It is described as “Portugal’s largest birdwatching festival” and it is returning between October 10 and 13.
The Sagres Birdwatching Festival has become an unmissable event for avid birdwatchers and nature lovers in general. Every year, the festival organises a variety of entertainment including birdwatching events, boat trips to see dolphins, nighttime walks to spot butterflies and much more. This year, there will also be several artistic activities from drawing to photography.
“In October, thousands of birds fly over the Algarve on their way to their winter territories in Africa. To celebrate our winged visitors and make the most out of this amazing show, the festival proposes four days of activities for all tastes,” the festival’s organisers say in a statement.
During the event, a new guide entitled ‘1º Guia de Aves do Concelho de Vila do Bispo e Promontório de Sagres’ (1st Guide of Birds of the Municipality of Vila do Bispo and Sagres Promontory) will be launched and is being described as a “valuable tool” for anyone who wants to know more about the birds that can be spotted in the area – namely Bonelli’s eagles, short-toed eagles, Egyptian vultures and storks.
This year, the event’s ‘mascot’ is Wils0n’s storm petrel, known in Portuguese as ‘alma de mestre’ (which, in this context, translates into ‘soul of the boatmaster’).
According to organisers, these seabirds spend their life at sea and only seek land to mate. Fishermen in Portugal used to spot them at sea and describe them as the “souls” of the boatmasters of sunken ships.
The event’s full programme will be revealed on August 8. For more information about the event, visit www.birdwatchingsagres.com
