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Our two weeks in The Algarve, the coastal strip in the south of
Portugal, provided us with a wealth of flowers, birds and all manner of
other creatures. From the sand dunes near the Spanish border in the east
to the exposed rocky cliffs of Cape Saint Vincent in the west and inland
to the limestone hills, the supply of natural history interest seemed limitless.
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The talk starts in the east, where the parasitic Yellow Broomrape
(left) abounded on the sheltered mudflats and dunes. Nearby were the enormous
nests of White Storks, precariously balanced on telegraph poles and dead
tree stumps, while a brilliant green Chameleon (top right) attempted to
hide in a low Umbrella Pine.
Next come various excursions among the inland limestone hills, where iris,
cistus and orchids (including some local specialities - for example Ophrys
picta, top left) flowered in spectacular numbers. The trip up Foia,
the highest hill of the region near Monchique, was particularly rewarding,
with brilliant Peonia broteroi (bottom left), more orchids and many
dwarf bulbs such as Scilla monphyllos. |
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Finally, the area around Cape St. Vincent, unprotected from the
ferocity of the Atlantic storms, introduced us to many species that have
evolved to thrive in harsh conditions. Particularly spectacular were the
two local endemics, the pink Armeria pungens (bottom right) and
the white Cistus palhinhae (above right).
 
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