Salgados Lagoon Algarve Portugal 2025

 Cant believe it was 7 years ago since I came here to the lagoon  for the 1st time and I always promised myself to return so I booked a Villa for a week 10 minute walk away from the lagoon and got away from some awful weather back home..

Along the boardwalk into the reserve it takes a a bit of time as the diversity of birdlife is amazing  you can collect birds such as Cattle Egret , Cetti`s Warbler , Fan tailed Warbler, Audouins Gull , Caspain Tern plus more.

The islands within the lagoon are essential to life here and its a safe haven for birds, apart from the Marsh Harriers that are consistently on the hunt scaring ducks

The grass and bushland surrounding the lagoon feed Wagtails and Pipits ,Greenfinch, Golfinch, Waxbills, Serin and Bluethroat 

Audouins Gulls,and Yellow legged Gulls sharing the sand islands with Teal, Shovelar, lapwing and a few Golden Plover

Booted Eagle. one of two pale morphs that were circling high above the lagoon

Marsh Harriers are consistent here with three birds seen at once  

Hundreds of Crag Martin wizz over the water with the occasional Swallow and House Martin to be seen among them

Glossy Ibis are common with over forty seen during the morning

Stone chat

The Gulls of Ria Formosa NP sandbanks Faro Portugal

 Just south of Faro are miles of deserted beach and back beach that holds a great concentration of Gulls, Cormorants, Flamingos, Terns and waders.

Even though this in walking distance from the Hotel ,Its an area that is off the beaten track and an area that I saw from the plane a few years back and wanted to check out.

Mostly this area is inaccessible, mainly covered by boat and birdwatching tours out of Faro, but for a hardy coastal lad like myself the draw of so many Gulls are worth the walk with Scope and backpack. When the road ends at Praia de Faro village a boardwalk carries on for over a mile then its sand trekking at Barrihina beach Ilha de Faro and sandbanks that go out of sight.

Yellow legged Gulls and Audouin`s Gull

Nice flock of Audouins Gull with over 50 birds on an outer bank

Lesser Black backed Gulls and Audouin`s Gulls

Audouin`s Gull in flight

Audouin`s Gull and Yellow legged Gulls

Great black backed Gull sub adult locally scarce

Yellow legged Gull adult

Yellow legged Gull 1st winter

Slender billed Gull flight

Slender billed Gulls

Lets not forget the Caspain Terns

Salgados Lagoon , Algarve, Portugal

A glorious wetlands teaming with birdlife with easy access and a boardwalk along the southern end of the reedbeds.

The 1st hide is a disgrace but the 2nd gives great views from the west end.

Birding highlights seen here during 2 visits

Audouins Gull, Lesser black backed Gulls, Med Gulls, 6 Caspain Tern,  4 Penduline Tits, 2 Bluethroats, Cragg Martins, Marsh Harrier, Purple Swamphen, Flamingo, Avocet, Ruff, Blackwits, Glossy Ibis, White Storks, Black headed Weaver, Fan tailed Warblers, Shoveler,  Pochard, Coot , Cattle Egret, Grey Herons, Cormorants, Common Sandpipers, Chiffchaffs and Hoopoe plus a rare Greenshank.

Glossy Ibis

Black winged Stilt

Caspain Tern

Audouins Gull

Spoonbill

Penduline Tit

Marsh Harrier

Cettis Warbler

Cattle Egret

Black headed Weaver

Fan tailed Warbler

Bluethroat