Outdoor Sagres Birdwatching Festival 2016
I Spy Algarve: local birds The Algarve is one of Portugal’s most interesting birdwatching regions with more than 300 species calling this sunny spot home. Sagres Birdwatching Festival celebrates this fact but if you don’t want to take a the trip to the west coast, here’s a guide to some of the birds you can spot in the local area. Grab those binoculars!
Foto by: Vanessa Oliveira
Take a trip down to Sagres at the end of the month for the seventh annual Birdwatching Festival, which will see 300 activities take place between September 30th and October 5th. These will include short courses, bird ringing and monitoring, boat trips, stand-up paddleboarding, children's activities and more. This year’s festival celebrates the Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), which was chosen by the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA) as its Bird of the Year 2016. Just one of the soaring birds to pass by Sagres every year during September and early October, its population has declined in Portugal and Spain by about
30% in the past three decades due to habitat degradation, human disturbance and persecution, currently lying in danger of extinction. Advance booking is advisable as spaces are limited and usually fill up quickly. Register for activities on the event’s website and keep an eye on the Facebook page for updates. Don’t fancy trekking to Sagres? Then to the right of this page you can see some of the birds in our local area! www.birdwatchingsagres.com Bird watching festival of sagres
Water Kings success The competition is a test of endurance, know-how and team work. In total this year 17 teams took part and each was made up of four athletes making the most of the conditions using, SUP (stand up paddle), windsurf, sail and kitesurf. 1st place went to Core kiteboarding team from Lisbon Meia Praia hosted the first Water Kings 12hour competition at the end of July. It’s set to become an annual event in Lagos. It was organised by Guinness Book of Records kite surfer Francisco Lufinha who is Portuguese.
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2nd place to local boys Lagos Kings including Martinho Fortunato, Simao Villas Boas, Sebastian Wolff and Miguel Martinho 3rd place went to Team DMC with one member also from Lagos, Oleksandr Olefirenko.
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Sardinian Warbler One of the region’s most common species, the warbler appears in a wide variety of habitats year-round, from the coastal wetlands to the inland cork oak forests. Griffon Vulture Found in the Monchique mountains, the griffon vulture is relatively common in the region in the autumn during migration. Flamingo A common species in the Algarve wetlands, such as the Salgados lagoon. A year-round resident although more abundant in winter. Azure-Winged Magpie A fairly common bird in the Algarve which is present in nearly all types of habitats. It is particularly abundant in coastal pine forests. Kentish Plover A fairly common, yearround shorebird. It nests on salt flats and sand dunes. Large numbers can usually be seen at the Alvor estuary. Spoonbill Most abundant in winter, the best places to spot them are the Salgados lagoon and Alvor estuary. With thanks to Algarve Tourism Bureau.