Finding Birds in South Portugal

Dave Gosney

2013. Completely revised edition. This book is now more complete than ever, thanks to the addition of a 9-page supplement based on a visit made in March 2009. Dave Gosney writes:

"The purpose of my 2009 trip was to visit new sites that I'd read about either in articles in Birding World or in the 'Summer Birding in the Algarve' guide by Jon Hardacre and give them 'the Gosney treatment'. Details of these 'new' sites (and more precise information on one of the 'old' sites) have been added to the original book in the form of a 9-page supplement. This includes new detailed maps for these areas so you can find them more easily than I did!"

The text and maps of the original book have remained unaltered, so this is not a complete update.

The new sites covered are:

• Lago de Salgado (Pera marsh)
• Vilamoura area (Falesia lagoon and Parque ambietal)
• Portas de Rodao
• Barroca d'Alva
• Guerreiro

And there are some additional notes, mostly navigational, on Castro Marim, Carcavelo, Ludo Farm, Airport Waterworks and Entradas.

Includes GPS co-ordinates to help you find the right turnings, parking spaces or viewing points. Highlights the best areas only - and summarises the key attraction in the first paragraph so you can easily decide whether to read on or bother to visit the site. A map on the inside cover serves as an index so you can easily find any site in the book. Supplementary site details, including photographs are available as web-pages and a free app (various platforms including iOS, Android and Blackberry) provides details of what other birders have found at these sites.

Sites covered:

Tejo Estuary - right next to Lisbon and yet home to thousands of birds in winter.

Barroca D'Alva - the best place for finding exotic species such as Yellow-crowned Bishop, Black-headed weaver and Common Waxbill.

The Sado estuary - find out where to see hundreds of Glossy Ibis and raptors such as Black-shouldered Kite.

Santo Andre Lagoons - great birdwatching area with wetlands full of birds.

The Sagres peninsula - including advice on how to make the most of the seabird and raptor passage, including the best pelagic trips in Europe.

The Alvor estuary - a great place for waders, gulls and migrants.

Lagoa de Salgado - the best freshwater wetland in the Algarve, teeming with birds in the autumn.

Vilamoura - superb hides get you really close to Purple Gallinule and Little Bittern.

Ria Formosa west - the area west of Faro, great for estuarine birds and with superb pools at Quinto do Lago and Ludo Farm.

Ria Formosa east - east of Faro, Quinta do Marim is a reserve with terrific hides and Tarifa is superb for gulls and other wetland species.

Castro Marim - find out exactly where to stand for Lesser Short-toed Lark and Spectacled Warbler.

Castro Verde plains - one of the best birding sites in Europe. Find out where to get the best views of Great and Little Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Black-shouldered Kite, Montagu's Harrier and Spanish Imperial Eagle.

Elvas - another great site for bustards but also exceptionally reliable for Black-shouldered Kite. 40 pages.

Softback £9.50 £8.50