A few days ago I was delighted to provide a day of birding in Valencia with a loyal client. Gavin´s done many trips with us over the past few years and of course he has been to Albufera Natural Park before, but as he´s an experienced birder he knows that every day is different and birds can always surprise us.
He was once again in Valencia on business but he managed to get a free day to go birding. Winter time is always exciting in Albufera as it´s an ever changing landscape.
It was a sunny winter day and we were keen to get out and see what was around. The first stop was in the main reserve area of the natural park where we enjoyed the first good views of Booted Eagles, Garganey and a Hoopoe. From the observatory tower we had fantastic views of Red-crested Pochard, Wigeon, Pintail and many more waterfowl, it is a great spot where thousands of ducks spend the winter.
Next we explored the southern rice fields to search for waders and the like. After a few minutes we found a tractor ploughing the land, followed by hundreds of Glossy Ibis, herons, egrets and gulls. In amongst them, a Kentish Plover – a fabulous bird for Gavin to see and definitely one of my favourites too.
A bit further into the southern rice paddies we enjoyed great views of a group of 21 Cranes and a little later 4 Black Storks in flight, one of the two lifers of the day for Gavin.
Cranes
To end what had been a great day, we a headed to the coast to do some seawatching.. the target and another potential lifer was Balearic Shearwater and we succeeded.. after a few minutes we spotted the first flock close to the shore. We also saw Gannets, Great Cormorants, Shags and Sandwich Terns.
As always it had been a pleasure to take Gavin birding and we certainly look forward to welcoming him again!
The species list of the day included…
Common Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Teal, Red-crested Pochard, Common Pochard, Little Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Collared Dove, Common Moorhen, Common Crane, Northern Lapwing, Kentish Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Ruff, Dunlin, Little Stint, Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Balearic Shearwater, Black Stork, Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Booted Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Kingfisher, Common Kestrel, Iberian Grey Shrike, Crested Lark, Long-tailed Tit, Common Chiffchaff, Zitting Cisticola, Eurasian Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, European Robin, Black Redstart, European Stonechat, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Common Starling, Spotless Starling, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, European Serin, Common Reed Bunting, House Sparrow.