27 October –
James J.
Packer
Monarch
butterfly, Vilamoura
This report has
been designed to be read in conjunction with my previous report of a trip from
3-17 August 2004. This previous report
can be found HERE. All the photographs are stricted
copyrighted. Do not use them outside
this report without permission.
Introduction
As the
school half term in
I’m not sure
how much the trip cost, as we booked EasyJet tickets well in advance, a Holiday Autos Hire Car, and an apartment at
The Old Village Apartments in Vilamoura found on the
internet. All arrangements worked fine,
except for terrible directions to the apartment in The Old Village. We nearly
ended up sleeping in the car because we couldn’t find the key, which was
supposed to be left under the mat. After
checking under the doormats of about a dozen random apartments, we eventually
found it with great relief.
The Old
Village Apartments were OK. We had
Vilamoura
is a good base, being fairly central in The Algarve, though it is most
certainly not typically Portugese. The whole town is a purpose built resort,
although this is not as terrible as it sounds.
The streets are very clean, except for a fair amount of graffiti (sorry,
street art) and a lot of the town is built around Pine woodlands. Most of the green areas are gold courses,
which are out of bounds unless you’re a golfer, but looking into them with a
pair of bins’ is OK, you just might get some funny looks (hey, you’re a birder
– no problem then?). I hated the marina,
but Emma likes it!
The western
edge of Vilamoura is flanked by an area of marshland,
though sadly this is becoming encroached by development. Even between my visits in August 2004 and
October 2005 it was clear that this area is threatened. The Laguna and other golf courses have
already been built on much of the marsh.
Apparently Vilamoura has won some
Environmental Awards, but this all seems a bit of a con. You might also find reference to an
Itinery
27 October –
Arrive in the dark
28 October –
Vilamoura marshes; Quinta
de Lago
29 October –
Pera Marsh; Tavira Salt
Pans; Pedras Del Ray;
30 October –
Sagres area; Alvor Estuary;
Pera Marsh
31 October –
Castro Verde area; Vilamoura marshes
1 November –
Vilamoura marshes
2 November –
Quinta de Marim (HQ of Ria
3 November –
Pera Marsh; Vilamoura
marshes
4 November –
Quinta de Lago; Ludo Farm; Fly home.
My previous
report and the Carlson and Gosney guides give
directions to most of the sites except Pera Marsh and
Vilamoura [update: directions to Pera Marsh (Lagos dos Salgados) are in Carlson but they are so crap that I didn't even realise they were there] – both of which had excellent birds. To find Pera Marsh,
follow the following directions I nicked from another report (thanks!):
“from N125 east of Alcantarilha at traffic light junction, take
road to Armação de Pêra
and almost immediately take a minor road left across a narrow bridge. Over the
bridge veer right (straight on goes into Pêra)
and follow this road around the outskirts of the town, going up a slight
incline to an “island” at the top of the rise (circular building in fields to
the right) and turn right (main road carries on to Albufeira)
taking the small road down to the beach. This road and Pera
Marsh are to the west of the golf course – Salgardos.
The minor road eventually deteriorates into a track to the main beach car park.
Tracks to the left, off this main track go right to the waters edge.”
The
following map might help you track down some good areas in Vilamoura:
Systematic
List
Great
Crested Grebe
At
Quinta de Lago and Vilamoura.
Little
Grebe
Probably up
to 100 at Pera Marsh before it was
drained. Others on
most ponds.
Gannet
A few past Vilamoura and Sagres
Cormorant
Common at
many sites
Little
Bittern
A
brief view of a probable male at Quinta de Lago.
Squacco
Heron
One
at Pera Marsh, seen in flight several times at the
back of the marsh, adjacent to the gold course.
Cattle
Egret
Common
and widespread.
Cattle
Egret, near Alvor
Little
Egret
Common
and widespread.
Little
Egret x Western Reef Heron
In August
2004 I found a bird at Tavira which I put down as a
dark morph Little Egret. It clearly
wasn’t a Western Reef Heron on bare part structure.
Photos of it can be seen in the trip report. This year in almost exactly the same place at
Tavira was a bird that looked a lot more like a
Western Reef Heron, being darker and more uniform. However, it just wasn’t quite right, bill being all dark grey and relatively slim. I can only assume that this bird, and
probably last years too, is a hybrid Western Reef Heron x Little Egret. Queries have recently been raised whether
there’s such a thing as a dark morph Little Egret – all these birds may be hybrids. Can the fact
that these birds were seen in exactly the same place two years running suggest
that maybe nearby there’s a regular breeding pair of Western Reef Heron x
Little Egret? Comments welcome.
Western
Reef Heron x Little Egret, Tavira
Grey Heron
Common
and widespread.
White Stork
Far less abundant than in the
summer, but small numbers over a wide area.
Four birds were feeding in the park in the middle of Vilamoura
throughout.
White Storks, Vilamoura
Glossy Ibis
One at Quinta
de Lago.
Glossy Ibis, Quinta
de Lago
Spoonbill
Large numbers at Pera Marsh and Tavira saltpans, with at least 90 at Tavira.
Greater Flamingo
At Pera
Marsh, Tavira and Ludo
Farm. Most, about 50 at Pera.
Greater Flamingo, Pera Marsh
Wigeon
Small numbers on RF and Quinta de
Marim
Mallard
Common.
Gadwall
Common and abundant at freshwater pools
Teal
Small numbers on RF in various places
Pintail
Single at Quinta de Lago and up to ten at Pera Marsh
Shoveler
Common at freshwater pools
Pochard
Small numbers at freshwater pools
Tufted Duck
Small numbers at freshwater pools
Black-shouldered Kite
Single at Vilamoura
marshes throughout. Often perched
in a preferred tree between Super Mini Golf and the ‘beach pool’. One near Castro Verde in exactly the same
tree as one was seen in August 2004!
Black-shouldered Kite, Vilamoura
Marsh Harrier
At least 3-4 at Vilamoura
throughout and 1 or 2 at Tavira, Quinta
de Lago, Quinta de Marim and Pera.
Marsh Harrier, Vilamoura
Common Buzzard
Small numbers at Sagres and
Castro Verde
Booted Eagle
Singles at Vilmoura
and on the N125 west of here.
Osprey
One over Pera Marsh appeared to
fly out to sea.
Kestrel
Singles at several locations.
Red-legged
Partridge
Abundant
at Castro Verde and a small party at Vilamoura.
Water Rail
Only
heard at Vilamoura.
Moorhen
Common
Coot
Abundant
at all freshwater pools.
Checked for Red-knobs but failed.
Purple
Gallinule
Easy
peasy at Vilamoura marsh
pools and Laguna Golf Course, Pera Marsh (probably at
least 10) and Quinta de Lago
and Marim.
Purple
Gallinule, Quinta de Lago
Great
Bustard
A single by
the reservoir near Castro Verde (which was dry) and a group of at least 10m
from the old road adjacent to the fast road between CV and Entradas.
Little
Bustard
Frustrating
view of one near the road Castro Verde but couldn’t stop!
Oystercatcher
Small
numbers on the RF
Black-winged
Stilt
Common and
abundant on the RF and Pera Marsh
Black-winged
Stilt, Pera Marsh
Avocet
Single
at Pera Marsh and hundreds at Tavria
Salt Pans.
Avocet, Tavira
Ringed
Plover
Common all
over RF
Kentish
Plover
Common RF
Grey Plover
Common RF
Turnstone
Small
groups on RF and most beaches
Grey
Phalarope
One
1st winter at the channel at the entrance to Pera
Marsh.
Grey
Phalarope, Pera Marsh
Sanderling
Small
groups on most beaches.
Curlew
Sandpiper
Small
numbers at Tavira Salt Pans
Dunlin
Small
numbers at Tavira
Dunlin, Tavira
Little
Stint
Small
numbers at Tavira
Curlew
Singles
over RF
Whimbrel
Heard at Pedras del Ray
Black-tailed
Godwit
Hundreds,
if not thousands at Tavira Salt Pans
Black-tailed
Godwit, Tavira
Bar-tailed
Godwit
Only at RF
near Quinta de Lago
Redshank
Small
numbers over all marshes
Greenshank
One of two
at Tavira and RF
Wood
Sandpiper
One at Pera Marsh
Green
Sandpiper
Only two at
Pera Marsh
Common
Sandpiper
Singles at
many freshwater pools and marshes
Common
Sandpiper, Pera Marsh
Audouin’s
Gull
15-20 at Tavira Salt Pans in exactly the same roosting place as
August 2004. Take the track to the salt pans
between
Mediterranean
Gull
Common. Most at Pera Marsh
where there was up to 30.
Black-headed
Gull
Common
and abundant.
Yellow-legged
Gull
Common
Yellow-legged
Gull, Carveiros
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Common
Caspian Tern
Three of four at Tavira Saltpans
and one at Alvor Estuary
Caspian Tern, Tavira
Regular in small numbers at most coastal areas and wetlands
Common Tern
One at Vilamoura. On the nets.
Common Tern, Vilamoura
Little Tern
Only five at Tavira.
White-winged Black Tern
One at Pera Marsh on
White-winged Black Tern, Pera Marsh
Rock Dove
Several on the cliffs at Carveiro
Collared Dove
Common
Barn Owl
One seen near Old Village
Apartments in street lights (see last year!)
Little Owl
Several around Castro Verde
Kingfisher
One or two at most freshwater
Hoopoe
One of two at many locations, including singing at
Hoopoe, Tavira
Wryneck
One heard calling near Pera Marsh
Calandra Lark
At least one near the reservoir, Castro Verde (see Gosney)
Skylark
Hundreds, Sagres
Crested Lark
Common and adundant
Crested Lark, Pera
Marsh
Thekla Lark
I really couldn’t be bothered after a while.
Red-rumped Swallow
One or two in an amazing little hirundine
flock at Pera Marsh
Crag Martin
One or two in an amazing little hirundine
flock at Pera Marsh.
Particularly appreciated!
Barn Swallow
One or two in an amazing little hirundine
flock at Pera Marsh
House Martin
One or two in an amazing little hirundine
flock at Pera Marsh
Meadow Pipit
Common especially near wetlands
Water Pipit
One on the golf course near Quinta
de Lago
Grey Wagtail
Singles
scattered over many places
White Wagtail
Common at wetlands
Bluethroat
At least three, including a singing male, along the silly
railway at Pedras del
Ray. Out in the open often sitting on
the railway tracks. Also
at Alvor.
Black Redstart
2-3 at Sagres and one at Castro
Verde
Stonechat
Common everywhere
Black-eared Wheatear
One near Sagres
Blackbird
Common at Vilamoura
Fan-tailed Warbler (Zitting Cisticola)
Common
Reed Warbler
One seen well at Quinta de Marim
Cetti’s Warbler
Common at wetlands
Two at Tavira saltpans
Blackcap
Only one or two at Alvor
Sardinian Warbler
Common and abundant
Chiffchaff
Common and abundant
One near Quinta de Lago
Blue Tit
Singles in a couple of coastal resort areas
Great Tit
Singles in a couple of town areas
Penduline Tit
One at Vilamoura marshes
Southern Grey Shrike
Singles at Pera Marsh and Quinta de Marim and three or four
near Castro Verde
Spotless Starling
Much more common than in the
summer. Small flocks of up to fifty
coming into Vilamoura marshes at dusk. Many other small groups.
Jay
Several at
inland Pine woods
Azure-winged Magpie
Common and
abundant, especially in Vilamoura
Azure-winged
Magpie, Vilamoura
Chough
About 30 in
a field near Sagres
Jackdaw
Small
numbers widespread
Carrion
Crow
At Sagres and Castro Verde
House
Sparrow
Common and
very abundant
Spanish
Sparrow
Small
numbers at Tavira saltpans, Alvor
Estuary and in storks nests at Entradas and Quinta de Marim
Common
Waxbill
Common,
especially Vilamoura and RF
Serin
Small
numbers in many places
Serin,
Quinta de Marim
Chaffinch
Small
numbers in Pine woods
Greenfinch
Small numbers in many places
Goldfinch
Small groups in many places
Siskin
Two drinking at a puddle in the park near the Tennis Club
at Vilamoura
Linnet
Common
Cirl Bunting
One female near Sagres
Corn Bunting
Large flocks up to 100 near Sagres.
Singing at Pera Marsh