Last week I had the pleasure to organise a birding trip to Albufera de Valencia for a family from London, UK. They are experienced birders who wanted to discover the birdlife in the Valencia region. For me was a special trip, as it´s always encouraging to be guiding teenagers.
After I collected them from their hotel in Valencia city we drove straight to the main reserve area inside the Natural Park. First we visited the information centre, a good way to start understanding why it´s so important to protect this area and why birds are present at the different times of the year.
Then after a short walk we arrived at the seabirds’ colony… from the observatory we enjoyed fantastic views of Common and Sandwich Terns, at the same time we were amazed for the sighting of four Elegants Tern established in the colony.
Avocets and Black-winged Stilts were also with chicks, Flamingos and waterfowl sharing the same brackish lagoon, a good start to the day.
Second stop was in a private reserve area in the middle of the rice paddies, where we hoped to see there Purple Heron and Purple Swamphen – luckily for us we had very good views of both. On our way to have lunch in a traditional village to taste the authentic Valencian Paella, we had to stop a few times to enjoy nice views of Gull-billed Tern displaying follow by a Squacco Heron beside an irrigation canal.
After a refreshing break and tasty meal we had a lot to do during the afternoon, so we a headed straight to a lake beside the sea… Audouin’s Gulls, Mediterranean Gulls, Slender-billed Gulls and Little Terns were waiting for us… also we were happy to see Black-necked Grebe and Kentish Plovers with chicks.
The day came to the end but not before a short drive through the rice paddies of the northern area where we were delighted to spot this lovely Little Grebe with two small chicks on its back.
It was a lovely day spent with great company. I´m looking forward to welcoming them back.
The species list of the day included…
Shelduck, Mallard, Red-crested Pochard, Common Pochard, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Greater Flamingo, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Squacco Heron, Night-Heron, Glossy Ibis, Purple Swamphen, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Kentish Plover, Slender-billed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Audouin’s Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Little Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Elegant Tern, Common Woodpigeon, European Turtle Dove, Collared Dove, Pallid Swift, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Magpie, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Great Tit, Firecrest, Cetti’s Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Eurasian Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Eurasian Blackbird, Spotless Starling, Western Yellow Wagtail, European Serin, House Sparrow.