An excellent week in the Algarve made special by a trip to Altentajo region. Our guide for the day was Simon Wates (find him on the internet). He arrived at the hotel at 7am and drove us to the Altentajo. He knew which farm tracks to turn down and the promised birds were usually there.
cattle egret grey heron white stork gadwall black-shouldered kite black kite red kite griffon vulture black vulture short-toed eagle marsh harrier montagu's harrier (many) buzzard booted eagle bonelli's eagle lesser kestrel kestrel red-legged partridge little bustard great bustard black-winged stilt collared pratincole black-bellied sandgrouse little owl red-necked nightjar bee-eater roller hoopoe calandra lark short-toed lark crested lark thekla lark woodlark crag martin swallow red-rumped swallow house martin white wagtail rufous bush robin nightingale stonechat black-eared wheatear blue tit great tit nuthatch short-toed treecreeper southern grey shrike woodchat shrike azure-winged magpie carrion crow raven spotless starling house sparrow rock sparrow spanish sparrow goldfinch corn bunting
We got back to our hotel at 9:15pm absolutely kn*******.
During our stay in Alvor we also saw Kentish Plover, fan-tailed warbler, swift, pallid swift and many little tern fishing in the harbour.
I hope that that's an accurate record of a memorable trip.
Dave & Linda
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