Sterna Caspia winter arrival

Caspian tern is one of the largest terns in Europe, easy to identify due to is remarkable red bill and black cap. On the 9th September the 1st individuals to Ria Formosa Natural Park.

Iniciation to Digiscoping – pratical issues

Digiscoping is a photography method using a digital camera and a telescope.
On the next 16 and 17 May it will occur an initiation course about digiscoping, in Faro, between 9h30 and 17h. This course will be lead by Julio Caldas and Faisca.
For more information, please contact Alexandra Lopes, by e-mail alexandra.lopes@spea.pt or 213 220 430.
This event will be organized by SPEA with the support of Natura Algarve and Câmara Municipal de Faro.

Curso de iniciação ao Digiscoping – aspectos práticos

Digiscoping é um método de fotografar baseado numa técnica simples que associa a câmara fotográfica digital à ocular de um telescópio.
Nos próximos dias 16 e 17 de Maio irá decorrer em Maio um curso de iniciação ao Digiscoping. Este irá decorrer em Faro, entre as 9h30 e as 17h. Os formadores serão Júlio Caldas e Faísca.
Para mais informações e inscrições por favor contacte Alexandra Lopes: alexandra.lopes@spea.pt ou 213 220 430.
Este curso, organizado pela SPEA (Sociedade Portuguesa para o estudo das Aves) conta com o apoio da Natura Algarve e da Câmara Municipal de Faro.

Trip Report 21st April

We went out for a bird wacthing activity on 21st April. Blue sky, a good temperature of 19 oC, and a special guest: a reporter of the oldest and most popular birds magazine “Bird Watching Magazine”. We spent the morning on a bout tour in the Natural Park of Ria Formosa, going out of Olhão until Faro. During the afternoon a brief visit to the Natural Reserve of Castro Marim were you can also spend hours looking for all type of birds.

Check list PNRF 7h – 13h
Cormorant Phlacrocorax carbo
Litle white egret Egretta garzetta
Grey heron Ardea cinerea
White stork Ciconia ciconia
Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
Ringed plover Ch. Hiaticula
Little ringed plover Ch. Dubius
Kentish plover Ch. Alexandrinus
Grey plover Pluvialis squatarola
Golden plover Pluvialis apricaria
Knot Calidris canutus
Sanderling Calidris alba
Curlew sandpiper Calidris ferrugínea
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Black tailed godwit Limosa limosa
Black tailed godwit Limosa laponica
Wimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Redshank Tringa totanus
Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Audouini gull Larus audouinii
Lesser black – backet gull Larus fuscus
Yellow legged gull Larus cachinnas
Sandwich tern Sterna sandvicencis
Litle tern Sterna albifrons
Shelduck Tadorna tadorna


Check list Castro Marim 18h-20h
Litle white egret Egretta garzetta
White stork Ciconia ciconia
Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber
Platalea leucorodia
Spoonbill Ostraceiro Haematopus ostralegus
Ringed plover Ch. Hiaticula
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Black tailed godwit Limosa laponica
Redshank Tringa totanus
Black winged stilt Himantopus himantopus
Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Little gull Larus minutus
Audouini gull Larus audouinii
Yellow legged gull Larus cachinnas
Sandwich tern Sterna sandvicencis
Litle tern Sterna albifrons
Red legged partridge Alectoris rufa
Coot Fulica atra
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Black Kite Milvus migrans
Yellow wagtail Motacilla flava
Hoopoe Upupa epops
Stonechat Saxicola torquata
Magpie Pica pica
Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

Bird Watching Course – “How to identify waders”

On this 12 hours course, you will learn the main rules about the birding activity, how to identify waders and some tips about birding spots in Algarve.
The course will be in Faro, 2-3 March, between 9:30 – 17:00 (4h theory; 8h practical).
The price (75euros members of SPEA and ALMARGEM; 90euros non members) includes 2 boat tours, one lunch, theorical classes, participation certificate and insurance for the activity.
For more information, please contact Alexandra Lopes: alexandralopes@spea.pt , +351 213 220 430.
This course will be organized by Natura Algarve, SPEA, ALMARGEM with the support of Câmara Municipal de Faro and CRIA.

Spring arrivals

The Natural Park of Ria Formosa is important stopover for millions migratory birds. It was considered an IBA (Important Bird Area).
IBAs are key sites with international importance for the conservation of birds. Those places hold one or more globally threatened species; have an exceptionally large number of migratory birds.
Spring migration is starting. This is the time to look for the little tern, the kentish plover and more.
Is also the perfect time four a boat tour in Ria Formosa Natural Park. Join us!

About seabirds…

Gannet (Morus bassanus) courtesy of Mar Ilimitado

Seabirds are considered those birds that spend most of their time in ocean, coming to land only for nest.
They feed on sea, capturing fishes on the surface normally associated with schools of larger pelagic. For the fisherman they can be a good indicator of fish, for example tuna fish.
In this group you can find, for example the gannets, petrels and shearwaters.

Shearwaters are superb flyers and travel large distances on sea. On the other way, are unable to walk well on land. In a way to avoid predators, they return land during the night and spend their time on burrows.
Gannets are among the most spectaculars sights in European bird watching. Breeding in small number, but in large colonies, normally choose small offshore island to put their eggs.
You can find more information about these birds in Portuguese coast in here.

Source: Hayman, P. , Hume,R. , 2007. Bird, the ultimate illustrated guide to the birds of Brittain and Europe.

Hume, P. , 2006. Birds of Britain and Europe.

Unusual number of Glaucus gull and Iceland gull

Glaucus gull (Larus hyperboreus) and Iceland gull (Laurus glaucoides) were observed in Portuguese coast in an uncommon number. Normally we only see one or two individuals of this species, but this winter, were registered 7/8 of each specie.
There’s still no scientific explanation for this behaviour.
Source: Fábrica de Conteúdos

Bird of the year in Portugal

Every year are elected “birds of the year” by several organizations around the world in a way to call for attention to real facts for wildlife conservation and their habitats.
In 2009 SPEA (Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds) has chosen the Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator as the “Bird of the Year 2009”. This decision will be associated with another project “Semear o Futuro II – uma agricultura com biodiversidade” in a way to join biodiversity with farming.
The woodchat shrike is very easy to find in Alentejo, Portugal, during the summer, but is also distributed along the Portuguese territory and also in the inner Algarve. It’s very easy to identify, being mostly black and white but with a broad red patch on the crown and nape. Normally stands on top of bushes, trees and fences, feeding of insects and small lizards.