoes, Burgau, Tel No:- 082 69152.

Recorded Birds: -

Gannet, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, White Stork, Mallard, Kestrel, Red-legged Partridge, Quail, Black-winged Stilt, Lapwing, Yellow-legged Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Turtle Dove, Collared Dove, Scops Owl, Little Owl, Swift, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, House Martin, Tawny Pipit, Nightingale, Stonechat, Blackbird, Cetti’s Warbler, Fan-tailed Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Golden Oriole, Great Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Azure- winged Magpie, Jackdaw, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Serin, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet & Corn Bunting.

Friday 18 May

Mira Valley, Monta Rocha reservoir, The Plains and Mertola

The morning was to be spent looking at the two areas mentioned in the NatureTrek brochure. The first was the Mira Valley at Castro do Cola and the second was Monta Rocha reservoir to the west of Ourique.

This was my second visit and we were looking for Bonelli’s and Orphean Warblers. We were unsuccessful, but this a pleasant river valley with small areas of oak trees and cistus scrub on the higher ground. We heard more than we saw here; Melodious Warbler and Nightingale were in good song, along with Woodlark, Redstart, Cuckoo and Green Woodpecker. By the river we had good views of Kingfisher and circling above was a Common Buzzard.

We now moved onto Monta Rocha reservoir where our target was Black-shouldered Kite. Again we were to be disappointed but good views of Black Kite, Montagu’s Harrier, Sparrowhawk and Short-toed Eagle made it easier. The temperature was rising rapidly by noon and we sensed it could be good raptor day. After lunch we decided to head for Castro Verde and ‘The Plains’ and we were not to regret that decision.

As soon as we arrived at Rolao it was evident that we had made the right choice. From Castro Verde through Rolao, Viseus, Guerreiro, Figerrinha, Penilhos and Joao Serra raptors were abundant. In the two hours we stayed on ‘The Plains’ we observed eight Black Kite, one Bonelli’s Eagle, six Montagu’s Harrier, three Short-toed Eagles and the highlight of the day, distant views to the north of Black Vulture. From the size, shape and colour this bird was unmistakable. In May 2000 I had seen one in almost the same location. Along with our second Bonelli’s Eagle this was an afternoon to stay long in the memory.

We carried on east to Mertola and stopped at the bridge below the Moorish castle. John Measures had told us there were breeding boxes for Lesser Kestrel under the bridge but we were not to see them there. On the rocky steep slopes of the river we did catch glimpses of a Blue Rock Thrush and flying over a Raven.

Parking was difficult here so we continued over the bridge and drove into the Franciscan Convent where we were hoping to obtain some video footage of the Lesser Kestrel. The views from the Convent across the River Guadiana were spectacular but although we caught sight of one bird it was not possible to video. It was worth the visit just for the views and the interesting artwork inside the Convent.

It had been a long day and we had already covered many miles, but we still had a two- hour journey back to Burgau. Unfortunately it was time to depart not only the Alentejo but also the Algarve for tomorrow we were to return home.

Recorded Birds :- Little Grebe, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, White Stork, Mallard, Black Kite, Black Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Montagu’s Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Kestrel, Lesser Kestrel, Red-legged Partridge, Quail, Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Collared Pratincole, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Yellow Legged Gull, Feral Pigeon, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, Collared Dove, Little Owl, Swift, Kingfisher, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, House Martin, Wren, Nightingale, Common Redstart, Stonechat, Black-eared Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Blackbird, Cetti’s Warbler, Fan-tailed Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Blackcap, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Golden Oriole, Great Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Jay, Azure-winged Magpie, Jackdaw, Raven, Spotless Starling, Raven, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Corn Bunting.

Saturday 19 May

Budens Marsh, Quinta Da Lago

Before breakfast we made our last visit to Budens Marsh, and apart from our usual birds saw Waxbill here for the first time. We spent some time listening and watching the Iberian Chiffchaff, which again we had only encountered here.

Following breakfast we packed our cases and said our goodbyes to Casa Da Primavera and began our journey back to the airport at Faro. Our flight was not until 19:40 hrs so we did not need to be there until about five o’clock. We planned to spend our last few hours at Quinta Da Lago just a short distance from the Airport.

The holiday had produced new species every day, but today was to prove an exception. Perhaps it was punishment for leaving. Quinta Da Lago was enjoyable as usual but nothing was seen to add to our exhaustive list. We had managed a total of 156 species during our stay here in Southern Portugal.

We boarded the plane to East Midlands knowing we had not wasted one moment of this holiday and had many good memories to take home to Derbyshire. Portugal will always be a favourite destination of mine especially for the people, the scenery and the food but most of all for the great variety of birds.

Recorded Birds :- Little Grebe, Little Bittern, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Purple Heron, White Stork, Mallard, Gadwall, Red-Crested Pochard, Pochard, Quail, Moorhen, Coot, Purple Gallinule, Black-winged Stilt, Grey Plover, Kentish Plover, Whimbrel, Turnstone, Yellow-legged Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Tern, Feral Pigeon, Collared Dove, Little Owl, Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, House Martin, Yellow Wagtail, Nightingale, Stonechat, Blackbird, Fan-tailed Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Chiffchaff, Great Grey Shrike, Azure-winged Magpie, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Serin, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, Common Waxbill, Corn Bunting.