Birdwatching in Ria Formosa Natural Park: A Birdwatcher’s Paradise

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival at Faro Airport and rent-a-car pick up

Individual arrival to Faro Airport and rent-a-car vehicle pick up. Drive to Hotel in Tavira.

Spoonbills – The Eurasian Spoonbill is never a difficult species to encounter. –  Photo Peter Dedicoat

Day 2 – Tavira & Santa Luzia Salt-pans (Salinas) & Sítio das Quatro Águas

The Tavira salinas consist of numerous tanks, channels, creeks, and drainage ditches. In autumn and winter, the large tanks on the south side attract large numbers of waterfowl.
The tanks are a popular high tide roost for waders and gulls and Greater Flamingos can usually be found. It is a site best visited at high tide.
These are home to numerous wading birds at high tide including Dunlin, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Sanderling, and Kentish & Ringed Plover. Common Shelduck can often be found on the bunds amongst the roosting Lesser Black-back & Audouin’s Gulls.
Little Egrets and Kingfishers may be in the channel on the left and Spanish Sparrows often congregate on the fences. An Osprey sometimes perches on the poles eating fish and a Peregrine might fly past as it searches for prey.
The road to Quatro Águas is bounded on the east by Salinas and then the River Gilão, on the west by an extensive area of Salinas, creeks, and disused fish farms, and on the south by the tidal Tavira channel.
The pans are best at high tide but the channel is best at low tide when the mud and shellfish beds are exposed.
It is sometimes possible to see the six common species of gull found in this area, including Audouin’s and Slender-billed Gulls, on the same pan. Caspian Terns can also be found. Grey Herons, White Storks, Little Egrets, and Spoonbills are often seen here.

Caspian Tern, the symbol of Castro Marim Reserve

Day 3 – Quinta de Marim

The Natural Park is state-managed and the headquarters of the Ria Formosa is here. Currently, the entrance costs 2.5€ and you can obtain information about the fauna and flora either at the entrance or at the headquarters building. There are sign-posted trails around the park.
The park is an area of approximately 40 hectares comprising salt marsh, saltpans, Mediterranean scrub, and pine forest, freshwater lagoons, beaches, and mudflats. With such a range of habitats, it is possible to see a wide range of bird species.
If you are visiting in the spring look out for orchids in the wooded areas and in the summer months look out for Mediterranean Chameleon.

Natural Park Ria Formosa

Day 4 – Free Day

This is an ideal opportunity to relax and enjoy the attractions of the Algarve. You can walk/tour independently, or visit local places of interest. From Faro, there is a wide variety of sightseeing available (we can advise and/or recommend options according to your interests). For birdwatching, you may wish to visit Sagres to the West or Vila Real de Santo António to the East.

Pink Flamingos , The best area to see flamingos in the Algarve is Ria Formosa –  Photo Peter Dedicoat

Day 5 – Castro Marim

A day visiting the Reserva Natural do Sapal de Castro Marim e Vila Real de Santo Antonio, an enormous area of wetland, saltmarsh, and salt-pans at the eastern end of the Algarve which is home to a wealth of birdlife. One of the major attractions here is the Greater Flamingos at least some of which can be found all year-round. A varied selection of gulls, wildfowl, and wading birds can be expected in spring, autumn, and winter.
At the “Cerro do Bufo” saltpans it is possible to watch several species of water birds, including the Audouin’s Gull, Little Tern, Collared Pratincole, and Yellow Wagtail(spring/summer); Shelduck, Shoveler, Black-necked Grebe, and Caspian Tern (Autumn/winter).
All year round it is possible to find Flamingos, Black-winged Stilts, Spoonbills, Greenshanks, and Avocets. Kingfisher is regular at this location and, during migration times, Black Tern often turns up.
The Slender-billed Gull seems to be a regular visitor here during autumn and winter. In the surrounding areas, it is possible to find Stone Curlew and Little Bustard, along with a passing Garganey. Crested Lark is a resident in this area.
The salt marsh and the salt pans are located near the Interpretative Centre/Headquarters for the Castro Marim Nature Reserve and are the best place to observe Caspian Tern, Common Redshank, and Black-winged Stilt.
According to registered observations, there have been recent sightings of Red-necked Phalarope in this area.

Great Crested Grebe – Resident throughout the year in Ria Formosa –  Photo Peter Dedicoat

Day 6 – Lagoa de São Lourenço & Ludo

The Lagoa de São Lourenço is a body of water that is largely surrounded by a golf course. The Lagoa is rich in aquatic vegetation, edged by reeds and bulrushes, and thus is rich in avifauna. In winter large numbers of ducks including Northern Shoveler, Eurasian Teal, Common Pochard, Eurasian Wigeon, and Tufted Duck gather. However,  there are many special birds that make their homes here all year round including Red-crested Pochard, Little Bittern, Purple Swamp-hen, Black-headed Weaver, and Great Crested Grebe. They are joined in summer by Little Terns, hirundines, and swifts.
At the southern end of the lake are the channels, salt marsh, lagoons, and sandy barrier islands of the Ria Formosa which, depending on the tide and the season, can be teeming with waders, gulls, herons, and egrets. To the east of the golf course is an area of pines that open onto Ludo, a busy salt-producing farm where it is possible to see Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Spoonbill, Booted Eagles, and many nesting White Storks.

Spoonbills – From Northern Europe take up residence in the shallow lakes, coastal lagoons, and salt pans of the Algarve –  Photo Peter Dedicoat

Day 7 – Quinta do Lago Wetlands

In Quinta do Lago there’s a small coastal lagoon protected from the sea by dunes. The lake is edged with tamarisks, bulrushes, and reeds which give cover to species such as Little Bittern, Purple Swamp-hen, and occasionally Squacco Heron.
There is a trail that leads to an observation tower and is a good spot for photography.
Eurasian Coots are common and there should be several species of ducks including Gadwall and Common Pochard. Little Grebes and Common Moorhen nest here.
Several heron species are seen regularly. There is also the chance to see Black-headed Weaver. During the winter, the ponds attract small flocks of Northern Shoveler and a few Crag Martins. From time to time Glossy Ibises and Spoonbills are also seen.
Near the pine cone areas, you can observe several species of land birds such as the Turtle Dove, Bee-eater, Short-toed Treecreeper, Eurasian Jay, and Azure-winged Magpie.
It is also possible to observe more secretive species – Little Bittern and Purple Swamp-hen.
Trafal is a small wetland bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, golf courses, and pine woodlands. 200 meters to the west of Trafal is the small coastal lagoon, Foz do Almargem. The lagoon is surrounded on three sides by pine woods and is edged by reeds. The beach and dunes border the lagoon to the south. In rough winter weather, the dunes are sometimes breached.
Azure-winged Magpies are very common in this area, as are Jays. Black-winged Kites and Hoopoes can often be seen perched on the poles, and Marsh Harriers can regularly be seen quartering the wetland. If you are lucky a Booted Eagle might show too.

Eurasian Teal – Normally an over-wintering species. –  Photo Peter Dedicoat

Day 8- Individual departure or extra days (on request)