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Terceira has a length of 29 km, a width of 17,5
km, and a total area of 403 square kilometres. Most of the eastern part
is open farmland, while more wooded country is found on mountain ridges,
and on the western coast. The highest point is 1.023 metres at the volcanic
cone in Serra de Santa Barbara.
There are two major cities. On the south coast is the
old beautiful town of Angra do Heroísmo that is on the Unesco's
World Heritages list. Praia da Vitória is a modern town in the
northeast, between the large port Cabo da Praia and the airport at Lajes.
Terceira is the second most populated of the islands
with about 55.000 inhabitants.
Maps
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A
general map with birding localities could be viewed here
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or open a detailed and resizeable map here.
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Coordinates for birdwatching sites.
Specialties
The main attraction
for birders is the waders found at the quarry at Cabo da Praia. Probably
the best spot in the Western Palearctic to find Nearctic waders. Among
breeding birds are Goldcrest of the inermis subspecies and Roseate Terns.
Birding localities
The quarry at Cabo da Praia
The quarry lies just south of Cabo da Praia, just
a few meters from the coastline. By getting there with a car, turn left
from the S. Sebastiáo road south of Praia. The are now two ways
to find the wader site. One is to skip the main road down to the southern
harbour area. Take instead the next (south of) small road to the left
(Canada da Faneca), go past the houses up to the top and walk down the
last part. You now end up on top of the southwest part of the site. The
other way is to approach from the south via the industrial harbour. There
is still some construction work carried out, but it is now again possible
and safe to use this more straight road to the site.
The best way to approach the area is to first do a scanning
from a distance. When you get closer you always risk that a few birds
get flushed out of the area. This often happens with Whimbrels, Godwits,
and larger Plovers, while smaller waders just shift places within the
area. Sanderlings and Kentish Plovers are common, and you need some time
to check out all the other waders that can be scattered among many small
concealed ponds. Apart from a mix of Arctic and Nearctic waders, the ponds
sometimes hold one or two ducks, and you might come across a few Quails.
If you get tired of watching the waders, there are normally plenty of
seabirds to be seen from the low ridge between the quarry and the ocean.
The beach and port of Praia da Vitória
Cabo da Praia is the main port in Terceira, and from the industrial harbour
in the south there is a shallow sandy beach all the way up to the marina
in the northern part of Praia da Vitoria.
Most gulls are normally found in the south central area,
where also terns rest on buoys or piers. Sometimes large number of terns
also gathers on the large pier at the marina.
Check the beach for herons and waders, and the calm
surface of the outer central harbour that can attract the occasional duck
or scoter.
The ponds in Praia da Vitória
Just above the marina, and between the town of Praia
and the high ridge to the north (Ponta da Má Marenda), lies a former
wetland. Today it is just a couple of ponds, a few hundred meters northwest
of the marina, and some small wet fields. Hopefully some part of the area
will be restored in the near future. Check the ponds for egrets, herons
and ducks, and scan the fields for any waders. Moorhens and sometimes
Coots (American or European) might be found, and Common Waxbills are sometimes
seen in the fields. There are roads around the area so you will be able
to watch the ponds from more than one side.
 Praia
da Vitória Ponds in the northern part of the town. In this area from the
ponds all the way down to the marina, was previous a large wetland called
Paśl da Praia (or Paśl, Praia da Vitória). Now remains just a small part
of the natural and vegetated pool, and a newly constructed enlargement
with so far very little vegetation.
Photo 2009-07-22: Staffan Rodebrand
The port of Angra do Heroismo
If you are coming down the hill towards Angra on the main road from Praia,
you just have to go straight on thru the roundabouts, and you will end
up in the harbour. Check the area for egrets, cormorants (Double-crested
have been seen here), gulls and terns. If it is possible (due to reconstruction
works) you might get a nice overview from the fortress of Sáo Sebastiáo
just south of the harbour.
Ilhéu da Mina
This area is one of many quiet and nice places worth spending one or two
hours. Except for nice surroundings with most of the breeding land birds,
the high cliffs and the small islands host breeding colonies of Cory´s
Shearwater and Roseate Terns. In migration periods there are often gulls,
terns, and a few waders in the area. You may reach the watch point by
taking the small coastal road along the shoreline, or by turning off from
the main road in S. Sebastiáo, or from Porto Judeu in the southeast
corner of Terceira.
Lagoa da Ginjal
This is one very small pond, where now and then
some odd duck, wader or tern might turn up. The pond is near a farm, and
just by the road, so any birds are often disturbed. But it does not take
much time to check it up, so why not? The turn off point is at the new
roundabout opposite Cabrito along the main road ("highway")
from Praia to Angra. Follow the main road on a small road southeast for
about 1 km to the pond.
Where to stay and getting around
Since the better sites
are around Praia da Vitoria this is the best place to stay.
If you stay for more than one day you will probably rent a car at the
airport. If you are on transit between other islands, or just visiting
for one day, you might have been smart enough to arrange for a few hours
time between flights. If so, you will pick up a taxi at the airport, and
go for a tour to the sites around Cabo da Praia (the quarry, and the beach,
the port, and the ponds in Praia da Vitoria). If you have more time you
can arrange with the taxi driver to pick you up later, or you can walk
the 3-4 kilometres from the quarry, across the port area up to the beach
and the ponds in Praia da Vitoria, and from there grab a taxi back to
the airport.
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Here
you'll find more information and photos from Terceira
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