I was recently delighted to provide a bird watching trip for two clients from Ireland. Eanna & John are experienced birders who were visiting Valencia and wanted a day out of the city to discover the birdlife of the mediterranean.
After I collected them from their hotel in the city centre, we made the short journey to Albufera Natural Park where we stopped in the main pier of the Albufera lake to enjoy nice views of Sandwich Terns and Marsh Harriers. They were happy to see Sandwich Terns in their winter plumage.
Our next stop was in the main reserve area of the park, and after a short visit to the information centre we headed to the observatories where we enjoyed nice views of Black-winged Stilt, Black-tailed Godwit and Avocet.
We were also hoping for good sightings of waterfowl, and eventually had nice views of Red-crested Pochard, Pintail, Teal, Shoveler and more. After a short walk back through the forest we reached to the observatory tower and had fantastic views of huge flocks of Flamingos.
Greater Flamingos
Our next stop was planned to be in the Village of El Palmar where we were to buy picnic lunch although we managed to stop before in the orchards close to the village to have a good views to compare Spotless and Common Starlings, which can be seen here in mixed flocks in winter.
We enjoyed lunch in a quiet place in the middle of the rice paddies, which is a great place for Booted Eagles…another one of the target birds of the day.
After lunch, we walked to an observatory tower for another one of the day´s target birds…Purple Swamphen, also enjoying nice views of Gadwall and Snipe.
Purple Swamphen
We spent the evening scanning and driving through the rice paddies.. which was a good decision as we had fantastic views of Crag Martins, these winter visitors come from the mountains to the wetlands to feed in winter. The weather conditions were such that they were feeding very low, giving great photographic opportunities.
We kept moving through the marshes and we were rewarded with views of a Hoopoe, Green Sandpiper, Serins and Common Sandpiper.
The last stop was on the way back to the city where by the river mouth we saw an unusual winter visitor, Red-breasted Merganser.
It was an unforgettable birding trip with lots of laughing and chatting all in great company.
The species list of the day includes…
Common Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Teal, Red-crested Pochard, Common Pochard, Red-breasted Merganser, Greater Flamingo, Common Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Western Swamphen, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Northern Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Audouin’s Gull, Sandwich Tern, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Glossy Ibis, Booted Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Kingfisher, Common Kestrel, Common Magpie, Eurasian Crag Martin, Cetti’s Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Sardinian Warbler, European Robin, Black Redstart, European Stonechat, Common Starling, Spotless Starling, White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, European Serin, Common Reed Bunting and House Sparrow.