Nâo é sobra Aldeia de França, mais é muito importante
Numa iniciativa conjunta, oito organizações portuguesas de defesa do ambiente levaram o governo português a tribunal, de modo a impedir o avanço do projeto de construção do Aeroporto do Montijo. SPEA, ANP/WWF Portugal, A Rocha Portugal, FAPAS, GEOTA, LPN, ZERO e Almargem, com o apoio da ONG internacional de direito ambiental ClientEarth, apresentaram uma ação administrativa no Tribunal Administrativo do círculo de Lisboa para a anulação da Declaração de Impacto Ambiental favorável emitida pela Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente (APA).
This is about the proposal to destroy the beautiful and critically important Tegus Estuary through the construction of a new airport for Lisbon. The new airport would be within the Tagus estuary, Portugal’s most important wetland. The site has gained multiple international nature protection statuses because of the hundreds of thousands of birds there, including thousands of migratory wetland birds that congregate for the winter or on their journey between Northern Europe and Africa.
Mais informação: see SPEA in Portuguese and English
… there are many, but for us there are two iconic and very different birds, birds we look for each day – the Nuthatch (Trepadeira-azul) and the Booted Eagle (Águia Calçada).
Whenever we are at our house in França we put out a bird feeder, much to the amusement of our neighbours, and hopefully delight of the many birds that use it. Soon after we started this practice a pair of Nuthatches (Trepadeira-azul) arrived. They became regular visitors. We put up a nest box in the walnut tree and within 12 hours they had taken it on. They nested there every year until 2019, and continue to be our boldest and most reliable garden visitor.
We’ve written about these birds and why we are so enamoured by them on our birding site : https://woodcockwood.com.
Booted Eagles are a relatively common summer migrant that can be seen throughout Spain and Portugal. They are recognised by the white leading edge to their wings. They are about the same size as the Common Buzzard (Águia-d’asa-redonda), and relatively easy to identify, although there is a dark phase Booted Eagle that can cause confusion.
Dark phase Booted Eagle – almost entirely dark plumage seen from below, except for brownish tail. We watched this bird patrolling back and forth high over Marvâo (Alentejo) for at least an hour late one evening.
The small back balcony of our house in França looks out across village gardens to low wooded hills, and there’s a chance of seeing one or both of the Booted Eagles at any time of the day from there.
They are likely to use the same nest year on year, and we think this pair have their’s situated in the woodland above Rabal, about 3 kilometres away.
Their displays can involve dramatic soaring and diving, but normally we see them circling low over the ridge and climbing high on thermals. They are beautiful to watch, and we are disappointed if we don’t see them at least once during the day.
The other raptors that we see frequently are the Common Buzzard (Águia-d’asa-rotunda) circling over hills towards the water pumping station where a pair have their territory, and Griffon Vultures (Grifo-comum), usually cruising very high during the middle of the day. Look at the small specs in the blue sky with binoculars, and they will almost certainly be Griffons.
How do you identify a tiny silhouette? If the tail is shorter than the breadth of the wing it will be a Vulture, and here the chances are it will be a Griffon. If the tail is longer, it will be some form of eagle.
Built for effortless gliding, the Griffon Vulture needs to work hard at take off.
Normally we see Griffons passing high overhead. But towards the end of September 2019 we were walking past the hípico in the evening when we saw several low flying Griffons slowly circling. Over the next hour their numbers grew until there were between 20 and 30 birds. There appeared to be no particular point where they were landing, but clearly there was a carcass of some sort taking their interest. They slowly drifted off over the course of a couple of days, but for that short time it was great to see these wonderful birds at close quarters so near to home.
With a wing span in excess of 2.5 metres, you can understand why they are sometimes referred to as “flying doors”!
Another bird you are likely to see in the village is the Black Redstart (Rabirruivo-comum), which would be a rarity in UK, but is a common bird in towns and villages in Portugal.
Black Redstart hawking an insect
Pied Wagtails (Alvéola-branca) are common everywhere, but you might see the Grey Wagtail (Alvéola-cinzenta) along the Rio Sabor, especially in the shallows towards the hípico. We also occasionally see them in the village hunting for insects among the cobbles.
Serins (Milheirinha-europeia) are also common, making their distinctive twittering call from high points such as the electricity cables.
We sometimes hear and occasionally see the Greater Spotted Woodpecker (Pica-pau-malhado) exploring the old chestnut trees in the village. They are cautious birds, but show themselves in a flash of red, black and white.
We have twice seen a pair of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers (Pica-pau-galego) in our walnut tree in the garden. But that is a rarity, here as everywhere.
Chaffinches (Tentilhão-comum) and Goldfinches (Pintassilgo) are quite common, and we occasionally see Linnets (Pintarroxo-de-bico-escuro) feeding on the cabbages that have been allowed to seed in gardens.
Most gardens in the area have Galego cabbages. The leaves are perfect for the traditional soup, calde verde, and the seeds are perfect for Linnets.
As regards songsters, we see and hear Blackcaps (Toutinegra-de-barrete) calling from high vantage points around the village, and we also hear nightingales in the distance, although they are more difficult to spot even close to. Up beyond he hípico is a good place to hear them during April and May, particularly on the downward part of the track – see description of walk: (https://livinginnortheastportugal.woodcockwood.com/?p=108).
The most evocative of the songsters is the Golden Oriole (Papa-figos) singing throughout the summer in the poplar trees – often heard but seldom seen.
Swallows and House Martins (Andorinhas) are always around, and in autumn they congregate in large numbers in readiness for migration. At this time of the year they will invariably be joined by Swifts.
The wonderful thing about the area is that you never know what might appear – Bee-eaters (Abelha-ruco) and Pied Flycatchers (Papa-moscas-preto) on autumn migration, once a Black Stork (Segona-preta) flying down the valley, Dippers (Melro-d’água) along the river, and the occasional sighting of a Kingfisher (Guarda-rios-comum) is always exciting.
Pied Flycatchers visit us for a couple of weeks each year in early September
And one evening, just past the Casa de Povo we saw an otter on the bank of the river carrying a large trout. It’s the only time we’ve ever seen one live!!
If you would like to follow up on some of these, we have written longer articles on:
França is a village in the east of Parque Natural de Montesinho, about 18 km north of Bragança. We first visited the village in 2003 on a walking trip, and stayed with our friends who were then renting out a couple of small gites in the village.
We were keen walkers and birdwatchers, and were interested to see what the area offered by way of species.
Bird lists
Our host had various books and brochures which included a list of birds typically seen in the area, published by Parque Natural de Montesinho in 1994. He also had a checklist of birds seen by visitors.
We don’t have a record of what we saw then, but my memory suggests that it was a large number of many species, far more than are around today. We added the few that we had spotted to the visitor’s book, but our list didn’t compare to the checklist made by two couples in particular, the Thomases and the Barringtons. Theirs was impressive by any standards.
Declining numbers of birds and insects
Our friends recently gave me a copy of their list. My response was to say that while all of those birds are probably still around, it would take us two years not two weeks to compile it.
This may to a certain extent reflect our competence in finding and identifying birds, but I also believe it is a sad reflection of the fact that the overall number of birds is far fewer today than it was in 2004. Perhaps the Thomases or the Barringtons should return and put this to the test!
The 1994 list with notes from 2003
However, our regular visits over 15 years allow us to add the following to the sightings list:
Dipper (Melro-d’agua) seen regularly for several years between the village and the Hípico, but not recently perhaps because the flow of the Sabor has been much reduced by the new dam;
Barn Owl (Coruja-das-torres) which we’ve seen twice over our 15 years, between Bragança and França;
Bullfinch (Dom-fafe) a pair on the edge of França. These occur throughout the year in the north of Portugal, but are a rare sighting;
Grey Heron (Garça-real-comum), which is now seen regularly along the Sabor;
Pied Flycatcher (Papa-mosca-preto) we saw regularly on its annual winter migration passing through;
Great Crested Grebe (Merguilâo-de-poupa) seen on the original dam at Montesinho.
And these to the overall Parque list :
Booted Eagles (Águia-calçada) we regularly saw these during the summer;
Griffon Vultures (Grifo-comum), regular sightings, sometimes in large numbers, are now common throughout the year;
Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers (Pica-pau-galago) seen twice in the walnut tree in our garden.
… and not just birds
The decline in numbers undoubtedly applies to butterflies, moths and other insects. One of our abiding memories of living in ouhouse in the early 2000s was watching large numbers of moths flying round the street lights and watching bats hunt them – something not seen these days.
Yes, species decline is a reality, even in an area so sparsely populated as Parque Natural de Montesinh.
Birdwatching in the 2020s
When we walked into the hills it was very rare to encounter anyone. At most we might have met a couple of tourists in a car, or perhaps a farmer tending a chestnut tree plantation. And yet on many of these walks we saw few birds – perhaps the occasional Crow (Gralha-preta) or Raven (Corvo), although we would invariably hear Jays (Gaio) in the woodland, and usually Chaffinches (Tentilhão-comum) and Robins (Pisco-de-Peito-ruivo).
But then again the walk could have been marked by something quite spectacular – a Golden Eagle (Águia-real) , Montagu Harriers (Águia-caçadeira), Hoopoes (Poupa), a flock of hundreds of Chaffinches, and more! See for example our photomontage of Golden Eagles in Parque Natural de Montesinho: https://woodcockwood.com/golden-eagles-montesinho-portugal/
…. and the English subtitled video:
ou, com legenda portuguesa:
It was these experiences that add to the challenge and continuing excitement of this location, and we would like to share them with you on our website.
The park of course remains as beautiful as ever, and we provide directions for a number of our favourite short walks from França and nearby – see our list of Walking Trails.
In autumn 2012 we saw the most extraordinary sight of hundreds of migrating Chaffinches (Tentilão-comum) sweeping across the valley, flock after flock, landing briefly in a large chestnut tree, and moving on, making room for the next wave of birds … quite extraordinary!
It’s unlikely you will be lucky enough to see such a sight, but you won’t be disappointed by what this walk has to offer.
The Walk:
The walk starts with a steep initial climb out of França, and then continues as a relatively easy undulating walk, returning along the Rio Sabor valley and back into França.
Directions
Section 1
Cross the Rio Sabor bridge towards Portelo, follow the road out of the village, past the old restaurant (sadly now closed) and Senior Zé’s greenhouse, and take the left turn that leads you round the side of his small vineyard and garden.
Follow this track round to the left and up. You will climb quickly, looking down on the village and across the valley. The track winds its way up the steep hillside to the side of the village along a zigzag route for at least a kilometre.
Eventually you will enter a wooded area of pines with lovely views north into Spain. The distant mountains will often be snowcapped in the winter.
A little further on and you reach a T-junction on the track. To the right is a track leading down to the Montesinho tarmac road. Our route turns to the left.
Section 2
You have now done most of the climbing on this route. For the next two or three kilometres you will follow a trail that cuts along a ridge before dropping down to the Rio Sabor valley.
The first section continues through the pines until it opens onto a wide sweeping hillside with superb views over valleys and hills in the general direction of Bragança. For us this view is the highlight of the walk, and a fine spot for lunch.
There is a small chestnut plantation on the left which is the site of the “Chaffinch Tree.” A little further on a fountain provides good drinking water that flows freely most times of the year.
The track now passes through more open pine woodland until it reaches a T-junction. Ahead is a large and new chestnut plantation. Turn right and follow the path for a short distance until you reach another T-junction. This is the main track from the Sabor Valley to Montesinho. It affords spectacular views.
Section 3
If you turn to the right you will see Montesinho nestling in the hills. This is the highest village in this part of the park. It is nearly an hour’s walk to reach the village, cutting down a steep rough track through heather and chestnut. It’s a tough return walk, and you need to be fit to include this part in your itinerary, although the compensation of course is a cold beer in the cafe there.
We have, on occasions, included Montesinho as part of this trail, but normally, at the T-junction we turn left and head towards the Sabor Valley.
The scenery here changes. The track is good, but it passes through rocky terrain, with fine views to the right across valleys and hills. Heather and pine predominate among the rocks. In spring the hillsides are purple, white and yellow from the heather and broom. And along the trackside there is a multiplicity of smaller rock plants such as crocus, iris, and lavender.
At one point the path sweeps round to the left, giving a dramatic view across the valley – Andorinha Corner (Corner of the Swallows). In autumn we have seen a large number hawking for insects across the valley. This is also one of the few places where we have spotted Golden Eagles (Águia-real) in the area.
Beyond this, the track winds steeply down to the Rio Sabor. You will arrive at the river and bridge.
Section 4
To the left is França, and to the right is a track that takes you along to one of several Casa Abrigo (tourist cottages) that have fallen into disrepair. Each was carefully sited to provide an escape to solitude in this wonderful park.
On the left, shortly before the Casa Abrigo is a disused water mill. It is now getting overgrown and you need to look carefully to spot it. The mill housing is still in relatively good condition. On the river side of the mill the Sabor flows with beautiful serenity. It is a marvellous place to sit in the shade and contemplate dragon flies that abound there.
This detour will take you about 45 minutes each way. The path follows the river through lovely oak, ash and birch woods. It is a more manageable detour than the track to Montesinho Village, and much of it is in the shade, so worth thinking about when you reach the junction.
If you ignore this detour and turn left, it is about an hour’s walk to França, following close to the river. It is a beautifully wooded track on the river side, and through all seasons you see the river tumbling and rushing over rocks and boulders. It’s a paradise of a walk!
The final landmark before França is the Truta – the disused trout farm. A little architectural masterpiece, now sadly with collapsed roofs. But just take a look at the extraordinary stonework of the rear retaining walls behind the buildings. It is a testament to the brilliant craftsmanship of the stone workers from years back. The site is also blessed with magnificent trees.
A walk to the Truta and back from França will take you an hour or so. If that is all the time you can spare it is a worthwhile walk in its own right.
Take the road out of França across the Sabor River towards Portelo and turn first right at the Casa de Povo. Continue along the road with the Rio Sabor on your right.
This is a lovely section of the walk. The Rio Sabor is beautiful at all times of the year – in full spate or just the gentle flow of summer. You may see Grey Wagtails (Alvéola-cinzenta) on the banks. There’s also a Dipper (Melro-d’-agua) that we see occasionally, not easy to see, but its territory includes this stretch. You will pass a small disused water mill, and beyond that, in early summer the yellow flag iris will be in flower.
The hípico’s six or seven horses graze in the paddocks until evening, when they are stabled up.
There’s a turning on the left opposite the hípico, this is the return point of the circular walk. For now, keep to the tarmac road and head up the hill for about half a kilometre and take the first gravel track to the left.
This track winds through lovely holm oak, with abandoned fields to the left and the hillside climbing away to the right. Another half kilometre further on there is a turn to the left. As you follow along this track you will get a sight of Bragança way off to the left, across some wonderfully wooded valleys. Behind you the hills rise up to the ridge.
It is worth watching the ridge for raptors – you will possibly see Common Buzzard (Águia-d’asa-redonda) Booted Eagle (Águia-calçada) , or the occasional Griffon Vulture (Grifo-comum). In the autumn of 2019 we used to regularly see a gathering of 10 to 20 Ravens (Corvo) playing along the ridge in the evening. With their superb mastery of the air, pairs would tumble and lift. It was shear joy for them and us – beautiful to watch.
The path is now winding gently downwards, and this is a good spot to hear Nightingale (Rouxinol-comun), and with any luck you may eventually spot one. There are usually several calling males along here in the heather, lavender, cistus, and broom that lines this open section of the walk.
You will now see the village of França tucked into the folds of the valley, and ahead of you and to the right the hills rise steeply. The village of Montesinho is out of sight behind the hills, with the wind turbines marking the position of the Spanish border.
At the junction turn left and down towards the hípico. If you want to extend the walk a little, turn right and walk up for about a kilometre. The track eventually peters out in a chestnut plantation, but it is a lovely walk there and back.
From that junction continue back down to the hípico. The water meadows to the right are a good place for fungi in the autumn. You will almost certainly hear or catch sight of the small flock of sheep that are housed at night nearby.
