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 viewA few cormorants too3 eurasian spoonbills and a grey heronMore avocetsCrabs 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 ternLittle ternLittle ternEuropean red-rumped swallowEuropean red-rumped swalllow
We then headed for Santa Luzia, famous for its octopus restaurants.
The rising tide at Santa LuziaSanta LuziaSanta LuziaThe climate is clearly very temperate hereThe port of Santa Luzia is very pretty …… but clearly a working port.
After exploring the Saturday market in Olhão we took a taxi a few kilometres east to Quinta de Marim (or Centro Educação Ambiental de Marim).
The market at Olhão we a plentiful supply of snails
We had visited this estate earlier in the year. The 3 km trail takes you through various ecosystems – dunes, salt marshes and pine woodlands and it was interesting to see the different flora from our last visit in February.
The Iberian azure-winged magpies seem to love the pine woodlandsSpeckled wood butterflySardinian warblerQuinta de Marim tidal millGrey heron practising its ballet
Half way around the circuit there is a hide overlooking a freshwater pond. We spent quite a while here as there was a heavy shower but fortunately there was lots of activity with a huge colony of egrets.
The colony of egretsPochardColony of egrets (little and cattle) – some with their young and others still building their nestsLittle grebeCattle egret looking for nesting materialsThere were also large numbers of grey herons around this pondRed-veined darterWild gladiolus
We realised that last time we had missed a pathway and this time, by taking the recommended route, we came across a dilapidated noria. The noria is a device, inherited from the Arabs, used to raise water from a well. The power for the elevation of water was provided by the circular movement of a donkey or a mule. The water drawn from the well is stored in a tank, from where it is distributed through small aqueducts, until it reaches the orchards and vegetäble-gardens.
NoriaNoriaRed legged partridge at the very spot where we had seen a hoopoe in FebruaryThe correct path!Spanish festoon butterflyCattle egret next to the horse
We were rather devastated yesterday when, setting off for a walk around the salt pans at Olhão right next to our hotel, we found the path had been closed by a new construction project. We abandoned our plans and decided to take the ferry to Culatra, one of the islands in the Ria Formosa.
There were limited birding opportunities but from the ferry we saw a distant colony of spoonbills and egrets.
Spoonbills and egrets
On Culatra there were plenty of yellow legged gulls and lesser black-backed gulls as well some Audouin gulls.
Audouin gull
On the return journey we could see oystercatchers and a small flock of common ringed plovers which easily overtook the ferry.
OystercatchersCommon ringed plover
Today we managed to find a way around the blocked path without too much of a detour and, despite the disappointing cloudy conditions, enjoyed a very enjoyable walk around the salt pans. We were well rewarded with plenty of birds and a pleasant walk.
White stork with nesting material Little egret over the salt pansRuddy turnstoneOn several of the salt pans there were large number of wadersA shelduck stands proud of the grey plover, dunlin, sanderlings and ruddy turnstonesKentish ploverThe first of several western yellow wagtails which we saw around the salt pansA black-winged stiltCommon ringed ploverCrabs everywhereA view inland across the salt pans A little tern behind the dunlinCommon greenshankCommon greenshank in flight3 more western yellow wagtails appearedWestern yellow wagtailSardinian warblerSardinian warblerLittle ternThese looked larger than dunlin and I wondered if they were curlew sandpiperView back across the salt pans towards OlhãoWhite storkWhite stork with mini snackWhite stork building a nest on a chimney towerThe white storks should be pretty safe up there
After a few glorious weeks of wall to wall blue skies (but with fresh winds) in England we have arrived in the eastern end of the Algarve in Portugal where it is much warmer but the skies are a little greyish and the forecast is unsettled.
From a birding perspective it was very exciting yesterday evening to sit having our first beer on the front at Olhão (where we are staying) and to see a 100 plus swifts soaring overhead. Their screeching was quite a din but it made us feel that summer had arrived.
Today we took a taxi to the birding area of the Salinas da Fuzeta, a complex of salt pans just north of the town of Fuzeta, to the east of Olhão. The salt pans are part of the Parque Natural Ria Formosa.
It was quite an exciting start as the first bird we saw was a bee-eater; a beautiful bird that we have only seen on a few occasions.
Bee-eaterNot one but two!
Along the salt pans there were plenty of waders but no greater flamingos which we had hoped to see here.
Kentish plover and a sanderlingCommon ringed ploverCommon greenshankLittle stintPied avocetA mixture of waders for the experts to identifyBlack-winged stiltsA distant Caspian ternAvocets doing what they do at this time of the yearKentish ploverA western yellow wagtail
The flora around here was also very attractive.
As we walked into town there were hirondines everywhere.
A house Martin building a nest in a street lamp
After a wonderful seafood lunch on the front at À do Rui (a top recommendation from a friend) we had little appetite for any more birdwatching and all we saw was a common sandpiper on the shores of the Ria Formosa.
A common sand piper on the shores of the Ria FormosaThe lifeboat station at Fuzeta
There is a roundabout just outside our hotel with a statue of a seahorse. There is the largest population of seahorses in the world in the Ria Formosa Natural Park.
The seahorse roundabout
On our last full day here in Portugal we decided to revisit the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve at Quinto de Marim. At the entrance to the park there is a poster reminding us of the fragility of the seahorses in nature with the population diminished by 90% in the last 15 years.
On our boat trip earlier in the week we had seen buoys protecting the area where the seahorses exist.
We had much better light on our visit today but the tide was very low and the mudflats were almost empty of waders. However, we did have a very good view of this plover below which, according to one ID app, is a semi-palmated plover. However, it is more likely a non-breeding adult common ringed plover. In fact, having studied several sources, the slight webbing between only one of the toes convinces me that this is definitely a common ringed plover
Semi-palmated plover or more likely a non-breeding adult common ringed ploverStonechatThe flora was even more beautiful after the rain and with quite warm sunshineOxalis pes-caprae has all sorts of common names, including slender yellow wood sorrelThe mudflats were empty of birdlife but it was great walkThe tidal mill with very little bird life todayMainly cattle egret with a few little egrets at the freshwater pondChiffchaffs and/or willow warblers were putting on quite a display at the freshwater pond – difficult to say which when they weren’t singingLittle grebeTealTeal and shovelerTerrapinsLupins have appeared in flower after the rain… and these beautiful crocus-leaved romuleaIberian magpieIberian magpieAnd saving the best to last, just as we were leaving the park a Eurasian hoopoeEurasian hoopoe
And then back to Olhão for a celebratory last lunch – although, we didn’t really need an excuse.
This morning we had a non-birding trip to the pretty little town of Estoi, about 10 kilometres north of Olhão. There were three interesting tourist attractions: the Matriz de Estoi Church (which we only visited briefly as there was a service on); the Palácio de Estoi (a 19th Century Neo-Rococo styled palace, now converted into a luxury posada hotel, whose beautiful ornamental gardens are open to the public; and the nearby Ruínas Romanas de Milreu, the best preserved Roman ruins in southern Portugal.
The Matriz de Estoi ChurchEl Palacio de EstoiThe orange and lemon groves
Although it was a non-birding day we did have a very good view of a European hoopoe in the gardens and white storks flying high overhead.
A traditional Portuguese farmhouse (Casa Rural) was built on top of the Roman Villa Inside the Roman villaThe temple was one of the earliest churches in Portugal , and has been used as a Roman temple, a church and a mosque, but is now a ruinThere were many fine mosaicsOf course there had to be a bath houseThe beautiful spring flowers are just everywhere in the countryside at presentAnd they are a feature of town gardens too
Today’s forecast was always looking pretty dire, with torrential rain supposedly lasting all day. As it turned out we did have torrential rain all morning (which allowed me to catch up with blogs) but it abated for a good 2 hours at lunch time and we made the most of it with a walk into town to get a spot of lunch. The rain returned in the afternoon but again stopped in time for us to get a late afternoon walk around the Salinas de Olhão. We were well rewarded with a massive number of birds in decent light, the best of which were five spoonbills. And so it wasn’t too bad a day, although we had to cope with pretty muddy boots.
Kentish ploverChiffchaffChiffchaff in different lightEurasian spoonbillEurasian spoonbillDunlinLots of dunlin (and probably a few other waders).Las Salinas de Olhão Common ringed ploverCommon redshankBlack-tailed godwitsBlack-winged stiltsGrey ploverLesser black-backed gull with crab supperLesser black-backed gull with crab supperStonechat in the fading light
We took an Uber to Quinta de Marim, a few kilometres to the east of Olhão.
Quinta de Marim (or Centro Educação Ambiental de Marim) is a beautiful estate with many different habitats that attract birds. A 3 km trail takes you through various ecosystems – dunes, salt marshes, pine woodlands. There is a visitors’ centre and a couple of hides at the edge of the marsh, one looking across the mudflats and another looking over a fresh water pond.
The dull weather was rather disappointing for photographs but it was still quite warm (17C) and we didn’t need coats. The visit was not at all disappointing.
LavenderIberian magpies in the pine treesRosemary in flowerIberian magpie
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StonechatSwallowFrom the roof of the mill there were spectacular views along the coastThere were waders everywhere along this stretch of the coastGrey ploverBar-tailed godwits and a whimbrelGreenshankIberian magpiePurple viper’s buglossA flyover Eurasian spoonbillTidal mill at Quinta de Marim – In other times, when energy sources were scarce and limited only to muscle power, wind and current, tidalmillshad a major advantage over other forms of energy: their constancyand predictability. There are two daily tides that guarantee approximately4 hours of grinding. They were built in estuaries on low land and in sheltered areas where the water could be dammedKestrelWhite stork, not looking so white in this lightDunlinLittle grebes on the freshwater pondCattle egretWigeon with barn swallow flying pastRoman salting tanksCowpeaBarn swallow on a wireBlackbird on a log
In the late afternoon on our return to Olhão we had another walk around the Salinas de Olhão.
WhimbrelA different swallow ?Pied avocetRedshankPied avocet
We made the most of the sunny and calm conditions to take a three hour trip around the Ria Formosa lagoon, located in the Algarve, in southern Portugal.
In 2010, the lagoon was recognised as one of the country’s seven natural wonders and the series of barrier islands connects to the sea through six inlets, one of which is artificial to allow easier access to the port of Faro.
We spent half an hour on the tiny island of Armona, just enough time to visit the village with its charming minute houses which are mainly used as holiday homes and to savour the tropical feel of the island.
The approach to the public toiletsLarge white butterflyA typical holiday homeClear water and sandy beaches of ArmonaRuddy turnstone
We then moved on to the larger island of Culatra which has a permanent population of about 1,000 people who are mainly involved in the fishing trade.
The island has an extensive sandy beach on its ocean side to which we made our way across the protected sand dunes on a raised wooden walkway. It was warm enough to sit on the beach next to a bar and enjoy a beer.
The walkway to Praia da CulatraThe best of the bird life on the island – a crested larkYellow-legged gull
As the tide was high most of the sandbanks were submerged and so, apart from gulls and cormorants, we saw very little bird life, except on the return journey we saw a small colony of spoonbills.
Eurasian spoonbillsThe covered markets of Olhão seen from the lagoon.
In the evening we had another walk around the Salinas de Olhão, next to our hotel.
Black-winged stilt in the evening sunshineLittle egretChiffchaffChiffcaffChiffchaff catching its last meal of the day
A two hour flight from Bristol, a 15 minute transfer from Faro and we are transported into what seems like another world and, in particular, a different climate.
On the first morning of our stay, within a 2 minute walk from our hotel, we are strolling amongst nature in the Salinas de Olhão with colourful wild flowers, huge numbers of waders, lots of small passerines flitting around almost at our feet and with the sun on our backs.
Salinas de OlhãoBlack-winged stiltRedshankRedshank photo bombing a group of dunlinWalks through the former salt pansBlack-tailed godwit centre stageLittle egretChiffchaffSardinian warblerZitting cisticola ChiffchaffBlack-winged stiltSlender-billed gullBlack-headed gullSlender-billed gullKentish ploverSanderlingGreenshank, common ringed plover, sanderling and redshank (back to front)Common ringed plover centre stageCommon sandpiper
We are enjoying a short stay based in Faro on the Algarve in Portugal.
It’s not really a ‘birding’ holiday but we have come equipped with walking boots, binoculars and, in my case, a bridge camera.
Our second ‘birding’ opportunity was to the east of Faro along some of the disused salt pans to the west of Olhão. Here we were lucky to have fairly close up views of waders (although not fantastic light) on the estuary and especially good views of spoonbills, little egrets, greater flamingos and other waders on the salt pans.
Black-tailed godwitFlyover spoonbillsSelection of wadersSpoonbills preening DunlinLittle egretCommon ringed ploverSanderlingTurnstoneBlack-winged stiltCaspian ternSlender-billed gullZitting cisticolaGreater flamingosGreenshankLas salinas de Olhāo
After our birding session we behaved more like normal tourists and visited the food market at Olhāo and had another lovely lunch in a back street alley restaurant away from the main tourist area. This time our walking gear didn’t look too out of place.
The back alleys of Ohāo
The rest of our stay we have been doing cultural things and just wandering around Faro enjoying the local flora.
Faro Town Hall at nightThe cathedral at FaroFaro old city walls at night
We are enjoying a short stay based in Faro on the Algarve in Portugal.
It’s not really a ‘birding’ holiday but we have come equipped with walking boots, binoculars and, in my case, a bridge camera.
Our first ‘birding’ opportunity was in the Ria Formosa Nature Park to the west of Faro, along the São Lourenço trail which winds its way between the Ria Formosa and the Sāo Lourenço golf course. There were a few bird hides along the way but we didn’t spend any time in them as we were able to enjoy the bird life as we walked the trail and benefited fully from the pleasant weather.
Along the estuary there were lots of waders, spoonbills, little egrets and storks. On the edges of the golf course we saw hoopoe, Iberian magpies, glossy ibis and lots of waterfowl on the golf course lakes.
My first photo of the day was a speckled wood butterflyGlossy ibis and yellow-bellied terrapinIberian magpieGadwallA flyover hoopoeWhimbrel devouring crabSpoonbillGreenshankCommon storkGreater flamingoShovelerPurple swamphenThe lake on the Sāo Laurenço golf courseA wooden bridge crosses the Ria Formosa to the beach and Gigí’s restaurantIt was warm enough to be on the beach but everyone was walking, running, cycling and birdwatching
We had a fantastic seafood lunch in Gigi’s beach restaurant at Quinta do Lago, which our taxi driver told us sometimes has a 6 month waiting list. The restaurant was quite rustic but the same could not be said of the clientele – that is until we arrived.
Martin's Bird Blog & Nature Photos 