Valencia Birding - Guided Bird Watching in Spain Valencia Birding Blog

Birding the Wetlands of Valencia

Last week, I provided a day of guided bird watching for a client from UK. Phil is an experienced and knowledgeable birder and wanted to see the diversity of the birdlife that exists here in Valencia. We decided upon a specific wetland area as right now there are colonies of breeding species that provide some super opportunities for observation, all without the risk of disturbance. We met close to Valencia and made the short journey to the coastal site where we began the day by exploring a few coastal saltwater lagoons. Here we had good views of White Headed Duck, Red Crested Pochard, Little Bittern and Audouin´s Gull. The reed beds held Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler and Fan-tailed Warbler. We walked on to another lagoon where we had superb views of Whiskered Tern, Little Tern, Common Tern and Sandwich Tern. We were also fortunate to see a local rarity, an Elegant Tern. Collared Pratincoles were also breeding in the vicinity, and gave great views both on the ground and in flight. A walk through pastureland provided views of Cattle Egret, Stonechat, Hoopoe, Little Owl and Tree Sparrow. Marsh…

A stormy day on the steppe

Yesterday I spent a wonderful day birding the steppe and lagoons of our region with a client from Spain. A very experienced bird watcher, naturalist and conservationist, she was eager to discover this unique habitat and the birdlife that thrives here. After a comfortable and easy journey from Valencia, we stopped at our first spot to check out a small lagoon and area of floodwater. On the water we saw Shelduck, Flamingo, and Little Grebe. The reeds held a pair of Great Reed Warbler, which after a little patience we managed to see. Corn Buntings were calling from the nearby fenceline, and Tree Sparrows were active in the surrounding scrub. A pair of Little Ringed Plovers were scurrying around the mud on the shoreline. A Buzzard passed low overhead, whilst Swallows, House Martins and Swifts were all feeding above in the beautiful blue skies. Our next spot was nothing more than a “prospecting” site that overlooks the vast area of cereal fields that cover this region. We had a good view of Crested Lark and some scanning and effort gave us views of a pair of Stone Curlew. A little…

Birding the Steppe

Once more, we were recently delighted to welcome back a returning client. Gavin from UK had previously booked a trip to the wetlands of Valencia, and this time had returned for a birding trip to the steppe and lagoons of Eastern Spain. Birding the steppe can reveal some amazing species, and today was to prove no exception. Our journey from Valencia took us through a few heavy rain showers but once we´d arrived on site, it was dry although quite windy. Our first stop by an area of floodwater beside an old farming village gave views of Tree Sparrow. Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail and Lapwing. Our next point was an area of pasture and scrub beside a farm. Here we enjoyed views of Corn Bunting, Iberian Grey Shrike, Skylark, Crested Lark and yet more Yellow Wagtail, one of which was thought to be of the UK sub-species. The wind was steadily increasing so for our next stop, beside a lake, we used the car as a hide and opted for comfort! This worked quite well, and we had views of Marsh Harrier, Greater Flamingo, Red Crested Pochard and Shelduck. Our…

7-Day Twin Centre Birding Holiday

7-Day Twin Centre Birding Holiday Thanks to the diverse habitats of the Valencian region, we´re delighted to be able to offer a 7-day bird watching break. The itinerary has been carefully designed, focussing on : Diversity of habitats and species. Minimal travelling time. Authentic Spanish accommodation. The trip can easily be amended, depending on the clients´wishes and specific travel plans. It can also be adapted for clients choosing to fly into / out of either Valencia or Alicante airport. Likewise, when proposing a specific itinerary we can also take into account any specific target species and other related activities. For example, many clients opt to dedicate a day specifically to bird photography, and we can offer the use of specially designed hides in different habitats, according to their wishes. As a guide, here is an example of our most popular version… Day 1 – Salt Marshes. We will collect you from the airport, where we can discuss the plan for the week over a relaxing coffee. Depending on arrival time, we could then visit some local salt lagoons before travelling to the guest house. A very popular choice is the…

Birding and nature photography trip

Last week, I provided a specially designed birding and nature photography trip for two experienced wildlife photographers from Sweden. At this time of the year the Valencian Coastal Wetlands, is an amazing birding destination, especially rewarding as many of the summer visitors are returning to their breeding grounds there. We met in central Valencia before making the short journey to the reserve. After a morning coffee, looking out across the calm waters of the Mediterranean, we began our walk along a coastal dune system. The first lagoon gave good views of Night Herons and waterfowl including Pochard, Red-crested Pochard and Little Grebe. As we walked further into the reserve, the second lagoon provided a spectacular sight of seven male White-headed Ducks, one of Europe´s rarest and arguably most attractive ducks. We also had great views of Flamingo, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis and Marsh Harrier. We then took in an area of coastal scrub, and were treated to views of Wheatear, Stonechat, Whinchat, Sub-alpine Warbler and Spotless Starling. We also had a good view of Audouin´s Gull and the beautiful Collared Pratincole. After a picnic lunch on a pebble beach, we headed inland…

Guided birding trip to the wetlands of Valencia

Last week, I had the pleasure of providing a guided birding trip to the wetlands of Valencia for a very experienced birder from the UK. She wanted to combine a short break in this magical Mediterranean city with a day of birding in the local coastal marshes and lagoons. After the short drive from the city centre, before we began to explore the coastal lagoons and surrounding reed beds, we stopped in a farming area where we spotted two lovely Hoopoes, a Little Owl and a Barn Owl. Once inside of the reserve, one of the highlights of the first lagoon were three Night Herons resting in a tree. After a short walk to the next lagoon we enjoyed seeing the extremely rare White-headed Duck. We also had good views of Little Bittern and Great Reed Warbler. As we headed along the coast, we were treated to some superb views of the fascinating Collared Pratincole. The coastal scrub also held Stonechat, Wheatear and Crested Lark. The next lagoon gave good views of Little Tern plus waders including Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover and Black-winged Stilt. After lunch on the pebble beach,…