30 Jan 1989 - Serra da Monchique

The Serra de Monchique comprises two peaks some 900m high overlooking the western Algarve. The exposed granite‑like rock becomes white and crum­bly as it weathers into clays; rainwater perco­lates through and gives the many springs a dis­tinctive mineral composition rich in chlorides and sulphides. The Romans turned the place into a health spa and the bottled spring water is now sold for drinking in the local towns.

These mountains form one of the classic bot­anical localities of the Algarve, though most of the original oak forests that clothed the hills has been replaced by extensive plantations of Eucalypt and pine. Olive groves and cork woods are grown to an altitude of 550m, while there is still some chestnut coppice in a few areas. In between the trees are the luxury homes of north European expatriots and Algarve businessmen, and the roadsides carry the colours and scent of in­troduced Camellia and Acacia trees.

It is too windy and grey to attempt to phot­o­graph the spectacular displays of lusitanian heath and Erica hibernica which try to brighten the hillsides. Another colourful plant, Rhodo­dendron ponticum, which is invading many upland areas in Britain, is a native here; and the straw­berry tree also groes luxuriantly; a brandy is distilled locally from its berries.

Perhaps the birds have also decided that it is too cold and windy, and have gone into hiding for there are few to be seen, and then only briefly.
The winter bird atlas produced by A Rocha Trust mentions scops owl in the foothills of Monc­hique and Jim is determined to try to hear them. I had my doubts, but am pleased to be proved wrong. We drive along a dirt road and stop near an orange orchard. At about 6 pm Jim picks out an un­fam­­iliar sound amongst the cowbells, caterpillar tractors, barking dogs etc. We lis­ten closely and time the calls to every 5 or 6 seconds; then another joins in. The calls seem to come from some trees about 100 m away. Suddenly the calls come from much closer: two birds with different voices ‑ male and female duetting. The original callers can still be heard in the dis­tance.