Bird Watching in Spain - Page 13 of 46 - Valencia Birding

Bird watching trip to the steppe

A few days ago I was delighted to provide a bird watching trip for a couple from England. It was great to be able to do so as Dave and I had met them at Rutland Bird Fair and it was there that we originally discussed a trip to the steppe. As they were staying to the south of our region, we agreed a meeting point and headed for the birding area. The weather forecast was not the best but they were keen to discover the area and its birdlife. After a few minutes driving we arrived to the first stop at an irrigation pond where we enjoyed nice views of Marsh Harrier, Green Sandpiper and Zitting Cisticola. We kept moving looking for the target species of the day… Great Bustard! On the road to the high steppe we stopped at a farm and after few seconds scanning the area, we spotted the first flock of Great Bustards.. It was a stunning group of 36 males! Not far from the Great Bustards… we spotted a large flock of Calandra Larks and Crested Larks. The steppe is the ideal habitat to…

Guided birding trip to the steppe

A few day ago I was delighted to provide a guided birding trip to the steppe for Joppe from Holland. He is an experienced birder and was keen to see Great Bustards and some other target species of this area. He was staying in Albacete, so we agreed to meet at Almansa railway station. After I collected him, he told me that he´d seen a few Great Bustards from the train – the main goal of the day was already accomplished without my help!! So we decided as a new objective for the day, to get quality views of them. The first stop was at an irrigation pond where we had a few good sightings despite of the wind… Marsh Harrier, Zitting Cisticola and a flock of Linnet. We continued driving in search of the Great Bustard, it was a challenging day… most of the fields had been ploughed recently and the birds weren’t in their regular areas. Despite that, on the way to the next stop we had great view of Iberian Grey Shrike and a nice flock of Calandra Larks. Later we had to stop the car to…

Two Special Days in Albufera.

Mid October saw some freak weather along the east coast of Spain and on the Balearic islands. Intense rainfall caused quite severe flooding in places, resulting in many roads being underwater and a complete closure of schools and universities in Valencia for a day. In terms of birdlife, this sudden deluge resulted in very high water levels at the region´s wetlands, meaning that many waders moved elsewhere to feed. During these few days, despite the conditions, I was to enjoy two special days in Albufera – not just because of the birds, but largely due to the lovely people that I met. The first trip was for Saffia and Andy from London. Saffia had arranged the trip as a birthday gift for Andy, so I was hoping for some good sightings. I really enjoyed the day with them, such interesting people with a passion for life, birds and travel. This human side to guiding is exceptionally valueable, and provides for some wonderful experiences. The first stop gave us views of Greater Flamingo, Black Redstart, Marsh Harrier and Stonechat. We moved on to a coastal lagoon where we saw Black Necked…

Birding in Valencia with returning clients.

Last week I was especially pleased to provide a day of birding in Valencia for returning clients Valerie and Roger, from UK. Last year we enjoyed a day trip to the mountains in the Spring, and this time they were keen to see the wetland site of Albufera de Valencia during the autumn migration period. Both relative newcomers to birding, their knowledge was growing very fast and they´d obvioulsy spent a lot of time birding back home in previous months. It was fantastic to see this knowledge growth and to enjoy their enthusiasm for this fabulous hobby. Our first visit to a restricted reserve area provided good views of Avocet, Black Winged Stilt, Glossy Ibis, Black Tailed Godwits and Grey Plover. We also enjoyed fabulous views of a female Marsh Harrier perched in the top of a nearby tree. A special moment for Valerie in particular was the sight of a flock of Greater Flamingoes in flight, always a spectacle to remember. Our next stop was at a small lagoon where we focussed on the smaller waders including Ringed, Little Ringed and Kentish Plover as well as Little Stint. We…

2 Day Birding Trip from Valencia.

Last week, Yanina and I were delighted to provide a 2 day birding trip from Valencia for a great couple of experienced birders from Sheffield. Jonathan and Caroline wanted to combine a few days exploring the cultural and historical sites of the city of Valencia with two days of bird watching – an increasingly popular option for visitors. After some discussion about the best sites for the time of year, we opted for the wetland site of Albufera de Valencia and a day in the inland mountains of Alicante. Yanina was the guide for the first day and after collecting Jonathan and Carolina from the city, they made the short journey to Albufera. The northern rice paddies gave views of Cattle Egret, Glossy Ibis and Whiskered Tern. They then moved to a restricted reserve area where they enjoyed views of Black-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Black-winged Stilt, Greater Flamingo and Kentish Plover. Whilst moving to a suitable spot to enjoy a picnic lunch, they were treated to views of Booted Eagle, a raptor that moves down from its mountainous breeding grounds to the wetlands in the autumn and winter. A tour…

2-Day Birding Break in Valencia.

I recently provided a 2-day birding break in Valencia for a couple from the south coast of England who wanted to combine a cultural visit to this beautiful city with two days of bird watching. We decided to spend a day at Albufera de Valencia, as September is always an interesting month for straggling summer visitors, early winter arrivals and passage migrants. We also planned a day on the high steppe as Great Bustard was one of Geoff and Sharon´s key target species. Both experienced and well travelled birders, they were keen to see what the region held. On day one we made the short journey from the city to Albufera where we made our first stop at a protected reserve area. The first couple of hides gave good views of Wood Sandpiper, Little Stint and a very obliging Zitting Cisticola which perched right in front of the viewing hatch. Yanina joined us briefly with a couple of clients from UK who we´d been lucky enough to meet at Rutland Bird Fair the previous month. An Osprey passed overhead, and a Sardinian Warbler was seen flitting around in the undergrowth. …