Last week I had the pleasure of providing a bird watching trip to one of Europe´s most important wetlands for two clients from Chicago, USA. I provided a trip to Albufera de Valencia for a very interesting couple – Leonore was a experienced birder, and one of our objectives was to attract her husband George to the delights and joys of bird watching! Leonore wanted to see some “new” European species so had previously contacted us to arrange some guided bird watching in Spain.
After I collected them from their hotel we made the short drive to a reserve area inside the Natural Park where we visited a wader hotspot and enjoyed great views of Black-tailed Godwit and Little Stint.
After a short walk through a forest we arrived at another hide where we had good views of waterfowl plus this magnificent Kingfisher. There was also an abundance of songbirds on their autumn migration, particularly Pied Flycatcher and Willow Warbler.
Next stop was in a restricted and protected reserve area, where we had fantastic views of some fabulous species including Spoonbill, Caspian Tern, Flamingo, Glossy Ibis and great array of waders.
To end the trip we added something of particular interest for George – a stop in the rice paddies where we discussed the rice growing cycle and how this crop is managed here in this Natural Park.
As we drove back towards Valencia, we were fortunate enough to see a juvenile Montagu’s Harrier, an amazing climax to a great day.
It had been a wonderful day, with a great list of species that included…
Booted Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier, Common Kestrel, Northern Shoveler, Mallard, Garganey, Pintail, Red-crested Pochard, Lesser black-backed Gull, Audoin’s Gull, Caspian Tern, Sandwich Tern, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, Flamingo, Grey Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Moorhen, Coot, Purple Swamphen, Little Grebe, Great-crested Grebe, Ruff, Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Collared Pratincole, Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Dunlin, Little Stint, Redshank, Greenshank, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Hoopoe, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Kingfisher, Blackbird, Crested Lark, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, House Martin, Barn Swallow, Sand Martin, Great Reed Warbler, Reed Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Cetti’s Warbler, Willow Warbler, Sardinean Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Serin, Short-toed Treecreeper.