Martin's Bird Blog & Nature Photos

Tag: Portugal

  • 20th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    20th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    Before our last full day here in Fuseta on The Algarve we thought about what birds we had not seen that we would normally expect to see. The standouts were white wagtail, whimbrel and oyster catcher. We couldn’t believe our luck when we went for a walk this morning and saw all three. We only saw one of each and I only managed to get photos of the whimbrel and the oystercatcher. I was also pleased to get a photo of a cattle egret which had also eluded me until today, although I had seen them on a taxi ride.

    Whimbrel

    Oystercatcher

    The two together

    The oystercatcher didn’t hang around

    Oystercatcher in flight

    Cattle egret nowhere near cattle on this occasion. The previous time I had seen them here was in a field of horses and, strangely, each horse seemed to be accompanied by a single cattle egret.

    There were lots of greater flamingos in front of our window this morning

    … and pied avocets too.

    The lifeboat station is such an iconic view at Fuseta

    Nothing much this evening except a zitting cisticola

    Zitting cisticola

    Zitting cisticola

    And so, I took a couple of landscapes from the balcony to end our wonderful stay.

    View from our balcony to the hills to the north

    Looking east across the salt pans

    Below is the list of birds that we have seen during our stay in Fuseta. Surprisingly we haven’t seen any raptors. Perhaps we have been watching the floor too much to check that we don’t trip up!

    Common Shelduck
    Northern Shoveler
    Gadwall
    Mallard
    Feral Pigeon
    Common Woodpigeon
    Collared Dove
    Common Moorhen
    Eurasian Coot
    Black-winged Stilt
    Pied Avocet
    Eurasian Oystercatcher
    Common Ringed Plover
    Kentish Plover
    Whimbrel
    Black-tailed Godwit
    Common Sandpiper
    Common Redshank
    Common Greenshank
    Ruddy Turnstone
    Curlew Sandpiper
    Sanderling
    Dunlin
    Black-headed Gull
    Common Gull
    Yellow-legged Gull
    Lesser Black-backed Gull
    Sandwich Tern
    Greater Flamingo
    Little Grebe
    White Stork
    Great Cormorant
    Eurasian Spoonbill
    Little Egret
    Western Cattle-Egret
    Great White Egret
    Grey Heron
    Common Kingfisher
    Iberian Magpie
    Common Magpie
    Eurasian Skylark
    Crested Lark
    Zitting Cisticola
    Common Chiffchaff
    Sardinian Warbler
    Eurasian Blackbird
    Bluethroat
    European Stonechat
    Common Waxbill
    House Sparrow
    Pied Wagtail/White Wagtail

  • 19th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    19th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    Over the last couple of days, when we haven’t been doing touristy things, I’ve grabbed a few more bird photos as the opportunities here are endless. We have an armchair view (literally) so the pickings are very easy although I did miss a kingfisher which perched right opposite us as I was without camera at the time. I must be getting blasé.

    Zitting cisticola

    Zitting cisticola

    Rear view of a common waxbill

    … and a front view of a common waxbill. First sighting of this bird this week.

    A greater flamingo doing a swan impersonation

    Common redshank in the evening light

    We have seen plenty of these greater flamingos but when they are on the salt pans you don’t see their colours to full effect

    Greater flamingos

    First sighting this week of a great white egret

    … and the first sighting this week of a chiffchaff (or is it a willow warbler?)

    A Sardinian warbler trying to be secretive

    Stonechat

    I like the reflection of this sanderling in flight

    Are these greater flamingos being affectionate or aggressive?

    A choice of birding areas

  • 17th October 2025 – Quinta de Marim Nature Park , Portugal

    17th October 2025 – Quinta de Marim Nature Park , Portugal

    After morning coffee in Fuseta we took an Uber for just a few euros along the coast to the Nature Park at Quinta de Marim. This is a favourite of ours: a 3 km trail takes you through various ecosystems – dunes, salt marshes, pine woodlands and there is a hide at the edge of the marsh. There’s also a very interesting tidal mill where generally you see lots of interesting birds. Unfortunately today there was a full tide and the only birds on the coast were clinging to a pier.

    White storks and gulls with nowhere to go

    Tidal mill

    Umbrella pines, typical of this region

    Boardwalks to take you through some of the dune systems

    We saw lots of Iberian magpies and collared doves but my photos were too poor to publish.

    However, there was lots to see at the hide which overlooks a small inland pool. I made a rather silly ID error here thinking a had seen a western swamphen, but it was really only a moorhen. Perhaps it was the terrapin alongside which confused me as we had seen western swamphens and terrapins together a little further along the coast at St Lourenco.

    Moorhen and terrapin

    Photo of a western swamphen taken along the coast at St Lourenco earlier this year

    Black-tailed godwit

    Gadwall

    Little grebe
    Shoveler

    Eurasian spoonbill

    Stonechat

    There were also lots of little egrets and grey herons around the lake but I will spare you my photos of these!

    Our enjoyment of this nature reserve became even greater when, on leaving the park, we discovered a lovely local restaurant – the Restaurant Vista Formosa where the waiter told us that next time we should climb the stairs to see why it has this name. He assured us we would not be disappointed. Definitely a good reason to return.

  • 16th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    16th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    Today we have been exploring the salt pans of Fuseta from where we have had some glorious views of the birdlife and the scenery of this part of Portugal. We stopped off at a small café/restaurant on the far side of the pans and extended our stay to include lunch – all of which was incredibly good value.

    Salt pans of Fuseta

    Salt pans of Fuseta

    Greater flamingo

    Greater flamingos

    Greater flamingos coming in to land

    Greater flamingo seemingly walking on water

    Amazing views of gulls too

    Black-winged stilts and a ruddy turnstone

    I can’t work this one out. Yellow legs and (apparently) slim bill. Maybe a common gull? (Over to you Michael).

    More gulls and the church at Fuseta in the background

    The walk back seemed further but we had a good stop as, incredibly, we bumped in to two men on bikes on the long distance cycle track through the Algarve who I used to teach as boys nearly 50 years ago back in Bristol in the UK. I am always amazed that such encounters ever happen.

    The long distance cycle track through The Algarve

    We were quite happy to encounter a few spoonbills too, but I had to take the photos through a net as they were on private property. Manual focus helped somewhat.

    Eurasian spoonbills

    Eurasian spoonbill

    More views of the salt pans and salt mountain – there must be other ingredients too with all those gulls!

    Pied avocets
    Carline thistles, I believe

    Back at base we had a relaxing time where I managed a few of the birds I was hoping to see.

    Sardinian warbler had escaped me until now

    Common ringed plover in flight

    The one bird I was keen to photograph – the common kingfisher (sort of my signature bird – Martin Pêcheur in French)

    Common kingfisher

    Common kingfisher

    Still in my viewfinder

    Can you spot it here? I’ll give you a clue – bottom left.

    Pied avocets settling down for the night

    However the greater flamingos were still quite frisky

  • 15th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    15th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    Today I start with my last bird photo of the day – a bluethroat. I had seen one earlier in the week and was pleased with my efforts of constantly looking at all the sparrows in a bush opposite us to find this one. I must admit, though, I have had enough of looking at house sparrows.

    Bluethroat

    Hereafter the photos are generally in chronological order of when I have taken them in the day but are only a small representation of what we have seen today. I have tried to include only new birds or photos with some particular interest.

    We have enjoyed regular sights of a kingfisher flashing past but as yet I have not managed a photo – I still have a few days left so nil desperandum.

    Eurasian spoonbill

    Greater flamingos

    Yellow-legged gull

    Zitting cisticola

    I am pleased that we are not alone in enjoying the spectacular views

    Ria Formosa and the Atlantic Ocean in the distance

    A different view of a common sandpiper

    Dunlin

    Curlew sandpiper

    Sanderling

    Redshank with damaged foot – it has been around all week and seems to be coping well

    Common ringed plover in flight

    Yellow-legged gull enjoying a bath

    Crabs

    Bluethroat

    Greater flamingo

  • 14th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    14th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    Well we have been out and about a little today exploring the delights of Fuseta but not until I had photographed more birds than I know what to do with. Plus ça change plus c’est la même chose!

    Quite appropriate really to use a little French as as we seem to hear French spoken here more than any other language and the first couple of photographs rather sum up the mood a little around here.

    All other photos were taken from the balcony or the garden looking out on to the tidal river and salt pans of Fuseta.

    View of the tidal river with salt pans beyond.

    First photo of the day

    … and the second one

    Black-tailed godwit was the first bird of the day – the sunrise gave it a rather different colouring

    Even house sparrows look a little different in this light

    Men at work – or discussing it

    Mallards in flight

    Yellow-legged gull even more yellow in the morning light

    The lark ascending …

    The greater flamingo descending …

    Black-winged stilt

    Not all my photos are close up – stonechat at some distance

    Black-headed gull

    Lesser black-backed gull

    Common redshank in flight

    Black-tailed godwit

    Dunlin

    Common ringed plover

    Curlew sandpiper

    Curlew sandpiper landing

    Black-winged stilt

    Common sandpiper

    Greenshank

    Redshank in flight

    House sparrows take on all sorts of looks

    Little egret

    Ruddy turnstone

    Black-tailed godwit

    White stork

    White stork

    Dedeuche – often the ugly duckling. Vive la France!

  • 13th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    13th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    I can’t believe how indolent we have been today. We have spent most of the day sitting in the garden of our holiday let watching (and in my case photographing) birds. I can’t remember ever having a day like it.

    There’s been so much to see and I don’t really know how to go about recording what we have seen. I will just publish a sample of my photographs and tell you that most of the action has taken place at a distance of less than 20 metres from where we have been sitting. The day ended when a kingfisher perched in the garden less than 3 metres from us, before scuttling off down the river. I didn’t have a camera in my hand at the time as I was holding my evening aperitif!

    My first photo – before sun rise

    The rising sun from the balcony

    Eurasian spoonbill in the dawn light

    Early morning grey heron

    Down to the garden

    The salt workers have been busy at it all day

    Yellow-legged gull taking its breakfast off home

    Sandwich tern – the only tern of the day

    Ruddy turnstone

    Crested lark

    Common redshank

    Common sandpiper

    Ruddy turnstone

    Sanderling

    Greenshank and redshank

    Blue throat

    Eurasian spoonbill

    Eurasian spoonbill

    Sanderling

    Yellow-legged gull and fish

    I’m afraid the yellow-legged gull wins this encounter

    The eyes have it

    Not a swallow – just the yellow-legged gull

    Black-winged stilt

    Curlew sandpiper

    Zitting cisticola in flight

    Little egret

    Dunlin

    Common ringed plover

    Supper time now and a day free from birding tomorrow!

  • 12th October 2025 Post Script – Fuseta, Portugal

    12th October 2025 Post Script – Fuseta, Portugal

    Well I thought I had finished photographing and blogging for the day but I could not resist more opportunities later this afternoon when the tide was low in the river right in front of our terrace and a spoonbill and a little egret arrived on the scene. There were other little waders that I couldn’t resist either.

    Common sandpiper

    Common redshank

    Curlew sandpiper

    Common ringed plover

    Eurasian spoonbill and little egret

    Eurasian spoonbill

    Eurasian spoonbill

    Eurasian spoonbill

    Little egret with fish

    Sanderling

    Little egret departing

    Closely followed by the spoonbill

    Eurasian spoonbill

    Eurasian spoonbill

    Eurasian spoonbill

  • 12th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    12th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    Whilst Portugal was going to the polls in the country’s local elections (which are apparently poised to be another win for Europe’s far right) we were taking it easy on a stroll through the salt pans of Fuseta. We weren’t alone – there seemed to be be more people cycling, running and walking along the long distance path along the Algarve than heading to the polls. But to be fair, listening to the voices in the local square at lunch time there were more French people than Portuguese. This may be one of the reasons why the Portuguese are complaining about the cost of housing – the problem is particularly critical in Lisbon, where average home prices have shot up by nearly 80 percent over the last five years and are currently hovering at €5,769 per square meter.

    We were so refreshed from the rest over the last few days that we were up to see the sun rising. And what a treat it was with a flock of spoonbills flying over the sun.

    Spoonbills flying over the rising sun

    Spoonbills

    The flamingos had flown away last night but they were back when we awoke this morning.

    An early morning grey heron

    Pied avocets in the foreground

    I’m not a great fan of gulls but they looked good as the sun rose:

    Yellow-legged gull

    Black-headed gull

    A crested lark at the beginning of our walk

    The railway station just 5 minutes from our apartment on the outskirts of Fuseta

    Our apartment (a converted carpenter’s workshop) seen from the other side of the salt pans

    A pied avocet

    Still dragonfly season here

    Across the salt pans to the mountains in the backgound
    Black-winged stilt

    Sanderling

    Salt mountain from the other side

    Looking back at Fuseta

    The salt pans of Fuseta

    The salt pans of Fuseta

    As we approached the village we were heading for there were lots of plants still in flower.

    At the village we discovered the café/restaurant was closed and so we headed back to Fuseta.

    View from our terrace

    Common ringed plover in the stream by our terrace

    Redshank in the same place

    … and a curlew sandpiper
  • 11th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    11th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    Day two of our stay on The Algarve in Portugal.

    We have had a lazy day sitting watching the birds from our holiday rental accommodation looking over the salt pans of Fuseta, wandering around the streets of Fuseta and spending far too much time having lunch at our favourite restaurant in this part of the world, À do Ruí. Tomorrow we must get out a bit more!

    The view from our bedroom window first thing this morning.

    More greater flamingos in the distance

    The flamingos beginning to catch the sun

    Ruddy turnstone

    No one working here today as it’s Saturday

    Crested lark

    Greater flamingo about to join us for breakfast

    Sanderling
    Common greenshank

    Common redshank

    One of two spoonbills to fly past our balcony (I nearly missed them)

    Common ringed plover

    Little egret

    Greater flamingos

    Greater flamingo in the stream beside our terrace

    Black-winged stilt flying along the same stream

    A raucous black-winged stilt

    Pied avocets and reflections

    Old street in Fuseta (just to show we did get out and about)

    We find these beautiful tiles everywhere

    The obligatory visit to the local market

  • 10th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    10th October 2025 – Fuseta, Portugal

    It seemed a shame to leave Bristol in the lovely October sunshine but (and don’t feel sorry for us) we are spending the next 11 days on the Algarve in Portugal which is even more sunny and with even better temperatures,

    We have come to Fuseta, a tiny fishing village in the eastern Algarve. Fuseta is relatively unspoilt and full of beautiful tiled streets to wander around with fantastic restaurants where you can eat fabulous fresh seafood and with lots of cafés to sit and people watch. One of the main attractions for us is that Fuseta is very easy to reach by taxi from Faro airport (we only took just over 5 hours from home to rental property) and it has a train station (2 in fact) from where we can easily explore other parts of The Algarve.

    Better still, this area is fabulous for bird watching with loads of salt pans attracting a huge number of birds.

    We have found an amazing apartment which is called “Birdwatchers’ Paradise” and looks out onto the salt pans of Fuseta. It is rather like being in an amazingly comfortable bird hide on two levels with very close up views of the birds from the terrace and the first floor balcony.

    Here are some of my photos from our first half day. I’m sorry if some of them are rather too close up!

    Avocet (or as they call them here pied avocet)

    Little egret

    Dunlin

    Greater flamingo

    Greater flamingo

    Greater flaming flying in front of a mountain of salt (the salt pans are still active here)

    Sanderling

    Black-winged stilt

    Salt pans

    Dunlin and redshank

    Collared dove

    Redshank and other waders

    An old tidal mill (now accommodation)

    Old fishing boats

    Man with fish!

  • 15th April 2025 – Arroteia, The Algarve, Portugal

    15th April 2025 – Arroteia, The Algarve, Portugal

    Our last couple of days on The Algarve have been particularly blustery and we have restricted our birdwatching activities, as most days here, to the mornings.

    Yesterday we walked around our “local” patch at the Olhão salt pans. Again, probably because the tide was very low, there wasn’t very much to see. The highlights were probably an overhead spoonbill, another Sardinian warbler and some little terns.

    Eurasian spoonbill

    Eurasian spoonbill

    Sardinian warbler

    More crabs too!

    Little tern

    I’m not surprised the small white butterfly was looking rather bedraggled in the wind

    A pair of white storks still preparing their nest

    Swift – as sharp as I could get it with its speed, the wind and my old age.

    Today we made our way to the area near Fuzeta where we had been a few days ago and walked through to the Arroteia birding area further east.

    Pied avocets in flight

    Sanderling

    As we sheltered from a short shower we saw our first greater flamingos of the week fly over.

    House martins everywhere but no easier for photographing

    The reason for the salt pans

    Greater flamingos

    Our first stonechat of the week

    The best of this pool was the cacophony made by the frogs

    Mum and ducklings

    The flamingos were quite secretive

    A flock of golden plover

    Ruddy turnstone

    Sardinian warbler

    Common redshank

    Common sandpiper

    Whimbrel back at Fuzeta after lunch

    The heavy showers (on the horizon here but soon to hit us) forced us to quit our post prandial stroll and head back to Olhão

    Fuzeta lifeboat station