birding breaks Spain - Valencia Birding - Guided Bird Watching in Spain

Birding on your doorstep.

As birding guides, we are especially privileged to spend a lot of our time with clients in the region´s top birding sites and reserves. However, as birders it´s often of great value and interest for us just to spend a little time exploring the bird life that we have quite literally, on our doorstep. This can include urban, sub-urban, agricultural and even industrial environments. One day last week, I had just a couple of free hours in the morning so decided to take a walk along the side of a local canal. The Barranco de Carraixet has its source in the mountains of the nearby Sierra de Calderona, and heads South-East eventually reaching the Mediterranean Sea next to the small town of Alboraya, just to the north of the city of Valencia. I walked the last couple of kilometres from Alboraya to the coast, returning by the same path. Although the barranco has benefitted from some excellent conservation work by local ONGs, it does not immediately strike you as a potential birding spot. However, I was in for a surprise…actually quite a few surprises! Along the course that I walked, its…

Birding in the mountains of Valencia.

We´ve recently provided a number of trips that have taken in the virtually unknown mountainous interior of the Valencia region. Within an hour´s drive of the beautiful Mediterranean city of Valencia lies a vast and rugged region that provides habitat for some very special birds. The exceptionally low human population density and the natural characteristics of our inland sierras means that for wildlife in general, this is a fascinating place. We´re constantly surprised at the bird life this area offers. On our recent trips, the forested hills and river valleys have given us excellent views of some favourites such as Dipper, Golden Oriole, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Melodious Warbler, Bee Eater, Red Rumped Swallow and Woodchat Shrike. We then usually move slightly higher into the forested highlands, often in excess of 700m above sea level. This is where we see some fabulous species including Firecrest, Crested Tit and Sub-alpine Warbler. As we climb even higher towards 900 metres above sea level, we find some spectacular mountain scenery – rock pinnacles, buttresses and huge cliff walls. These hold some specialist mountain bird species, some of which are not often associated with this…