Throughout the months of April and May of this year, I’ve spent a lot of time in the wetlands and rice fields of Albufera de Valencia, principally trips with clients from the UK, USA and Ireland. It’s been fascinating to see the changes that take place during the spring, especially in terms of habitat and environment. In April, the rice fields were dry, so held very few birds, so we focussed more on the wetland reserve areas. During May, the rice farmers began to flood their fields and sow the rice, instantly attracting large gatherings of Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingo, Little , Great and Cattle Egrets.
Glossy Ibis
In terms of bird movement, our trips in April still gave us sightings of a few later passage migrants, including Oystercatcher, Little Stint, Grey Plover and Curlew Sandpiper. However, as the month progressed, colonies of breeding birds began to form, the largest of which included Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Gull Billed Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Black Headed Gull and Audouin’s Gull, the latter choosing as usual to nest away from other gull and tern species.
Sandwich Terns, Common Terns and Slender Billed Gulls
In amongst the Sandwich Tern colony, we’ve enjoyed regular sightings of a pair of Elegant Tern. At the time of writing, we’re eagerly anticipating the hatching of their egg. Fingers crossed for good news on that front!
Elegant Terns amongst Sandwich Terns and Common Terns
It’s also been a privilege to follow the progress of a pair of Kentish Plovers as they began nesting, eventually hatching off 4 chicks. These tiny and extremely vulnerable creatures are always a pleasure to watch, but one can’t help but worry for them, especially as they are ground nesters and face so many hazards and predators. A few days ago though, I was watching one of the chicks feeding independently, albeit under the close eye of its mother.
Kentish Plover with chick
Other species worthy of note, that always add to the feeling that the warmer months are upon us were Turtle Dove, Pied Flycatcher, Purple Heron, Night Heron and Squacco Heron. Although the vast majority of the wintering Marsh Harriers have now headed north to breed, there remains a few pairs, which hopefully will raise young to add to the population.
Squacco Heron
On a few occassions, we were also delighted to see Marbled Teal, a species that has been the focus of much attention in terms of the conservation work done in this region to protect it.
Marbled Teal
On the human side of the trips, I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time with first time clients from both the UK and USA as well as some loyal returning clients and friends from the UK and Ireland. We shared many special moments, witnessing the ever changing landscapes and the birds that either pass through this region or choose to use it as breeding grounds.
I still have quite a few trips planned to Albufera, before the onset of summer, which is when I´ll then turn my attention and support to the Osprey reintroduction project in another of our wetland sites, so I look forward to seeing many of the species mentioned above raise their young and prepare them for their first migration. More on all of that later!
The species seen during the recent trips included…
Audouin’s Gull, Avocet, Barn Swallow, Black Headed Gull, Black Winged Stilt, Blackbird, Cattle Egret, Common Coot, Common Pochard, Common Reed Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, Curlew Sandpiper, Elegant Tern, Glossy Ibis, Great Crested Grebe, Greater Flamingo, Green Sandpiper, Greenfinch, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Gull Billed Tern, House Sparrow, Kentish Plover, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Little Stint, Little Tern, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Marbled Teal, Marsh Harrier, Mediterranean Gull, Moorhen, Night Heron, Oystercatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Purple Heron, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Sandwich Tern, Sardinian Warbler, Shelduck, Slender Billed Gull, Spotless Starling, Squacco Heron, Tree Sparrow, Turtle Dove, Whiskered Tern, Yellow Legged Gull, Zitting Cisticola.
Written by Dave Warrington.
Valencia Birding.