Bird Watching in Spain - Page 5 of 47 - Valencia Birding

Sandgrouse, Bustards and Eagles – The steppe keeps on giving!

Last weekend I provided a trip for a couple of birders from Valencia. The trip was booked as a birthday present for Cristina by one of her friends, and after a few email exchanges, we opted to spend the day on the steppe. The weather on the day was perfect – very little wind, clear blue skies and no rain. The steppe area can be very cold in autumn and winter so comfortable, sunny days are a luxury! Having made the journey from Valencia, and enjoyed the obligatory morning coffee stop, we headed out across the fields in search of birds. Crested Larks were around in good numbers, and were Spotless Starlings. A Marsh Harrier was flying low over an area of reeds and the scrub held Stonechat, Goldfinch and Black Redstart. The first target bird was soon found – Rock Sparrow, a resident bird in this area. A pair of Buzzards circled overhead and a Hoopoe flew quickly past. Not a bad start to the day. Rock Sparrow As we drove off-road, heading across the vast cereal fields, we were on the look-out for Sandgrouse and Great Bustard. A…

60th Wedding Anniversary Birding!

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of providing a trip for a couple from Orkney who, together with their family, wanted a day of guided birding as a way of celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary! What a privilege for me to be part of such a special day, and how wonderful that they opted for a birding trip as a means of celebrating it! They were staying at a hotel by the coast in Denia on the Costa Blanca, and as they were a group of five people, I had the help of my good friend Bea, who is not only a knowledgable birder, but has also worked extensively in bird conservation programs. We headed south to the wetlands of Alicante, stopping first at a spot where we hoped to see Marbled Teal. We sat together in a large hide, overlooking a small lagoon. Our first birds were a trio of grebes – Little, Great Crested and Black-necked. Crag Martins were feeding on the wing in good numbers, and we spotted a few Barn Swallows in amongst them too. Then, a small flock of much larger birds in flight caught…

A fabulous autumn day on the steppe.

The steppe area of our region is an ever-changing environment of rolling cereal fields, vineyards, arable land, lagoons and scrub. In the scorching heat of midsummer, almost all of the lagoons dry up, after the cereal harvest the land is ploughed bare, and in the winter, temperatures plummet to well below freezing. These dramatic changes mean that the bird life of this environment can also be very fluid, and one has to “learn” the area in order to get the most from it. As with anything, the required effort makes the prize yet more valuable and the steppe area seldom fails to reward. From our base in the interior of Alicante province, it’s a short and easy drive to get there, and last week I spent a day up there with my good friend Bea, carrying out a recce as I have bookings from clients in the coming weeks who want to visit this area. Following the long, hot summer, the lagoons of the high steppe once again contain plenty of water The morning began with the hills that surround home shrouded in a thick mist, but as the sun…

A day at the wetlands of Alicante

The entire coast of the Valencia Region contains an extensive network of wetlands, which collectively make this area crucially important for migrating birds, especially as it’s located right on a major flyway. For those who choose to visit the southern reaches of the region, the area around Alicante is well worth a trip, as it too contains some excellent freshwater and saltwater wetland reserves. That’s not to mention the vast rural interior of the area, which comprises mountain, farmland, forest, desert and steppe! One of Alicante’s many wetland reserves. Last week I organised a day´s birding for John, choosing to focus on just one of the area’s wetlands, which is always a treat and usually throws up a few surprises too. We weren´t to be disappointed, as and usual the day passed so quickly that we were left with longings to return as soon as possible. But that’ll be another story before long… After a quick morning coffee, we drove slowly across an area of farmland to the reserve, enjoying good views of a Booted Eagle that was circling over the fields. A few Barn Swallows and House Martins were…

Golden Eagle Photography Hide

As can be seen on our website, we offer trips to a carefully selected range of bird photography hides, all within very easy reach of Valencia. These sessions are suitable for all levels of photographer, from casual beginner to expert, and offer the opportunity to capture stunning images of some magnificent wild birds in their natural surroundings. I recently provided a trip to the Golden Eagle hide which is located in the highlands of the interior of Valencia, but easily reached within around 60 minutes drive of the city centre, making for a very comfortable day. After a couple of hours waiting in the hide, the eagles arrived. We were thrilled not only to see one, but to see both the male and female birds as well as the juvenile. The experience of being so close to these incredible wild animals is one that’s never to be forgotten. I’ve included below a very small selection of photos that I took during the session. Visits to these hides can be easily arranged, either as individual day trips or forming part of a bespoke birding and / or bird photography multi-day trip….

2 days birding and a cultural break in Valencia

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Hans and his family from the Netherlands. We had previously spoken about their intended trip to Valencia and they’d decided to include two days birding within their week-long break in the city. Day 1 – Albufera de Valencia. On our first day, we visited the vast wetland site of Albufera de Valencia, less than 30 minutes drive from the city centre. This was their first visit to Albufera, and Hans had previously explained that they would like to include an element of culture and history into the day. With that in mind, we began the day at the visitor centre where I provided a brief talk on the heritage, natural history and the cultural aspects of the area. We then went to the first hide where we had views of Greater Flamingo, Little Ringed Plover, Black-winged Stilt and Little Egret. A Kingfisher also made frequent appearences, darting across the lagoon in front of us. Wildfowl included Mallard, Shoveler and Shelduck. Juvenile Black-winged Stilt A short walk through the forest gave us views of Long-tailed Tit and Cetti’s Warbler as well as plenty…