A Rocha Life

14/08/2024

Between September 15th and 22nd A Rocha Life birdwatching day tours will have discounts! Contact us to book or for more information.

29/07/2024

Many waders have started showing-up at Ria de Alvor during the last few days: Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlins, Redshanks, Avocets, Greenshanks, Curlew Sandpipers and Ruffs (including a returning German-ringed bird)!

23/07/2024

During an A Rocha Life tour at Lagoa dos Salgados last Thursday we had athe chance of seeing this juvenile Whiskered Tern. This bird was very obliging and accompanied a group of Little Terns. We also saw several Purple Herons, Spoonbills, many ducks and a Marsh Harrier.

11/07/2024

On June 25th, a small group of 13 Slender-billed Gulls was found at Ria de Alvor. 3 birds in this group were ringed. These are the first bird of this species controled in the area. All these birds were ringed in Southern Spain.

02/07/2024

The end of June and July are usually quiet times in terms of birding. Howaver, a few days ago, Ria de Alvor produced a good selection of species: a Common Tern (4 tern species were spotted), Mediterranean, Audouin and Slender-billed Gulls, more than 80 Flamingos and a family of Shelducks!

26/06/2024

Sometimes surprises happen during fieldwork! While doing a Kentish Plover census last week, one of the A Rocha Life guides used this time to have a look at the sea. Many European Storm-Petrels were visible from the coast, one o them even passing close enough to the beach for pictures!

17/06/2024

There are still vacancies for the autumn birding breaks! Both week-long tours are confirmed. More information and booking at https://arochalife.com/birdwatching/week-tours/

07/06/2024

A Rocha Life guided several tours in the Monchique hills during spring. It is not an area as rich as the coast but we were pretty successful with great views of Common Redstart, Melodious Warbler, Iberian Chiffchaff, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Rock Bunting. We even had the chance to spot a Tawny Owl and came across a small group of Griffon Vultures!

25/05/2024

Roller close to Cruzinha, along the track going to the marsh 🤩

22/05/2024

White-rumped Swift over Cruzinha a few minutes ago! 😁

27/02/2024

It is Orchid time! March is a good time to look for Orchids in the Algarve! Why not book a tour?

12/02/2024

The13th - 20th October Birdwatching week is confirmed and there are still vacancies!
Have a look and book here: https://arochalife.com/birdwatching/dates-and-prices/

07/02/2024

Last Friday, A Rocha Life guided a great tour at Lagoa dos Salgados with returning clients and friends. We saw more than 50 species in a few hours! Many Pintails and Teals, Spoonbills, Black-tailed Godwits, Golden Plover were present. We even saw three Booted Eagles, two of them soaring with one of the three Marsh Harriers present on that afternoon.

29/01/2024

In December, the new Portuguese breeding bird atlas and bird red lists were published. Several people from A Rocha Life and A Rocha Portugal were involved in the fieldwork.
https://www.listavermelhadasaves.pt/

Revisão da Lista Vermelha das Aves de Portugal Continental

22/01/2024

The last census of wintering Ospreys in Iberia happened on January 13th. In Portugal, 188 to 216 Ospreys were counted, 38 to 43 in the Algarve and 2 of them were at Ria de Alvor.

15/01/2024

On February 3rd, for World Wetlands Day, A Rocha will organize 2 walks around Ria de Alvor. Join us!

08/01/2024

A Rocha Life wishes you a great year!

27/12/2023

On December 10th, two Short-eared Owls have been found at Alvor dunes. These birds will likely spend the winter there. Short-eared Owl are present in winter in the Algarve however, they are not seen every year at Ria de Alvor.

19/12/2023

The small corner of Ria de Alvor holding many waders has a new visitor. No rare waders this year but a Spotted Redshank has been present for a few days. This species is not recorded every year at Ria de Alvor but this bird may spend the winter in the area.

12/12/2023

With the right wind conditions, seawatching from the coast of the Algarve can be quite rewarding. It can be cold and windy but sometimes you get god birds passing. At the beginning of September, several hundreds of Razorbills and Puffins passed along the coast. Guillemots, Scoters, Shearwaters and Skuas were also seen. The pictures were taken on that day and the birds were a bit distant.

27/11/2023

The Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) is a common winter visitor at Ria de Alvor. It is usually present between September and March. At the end of their stay in the Algarve, it is possible to see males singing and showing their blue chest.

21/11/2023

The 2024 tours are already online and ready to book!
Check the dates and book!
https://arochalife.com/birdwatching/dates-and-prices/

14/11/2023

This Ruff was ringed in Germany in May 2023 as an adult male. It was spotted for the first time at Ria de Alvor at the end of August and has been hanging around since. It will probably spend teh winter in the area. This was the first time this bird was seen since ringing.

06/11/2023

We have been expecting them for a while and finally they appeared today! Several hundreds of Griffon Vulture passed over Quinta da Rocha on their way to Africa (slightly mistaken thaugh as they were going west). I n the middle we even found a Cinereous Vulture, a Red Kite and an Osprey!

31/10/2023

We had a great day birding around Castro Verde last week. All expected species were seen (can you spot the Little Bustard on the picture?). We even had great views of several Spanish Imperial Eagles!

24/10/2023

This Osprey was spotted in September at Ria de Alvor. It is carrying a transmitter on its back and a yellow ring engraved 1MF on one of its leg. After some research and contacting teh right persons, we figured out it had been ring in Spain, near Cadiz. We are still waiting for the ringing details thaugh.

16/10/2023

During the last A Rocha Life tour in the Alentejo, we had what we call a "National Geographic moment"! We were looking at a juvenile Golden Eagle soaring. Suddenly, it dropped and as it was getting lower and lower, we were wondering what it had seen. A few metres from the ground, a flock of Great Bustards took off but one of them was not quick enough and was hit and killed by the eagle! The bird of prey stayed on the ground to finish the kill and eat its prey.
(The pictures are not from that day as the birds were pretty far).

10/10/2023

The 14th Sagres Birdwatching festival finished last Sunday. Once more it was 4 days of great birding and friendship! We has some great birds such as Bonelli's, Short-toed and Booted Eagle, Black Storks, Subalpine Watbler, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, Honey Buzzard and Richard's Pipit.

02/10/2023

Some birds of prey passing at Cabranosa (Sagres) during the last few days.
We are only a few days away from teh Sagres Birdwatching Festival, join us there for some amazing birding!

25/09/2023

On September 13th, during a wader monitoring, A Rocha Life guide Guillaume Réthoré and Nina Crofton found a Pectoral Sandpiper at Ria de Alvor. This would be the 1st record since 2007.