Did you know that Iberia has a number of birds that are difficult or impossible to see anywhere else in Europe and that almost all of these can be found in southern Portugal? Even if you're not a birdwatcher you might wonder where in Portugal you would need to go to see these special birds such as Black-shouldered Kite, Azure-winged Magpie, Great Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Iberian Chiffchaff, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Balearic Shearwater, Audouin's Gull and Red-necked Nightjar. Well, thanks to a new book, you need wonder no more.
Dave Gosney's Finding Birds in South Portugal is just packed with all the detail you need, telling you exactly where to look for these exciting species, from the Algarve to Lisbon, including the Alentejo plains near Castro Verde. Not only are the best sites described, they are also presented alongside Dave's unique hand-drawn maps showing you exactly where to park and walk and, just in case that's not detailed enough, the sites are given GPS co-ordinates so you can get to within a metre of the right spot.
His books are entirely text and maps with no photos or paintings but, if you want to know what the places and the birds look like then you should also get hold of his DVD of the same title. This 78-minute film features over 70 species of birds, including nearly all the specialities, giving hints on how and to find and identify them.
Both the book (£7.50) and the DVD (£15.95) are available from his website - www.easybirder.co.uk
