We recently provided 3 days of guided birding for a couple of clients from Leeds. Alli and Anne were not only lovely people but very experienced and well travelled naturalists. For this trip they wanted to combine birding with a cultural break in Valencia. We´d designed the birding element of their trip so that after they´d enjoyed the famous Fallas fiestas, they could recover from the party atmosphere in Valencia by spending some peaceful days birding in its rural surroundings!
The first day – a visit to the steppe
It was indeed a pleasure to meet mother and daughter Alli and Anne and to spend time with them. On day one, I took them up onto the steppe, and after a morning coffee we began scanning the fields. Our first birds of the trip were Crested Lark and Calandra Lark. Stopping by some farm buildings gave us views of Rock Sparrow, Linnets, Spotless Starlings and a passing Common Buzzard.
Rock Sparrow
Our exploration of the higher steppe eventually rewarded us with views of both Great Bustard and Black Bellied Sandgrouse plus a fairly brief view of Stone Curlew.
Great Bustard
We ended the day with views of Little Owl and Lesser Kestrel before making the comfortable trip back to Valencia.
The species list for the day included…
Calandra Lark, Crested Lark, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Rock Sparrow, Barn Swallow, Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Spotless Starling, Crow, Magpie, Great Bustard, Linnet, Goldfinch, Hoopoe, Black Redstart, Black Bellied Sandgrouse, Mallard, Shoveler, Shelduck, Coot, Little Grebe, Greater Flamingo, Yellow Legged Gull, Stone Curlew, Red Legged Partridge, Lesser Kestrel, Little Owl.
On the second birding day, Yanina took them to a mountain region around an hour away from the city. Their first stop was at a strategic spot from which they were hoping to see Bonelli´s Eagle. Their visit was well timed and they were soon enjoying views of this magnificent raptor in flight.
Bonelli´s Eagle
The next spot was at a huge cliff face where after a little time spent watching Griffon Vultures, Chough and a Peregrine Falcon, the Egyptian Vulture arrived and provided good views. The surrounding forest gave sightings of Iberian Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Crested Tit.
Distant flight shot of Egyptian Vulture
The species list for day 2 included…
Mallard, Common Woodpigeon, Common Moorhen, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Egyptian Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Bonelli’s Eagle, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Red-billed Chough, Common Raven, Crested Lark, Crag Martin, Common House Martin, Crested Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Cetti’s Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Black Wheatear, Mistle Thrush, Eurasian Blackbird, White Wagtail, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Serin, Cirl Bunting.
Griffon Vulture
For their third day I took them to one of Valencia´s many wetland sites. Our day began with views of Audouin´s Gull on the beach, one of the target species of the trip. The coastal lagoons held White Headed Duck, Red Crested Pochard and Greater Flamingo.
Audouin´s Gulls
Migration was happening before our eyes, with huge numbers of Barn Swallows, Red Rumped Swallows, House Martins, Sand Martins, Swifts and Pallid Swifts constantly passing overhead. We also had a brief view of a Bluethroat. The next lagoon gave views of Ruff, Kentish Plover, Little Ringed Plover and Sandwich Tern. This time of year is fabulous as we see new species arriving on a daily basis.
White Headed Duck
A walk through some pastureland rewarded us with fabulous views of Booted Eagle and Marsh Harrier and once we arrived at a hide overlooking a scrape, we saw the year´s first Purple Heron for this site.
Purple Heron
The species list for the day included…
Marsh Harrier, Booted Eagle, Spotless Starling, Little Egret, Audouin’s Gull, Black Headed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Barn Swallow, Goldfinch, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, House Martin, Coot, Zitting Cisticola, Mallard, Pallid Swift, Grey Heron, Magpie, Moorhen, Pochard, Shoveler, Bluethroat, Red Crested Pochard, Reed Bunting, Yellow Wagtail, Greater Flamingo, White Headed Duck, Glossy Ibis, Black Winged Stilt, Shoveler, Little Grebe, Greenfinch, Common Tern, Swift, Stonechat, Tree Sparrow, White Wagtail, Sandwich Tern, Teal, Little Ringed Plover, Black Necked Grebe, Avocet, Kentish Plover, Ruff, Cormorant, House Sparrow, Cattle Egret, Cetti’s Warbler (h), Reed Warbler (h), Sand Martin, Great Egret, Iberian Grey Shrike, Collared Dove, Sardinian Warbler, Red Rumped Swallow, Kestrel, Crag Martin, Great Tit, Serin, Purple Heron, Gadwall.
Both Yanina and I had really enjoyed these days with two very special ladies, the priceless combination of fabulous birding and good company once again making for great memories.
Written by David Warrington.
Bird Watching Guide at Valencia Birding.