Birdwatching at Ria de Alvor

A wonderful afternoon birding, with local expert, Guillaume. A must for amateur and more advanced birders who wish to explore this beautiful part of the Algarve. Janet Wood.

What an amazing experience! We were not prepared for the hidden wonders of the Alvor Estuary. Within sight of some of the resort hotels, Marcial revealed a world of activity- a world we would never have known existed. From the moment he picked us up-we are traveling in the Algarve without a car-he was friendly, thoughtful, considerate and clearly passionate about protecting the wonderful and unique Algarve region. At every stop Marcial took the time to make sure that we were able to see the special moment-newly hatched chicks, diving terns, and would set the scope on the tripod for us to get the best view and happily reset if the bird moved out of view. Along the way Marcial shared wonderful insights -the avocet known as "the tailor" because the tip of its bill turns upward suggesting the movement of a needle and thread. He was also very considerate, and as retired teachers we appreciated the comfortable pace he set for the walk. As we look over the list of birds he provided, we still cannot believe how many we saw for the first time. Our son, the birder, tells us these are called"life birds." We will always be grateful to Marcial for this incredible day and will always remember the real joy in his voice as he pointed to the next generation in the estuary.