A number of our visitors are to some extent into birdwatching and knows much more about the subject than ourselves. Here are some of their observations:

Stork Nest
"Whenever we could move ourselves from sitting in the sun outside the house, we loved watching the birds on the Ria Formosa on the other side of the railway line. We saw storks, flamingos, stilts,godwits, avocets, plovers, swallows and larks and the occasional yellow wagtail. At the Ria Formosa park nearer to Olhao we also saw spoonbills and turnstones."

J. Marshall, March 08

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"From Hoopoe House there are panoramic views across the garden, a vineyard and paddocks to the dunes of Ria Formosa Parc Naturel, and in early March many birds were seen from there.
Walking down the lane gave views of cattle egrets, white storks and the smaller birds:- corn bunting on the wires, blackcap and siskin in trees, exotic little finches on the broad beans, as well as more commonplace blackbirds and others.
Once under the railway bridge there were shallow pools with wagtail, godwit, redshank, ringed plover, grey plover and common sandpiper, while in the deeper water were godwit, black wing stilt, avocet, flamingo and spoonbill, along with teal, mallard and shoveler ducks.
Appearing on top or at the base of the banks were white-throated warblers, and blue-throat.
Crossing the flat, sparsely vegetated areas were skylarks and pipits. In the lagoons were gulls, whimbrel and other waders. S
ome birds were pairing and finding territories, while others may have been passing through.
To finish this report, must mention that we saw hoopoes most days, and a pair of little owls in daylight about two hours before sunset."

B. Kew, March 08

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"It was particularly nice for us as we have a passing interest in birds - you have a pair of Little Owls round you and, of course, the Storks were there. At Tavira we saw a black-winged Stint - a treat for us and a Spoonbill at the edge of the tide below Hoopoe House."

J. Bailey, Oct. 07