Ilha Deserta's new restaurant

Tuesday the 18th of September was the day that we opened the new “O Estaminé” restaurant. Simply changing facilities without a big opening party, we are sure that we will improve the comfort, while maintaning the service and cozy enviromnent that our customers are used to.

In this new facility we are going to be open all around the autumn and perhaps more, trying new gastronomic adventures and others surprises…

Booking is advisable, not for a matter of room, but to provide a better service and to prepare transportation if needed. (Bookings throughout the number 917 811 856).

Register on our Newsletter and find out all about the suprises and first hand news we have in store for you.

Ferry Boat to Ilha Deserta

We would like to announce that our ferry boat service is operating since the 1st of June, and will run troughout the Summer, until at least September 31st.

Ferries depart from Porta Nova Pier, in Faro. The ferry-boat costs 7 € per adult, 3,5 € per children between 5 and 11.

Departures from Faro to the Deserta Island:

10:00 | 11:30 | 13:00 | 16:15

Departures from Deserta Island to Faro:

10:45 | 12:15 | 15:30 | 18:00


Click to enlarge our nifty map below:

A Griffon in Ria Formosa?

The Griffon Vulture, Gyps fulvus is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae. They feed on carrion and are enormous in size, reaching 95-110 cm long with a 230-265 cm wingspan. It usually lives and breed in rocky cliffs, amongst the comfort of their own kind. In Portugal, they can be found with relative ease in Parque Natural do Tejo Internacional and Parque Natural do Douro Internacional. In the Algarve, they can sometimes be spotted on Sagres rocky cliffs.

So how come we found a Griffon in Ria Formosa's marshlands?

According to my colleague Hugo Rodrigues, during one of our boat tours last December, he spotted something that "looked like a coat on top of a broomstick". He decided to investigate and, as you can see by the pictures above, this wonderful gigantic animal was catching his breath on the marshes, like so many other bird species tend to do. Next day it was gone, so we hope it found its way home...

Here at Animaris, we have two theories about this Griffon: Either it could be on his way to Africa and stopped for a while to rest, or, more likely, this was one of the 12 griffons released last November 23rd in Parque Natural do Guadiana. We couldn't see any rings on its leg, but this sight occurred about one week later to the griffon release, so this is the most viable theory.

Many Thanks to Mr. Trevor Hall and his lovely daughter Caitlin for the pictures.

Carlos

Porphyrio Tour 17/1/2025

On this Porphyrio Tour, we had the wonderful company of Mr. and Mrs. Manuel, from the United Kingdom. Both were very excited with the birds we spotted, but slightly disappointed that we haven't seen Flamingos. Any way, we were able to see a Purple Heron, which is much harder to spot in Portugal, so the general outcome of this experience was very positive. Below is a list of the birds spotted between 11:30 and 13:30, last January 17th 2007. The guide was Hugo Rodrigues.

Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio porphyrio) - 4 birds
Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - 3 birds
Coot (Fulica atra) - Several
Teal (Anas crecca) - 1 bird
Gadwall (Anas strepera) - Several
Shoveler (Anas clypeata) - Several
Tuffed Duck (Aythya fuligula) - 2 birds
Pochard (Aythya ferina) - 5 birds
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) Several
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) - 1 bird
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) - Several
Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) - 1 bird
Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) - 4 birds
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) - 4 birds
Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) - 2 birds
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) - 1 bird
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) - 4 birds
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) - 1 bird
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) - Several
Azure Winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus) - Several
Kingfisher (Alcedo Atthis) - 1 bird
Hoopoe (Upupa epops) - 2 birds
Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala) - 2 birds
Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) - 3 birds
Blackbird (Turdus merula) - 2 birds
Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) - 1 bird
Robin (Erithacus rubecula) - 2 birds
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) - Several
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) - Several
Redshank (Tringa totanus) - 5 birds
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) - 2 birds

And, as a bonus:

Mediterranean Pond Turtle (Mauremys leprosa) - 1 reptile

Carlos

My first Puffin

Some weeks ago (actually, last year), I was fortunate enough to be the guide on one particular tour.

Things were going well, the weather was superb, warm and cosy, and our clients were enjoying themselves very much, which is always comforting for both the guide and the boat staff.

And then we stopped at the Deserta Island. After a quick stroll on the Deserta's, I offered the customary surprise to our costumers. Little did I expected there was a surprise in store for me!

When we went back to the pier, there it was: a tiny Common Puffin (Fratercula arctica), cleaning itself without even caring for our presence. Everybody was delighted, especially me... These birds might be common elsewhere, but I had never seen one in my entire life!

So I would like to thank Mr. Conrad Lee Hodge and his family for the following picture:





We wish you a wonderful 2007! Thank you very much!

Carlos

Ilha Deserta's Blog

Hello and welcome to Ilha Deserta's Blog! If you are looking for impressions about our boat tour, rare bird sightings and related issues about all our activities and the marvellous ecosystem of Ria Formosa's Natural Park, look no further! We will be posting regularly (hopefully...) around here so be sure to check it every once in a while, and give us some feedback!

Also, feel free to drop some lines or send us some photographs related to the Boat Tour, Deserta Island or everything that may fit in here. Thank you very much and see you soon!

Cheers,

Carlos Faria