Between dunes, walkways and fields that breathe the sea.
This is one of the most beautiful landscapes in the Mindelo ornithological reserve.
The ornithological reserve is located in Vila do Conde, and was the first protected area in Portugal.
It is known for its dunes and coastal forests, making it an ideal coastal ecosystem for migratory birds.
It is an untouchable and protected space with a privileged view of the sea, however it is exciting to take a walk along the trails that connect the forest to the sea.
Whenever I walk along those sidewalks, time stops for a brief moment, as there is no confusion, just the normal noises of Nature, a place truly isolated from the world, and not just another urbanized coastal area.
The route can start through the forest or along the boardwalks that continue through neighboring villages, the route crosses different landscapes in a relatively short space, for the more adventurous there are some trails right in the middle of the forest.
I was taking a brief walk along the wooden walkway by the sea.
On the tour it is possible to observe various birds and noises and toads or frogs common to those habitats due to the abundant help pools existing in that area.
Walkways offer a significant advantage, as in addition to good identification, they allow a broad view of the territory
The day was nice despite some wind, so I decided to take some aerial images of the place to see it from a different perspective. I can better understand the color composition between the green of the vegetation and the yellow of the sand.
Along the route it is noticeable even with a terrestrial view that in some points the sand is lighter or the vegetation accumulates and is denser, some slopes where the water concentrates and forms small pools of water, where much of it accumulates in winters.
Along the route you can see people practicing physical exercises, others observing and taking photos and there are even those who bring binoculars to spot birds. The walkways create a common course, but the individual experience varies.
We took turns observing certain points more closely in the hope of spotting a yellow meadow typical of this place or even a snake.
There are some mixed crop fields where they plant mainly straw/grass, which also ends up helping migratory species to take breaks to feed on the thistles that exist on the banks or even to drink water from the ponds in the different undulations of the dunes that retain the water.
Over time and without any maintenance, the walkways become completely filled with sand that the two spread on windy days.
We could see some people on the beach walking and playing with their animals as it is winter and it is incredibly calm in this area with no tourists, just people who live nearby.
Well, I'll stop here for today, I hope you enjoyed it.
See you in the next post
*All photos were taken by me using the Fimix8 2022 drone, photo editing and composition by Fotor.