Bird watching holidays Spain - Page 16 of 24 - Valencia Birding

3-Day Winter Birding Break

We recently put together a 3-day winter birding break at relatively short notice for a lovely couple from the Netherlands who wanted to escape the cold grey skies of northern Europe and enjoy some winter sunshine here in Valencia. They chose to stay at the Adhoc Monumental Hotel in the historical quarter of Valencia, and to go birding with us to the mountains, steppe and the wetland site of Albufera de Valencia. I collected them from Valencia airport in the evening and took them to their hotel, discussing the details of the birding trips on the way. Both Gill and Albert were experienced birders and clearly very enthusiastic, so we were looking forward very much to providing the trips for them. On day 1, I met them at their hotel and we made the journey of just over an hour to one of the inland sierras of the region. Today wasn´t about maximising species, it was about just a few specialist mountain birds- including the Alpine Accentor. This characterful little bird breeds in the Pyrenees and Alps but flies to the Valencia region in winter where it tends to stay…

7 Day Bird Photography Trip.

We recently had the privilege of welcoming back an extremely valued friend and client, Nigel from Northern Ireland. A very experienced birder and bird photographer, Nigel had previously visited as part of a group from the Northern Ireland Ornithologists´Club but this time he came alone so we were delighted to design a tailor-made 7 day bird photography trip to fit his wishes and priorities. Having discussed his preferences, we came up with a good mixture of bird photography in the field plus a few visits to specially designed bird photo-hides, each aimed at specific species. His flight arrived at Alicante quite late so we´d arranged for Yanina to collect him and then to spend the night close to the airport, well placed to visit some of the local saltpans and wetlands the next morning. During the morning, they enjoyed sightings of Ringed Plover, Sandwich Tern, Black Tailed Godwit, Iberian Grey Shrike and White Headed Duck. There was news of a rarity in the area, an Olive Backed Pipit. First attempts proved fruitless, but with the usual determination, they found it. A great start to the week! The second night was…

Birding in Albufera Natural Park

Last week I had the pleasure of guiding two clients from Holland to the Albufera Natural Park. They were both experienced nature photographers and birders who wanted a day off from the city. The Albufera Natural Park is located just 18 Km from Valencia city centre and is one of the most important wetlands in Europe, so it makes for a very easy birding trip. We began by visiting one of the best reserve areas in Albufera. Once inside the reserve, we enjoyed great views of Black-winged Stilts, Little Grebes and Flamingos. After a short walk through the forest we arrived at the second hide, from where we saw hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwings resting on the lagoon. Next stop was at a restricted reserve area where we had lunch whilst enjoying great views of Great White Egret, Marsh Harriers and Gadwalls. In evening we decided to stop beside a lake beside the sea, an amazing hotspot for Black-necked Grebes and Audouin’s Gull. We ended the day in the rice paddies where we hoped to see Booted Eagle and Glossy Ibis. It had been a great birding day spent with…

Guided bird watching trip to the Valencian Coastal Wetlands

A few days ago, I had the pleasure to organise a guided bird watching trip to the Valencian Coastal wetlands for clients from London. They were visiting the city of Valencia and wanted a day out to discover the area´s bird life. It was a sunny autumn day – fantastic for birding. I designed a trip that involved some walking through different ecosystems to maximise the quantity of species. As soon we started walking we stopped to enjoy great views of one of the target species of the day, White-headed Duck. Right beside 6 examples of this very special duck there was a Water Rail enjoying a morning bath! We kept walking beside the sea and stopped again for good views of Audouin’s Gull and a flock of Red-Crested Pochard in flight. In the next lagoon, we were delighted by Little Grebes and Purple Swamphens.. one of the highlights of the day. After a picnic lunch by the sea, we headed inland enjoying a lovely walk searching for raptors. We succeded…we had great views of 6 different Booted Eagles, as well as Common Buzzards and Marsh Harries that were enjoying…

Birding on your doorstep.

As birding guides, we are especially privileged to spend a lot of our time with clients in the region´s top birding sites and reserves. However, as birders it´s often of great value and interest for us just to spend a little time exploring the bird life that we have quite literally, on our doorstep. This can include urban, sub-urban, agricultural and even industrial environments. One day last week, I had just a couple of free hours in the morning so decided to take a walk along the side of a local canal. The Barranco de Carraixet has its source in the mountains of the nearby Sierra de Calderona, and heads South-East eventually reaching the Mediterranean Sea next to the small town of Alboraya, just to the north of the city of Valencia. I walked the last couple of kilometres from Alboraya to the coast, returning by the same path. Although the barranco has benefitted from some excellent conservation work by local ONGs, it does not immediately strike you as a potential birding spot. However, I was in for a surprise…actually quite a few surprises! Along the course that I walked, its…

Birding on the Steppe

One of the pleasures of being based in Valencia is the ease of access to many different habitats. One of our favourite trips takes us up onto the steppe and cereal plains of Castilla de la Mancha, little over an hour´s drive away. I recently had the pleasure of providing a trip to this region for clients Doreen and Jim from the USA. Both very experienced birders they were on a tour of Spain and wanted to see some of the area´s bird life, particularly on the steppe. They were staying in the historical town of Xativa, so having met nearby we drove up to the birding area where we began with a morning coffee in a small farming village. Our first stop was beside a small lagoon surrounded by cereal fields. It was still quite early so a cold wind was blowing. Despite this we enjoyed views of Pochard, Lapwing and Stonechat. Once back in the warmth of the car we made our way to another favourite viewing area where we put on extra layers! Here we had good views of Great Bustard, one of the day´s target species. …