Martin's Bird Blog & Nature Photos

13th April 2025 – Tavira, Algarve, Portugal

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Tavira is a popular tourist destination on The Algarve. However, there were very few people, only those out for a little exercise, as we started from the outskirts of Tavira along the edge of the Tavira salt pans.

The salt pans here are very extensive but, surprisingly, there were very few birds too. Probably, as the tide was low, they had moved out onto the Ria Formosa.

The start of the salt pans at Tavira

Nonetheless, there was plenty to see and the walk towards the ferry to Tavira Island was very pleasant.

Avocets were the principal birds on view

A few cormorants too

3 eurasian spoonbills and a grey heron

More avocets

Crabs everywhere

The best of the birds we saw were on the river where several little terns entertained us for a while.

Little tern in full dive

Little tern

Little tern

Little tern

European red-rumped swallow

European red-rumped swalllow

We then headed for Santa Luzia, famous for its octopus restaurants.

The rising tide at Santa Luzia

Santa Luzia

Santa Luzia

The climate is clearly very temperate here

The port of Santa Luzia is very pretty …

… but clearly a working port.

Comments

3 responses to “13th April 2025 – Tavira, Algarve, Portugal”

  1. robbiesinspiration Avatar
    robbiesinspiration

    Very nice post. I enjoyed the birds and the crabs.

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  2. Roger Lindsay Rees Avatar
    Roger Lindsay Rees

    Just hit me looking at the red-rumped swallow pic, I was on a field walk with the Gower Ornithological Society (GOS) 2-3 years ago at Cwm Idwal (at the very NW end of the Gower Peninsula) when the leader spotted a red-rumped swallow. Shot past us. A real UK rarity, or it was at that time (things changing fast) and it stayed for about 4-5 days, bring load of twitchers to Cwm Idwal. Filled the coffers of the ‘park in a field and pay what you want’ farmer. Lovely sight. The bird that is.

    Rog

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. martintayler Avatar
      martintayler

      The first one I saw was at Armaçao de Pěra with you. I always trusted your eyes from then on …

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