Arriving in early April, the Nightingale thrills us with its clear song for most of the next two months. I have noticed a fall in numbers during the last twenty years, but we still have a couple of pairs in the Quinta's garden and they are a common species to see wherever one travels throughout southern Portugal right the way through the summer months up until late September when they migrate south again.

A light brown back with a russet brown tail is quite often all one sees as they are wary and sing from thick undergrowth, but with the numbers we have here one can, with a little patience, find one and obtain good views. Occasionally we have complaints from non-birding guests concerning that "bloody bird" that kept them awake all last night, but when we explain what the "bloody bird" is it's normally the start of a small conversion.

On the other hand, I personally sometimes regard them as less than my friends as their song drowns out the more subtle tones of the different species I am trying to find for other guests ... However, if you'd like to see a video of one singing in our garden there's one below.