Portugal Birding Trip Report (14th February – 16th February 2016) - Species List and Locations

Day 1 – Faro to Aljezur

Iberian Magpie – 14th February – North of Aljezur on the N120, Rua 25 de Abril. (40+ travelling flock moving through the trees. Common and numerous throughout.)

Spanish Sparrow – 14th February – Ria de Alvor, small dirt track (Caminho da Espargueira). (A small number of males interspersed with House Sparrows. Only ones of the trip.)

Day 2 – Aljezur, Monchique and Lagos

Bonelli’s Eagle – 15th February – East of Maria Vinagre off the M1002 Estrada do Carrascalinho. (Two seen in total, soaring high)

Black-shouldered Kite – 15th February – South of Mexilhoeira Grande on the Rua 25 de Abril (north of the N125). (Seen well hovering and hunting. Only one of the trip)

Day 3 – Castro Verde to Faro

Great Bustard – 16th February – Castro Verde, west of Gueirero and east of Alcaria do Coelho, in fields north of the road. (Three individuals seen, though distant. Only birds of the trip.)

Black-headed Weaver – 16th February – Pools at Quinta do Lago at the San Lorenzo Golf Club (off Rua Douro). (Male and several females seen well in the reeds. Male paired up and singing. Only birds of the trip.)

Also of note: Probable Spanish Imperial Eagle - Castro Verde, south of Corte Pequena. Too distant to confirm but pale underside, apparent white rump and dark tips to the wings.

Notable Species:

Cattle Egret - Frequent all over and very common
White Stork - At many sites and common throughout
Greater Flamingo - Several individuals at Ria de Alvor
Purple Swamphen - Numerous on the golf course at Quinta do Lago
Little Bustard - Large flock seen at Castro Verde, south of Corte Pequena. 
Black-winged Stilt - One seen at Ria de Alvor
Kentish Plover - Three seen on the salt marsh at Quinta do Lago
Audouin’s Gull - One seen on the pool at Quinta do Lago
Black-bellied Sandgrouse - A handful seen in the fields at Castro Verde, north of Sao Marcos da Ataboeira
Pallid Swift - Several individuals flying around the pools at Quinta do Lago
Hoopoe - Several seen throughout the trip
Crested Lark - Numerous and several seen throughout the trip
Crag Martin - Numerous and several seen throughout the trip
Red-rumped Swallow - A couple seen at Castro Verde, north of Navarro
Sardinian Warbler - One seen in the scrub surrounding the fields at Ribeira de Aljezur 
Fan-tailed Warbler - A handful seen throughout the trip. More often heard
Iberian Grey Shrike - Numerous throughout the trip
Spotless Starling - Several seen throughout the trip
Serin - Several seen throughout the trip

Additional species:

Mallard
Gadwall
Shoveler
Teal
Pochard
Tufted Duck
Red-legged Partridge
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Cormorant
Little Egret
Grey Heron
Spoonbill
Red Kite
Marsh Harrier
Hen Harrier
Common  Buzzard
Kestrel
Peregrine
Moorhen
Coot
Ringed Plover
Golden Plover
Lapwing
Turnstone
Dunlin
Redshank
Greenshank
Black-headed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Rock Dove
Stock Dove
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Common Swift
Great-spotted Woodpecker
Barn Swallow
House Martin
Water Pipit
Meadow Pipit
White Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Robin
Black Redstart
Stonechat
Song Thrush
Blackbird
Blackcap
Dartford Warbler
Cetti’s Warbler
Chiffchaff
Firecrest
Wren
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Magpie
Jay
Raven
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Corn Bunting

Portugal Birding - Tuesday 16th February 2016 (Day 3 - Castro Verde and Faro)

With our final day in Portugal dawning and with brilliant blue skies weather-wise, we checked out of our hotel and left Lagos for the last time, making the journey up north to the well-known plains around Castro Verde an hour and a half away. Hoping our toll passes from the hire car company were working as we sped through countless check points, we were soon at our destination to begin the search for one of the species we were both most looking forward to seeing – Great Bustard.

The entrance to the Great Bustard Reserve in Castro Verde

Arriving at the gates to the popular Great Bustard reserve at Castro Verde, we were disappointed to find them closed, and without a guide we were sadly unable to enter. However, scanning the surrounding plains the habitat looked ideal, so we took the car down a nearby side-road in an effort to locate any wandering Bustards. Searching the distant fields, I soon locked on to three large birds heading distantly left - surely our target.

The fields around the reserve - ideal habitat for Bustards

Being just too far away to confirm and quickly disappearing behind a hill, we decided to try and relocate them in the car, driving around the reserve and following the roads down to Viseus before heading east towards Guerreiro. Expecting dusty and potholed tracks in our hunt for the Bustards, it was a pleasant surprise to be met with road surfaces all in excellent condition even in this remote area – a reoccurring theme we noticed throughout our time in Portugal and putting the British roads to shame! 

As we stopped to scan, the cries of Black-bellied Sandgrouse echoed overhead, and we were treated to several flyover flocks during the morning. Like elsewhere in Portugal, the fields were teaming with bird life, and we encountered masses of larks and Corn Buntings in the lush grasses either side of the road. 

The lush fields of Castro Verde

Iberian Grey Shrikes and Spotless Starlings were a regular sight perched on the wires, while White Stork nests seemed to adorn every other telegraph pole, the huge structures balanced on specially placed platforms. 

White Stork nest

Raptors were also in abundance here, and we encountered several Common Kestrels, Common Buzzards, Red Kites and even Marsh Harriers – the latter a species I wouldn’t normally associate with this type of habitat. Sadly, the Lesser Kestrels eluded me yet again - something that will have to be put right with a trip to Extremadura in the future!

Marsh Harrier - an unexpected sight on the plains of Castro Verde

Approaching the patch of fields the Bustards looked to have flown to, we stopped the car at regular intervals to scan the surrounding plains, the heat haze making viewing somewhat difficult. It wasn’t long before Alex’s eagle eyes spotted one however, and getting me on it, we quickly noticed a further two individuals feeding with the first, gradually moving up the slope. Finally, a long-awaited lifer for both of us in the form of three magnificent Great Bustards.

More than likely the three birds we had spotted flying near the start of the reserve, we watched as they fed in the short grass, an iconic species in these parts and a bird we had both been wanting to see for some time. Despite the distance and heat haze, we managed a few record shots through the scope and admired the sheer size of these incredible birds. 

Extreme record shot of a very distant Great Bustard!

Even though flocks of up to 60 had been reported recently, these three individuals were the only ones of our trip, despite driving the tracks around Castro Verde until well in to the afternoon.

With a whole scattering of Great Bustard records around Castro Verde and the area being a well-known and important site for them, the best thing for anyone looking for them is simply to drive around the area, stopping the car and scanning for any movement on the plains. The fields around the reserve are a particularly good location for sightings if you can’t get on to the reserve itself, and the eBird map below shows the hotspots around Castro Verde.

Distribution of Great Bustards this year from eBird

Portugal Birding - Monday 15th February 2016 (Day 2 - Aljezur, Monchique and Lagos)

With the weather forecast to be considerably more promising for our second day in Portugal, we decided to head back up to Aljezur to see if the sun would tempt out the Snowfinch. Arriving back on site early the next morning, the conditions were a huge improvement on the day before – glorious blue skies and puffy white clouds met us as we pulled up at the side of the fields. Several Hoopoes soaked up the sun on the sandy banks lining the road, while the Iberian Grey Shrikes from Sunday again gave excellent views perched out in the open.

Hoopoe - always a welcome sight in the Med

Iberian Grey Shrike

The increase in bird life from the day before was soon apparent, with a greater number of Crested Larks happily feeding in the short grass at the side of the road, along with the familiar Meadow Pipits and Goldfinches. On closer inspection, we managed to unearth a Thekla Lark amongst them, the white eyering, distinct dark lores, and shorter bill distinguishing it from the similar Cresteds. 

Thekla Lark - note the clear black lores and distinct eyering

Several Corn Buntings foraging amongst the straw in one of the fields were also new in from yesterday, offering some hope that the Snowfinch may still make an appearance. Sadly it wasn’t to be, and a rather confiding male Sardinian Warbler was the best new bird we could manage.

Male Sardinian Warbler - one of my favourite Mediterranean warblers

With the Snowfinch having been present for around a week prior to our visit and apparently favouring the field where a large bull had been kept (according to reports it liked to feed in the straw), the fact the bull had now been taken away may have played a factor in the Snowfinch’s untimely departure. Disappointing to say the least, but after searching the entire surrounding area it was clear that the Snowfinch had most definitely moved on.

The dreaded Snowfinch fields

With the rain threatening to dampen our day once again and having seen enough of the same patch of daisies to last a lifetime, we decided enough was enough and headed out further in to the Portuguese countryside in an effort to locate some of our other targets for the trip. Travelling east inland towards the Serra de Monchique mountain range, we scanned the wires, fences and trees scattered throughout the lush green farmland in an effort to locate any Black-shouldered Kites, a species I was especially keen to see.

Portugal Birding - Sunday 14th February 2016 (Day 1 - Aljezur and Lagos)

With a Snowfinch present in southern Portugal over the first week of February along with a whole host of Iberian specialities that me and Alex hadn’t managed to catch up with in one of our visits to Spain, we decided to book a last minute break to Portugal in the hopes of catching up with some of our previously missed Mediterranean targets.

A new country for both of us, we touched down at Faro airport late on the Saturday evening ready to hire our car the next morning for a full days’ worth of exploring. Awaking bright and early in our hotel on the Sunday, our first bird of note was a singing Fan-tailed Warbler displaying enthusiastically over the reeds and tall grasses that surrounded our balcony, quickly followed by several House Sparrows chirruping away. Despite a careful search however, no Spanish Sparrows were interspersed amongst them – a key target for me during the trip. Several Barn Swallows and House Martins darted low down below the balcony, skimming the tops of the reeds and being a nice reminder of the spring and summer months still to come back in Britain.

After picking up our hire car we were on the road by 10, travelling along the south coast of Portugal to our first stop at Aljezur to see if the Snowfinch was still present. The 6th record for Portugal and a species that we had missed whilst in the Pyrenees two years ago, this was a bird that we could potentially jam in on out of habitat without having to make a special trip up to the high mountains.

The high Pyrenees of Northern Spain where Snowfinches would be more at home!

Hearing that Iberian Magpies (one of our key targets of the trip) were supposedly ridiculously common in this area of Portugal prior to leaving the UK, we were expecting to be inundated with them as we made our way along the roads. Surprisingly this wasn’t the case, and we didn’t encounter any until at least nearly an hour in to our journey as we neared Aljezur. Stopping off at the side of the road to let an impatient driver past, we took the opportunity to scan the surrounding trees for signs of any birds. A female Blackcap darted quickly through the leaves and out of sight, before a large grey bird flying right caught my eye, quickly followed by another, then another, then another! Getting better views, the ID was confirmed - incredibly we had stumbled upon a large travelling party of Iberian Magpies and our first lifer of the trip! Counting up to 40 individuals present from the road, we hurried out of the car and ventured down the adjoining dirt track, in pursuit of what was now a fast flying and very loud flock on the move. 

Record shot of our first Iberian Magpies

With some of the flock perched on the nearby branches, we rattled off a few record shots – and then they were off, chattering noisily as they ventured deep in to the impenetrable thicket of trees on the other side of the path. Purely by chance, we had notched up our first new bird and one of our main targets of the trip.