Purple Swamphen in Spain - Page 3 of 3 - Valencia Birding

Bespoke Birding Trip to Albufera de Valencia

Last week I had the pleasure of providing a bespoke trip to Albufera de Valencia for a couple from Wales. They wanted to spend a day visiting the different ecosystems of this internationally important Natural Park. After I collected from their hotel in Valencia we visited a number of different reserve areas. At the first stop, after a pleasant walk by the forest we arrived at a hide where we had great views of Avocet, Kingfisher, different waterfowl species and plenty of waders. At the next stop, we enjoyed a picnic lunch in a hide looking over a lagoon where Whiskered Tern, Great Egret, Booted Eagle and Marsh Harrier put on a wonderful display for us. Inside the reserve we also had amazing views of Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, Curlew Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper and Little Stint. The day ended with great views of Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Spotless Starling and Serin. It had been an interseting day with a lovely couple, who I hope to welcome back soon. Species list: Marsh Harrier, Booted Eagle, Kestrel, Flamingo, Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, Purple Swamphen, Moorhen, Coot, Great-crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Mallard, Teal, Shoveler, Shelduck,…

Two Day Guided Birding Trip to the Wetlands of Valencia

We recently had the pleasure of providing a two day guided birding trip to the wetlands of Valencia for a couple of returnng clients from UK. Day one was a trip to Albufera de Valencia Natural Park. Having collected them from the train station in the city of Valencia we made the short journey to this well-known wetland. First stop was in the Devesa forest, where we visited a restricted spot inside the reserve where we had great views of Collared Pratincole, Turtle Dove, Little Tern, Red-crested Pochard and many more species. After a short walk in the forest we arrived at another hide where we watched a colony of Common Tern, Sandwich Tern and Slender-billed Gull. Flamingoes were passing overhead and we also enjoyed lovely views of Black-tailed Godwit and Avocet. After a picnic lunch in the forest, we began driving through the rice paddies. The rice fields have been seeded and flooded recently and many different species feed in the water. We had amazing views of Whiskered Tern, Purple Heron, Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis and Purple Swamphen. A fantastic day with lovely people, and a species list that included……

Birding and nature photography trip

Last week I provided a birding and nature photography trip for a family from Maine, USA. They were visiting Valencia for the first time and they also wanted to discover the nature and birdlife close to Valencia and photograph some of the fabulous bird species of the Albufera de Valencia Natural Park. At this time of the year, the bird life in l´Albufera is distributed in different areas of the park, depending on which rice fields have been ploughed, thus influencing food availability. So, our first stop was in the western part of the Natural Park, where we found an amazing sight – over 2,000 flamingos, plus thousands of gulls, egrets, herons and glossy ibis. After this wonderful spectacle, we kept driving through the rice paddies where we found a magnificent biodiversity with spectacular species such as Little Stint, Black-tailed Godwit and Peregrine Falcon. Next stop was in a high road that has great views to a ravine where we enjoyed fantastic views of Purple Swamphens and Marsh Harriers. Next stop was in the Devesa forest, a natural native Mediterranean pine forest. We watched and photographed many passerines…

Birding in Valencia

This is Day 2 of the 4-Day trip that we recently provided for Charles from London. One of the biggest advantages of birding in Valencia is the close proximity to some wonderfully varied habitat. After yesterday´s trip to the steppe, today we visited the coastal wetlands followed by a visit to a highland forest overlooking the Gulf of Valencia. The day began with a short drive along the coast to one of the region´s superb wetlands. However, before we arrived at the usual starting point, something over the sea caught our eye. We found a safe place to stop, and quickly took our binoculars. We were greeted with the amazing sight of a huge flock of shearwaters, skimming low over the water. Closer inspection revealed that it was a mixed flock of Yelkouan and Balearic Shearwaters. Both species are frequently seen along the Valencian coast throughout the winter months – a superb start to the day! As we were watching the Shearwaters, dozens of Crag Martins were flying around us, picking off airborne insects. These resident martins breed on the high cliffs of the region´s mountains but each winter they…