Great Bustard in Spain - Page 2 of 4 - Valencia Birding

2 days birding from Alicante – each day with a surprise!

19th & 21st April 2022 Over the Easter break, I provided a 2-day birding trip for a group of birders from Finland, who were staying in Alicante. All experienced and well travelled, this was their first time in this region, so they were full of anticipation, and had a few key species that they’d like to see. Our first day was spent in the wetlands of Alicante. As soon as we left the car, we were greeted by the sound of Corn Buntings singing in the nearby fields, Zitting Cisticola above us and Common Reed Warbler in the marsh. A local soundtrack for sure! The first lagoon held Red Crested Pochard, Purple Swamphen, Glossy Ibis and a Common Sandpiper. Having only spent around twenty minutes at the reserve, we were soon enjoying views of two of their target species, Red Knobbed Coot and Marbled Teal, birds for which Alicante is a crucial stronghold. Red Knobbed Coot As we strolled across the reserve to visit a couple of hides, we had views of Great Reed Warbler and Little Ringed Plover. A Cuckoo was calling in the distance. The hides gave us…

A sunny February day on the steppe.

The steppe zone that´s located to the south west of the region is an area of extremely high, open plains that in winter can be subject to gale-force winds and sub-zero temperatures. However, last Friday was an exceptional day, with clear blue skies, virtually no wind and temperatures touching 20 degrees C! The birding trip had been arranged by a local lady for her husband John, as a Christmas present, and after a chat on the phone, we’d decided on the steppe. The day began as usual with a coffee stop in a small farming village before we headed across the fields in search of birds. Our first stop, a vantage point with huge views, saw large flocks of Linnets, a few Crested Larks and a Spotless Starling that posed nicely for a photo. Spotless Starling We then moved to an old farm whose outbuildings provide nesting spots for colonies of sparrows. We actually saw three species – House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow and Rock Sparrow, including a leucistic House Sparrow that was almost uniformly white. Buzzards were circling above us in the warming air, and Corn Buntings were calling from…

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…

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…

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…

A Spring Day on the Steppe

As part of this trip crosses the border between the Valencian Community and Castilla la Mancha, it’s been a while since we’ve been able to enjoy it as regions had previously closed their boundaries as a Covid security measure. It was therefore with much anticipation and eagerness that John and I made the trip up onto the steppe, beginning the day with a coffee in a village bar that for obvious reasons we’d not been to for a long time. It was good to see the owner again and to catch up on what’s been going on. As we drank our coffee in the morning sunshine, we watched House Martins and Swallows that were nesting in the village. Swifts were also around in good numbers, feeding overhead. Upon leaving the village, a Marsh Harrier flew alongside the car, patrolling a small area of reeds by a floodwater lagoon. We headed across the plains to our first lookout point. As we got out of the car, we heard and then saw Crested Lark and then Corn Bunting. A raptor appeared, which turned out to be a Booted Eagle. As we scanned…