Finding Birds in South Portugal by Dave Gosney | Jun 2013 | Easybirder | Paperback Guide | ISBN: 9781907316401 | £7.50p | DVD | Runtime: 78 min | #207358 | £19.14p
It is many years since I birded in Southern Portugal… as part of a holiday also taking in Spain as far as Gibraltar. On that occasion I flew in and out of the Algarve and then motored down to Gib seeing some great birds on the way. In Algarve I used Dave’s guide to find the sites for some of its special birds from Lesser Kestrel to Great Bustard, Azure-winged Magpie to Spanish Sparrow.
Last year I was invited back to see ‘the next province up’ – Alentejo. Circumstances were against me and the trip was postponed but this latest offering from Dave has meant I am seriously going to pick up that ‘rain check’. Flying into and out of the Capital means getting to some terrific sites close by and then motoring on to the regional capital of Mertola is clearly worth doping with the added bonus of birds within easy reach of that city that one would normally associate with Extremadura in Spain.
The usual ‘Easybirder’ offering really is unique and fits into a niche all of its own… a DVD to whet your appetite and help you get to know the sites and the birds, then an easy to pocket booklet to use on the ground when you get there. Moreover, every clip alludes to the booklet site and map so you can easily tie them together.
But what I have always liked most about the series, is Dave Gosney’s easy style. His ‘pieces to camera’ are better and better. It appears unscripted but is fluid because he is so fluent in his knowledge. Because he is so experienced he throws in detail that is easy to absorb and evidence of his many years of quiet study. Its not just the narrative, the filming is also even smoother than before. Clearly his skills as an editor has grown too.
Despite the familiarity of some well known sites and species, this is his best yet and I can esily recommend it… don’t visit southern Portugal without watching this DVD and for heaven’s sake don’t forget to take the booklet!