Holiday to the Algarve

Jen, Sophie and I had previously stayed at the Martinhal which is just outside Sagres in October a couple of years ago.

It is set in a national park and the birding was fantastic with many migrants on passage.

I knew that spring was less profitable but as we enjoyed it so much decided to go in May just to see the difference.

We hired a car this time so I decided that I would restrict my birding to the general local area with the exception of one day out which I had prebooked.

This was with local guide Simon Waites who I had previously used and had subsequently recommended to Jono who used him for a trip to Baja Alentejo.

I had never been to this part of Portugal and it promised a lot of birds which i would be unlikely to see in the Algarve and actually in many other areas of Europe.

I will dedicate a new page to this but for the moment will condense the rest of my local birding to this page.

Outside our house we had scrub an bush leading to a small rocky beach. Outside I regularly saw Sardinian Warbler, Serin. Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Blackbird and House Sparrow.

There were a number of flyover birds including Kestrel, White Stork, Cattle Egret, Little Egret and numerous Yellow Legged Gulls.

I also had a family of  Stonechat nesting nearby.

On my previous visit I had a lot of joy at a small salt water lagoon near the beach at the resort but this time it was much smaller and only gave Kentish Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Black Winged Stilt and Grey Heron.

However, the surrounding bushes gave me Corn Bunting and my first ever European Bee Eaters - a bird which has somehow eluded me on previous visits to Europe.

The general area around Sagres is stunning with cliffs, barren headlands and flora found in very few or in some instances in no other places.

I was keen to go walking with Jen and she agreed that I could take my camera and binos. I had seen Chough on my previous visit but wanted to get better views along with Blue Rock Thrush which I had only seen at distance briefly on my previous visit. In fact, if truth be known, it was only Simon telling me that this was what it was as the view was so poor.

Ironically, the best views I had on my walk with Jen was none of these but a pair of Black Redstarts which was a first in the Algarve for me.

I went out on my own most days for an hour or two. I had been told by Simon that Short Toed Lark, Tawny Pipit and highly prized Spectacled Warbler were all possibilities so along with my other target birds these became the focus for my attentions.

Having spent a day in resort I told Jen I was getting stir crazy so she said I should nip out for an hour one evening. I headed for Cape St Vincent as it was 10 minutes drive and was always busy with tourists during the day. Within 2 minutes of arriving I had excellent views of Blue Rock Thrush so promply took photos and returned home well within the hour happy!

Next morning I was out by 6.30 to try and find Spectacled Warbler and again struck lucky very quickly. Photos were very difficult as they two birds flitted from one bush to another so quickly but I did get a record shot plus a less timid Zitting Cisticola.

My final day was probably best in that a walk to a lonely headland farm gave me Short Toed Lark, Tawny Pipit and my best views of Chough. An obliging Little Owl on a farm building was another new Algarve bird and a lone Alpine Swift gave another lifer.

Nearing the car gave me excellent views of Thekla Lark and even a Red Legged Partridge.

My final birds of the trip was a male Linnet and Raven.

Throughout, hirundines were numerous with House Martin, Sand Martin, Swallow, Red Rumped Swallow and Swift around the resort with Crag Martin closer to the cliffs.

Lovely birding but my Alentajo day is special so make sure you read the next installment!