Valencia Birding - Guided Bird Watching in Spain Valencia Birding Blog

Guided birding in Valencia

Last Sunday I was delighted to provide a day of guided birding in Valencia for an experienced birder from Australia. Jillann was in Valencia for work but on her free day she wanted to discover the bird life of the Albufera de Valencia Natural Park. After I collected her from her hotel in the city, we went to a protected reserve area where there´s one of Europe´s largest Tern colonies, comprising mainly of Sandwich Terns and Common Terns. We also enjoyed seeing different species of ducks and waders with their young. Jillann was amazed to see the large populaton of Avocet. The Marbled Duck is an endangered species which we´re delighted to see breeding in this reserve. We were fortunate enough to see it with 4 young. Next stop was in a Mediterranean pine forest where we enjoyed a picnic lunch, relaxing for a while in the Spring sunshine and listening to the calls of Serin, Long-Tailed Tit and Sardinian Warbler. Then we went to the rice paddies where more than 100 Flamingos were feeding in the fields, then an amazing drive through the marshes with great views of Night Heron, Purple…

Guided bird watching at Albufera de Valencia

Last Friday I had pleasure of providing a day of guided bird watching at Albufera de Valencia for two clients from Poland. As nature lovers and experienced birders, they are members of a bird protection organisation, and they wanted to discover the species of Valencia and its wetlands. After I collected them from their hotel, we went to a reserve and restricted area where we spent most of the morning. At this time of the year this reserve is magnificent, and we enjoyed great views of a colony of Common and Sandwich Terns. We also enjoyed seeing the very rare Mabled Duck with 5 ducklings, together with a large group of Greater Flamingo, right in front of the hide. The second stop was in the forest, where Wren, Serin, Spotted Flycatcher, Sardinian Warbler and Firecrest welcomed us. To end the trip we went to the rice paddies. Now the fields have been planted, Glossy Ibis, Herons and Egrets where everywhere. We also enjoyed the display of the Hoopoe and finally one of the day´s highlights – the Purple Swamphen. It had been a classic Albufera day, with a species list that…

Bird watching in the mountains of Valencia

Last Monday I had pleasure of providing a guided trip for a couple from England. They were very keen to go bird watching in the mountains of Valencia, especially to see the raptors and “specialist” species that live in this habitat. Jan and Ossie are two experience birders who are involved in a conservation programme for Barn Owls. As they knew that I am also heavily involved in a similar project here in Spain, it was wonderful opportunity to share our experiences in working with these magnificent creatures. After the short journey from Valencia, we stopped for a coffee break and spoke about the plan for the day, and of the species that we were hoping to see. It was a fantastic sunny day and after a short drive through the mountains we arrived at the ravine where we began our walk. No sooner had we left the car when we immediately saw Griffon Vultures, Blue Rock Thrush, Serin and Sardinian Warbler. As we began our walk, we enjoyed views of Crag Martins, Ravens, Chough, Serin, Firecrest and Black Redstart. As we neared the end of the trail, the sky…

Birding trip to l´Albufera de Valencia

Last Monday, I had the pleasure of providing our most popular birding trip to l´Albufera de Valencia, for two clients from Belgium. Anne-Marie and Hans are keen on nature and birding but they also were interested to know how the area was formed, the history and traditional aspects including how rice paddies are managed and how the annual rice cycle operates. After I collected them at the apartment where they were staying at in Valencia City, we went directly to the interpretation centre of the Natural Park where I could explain in detail about the origin and transformation of the region. Then we had a walk into the forest to an observatory where one of the most important colonies of Sandwich Terns and Common Terns are nesting. That amazing nesting spot is shared also with Slender-billed Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, Mediterranean Gulls, Avocets and Black-winged Stilts. Next stop was in a beach reserve area where we had pic-nic lunch watching the nesting colonies of Collared Pratincole and Kentish Plovers. On our way to do the rice fields, we made a short stop in another area to see Audouin´s Gulls and Little…

A fabulous species list and a mystery Tern

Last week, I provided a day of guided birding for a mother and daughter from Belguim. The daughter lives here in Spain and her mother was visiting for a week. 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 the breeding season is well underway. The day turned out to be very interesting, and resulted in a fabulous species list and a mystery Tern! As they had made a big effort to drive to Valencia from the interior of Alicante, I opted to combine part of Albufera with another wetland area as a way of optimising the day. Our first stop was at a reserve area within the Albufera de Valencia Natural Park. As well as wanting to see the colony of Sandwich Terns, there had been reports of a mystery Tern, originally thought to be an Elegant Tern (a species usually found in Mexico and the Pacific). However, the bird had been successfully identified, by blood testing and DNA analysis as a hybrid. Its parent species were Lesser Crested Tern and Sandwich Tern….

Birding in the reserves of Albufera de Valencia

Last Friday I had pleasure to providing a trip for two clients, one from USA and the other from England. They were both extremely experienced birders and whilst at a congress in Valencia they were keen to fit in some guided birding in the reserves of Albufera de Valencia. As they were on a very tight schedule, I opted to take them to three of Albufera´s best reserve areas, as a way of maximising the species that they would see. The first stop was in an area of forest and lagoons, where we could had great views of a colony of Sandwich Terns and Common Terns. In the breeding season, this is one of the hotspots of Albufera. A hybrid Tern, very similar to an Elegant Tern was also nesting here. Another amazing sight was the endangered Marbled Duck and the ever popular Sardinian Warbler. Next stop was in a restricted reserve area within the marshes, where we were delighted to see Great Reed Warbler and Little Bittern, plus a rarity for Spain, the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, a bird normaly found in Siberia.On our way to the last spot, we made…