Last week, I provided a day of guided birding trip to Valencian wetlands for a couple from England. Both were very keen and experienced birders and were eager to see the wetlands of Valencia, especially at this fabulous time of the year when migration season is well underway.
The day turned out to be very interesting, and resulted in a fabulous number of 63 species list.
After I collected them from their apartment, first stop was in some rice paddies where the rice plants hadn´t grown this year. Therefore, the flooded fields provided ideal habitat for waders. Hundreds of birds of more than 20 different species where feeding all together. We also had a nice surprise when we saw a Marble duck and two Caspian Terns with so many others interesting species.
After a brief stop for a coffee and a short review of the species list we went to the next stop in the reserve area and interpretation centre of the Natural Park, where Flamingos and Avocets where close enough for us to get amazing photographs.
Next stop was in a restricted reserve and green filter area we were delighted to see a great variety of species including Flamingos, Great Egret, Glossy Ibis, and an array of Terns. Perhaps the most interesting spots were a Little Bittern and Great Reed Warbler.
Species list:
Marsh Harrier, Common Kestrel, Marble Duck, Shelduck, Garganey, Common Pochard, Mallard, Shoveler, Purple Swamphen, Moorhen, Coot, Flamingo, Glossy Ibis, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Common Egret, Little Bittern, Great-crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Audouin´s Gull, Black-headed Gull, Caspian Tern, Common Tern, Little Tern, Whiskerd Tern, Whimbrel, Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Collared Pratincole, Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Ruff, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunling, Little Stint, Redshank, Common Snipe, Kentish Plover, Little ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Wood Pigeon, Turtle Dove, Magpie, Spotless Starling, Sand Martin, House Martin, Barn Swalow, Hoopoe, Tree Creeper, Great Tit, House Sparrow, European Serin, European Goldfinch, Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail, Great Reed Warbler, Common Warbler, Zitting Cisticola.