A trip to Portugal, Spain and Norway (Part 1)

This summer I went off to Portugal, Spain and Norway. I first flew to Faro via Dublin.  I was going to spend a week in the Algarve region of Southern Portugal. It was very balmy and warm when I got off the plane. I stayed in a town called Albufeira. I was a bit worried about all the alarm about Europe running out of fuel due to the war in Iran but thankfully had no issues.

At my hotel I was surprised by just how many birds I was able to see on the hotel grounds. There was White Wagtails, Yellow-legged Gulls, the cool looking Common Hoopoes, Iberian and Eurasian Magpies, Eurasian Kestrels, curious Eurasian Jays, Cattle Egrets eating the noisy Iberian Water Frogs, Western House-Martins, Eurasian Blackbirds, elegant looking Spotless Starlings, European Red-rumped Swallows, Eurasian Linnets, European Greenfinches and Sardinian Warblers singing constantly. I really enjoyed watching the beautiful Iberian Magpies as they travelled in small flocks and made a noisy ruckus. They like all jays had so much personality. Also at night, a Little Owl was on my balcony which was cool.

Eurasian Jays were super curious in the Algarve region of Portugal - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Common (Eurasian) Hoopoe in Albufeira, Portugal - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Eurasian Blackbird in Algarve region of Portugal - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Sardinian Warbler in Albufeira, Portugal - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Sardinian Warbler in Albufeira, Portugal - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Yellow-legged Gulls nest right on the resort grounds - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Yellow-legged Gull in Albufeira, Portugal - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Yellow-legged Gulls nest at the resorts in Albufeira, Portugal - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Iberian Water Frogs (Perez's Frog) were a fave food of Cattle Egrets in Albufeira - Photo: M. Hafting

Iberian Magpies really seemed to be having fun on the resort grounds - Photos: Melissa Hafting

European Red-rumped Swallows were numerous in Albufeira, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Spotless Starlings have a elegance to them. Taken in Albufeira - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Western Cattle Egret in Albufeira loved eating Perez's frogs - Photo: Melissa Hafting

On the next day, I went to Castro Verde and on the roads and highways everywhere you see large White Storks in their huge stick nests and most of them had young in the nests. Many are walking in fields foraging for food too. The golden plains of Castro Verde (barley and wheat) and empty roads were just a beautiful landscape. I enjoyed the solitude and birding it so much.

White Stork in Castro Verde, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

At Castro Verde I saw my life Montagu’s Harrier. It was a beautiful male. I also saw some Black Kites and Carrion Crows, Crested Larks, European Stonechats, Zitting Cisticolas and many Corn Buntings. Corn Buntings have dramatically declined across Europe but seem to be holding on here in this protected area of Portugal.

Corn Bunting in Castro Verde, Portugal - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Crested Lark in Castro Verde, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

At Vale Conçalinho (a nature education centre) in Castro Verde, I was able to see my lifer Lesser Kestrels. They really sound different from our American Kestrels or Eurasian Kestrels. They are visually stunning and are colonial nesters which differs from the other kestrels again. They depend on man-made nest boxes to survive now and are declining across their range in Europe. I was happy to see them later in my trip in Spain as well. I also had large flocks of Eurasian Jackdaws and some Pallid Swifts here.

Lesser Kestrels in Castro Verde, Portugal - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Walking the trails here I was also able to hear my lifer Common Quails and had beautiful Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Eurasian Spoonbills fly over me! I had only seen Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse before this and never the spoonbills. There were beautiful European Bee-eaters about they are so brilliant in their colours but I was surprised how shy they were they didn’t like to pose for cameras. Bee-eaters nest colonially in sandy banks and sometimes beekeepers illegally plug their nesting holes, because they blame the birds for eating their bees.

European Bee-eater in Castro Verde, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

I got to see the regional specialty there the beautiful and large Calandra Lark. It had a beautiful song and diagnostic flight pattern. The Crested Larks and Corn Buntings littered the roads and fence lines.

Corn Bunting in Castro Verde, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Eurasian Griffons (vultures) flew over me and they really have a unique flight style. I was impressed by their large size. It seemed like raptor heaven there because right after I saw the Griffons, a Short-toed Snake-Eagle flew over. There was also Common Buzzards. The raptors were riding the thermals and the sky was clear and they weren’t too high up allowing for good views.

 

Next, I went to Merendas Park in Castro Verde. Here I got my lifer Spanish Sparrow. It was nesting at the bottom of a very large White Stork stick nest! It was cool to see two nests in one structure! Spanish Sparrows looks similar to House Sparrows but more elegant. I also saw Western Marsh Harriers here and Great Crested Grebes, and Eurasian Coots.

Male Spanish Sparrow at his nest inside the nest of a White Stork - Photos: Melissa Hafting

On these roads in Castro Verde, it was all arid farmland and I saw nary a soul. It was really nice and peaceful way to bird. It can get really hot out there though. On the road I had some very pretty Woodchat Shrikes (with their red caps and striking black masks) and Iberian and Eurasian Magpies. I had a Cetti’s Warbler singing near the Cobres River. 

Woodchat Shrike in Castro Verde, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

At Açude da Apariça Reserve I had a Great Spotted Woodpecker fly right down on a fence post beside my car. The reason why Corn Buntings are holding on here is because the area is a Special Protection Area of Castro Verde so the land is kept well with minimum disturbance to nesting grassland birds. I met some researchers out there studying the Montagu’s Harrier. Portugal is where the most western population of this species resides. 

Montagu's Harrier in flight at Castro Verde, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Montagu's Harrier in Castro Verde, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

In São Marcos da Ataboeira, I saw a pair of Western Black-eared Wheatears. It was my first time seeing this species. I went up to the old pretty church at Nossa Senhora de Aracelis to have a good view of all the fields below me. There I saw a large flock of 40 Spanish Sparrows! They are different than our House Sparrows as they travel in large murmuring flocks even bigger than this! 

Western Black-eared Wheatear in Castro Verde, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

I also got to see 30 Eurasian Griffons feeding on a carcass in a field which was neat. There were also White-bellied Barn Swallows and Spotless Starlings and Eurasian Collared-Doves about. I also had a beautiful Booted Eagle fly low over me, showing all its field marks.

Booted Eagle in Castro Verde, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

On the side of the road, as I was leaving, I saw my first European Roller too! Man, they are gorgeous with their vibrant colours. One was sitting beside a European Bee-eater and I thought to myself, that these are 2 of the prettiest birds in Europe. The European Roller reminded me of the Indian Rollers I had seen in Thailand. It is the only Roller that breeds in Europe. They do impressive aerial acrobatics during courtship and fly 10,000 kms to their wintering grounds in Africa. It may not be as impressive as Northern Wheatears who fly 14,000 kms from Alaska to Africa but impressive nonetheless.

European Warbler in Castro Verde, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

On all the roads there was so many storks and the cities and governments build platforms for the storks so they stay off the electrical telephone wires. The storks seem to really take to them. They have deterrents on all the telephone poles and wires. In Santa Bárbara de Padrões PT-Alentejo, I saw a Spanish Eagle nest where the adults were feeding live young. They are an impressive beautiful eagle like our Golden Eagles except with a white patch on the shoulder.  I was really happy to stumble on this nest as I followed an adult with my bins as it was carrying food and I thought it was just going into the tree to eat it but it went to a nest! These eagles are rare and only breed in Spain and Portugal. The nest was super far away so only got a terrible record shot of the adult flying in.

Record shot of a Spanish Eagle in Castro Verde, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

There were also more Lesser Kestrels flying around, which was a treat and the very numerous Black Kites.

Black Kite in Castro Verde, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

The next day I was off to the famous birding area called Ria Formosa Natural Park in Faro. En route, in Olhão, I saw some Common Swifts, which look very similar to Pallids; except Common are darker brown and they sound so different. Commons literally sound like they are screaming. I found this blog post extremely helpful in identifying the two in Spain and Portugal.

 

I loved the Algarve area and the birds at Ria Formosa. I started at Ribeirinho Poente Park in Olhão. Here I saw Common Shelducks, Black-winged Stilts with young, Pied Avocets with young, Black-Bellied Plovers, Kentish Plovers, Common Ringed Plovers, Eurasian European Whimbrels, Green Sandpipers, Ruddy Turnstones, Sanderling and Dunlin! This was just the shorebirds. It was truly a shore birder's dream!

Pied Avocet chicks in Faro, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Adult Pied Avocet in Faro, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Kentish Plover in Faro, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Black-winged Stilt in Ria Formosa, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Ruddy Turnstone in Faro - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Common Shelduck in Faro, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

I also saw a few beautiful Eurasian Spoonbills up close. Their underbills and throat patch have a gorgeous yellow colour against their black spoon shaped bills! The tips of their bills also have yellow and they have a gorgeous crest at the back of their crown.

Eurasian Spoonbill at the Ria Formosa in Faro, PT - Photos: Melissa Hafting

There were also dozens and dozens of Little Terns with young. I also had Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls and my first Greater Flamingos. There were Little Egrets, White Storks, Sardinian Warblers, Common Waxbills, and the beautiful Iberian Western Yellow Wagtails who had young!

Greater Flamingo in Faro, PT - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Male Sardinian Warbler in Faro, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Little Egret at the Ria Formosa in Faro, PT - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Western Yellow Wagtail (Iberian Subspecies) - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Female Western Yellow Wagtail (Iberian) carrying nesting material - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Little Terns in Faro, PT - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Next, I went to Marinha do Grelha where I saw more nesting Black-winged Stilts and Pied Avocets. I also had 2 Common Redshanks and all the same shorebirds at the other location including Sanderling and more Little Terns and a flock of over 30 Greater Flamingoes with young birds up close. The young are much paler than the adults but the adults are not half as colourful as American Flamingoes or the Chilean Flamingos I saw in Argentina and Chile. There were plenty of Crested Larks here too which I loved. They are pretty cool looking and sound nice as well.

Juvenile Greater Flamingos at Ria Formosa - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Common Redshank at Ria Formosa - Photo: Melissa Hafting

    Kentish Plover, Common Ringed Plovers, Dunlin and Sanderling in PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Little Tern at Ria Formosa - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Adult Pied Avocet at Ria Formosa - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Pied Avocet at Ria Formosa - Photo: Melissa Hafting

I was then off to Quinta do Lago in Faro. It is a very scenic area on the water with very expensive houses mostly owned by UK homeowners. There are nice boardwalks here to bike on and lots of birds. I was hoping for the Common Chameleon but came up empty. They are rare and not easy to find. I did enjoy photographing a Common Hoopoe on someone's lawn and a tame Iberian Magpie. These Eurasian Hoopoes are in decline due to over-hunting in Southern Europe and Asia and loss of their habitat. The Iberian Magpies had to have been fed here, as they were behaving like Canada Jays, landing on the hands of visitors, which I had not seen elsewhere in Portugal. There was also European Serins on the trees and lawns which was a lifer for me.

The pretty landscape at Quinta do Lago in Faro - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Eurasian Hoopoe in Faro, PT - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Iberian Magpie in Faro, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Iberian Magpie in Faro, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

European Serin in Faro, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

It is also a great spot for the Audouin’s Gull, which I did find! It is a great spot here with an observation tower and bird hide over a freshwater lake. Off the beach I saw the very rare Audouin’s Gull. There are really regional birds and an elegant gull resemble a bit like our Heermann’s Gulls. There were also the common Yellow-legged Gulls. The Audouin’s Gulls would leave the salt water and go bathe in the freshwater lake and there I counted 20 and had great views and photos.

Audouin's Gull in Faro, PT - Photos:  Melissa Hafting

Audouin's Gull in Faro, PT - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Audouin's Gull in Faro, PT - Photos: Melissa Hafting

There on the lake, I also got my lifer Little Bitterns! I ended up with 7 of them and was mystified by how quickly these tiny bitterns could completely disappear within the reeds - without a trace! 

Adult Little Bittern in Faro, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Juv Little Bittern in Faro, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

The lake was full of Common Pochards making funny sounds and some Little Grebes. I also saw Common Wood-Pigeons and Eurasian Moorhens on the nearby golf course. On the beach there were Common Ringed Plovers and Dunlin in spectacular breeding plumage. I also had a Great Cormorant and Little Terns. There were Gray Herons on the beach and Little Egrets. There was also Black-headed Weavers at the lake which had been introduced from Africa but are now countable. 

Common Pochard drake in Faro, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Female Black-headed Weaver in Faro, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Male Black-headed Weaver in Faro, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

European Red-rumped Swallow in Faro, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Next, I was off to Etar de Vilamoura (a sewage treatment plant with hides and trails of the surrounding wetlands) in Quarteira. Here I saw my lifer Red-crested Pochards. There were also more Common Pochards and 4 Ferruginous Ducks. There was also Eurasian Moorhen and my lifer Western Swamphen. I had seen Grey-headed Swamphen in Thailand. I never can get over how big those Swamphens are. Western Swamphens really declined due to habitat loss and hunting but the population is slowly recovering in Portugal with 65 breeding pairs. Here I got to see a Little Ringed Plover mixed in with the Common Ringed Plovers. They really are tiny! There were a few Common Reed Warblers, Cetti’s Warbler and Sardinian Warblers and more Black Weavers and Black-winged Stilts. I also got to see my lifer Common Nightingale as it fed its young. There was also Purple Herons here along with Gray Herons, Great Crested Grebes, Western Marsh Harriers with young and Eurasian Kestrels just to name a few. It was a lovely spot with bird hides and only one other gentleman in it.

Red-crested Pochard with mixed duck flock in Quateira, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Ferruginous Duck with Common Pochard in Quateira, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Little Grebe with chicks on back in Quateira, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Little Ringed Plover with chicks on back in Quateira, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Common Nightingale in Quateira, PT - Photos: Melissa Hafting

The next morning, I was off back to Castro Verde in search of Bustards. Upon arrival I had Eurasian Griffons and Short-toed Snake-Eagles flying over. 

Short-toed Snake-Eagle in Castro Verde, PT - Photos: Melissa Hafting

In São Marcos da Ataboeira I spotted 14 Great Bustards on the side of the road and all were males and not a million miles away. It was an incredible sight!  They are the largest flying birds in Europe. These birds display on leks, like our Grouse do.  They were not displaying this late in the year but were just strutting and standing and feeding in the field. I so wish I could have seen them do their visually stunning courtship display. They flip their tails around showing only their white feathers making them look like a giant snowball. They puff out their chests and throat sacs. I was happy to get some record shots of them as they were not too far away. There are just over 1400 birds in Portugal. They are endangered. Human disturbance is the biggest threat to this species and loss of grassland habitat. Intensive agriculture is negatively impacting both the Great and Little Bustard. Sadly, hunting of Great Bustards still occurs and despite their size get electrocuted by cables often in flight. There were also Carrion Crows, Montagu’s Harriers and Lesser Kestrels in the same field.

Endangered Great Bustards in Castro Verde, Portugal - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Next, I went to Benviúda. Here I saw my lifer Red-legged Partridge while walking the roads of nearby fields and had more Common Quails doing their distinctive calls. Lots of White Storks were feeding in the fields and nesting along the roads. At Cortiçois I had several Calandra Larks doing flight displays and singing their beautiful song. I also saw another European Roller. 

Calandra Lark in Castro Verde, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Near to Rolão, I had 2 Spanish Eagles and 4 Eurasian Griffons riding the thermals there were also a lot of Spotless Starlings. There was a couple European Bee-Eaters by the side of the road who stayed still long enough for a photo. Near to Tacões, I saw my lifer Iberian Gray Shrikes and their long tails were striking.

Iberian Gray Shrike in Tacões, Portugal - Photo: Melissa Hafting

I had been driving all day searching for Little Bustards and it was getting super-hot. I had followed up on an eBird report by a German birder between Penilhos and the town of Romeiras. When I got out of the car, I didn’t see any but within 10 mins heard its distinctive “prrt” call. They sound super unique. While waiting for the Little Bustard to come into view in the intense afternoon heat (with no shade about) I had a huge Cinereous Vulture fly over me quite low with 20 Eurasian Griffons. I was able to get a photo of the Cinereous too. Cinereous Vultures are one of the largest birds of prey with 3m wingspans and heavy weighing up to 31 lbs. They have declined precipitously due to bait poisoning of other species that they eat. They are also trapped and poached, especially in China and Russia. Habitat loss is also contributing to their decline. 

Cinereous Vulture flying over me in Beja County, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Eurasian Griffon flying over in Beja County, PT - Photo: Melissa Hafting

There were Bee-eaters, Black Kites, Common Hoopoes, Lesser Kestrels, Common Ravens, Calandra Larks and Common Quails to keep me company, while I waited. Even with a summer hat and sunscreen I felt my skin cooking but 2 hours later the Little Bustard emerged from the grasses and when it emerged another started calling in the same field. I am still amazed how well these birds can totally hide in short grass. With my scope I couldn’t find it even though I heard it calling relatively close. There was too much heat haze for any decent photos so just watched it in my scope. It is a very unique handsome bird but didn’t give me the same thrill as the imposing Great Bustard which reminds me of a hybrid between a rhea, sage-grouse and ostrich. I was really glad to have seen both bustards and that was the main reason I came to Portugal. I wish I could have seen the Little Bustards do their hopping lek display but it was too late in the year for that. Little Bustards are declining rapidly across their range due to grassland habitat loss. They are extremely sensitive to disturbance.

 
On my way back to the hotel in Albufeira, near Aipo, I stopped and photographed a White Stork in their large nest. They may be so common there but to me it was such a cool sight and I was relieved after such a long day searching for bustards in the heat. While stopped a Booted Eagle flew over with 20 Eurasian Griffons.

White Stork at nest with House Sparrows nest building in its nest - Photo: Melissa Hafting

The next morning, I was tired but got up at 5 am and drove towards the Andalusia region of Spain. The goal was to make it to the beautiful town of Seville which was only 2.5 hours away. In Loulé in Portugal I had my first Alpine Swift they are visually distinctive with their white bellies and chins. At Castro Marim on the border, I saw a Great Cormorant, Flamingo, Common Shelducks and Little Egrets.

 

When I crossed the Guadiana International Bridge and Guadiana River I was in the Andalusia region of Spain. I had Eurasian Spoonbills, Yellow-legged Gulls and White Storks and Greater Flamingos and lots of Black Kites.

 

I didn’t plan to do any hard-core birding in Spain but just wanted to visit the country for a first time. It was a visually stunning city. Seville had these beautiful Jacaranda trees with purple flowers in bloom that made the city very romantic. There were also plenty of orange trees.

Jacaranda Trees in bloom in Seville

The boats on the Guadalquivir River reminded me a bit of Paris. In Seville while walking around the beautiful Royal Gardens of the Royal Alcázar Palace. I was sure glad I bought my tickets in advance, since it was completely sold out.

A snapshot of a small portion of the huge Royal Alcázar Palace gardens

I had not seen these birds in Portugal. There were also Pallid Swifts, Common Swifts, Red-Rumped Swallows, Mallards, Blackbirds, Gray Herons, Jackdaws, Spotless Starlings, Wood-Pigeons and Lesser Kestrels. I was happy to see tons of Monk Parakeets and Rose-Ringed Parakeets everywhere! The parakeets are countable here too, which was cool.

 

I enjoyed walking around the city and visiting the various sites like the Plaza de España and eating tapas, watching Flamenco and drinking wine. 

Flamenco dancer in Sevilla, ES

The famous Plaza de España in Sevilla, ES

Everyone seemed very friendly in this town. It is the hottest city in Europe and it was very humid. I noticed the huge increase in traffic in the city and the way people drove here was far from the relaxed way people drove in Portugal. It was a nice visit to this part of Southern Europe. I was now off to visit Norway the very next day. 

Part 2 to be continued.