Family Holiday to the Algarve!

This started out as purely a family holiday in half term with Jen and Sophie.

In my travel job capacity I was offered a superb deal to stay at a new hotel (Martinhal)  and found out that it happens to be in the middle of a national park.

On further investigation it turns out that this is a hot spot for autumn migration so I did not hesitate to book!

We arrived after dark so had no real idea about the location of our 2 bed house until I woke up the next morning.

I opened up the balcony door to reveal a stunning heath and scrub landscape heading down a ravine to the beach and sea below.

I glanced down and saw a superb male Bluethroat (one of many new lifers for me). I had not even got my binoculars let alone camera and scope and by the time I had it had gone not to be seen for the rest of the holiday!

Over the next two hours I saw Sardinian Warblers, Wheatears and Stonechats by the bucket load and a Black Redstart which became a nervous regular visitor.

I did an hour or two on the balcony most days and got a great list just from here!

The next morning saw a fly by Peregrine Falcon and three new visitors.

The first was a Wryneck though it flew before I could get a great photo hence the record shot below but better views were given by a beautiful Ring Ouzel and Thekla Lark (again both lifers for me)

I decided to take a walk around the resort and found an area of pampas grass and gorse which gave me another lifer - Common Waxbill - which has a stunning red beak but was just too skittish for photos. Further on led to a small salt marsh and Little Egret, Turnstone, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plover and Kentish Plover were common throughout my stay. However, the highlight was a group of Black Winged Stilts though they always kept their distance!

Prior to my trip I had been in contact with a guide - Simon Wates (http://algarvebirdman.com/) - who has lived in the area for a number of years. I had arranged to go on Monday afternoon with him and all day on Tuesday.

I met Simon who took me to the raptor viewpoint near Sagres which afforded some lovely birds on the way - Wood Lark, Crag Martin and Zitting Cisticola were both lifers again!

However, sadly, the viewpoint was quiet so we made our way back down to the scrub and trees.

The low lying fields near the cliffs gave a large flock of Chough and distant views of Little Bustard which scattered as we tried to get close enough for a photo!

In the wooded area I caught my first views of a Crested Tit - yes, another lifer!
There had been sightings of a rare Pallid Harrier which we decided to trace. Bingo - we saw this along with Hen Harrier too.

We then found a rare for Algarve Richard's Pipit and a fleeting first ever glimpse of a Dartford Warbler.

Another local bird - the Spotless Starling was also seen amongst the roosting flocks of Starling.

Simon then took me to a secret location to see Eagle Owls which has been breeding there for a number of years. As dusk approached we saw a fleeting glimpse of a Blue Rock-Thrush and just as we tried to follow this a stunning female Eagle Owl preening herself came into view. It was too dark for a photos but a memory I will not forget.

The next day took us to some wetlands in the Ria Formosa.

We started at the salt marsh close to the beach at Faro Airport.

Sea watching gave numerous Gulls and Great Skua and Cory's Shearwater - another lifer!

Back on the salt marsh there were a number of waders with Curlew, Whimbrel, Greenshank, Dunlin, Bar and Black Tailed Godwit, Sanderling, Turnstones and Plovers.

Highlights were a Kingfisher distant but perched, Caspian Tern, a Spoonbill which was tagged in Holland and a superb White Stork.

We then went to Quinta De Lago via lagoons and marsh where I got great views of Greater Flamingo. two Sacred Ibis on a fly past and a soaring Booted Eagle (crappy photos but a record shot for yet another lifer). In addition there were more waders inclusing Avocet and Black Winged Stilt.

Sadly, the singing Penduline Tit eluded us and as I did not see this I will not include in my list!

On to the golf course at Quinta Da Lago which has a super pond which attracts all sorts of birds. We did not find the Little Bittern but got great views of Purple Swamphen which had been a target bird for me and another lifer.

The track back gave Crested Lark, Hoopoe and another new to me bird - Azure Winged Magpie!

After leaving the reserve Simon stopped at a local farm where we had seen a Black Shouldered Kite a few days earlier and low and behold there was a male sitting on a telegraph wire some distance away. It was too far to get anymore than a fuzzy record shot but a lifer nevertheless!

On our way back to our hotel we stopped off in the hinterland and enjoyed the cork oaks and hillside scenery. The trees produced Crested Tit again but all else eluded us.

Over the remaining two days I saw many more common species along with great views of the rarer migrants.

The list finished on 101 species of birds all seen and did not include the once I heard.

There were some super butterflies too including Clouded Yellow, Short Tailed Blue and Wall Brown amongst others.

This is a birding mecca and I urge anyone to visit.

Work trip to Fuerteventura

In my role as a Sales Director to a travel company I am sometimes required to visit hotels.

On Monday 3rd October I had to go to Fuerteventura and stayed at the Sheraton there.

I did not arrive until dark and had business meetings most of the next day. However, I managed a couple of hours birding on the Tuesday and nearly five hours on the Wednesday before my return flight.

Flying Ryanair meant no hold luggage and limited hand luggage so I had space for my binos and a my superzoom compact. It is always with regret I cannot take my scope but better than not taking anything!

The hotel is right on the beash with scrubland to both sides and a golf course to the rear.

It does not get light until nearly 8am so I managed about an hour before getting ready for my meetings.

Walking through the gardens of the hotel I caught a glimpse of something I had not seen before. A closer look gave me the endemic Fuerteventura Chat - my main target bird. This used to be called the Canary Island Chat but since it became extinct in its only other location - Lanzarote - it has been renamed. Sadly. low light and the male bird fluttering in and out of foliage provided me with nothing more than a shaky record shot too poor to show but a really good start.

Walking down to the beach there were a number of rock pools to the side. This gave me Ringed Plover, Turnstone, Whimbrel and my first ever Kentish Plover but I was in the open here so could not get great photos but still a pleasing view.

I had already run very short of time so walked back to the hotel. The gardens were seperated from the beach path by wooden railings which meant you could peak through them at the lawns and bushes within.

A gap in the hedge gave me great views of Hoopoe, Yellow Wagtail (blue headed morph) and my first Berthelot's Pipit. There was enough light and birds were close enough to get a few pics.

Looking at my watch I now realised I had 40 minutes to get breakfast, shower and be at my meeting so did not give more than a glance at the Swifts flying over, the Robin singing or the numerous Collared Doves.

Five hours later and a successful meeting concluded I was able to get out for some late afternoon birding.

This time I ignored the beach area and walked to the Golf Club. There is very little inland water at this time of year so hoped I might pick up a few birds around the water features.

My first bird was a Pied Flycatcher which is a lifer for me so was very excited. Little did I know that I was to see loads in the next 24 hours! Also near the entrance was a scrubby area and this gave me a small group of Trumpeter Finches - another lifer and all within 2 minutes. I got a record shot of a female but it was hazy and the Pied Fly would not stay still!

As I entered the Golf Course I caught sight of two Ravens sitting in the shade. A crappy photo later (they took off as soon as they saw me) and I made my way to the man made lakes. By the mesh fence I also saw an beautiful day flying moth (again saw loads over the course of the visit) which Jono helpfully identified as a Crimson Speckled.

By now there were a number of Pied Flys but could not get a decent photo - the two best below!

My walk continued and looking at some distance to a lone tree gave me my first ever Wryneck! I could not get too close and as golfers were approaching took a quick photo but a real thrill for me!

I eventually found the water feature and was surprised at how little there was! A Ruddy Shelduck was the highlight but only Mallard and some hybrid Muscovy Ducks showed.

Nearing the exit I saw numerous Spanish Sparrows with House Sparrows and Canary Chiffchaffs were everywhere.

A great few hours so back to the hotel and a couple of beers and quiet dinner. I decided on an early night as I had the whole of the next day until 3pm.

So, Wednesday I was up at 7am and had an enormous breakfast on the basis this was my last free meal at the hotel and decided to walk along the coast to a tiny hamlet called Las Salinas which produces salt for the island. The walk was open with sea and rocks to one side and a massive expanse of scrub to the other. It was 31 degrees and I had no sun protection.

The scrub provided a Tawny Pipit (another first) and distant views of two Grey Heron.

On the rocks were Sanderling, Little Egret and Grey Plover along with numerous Yellow Legged Gulls (or simply Gulls as Dave would call them!)

After a long walk I finally got to the salt pools and there were just three waders. A Ringed Plover and two others with decurved bill. They were quite different in size and one had a much longer bill. I was sure the smaller was a Curlew Sandpiper but unsure of the other. I sent the photos to Jono who thought they may both be Curlew Sands but it was a possibility that the larger was a Stilt Sandpiper. I am currently investigating but have posted both photos below.

I then noticed a scurrying out of the corner of my eye and saw a Chipmunk on a wall followed by a huge Monarch butterfly. I was torn but took a quick shop of the rodent before finally getting a resting shot of the Monarch - a wonderful sight!

I made my way back to the hotel and just as I neared civilisation saw a small barranco (stream or gully) which had a little water. This was real find as it gave me Pied Wagtail, a large Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper and a Spotted Flycatcher.

Finally I took the time to look through the wooden fence surrounding the hotel garden and was really glad I did! Apart from more Yellow Wags, Berthelot's Pipits and Hoopoe I saw a Winchat, a female Red Throated Pipit (another lifer!) and a lovely male Redstart.

Inside the hotel grounds I was just about to put my camera away when I glanced a pretty dragonfly which is not an area of expertise for me but Jono has identified at a Red Veined Darter.

All in all a great few hours birding. I love my job!!!