A wonderful 2 day birding break from Valencia
A few day ago I was delighted to provide a wonderful 2 day birding break from Valencia for three ladies from the USA. Fi had contacted us requesting 2 day trips, one to Albufera Natural Park and another one to the steppe for her and two more friends Lili and Elise. The first day of the trip had arrived and I went to collect them from their hotel in Valencia city. To my surprise, Elise was 93 years old, unbelievably fit and with a amazingly bright mind! She has been birding all over the world and as well as Lili and Fi, she wanted to enjoy the birdlife of Valencia. The plan was to spent a relaxing birding day in this important wetland area, so first we drove through the northern rice paddies where we spotted hundreds of Glossy Ibis, Gulls and Spotless Starlings. Before the next stop we had a coffee break, where Elise had the brilliant idea of taking a boat ride on the Albufera Lake. Indeed it was, because we got really close to thousands of Red-Crested Pochards as well as many Marsh Harriers. After a break…