Wildlife.
Kingfishers flash across the river, grey herons stand quietly in the shallows, and if you are patient, you might spot an otter — or the tracks it leaves behind. Foxes, turtles, frogs, dragonflies and countless birds are part of the landscape too. At night, the soundscape changes as owls, bats and insects take over.
The river, ponds, old oak woodland, stone walls and meadows all provide different habitats. The landscape changes with the seasons, and so does the wildlife. Some birds come and go, frogs appear around the ponds, and the river brings its own visitors.
Where to look
THE RIVER
Kingfishers, herons, otters, crayfish, frogs...
THE WOODS
Old oaks, birds, insects, foxes, owls...
THE GARDEN, CHANNELS & PONDS
Butterflies, dragonflies, frogs, salamanders and all the smaller creatures that live around the gardens.
A lot can be seen simply by slowing down.
Sit by the river for a while. Walk quietly through the woods. Have your morning coffee outside.
You might see a kingfisher, hear an owl, find a frog in the pond or notice something moving in the grass.
Life at Moinhos do Dão doesn't stop at the vegetable gardens and farm animals. The valley is home to a surprising amount of wildlife, much of it simply going about its day around us.
The otters don't follow a schedule.
Sometimes we see them. Sometimes we see their tracks. Sometimes someone spots one and everyone else runs to the river — usually just in time to see a splash.
Moinhos Otterspotter
As soon as it rains, they appear. Slowly crossing paths and wet ground, black with bright yellow markings.
You have to watch your step — sometimes there are several of them, and they are easy to miss in the leaves and mud.
In summer, they disappear again, hiding from the heat in cool, damp places. Then we can go months without seeing one.
Fire salamanders
Bat rescue
We found this little bat on the grass in broad daylight, unable to fly. We rescued her and gave her a safe place to rest and recover.
After a while, she was ready to go — and flew away.