Guided Birding in Tavira

A 5 days birdwatching tour in the Algarve with 3 excursions in search of southern Portugal’s resident and migrant birds. This tour has been specifically chosen to give you the chance of enjoying the very best of the Algarvian bird life.

Includes visits to Castro Marim Natural Reserve, Ludo & Quinta do Lago and a boat trip in the Ria Formosa Natural Reserve.

You'll be lodged at Hotel Maria Nova****, perched on the highest point in Tavira, overlooking the historic town, the salt-pans and the sea. At night, dinners will be in traditional restaurants.

ON REQUEST

The program will include:

Day 1

Arrival to Hotel Maria Nova, Tavira. Free time until evening meeting (the Tour Guide will give a preview of next day's programme.) and dinner.

Day 2

Tavira is located in the heart of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, a wetland area of international importance which is recognized under the Ramsar Convention. Salinas and saltmarsh attract a wide range of birds according to season. In autumn and winter bring Spoonbills, hundreds of Greater Flamingos, Audouin’s Gulls and Slender-billed Gulls and as many as 20 species of wading birds, including Stone-curlews. In spring/summer, local breeding species include European Bee-eaters, Red-necked Nightjar, Little Terns, Avocets and Kentish Plovers.

Part of the day will be spent exploring the area on foot; we will also take a boat trip in the Ria Formosa.

Day 3

Ludo Farm and Quinta do Lago are located west of Faro near to the airport and between them have an excellent mix of habitats including salinas, woodland, reedbeds, and saltmarsh. The lake at Quinta do Lago is well-known as one of the best places in the Algarve to see Purple Swamp-hens but at any time the area is home to an excellent variety of species and in winter thousands of wildfowl and waders are usually present.

Day 4

A day visiting the local Reserva Natural do Sapal de Castro Marim e Vila Real de Santo Antonio, an enormous area of wetland, saltmarsh and saltpans at the eastern end of the Algarve which is home to a wealth of birdlife. Among the attractions here are Greater Flamingos at least some of which can be found all the year round. As many as 1000 of them may be seen in the winter months. A varied selection of gulls, wildfowl and wading birds can be expected in spring, autumn and winter.

Day 5

Free time until departure.

Traditional Saltpans
Numerous tanks, channels, creeks and drainage ditches form the Salinas where salt is manually harvested. In autumn and winter the large tanks attract large numbers of waterfowl and are a popular high tide roost for waders and gulls, and Greater Flamingos can usually be found.
Except in high summer the most numerous species are usually Avocets, Dunlin, Sanderling and Black-tailed Godwits. But look carefully as it was in this area that a rare long-billed Dowitcher was once found. Slender-billed, Mediterranean and Audouin’s Gulls can often be found amongst the countless Lesser Black-backs. This is also a good place to find one or two Caspian Terns roosting and in the breeding season Little Terns should also be here.
Ria Formosa Natural 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.
Castro Marim
Reserva Natural do Sapal de Castro Marim e Vila Real de Santo Antonio is an enormous area of wetland, saltmarsh and saltpans at the eastern end of the Algarve which is home to a wealth of birdlife. Among the attractions here are Greater Flamingos at least some of which can be found all the year round. As many as 1,000 of them may be seen in the winter months. A varied selection of gulls, wildfowl and wading birds can be expected in spring, autumn and winter.
Bird photography
Oppotunity to take excellent photos of the birds, flora and of the stunning scenic views.

The tour includes

Airport transfers.

3 Excursions leaded by professional birders to exquisite birding spots

Comfortable 4-star accommodation, next to the Ria Formosa and the sea, in the very heart of the Ria Formosa Natural Park.

Boat tour on the Ria Formosa Natural Park

Breakfast at the hotel and dinners at local restaurants for enjoyable sociable evenings

Possibility of halfboard and single supplement

Minimum group of only 4 participants per tour. Maximum of 14 participants plus leader(s)

Flights are not included

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