Wednesday 28th March - Boca do Rio
Initially today I wanted to go out and photograph some butterflies, but the strong winds and low numbers of flowering plants due to a lack of rain for some time meant that there were barely any to be found. I instead spent the whole day birding Boca do Rio, which I had visited earlier in the week.
Common Redstart
Walking up to the clifftop path, I kept an eye out and saw the usual birds I'd been seeing here, a look at an area of new development, where there was some lush greenery presented the first Common Redstart I had seen for 3 years. Again, Stonechats and Sardinian Warblers dominated the clifftops, and a Kestrel flew over briefly as I was photographing some wildflowers.
Another stunning Stonechat
Walking down to the valley produced the same scattering of birds that i'd seen two days previously, including the Blue Rock Thrush once again which this time allowed better views. Amongst the low coastal scrub near the beach I found a Tawny Pipit sat atop a shrub, I had to double check, but the distinct lack of streaking and larger size clinched it. Walking along the riverbank, I disturbed a number of small birds, as well as a Common Sandpiper, and decided to follow the river down to the beach to see what else was about. A Black Redstart flew down from the cliffs and landed a few feet away, so i sat and photographed a male and female that were coming to snatch titbits from the sand in front of me, along with a male Stonechat.
Male Black Redstart
I thought about wading across the river but decided against it, and instead slowly made my way back up, scanning the far bank and cliffs. Several more Blue Rock Thrush were noted, as well as a single male Ring Ouzel. Small birds were constantly flitting around on the far bank so i sat and watched for a while, the highlights being another Common Redstart, a pair of Linnet and yet more Black Redstarts.
Female Black Redstart
On the open grassland at the end of the valley were many hirundines, mainly House Martins (around 100 or so) along with several Barn Swallows and my first Red-rumped Swallows of the week. No bee eaters though! I tried to walk up the riverbank but the vegetation became too thick so turned back, but not before photographing a lovely wild daffodil (Narcissus tarzetta) and seeing a Chiffchaff amongst the bankside vegetation. My plan was to walk along the road at the back of the grassland to a beach cafe I'd visited before, as i had no lunch with me, but this road was closed. A look around a Eucalyptus plantation revealed a good number of Azure Winged Magpies, which i had come to realise were an incredibly nervous species, making it almost impossible to get a good photo!
Back down closer to the beach is a hillside covered in trees with a sandy area of scrub and dry marshland. This area proved to be an incredible migrant trap, discovered when i was attempting to seperate Chiffchaff from Iberian Chiffchaff, as there were small groups all over this area. I ended up birding this small area for nearly 2 hours, as there were warblers and other small passerines feeding all over in little willow trees and areas of sedge and rush. As stated Chiffchaffs and their Iberian cousins were noted, the latter being a lot paler but all in all very similar. Willow warblers were also present, and I did see a phyllosc warbler with an extremely pale green rump which i thought could have been wood or western bonelli's, but i failed to relocate it!!! Not the right habitat but it could have very well have just been passing through. Also in this area were several Subalpine Warbler, along with many other small birds, all feasting in small numbers amongst the low vegetation.
The 'Migrant Trap'
A Hobby was seen being mobbed by House Martins, before catching one unfortunate enough to stray to close to its talons, before being devoured on the wing! Incredible. After spending about 6 hours out and about with no suncream and a resulting burned neck, i made my way home the quick way up a steep road behind the cliffs, but not before picking up a brief sighting of a male Hen Harrier to top the day off!!!
Thursday 29th March - Alvor Estuary
I'd had a look on google maps before going to Portugal to see if there were any decent wetlands nearby, and most seemed to be the other side of the Algarve. However, a short distance from Lagos, the closest town to our villa, was an estuary which looked pretty inviting, so i insisted that we went there and thus dragged the family along.
The area we visited was a small nature reserve that had a path encircling and area of saltmarsh and saline lagoons, with the open sands of the estuary on the other side. It was a beautiful area and a fantastic sunny day, although very windy. The first birds noted were around 10 Greater Flamingo, a bird i hadn't expected to see here, all were first year birds, yet to get their pink plumage, instead looking dirty white with dark wingtips. A black winged stilt was also seen feeding in the same lagoon. Over on the sands a few little Calidris sandpipers were running around the waters edge amongst a few winkle-pickers. These turned out to be Sanderlings. Over on the salt lagoons, all was relatively quiet until a Redshank flew in, but it soon settled and was seen feeding for a while, along with a Grey Wagtail and a Little Grebe. A large number of gulls and cormorants were loafing on the waters edge on the estuary, including a couple of Audoin's Gull.
The path soon turned to the north, following the western edge of the saltmarsh, but in order to get out the wind, i concentrated my efforts birding the opening of the estuary and was happy i did. There were lots of birds to be seen, the most obvious being a couple of Mediterranean Gulls on the edge of a sandbank. While scoping these, a flock of around 20 Sanderling were seen, as well as a couple of Kentish Plover.
Kentish Plover - Alvor Estuary
Further scans revealed a Greenshank in the shallows, a flock of Turnstone and a distant Little Egret. A couple of Oystercatcher also flew in, later joined by a lone Sandwich Tern. As I wandered down the beach, i noted a Kentish Plover and a couple of Sanderling, feeding close by, and managed to get some good shots of these lovely little waders by hiding behind a boat.
Sanderling - Alvor Estuary
On the north path, heading back to the carpark, 5 Spoonbill were seen in the middle of the saltmarsh, a bird i've really wanted to see for a while, as well as a single Grey heron. Alongside the path were several Stonechat and a Whinchat was also picked up! Just before leaving a White Wagtail was seen in the same lagoon as the Flamingos.
Little Egret - Alvor Harbour
We made a short trip to the town of Alvor for some food and a coffee, where I saw the only Chaffinches of the holiday, as well as lots of nesting House Martins. Down at the waterfront in the harbour, a Little Egret allowed my closest views of this bird, and a Common Sandpiper was also seen feeding on the shoreline. Almost every field on the way back home contained flocks of Cattle Egrets, i don't know how i missed these last time i was in the country!
Common Sandpiper - Alvor Harbour
Friday 30th March - Praia da Figueira
I walked west from Salema on the friday, following the same route i'd done on my own 3 years ago. I knew now really what to expect from the area, as the habitat was largely the same as elsewhere and i had been constantly birding it for the last 5 days! However it was nice to be out walking in the sunshine, with spectacular views of the wonderful hilly countryside. There were loads of Corn Bunting and Zitting Cisticila about, singing loudly from every field, but i was really wanting to see a bit more, though the usual birds were about in profusion. I crested a hill off the Figueira road to scan the horizon for a way to go, and saw some Dung Beetles on the path, as well as a small Lizards scuttling into the undergrowth.
Dung Beetles
The smells and sounds of the countryside were beautiful, and with barely a soul about it was a pleasant experience. There were even some butterflies about today too, including a Clouded Yellow and several Wall Browns.
Yet another male Stonechat
I wandered up a scrub covered slope towards a telephone mast and through a network of pathways bordered by vast swathes of Cistus and other shrubs. Sardinian Warblers, Blackbirds and Stonechats again were my only companions, until i came out at a peninsula overlooking the sea, with Praia da Figueria to my right, where a Blue Rock Thrush was seen, as well as a Red-Legged Partridge in flight. I sat overlooking the beach (Praia) for a while, and took in the surroundings. The beach is a very quiet spot, almost a secret location, and is surrounded by beautiful green cliffs which tower high over the valley. A small stream runs down, which ends at a freshwater pool at the back of the beach. A Common Sandpiper and Grey Heron were both noted here.
Praia da Figueira
The stream itself is covered in an inpenetrable mass of tall vegetation, apart from one little waterfall with stepping stones, used to access the beach itself. Cetti's warblers could be heard singing loudly from here and Marsh Frogs were all over the place. I spent some time here before walking up the valley to start the return journey home. A Woodchat Shrike was seen high up on the cliffs.
Marsh Frog - Figueira
On the walk from the beach back to Figueira town are several arable fields, and a cow pasture. On these arable fields were a number of birds, including several Goldfinch, a couple of Blackcap, and some Chiffchaffs and Subalpine Warblers. As I wandered further up the road, a flash of black and white across a field revealed to me a Hoopoe! Everyone's favourite mediterranean bird, and one i was worrying i wouldn't see. I watched for a while as it sat in a tree, but it disappeared from view after a time. A scan of some reservoirs at a small water treatment plant revealed a couple of Black Winged Stilt, as well as several Mallard Little Grebe and Coots. There was an attractive area for migrants on the walk back up, two little fenced of fields seemingly growing peas. Lots of warblers were seen using this area, mostly Chiffchaffs and Willow warblers but also a few Subalpine Warblers too. On the way back home, little else was noted, except the distant call of another Hoopoe.
A soggy Red-rumped Swallow in a downpour.
Saturday 31st March - Last day - Last visit to Boca do Rio
So the last day, with the flight in the evening I had the morning to have one last wander to Boca do Rio. With some heavy rain overnight I followed my mums advice and didn't go over the potentially muddy, slippy coastal path and instead took the path which runs over the back of the cliffs into the valley.
Female House Sparrow from the villa
I really wanted to get a decent shot of a Sardinian Warbler, as they really are wonderful birds, but they proved impossible to get close to. They aren't shy in the slightest, showing really well, but they are so mobile that they just won't lend themselves to my photographic abilities! Loads of these were encountered on the way, but what i really wanted was more raptors. I got my wish, as looking up to the skies, a pair of Black Kite slowly made their way directly over my head. I couldn't get any decent shots however, only getting some dodgy silhouettes instead. First time i've seen these but i wish i'd got some better views! (as is the case with most of my raptor sightings!)
As i wandered down the valley i heard the call of a wader which seemed unfamiliar, although i had heard it the other day when i was here. It turned out to be a Whimbrel. It sat around 30 metres from me in some rough grassland, and was seen flying about from time to time and was relocated several times throughout the morning. The call was very distinctive, almost sounding like a little grebe at times. I sat and watched the sea from the beach for a while, getting covered in ants at one point, and then decided to brave wading across the river. Last time i came here i walked up the far bank and saw loads of birds, including waxbills, but they weren't here this time. However, there was a fair bit about. I noted a Terrapin crawling out from the waters on the far bank, and the cliffsides were alive with the usual birds of the area. Further along, the vegetation became thicker, and the explosive song of several Cetti's Warbler was heard. I stood and watched the hirundines, again numbering in the hundreds, over the grassland, thinking that this would soon be something i'll be doing in the UK, when i heard a familiar sound. Scanning the skies produced nothing for ages, and then out of nowhere a small flock of around 5 or 6 Bee-eaters flew across. I thought it may have been a little early for these to be here, but they must have just been trickling through. Loads were here when i was last here in July 2009, and it was nice to see some before i left.
Corn Bunting - another difficult species to photograph
I continued on and the skies began to darken. I saw several chiffchaff feeding on the ground at the top end of the wet grassland, and then as i walked down the road back to the other side of the valley, the heavens opened. With no cover i just carried on until i found a willow tree to stand under, and simply enjoyed the feeling of being out in a heavy downpour, joined by the scores of frogs which seemed to be doing the same. Once it cleared up I made my way back to the Migrant trap i had visited on wednesday, seeing a Kestrel flying overhead. On the way I heard what i thought was a Nightingale singing, but as i stopped to listen several cars passed by and i didn't hear it again. A Red-legged partridge was seen on the hillside while I stood there. I had one last wander round the migrant trap, seeing lots of Subalpine Warblers and Chiffchaffs, and more Corn Buntings than the other day, and finally made my way back up the hill. Having one last look over the valley, a Wall Brown butterfly allowed some photographs and then I made my way back before heading to the airport.
And just as we drove through the Boca one last time - another male Hen Harrier.
Awesome.
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