birding holidays Spain - Page 7 of 8 - Valencia Birding

There seem to be some birds that are always with us.

It´s well documented that during the Corona Virus lockdown, many of us found comfort and indeed inspiration in watching the birds that immediately surrounded us. Since the quarantine, I´ve adopted a slower pace to my own personal birding trips, choosing to spend more time standing or sitting still and connecting much more with the nature around me. Only this morning whilst I was having my cup of tea in the garden, a juvenile White Wagtail landed right beside me, chased a few insects and flew off towards the pond. A Sardinian Warbler then flitted between the low bushes next to me. Then, as I was looking out of the kitchen window, a Western Bonelli´s Warbler appeared in one of the nearby pine trees. Special moments indeed. It was during a recent birding session that it occurred to me that there are some birds that have always been part of our lives and seem to accompany us wherever we are. For me, such a bird is the Common Swift. I´m often asked which is my favourite bird, and although it´s a difficult one to answer, I always have to say Common…

A note from the hills of Alicante.

As the World remains constrained within the grip of the Corona Virus pandemic, like so many others, I´m finding such peace and inspiration from the birds around me. As every year, I´ve moved away from Valencia to spend the summer months in our little house in the hills in the rural interior of Alicante Province. The house is exceptionally simple but is surrounded by rolling hills, crags and olive groves. I often base myself here when working with clients who wish to discover this almost unknown corner of Spain and I always love to share this very special place and the joy that its bird life brings to others. As this year, for obvious reasons, that´s not possible, I´d like to share a few special moments with you by writing. I´ve been here for around two weeks now, and the first week is usually a busy one, preparing the house and doing a few repair jobs. However, on most days, a group of Griffon Vultures have appeared, circling over the valley. A Hoopoe often visits the garden and the Bee Eaters are once again nesting in the lane that leads…

The Lives of Griffon Vultures.

Griffon Vultures – Magnificent Birds of the Spanish Mountains Often misunderstood, or at least badly portrayed! Spain is home to around 17,000 pairs of Griffon Vultures. That sounds like quite a lot, but the sobering thought is that this figure accounts for approximately 75% of the World´s population. The wingspan of an adult bird is almost 3 metres, and they can live for over 30 years. They are often seen as “flying planks” high in the blue skies of Southern Europe. But what of the lives of these mystical creatures? “Vultures!” is often a phrase, an insult indeed for someone who preys on the vulnerable, the weak, for their own easily gotten gains. No wonder then, that this carries over to the image of these most noble of birds. I beg to plead in their defence! Firstly, on a “personal” basis, they are monogamous, usually pairing for life. As these photos show, they breed on mountain crags, building their nests from sticks. The lay a single egg, which is incubated for 50-60 days. Four months after hatching, the chick is fledged and can fly, but usually needs further care and…

Whiskered Tern – Chlidonias hybrida

Here´s a short piece and a brief video on the Whiskered Tern (scroll down to see the video). This is largely a migratory species, typically wintering in Africa, for which the extensive coastal wetlands of the Valencia region provide ideal breeding habitat. They nest in colonies, often close to gulls and feed on crustaceans, insects, small fish and amphibians. In adult breeding plumage, one of the key ID features is the grey breast as well as the dark red stubby bill which is a little shorter on female birds. They have a black cap and white cheeks, the latter said to resemble white whiskers when the bird is in flight, hence the name – although maybe a little imagination is required here! I have spent many happy times watching these graceful birds feeding by catching small fish from just below the surface of the water. They also use the perching poles that have been placed in many of our local reserves as places to rest and preen.

A short “birding break” in Valencia.

I´ve often said and written that it´s a real privilege to welcome back returning clients, and last week was one of these special occasions. I´d first met Alexia from Sweden a couple of years ago when she booked a day´s birding with us. She subsequently returned a year later, this time in Spring and with her friend Lena, and we enjoyed a fabulous day in the mountains and a day at the wetlands. This was her third time with us, and she´d carefully designed a break to include a couple of days in the historical town of Xativa and a short stay in the city of Valencia as well as two days of birding with us. As we´d planned to visit the steppe, I collected Alexia from her hotel in the historic quarter of Xativa as it´s on the way from Valencia. It was such a pleasure to welcome her back! We continued the journey and after a quick coffee stop, we began exploring. Numerous flocks of Linnet were flitting around, and we also had good views of Crested Lark, Black Redstart, Stonechat and Rock Sparrow. Some scanning of…

Two fabulous trips to the steppe and the wetlands with Margaret from Canada.

Last week, we enjoyed some beautiful weather here in the Valencia region. Clear skies, no wind and temperatures hovering around 22 degrees. Perfect conditions for birding on the steppe, which is a high and vastly open area that in more wintry conditions can be challenging! So, for my first trip with Margaret, a very keen Canadian birder, the steppe was our destination. She was very eager to see Great Bustards above all, but we also added Black Bellied Sandgrouse, Calandra Lark and Rock Sparrow to our target list. Having collected her from her accommodation close to Valencia´s fascinating Central Market, we drove up onto the steppe. Our first spot was a view point overlooking the surrounding cereal fields and vineyards. The usual passerines were around – Crested Lark, Stonechat, Corn Bunting and Goldfinch. A little effort of scanning the fields gave us good views of a flock of Calandra Lark, their dark underwing showing clearly against the blue sky. A favourite spot next to an old farm was our second stop, and today it proved positive. We spotted a lone Golden Plover, Rock Sparrows on a stone barn, an Iberian…