Birdwatching Photography Tour in Southern Portugal - 8 Days

Arrive Faro during the morning and explore salt pans and coastal lakes near Faro with a picnic, afterwards transferring to Ecolodge “Paradise in Portugal”. Possible species include Flamingo, Avocet, Kentish Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Squacco Heron, Little Bittern, Red-crested Pochard, Purple Swamp Hen, Purple Heron.

Local Half Day Guided Birding near “Paradise in Portugal”. This would be a varied experience including some river valley, some open hillsides, some village gardens, some Cork Oak Forests and the lodge’s “Water Rail and Kingfisher Hide”. Possible species include Nightingale, Corn Bunting, Iberian Magpie, White Stork, Common Waxbill, Serin, Golden Oriole, Water Rail and Common Kingfisher. This would also be a rest day where guests can make use of the lodge's other facilities, (canoes, SUPs, bird hides, Yoga platform, sauna etc), should they so wish.

An early start to explore the Plains of the Alentejo. Possible species include Gt. & Little Bustards, Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Bunting, Red-rumped swallow, Rufous Bushchat, Stone Curlew, Black-winged Stilt, Thekla, Crested, Wood and Calandra Larks, Hoopoe, Short toed, Booted and Bonelli's Eagles, Montagu's Harrier, Black winged Kite, Lesser Kestrel, Collared Pratincole, Black-eared Wheatear, Spanish Sparrow.

Rest day or local birding if required.

Explore the coastal Plain and cliffs near Sagres with the possibility of a pelagic if there are enough participants, (paid extra). Possible species include Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Bunting, Linnet, Cuckoo, Gt. Spotted Cuckoo, Woodchat and Southern Grey Shrikes, Roller, Chough, Peregrine Falcon, Northern Gannet, European Storm Petrel, Cory’s and Balearic Shearwaters and, during Autumn migration, raptors such as Honey Buzzards, Egyptian Vultures and Short-toed and Booted Eagles etc.

Local Half Day Birding near QBE this time starting off at the Hide again followed by a slow walk along a wooded valley. Possible species include Short-toed Treecreeper, Firecrest, Cirl Bunting, Grey Wagtail, European Robin, Eurasian Nuthatch, Iberian Green Woodpecker. This would also be a rest day where guests can make use of QBE's facilities, (canoes, SUPs, bird hides etc), should they so wish.

A day spent exploring the Lagoa Sto. André and then south along the west coast back to QBE. Possible species include Bee-eater, Marsh Harrier, Zitting Cisticola, Gt. Reed Warbler, Savi's Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Bar & Black-tailed Godwits, Hobby, Black Kite.

Transfer to Faro for flight home.