Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of providing a bird watching trip to one of the most important wetlands in Valencia for two clients from England. It was a lovely birding trip to l´Albufera of Valencia for a father and a son. Both are experience birders, Oliver with seven years old has been birding with his dad, Mark, for a long time and they wanted to see new species that are the classics of the Valencian wetlands.
They were staying in the southern region of the Valencian Community, so we opted to meet in Cullera. We then made the short road trip through an orchard region and on to the first stop which was at the reserve area and interpretation centre of the Natural Park, where we enjoyed great views of Flamingos and Avocets.
Second stop was in some rice paddies where the rice plants hadn´t grown this year. Therefore, the flooded fields provided ideal habitat for waders. Hundreds of birds of more than 20 different species where feeding all together.
A little patience was rewarded with views of a Marble Duck, eight Caspian Terns.
Driving by the rice fields to the last stop we enjoyed great views of Turtle Doves, Spotless Starlings and many Wood Sandpipers.
Last stop was in a restricted reserve and green filter area we were delighted to see a great variety of species including Flamingos, Great Egret, Glossy Ibis, and different waders. Perhaps the most interesting spots were a Little Bittern and Purple Swamphen.
It was a pleasure to guide Mark and Oliver and I hope to see them again on another birding trip here in the Valencia region.
The species list totalled 45, including…
Marsh Harrier, Marble Duck, Shelduck, Mallard, Pochard, Audouin´s Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Whiskered Tern, Caspian Tern, Purple Swamphen, Moorhen, Coot, Flamingo, Glossy Ibis, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Great Egret, Common Egret, Cattle Egret, Little Bittern, Little Grebe, Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Black-tailed Godwit, Collared Pratincole, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, Redshank. Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Kentish Plover, Little-ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Turtle Dove, House Martin, Barn Swalow, Spotless Starling, Common Warbler, Zitting Cisticola.