Last week Dave and I had the pleasure of providing a 2-day trip for a couple of clients who have returned to Valencia each year to go birding with us. We´ve since become firm friends and have enjoyed some great trips together. This time they had planned an autumn trip and wanted to see the wetlands of this fabulous region.
Day 1 – Albufera de Valencia Natural Park
Having collected Jan and Ossie from central Valencia, we drove to Albufera to one of the park´s restricted reserve areas. Whilst driving through the harvested rice paddies, we had great views of Glossy Ibis, Great Egret and Southern Grey Shrike, indeed a good start to the day.
Once in the reserve, we stopped to scan over a small lagoon and enjoyed views of Snipe, Little Stint, Wood Sandpiper and Purple Swamphen. The next lagoon and its surroundings gave views of Bluethroat, Spoonbill, Kingfisher, Reed Bunting and Redshank.
Purple Swamphen
After lunch, we visited another reserve where we enjoyed watching wildfowl, including Red-Crested Pochard, Pintail, Gadwall, Shelduck and Shoveler.
Red Crested Pochard
The species list for the day included :
Mallard, Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard, Common Pochard, Shelduck, Teal, Great-crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great Egreat, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Spoonbill, Purple Swamphen, Moorhen, Coot, Marsh Harrier, Booted Eagle, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Black-winged Stilt, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Common Greenshank, Little Stint, Ruff, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit, Avocet, Dunlin, Sanderling, Kentish Plover, Ringed Plover, Little-ringed Plover, Kingfisher, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Hoopoe, Ring-necked Parakeet, Southern Grey Shrike, Magpie, Crested Lark, Crag Martin, Penduline Tit, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Robin, Black Redstart, Stonechat, Blackbird, Starling, Spotless Starling, White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Serin, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow.
Day 2 – Coastal Wetlands
Our second day provided ideal weather conditions for a day on the costal wetlands. It was also a special day as the Interpretation centre of the reserve was hosting a seminar on ornithological tourism, to which we had been invited to participate.
We began the day with a walk through the wetland reserve area, where we had great views of Booted Eagle. The reed beds held Stonechat, Zitting Cisticola, Cetti´s Warbler and Penduline Tit.
Booted Eagle
The first hide overlooked a coastal lagoon, and gave excellent views of Grey Plover, Lapwing, Greenshank, Snipe and Green Sandpiper. One of the highlights of the day was a Short-eared Owl that we saw flying low over the coastal scrub.
Marsh Harrier
We also had great views of Dartford Warbler, Southern Grey Shrike and Marsh Harrier.
Following a very enjoyable walk through the pasture at the back of the reserve, where we saw Meadow Pipit, Serin, Tree Sparrow and Black Redstart, the day ended with a brief visit to a regular haunt of the magical Barn Owl. This was of particular interest to Jan and Ossie as they have been heavily involved in owl conservation work in the UK.
It had been a delight to share a couple of days with our friends once more, and we look forward to seeing them again soon.
The species list for the day included…
Mallard, Teal, Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Short-toed Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Booted Eagle, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Black-winged Stilt, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Barn Owl, Little Owl, Short-eared Owl, Hoopoe, Ring-necked Parakeet, Southern Grey Shrike, Magpie, Crested Lark, Crag Martin, Penduline Tit, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Robin, Black Redstart, Stonechat, Blackbird, Starling, Spotless Starling, White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Serin, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow.