Raptors in Spain - Page 2 of 2 - Valencia Birding

Bird watching in the mountains of Valencia

Last Monday I had pleasure of providing a guided trip for a couple from England. They were very keen to go bird watching in the mountains of Valencia, especially to see the raptors and “specialist” species that live in this habitat. Jan and Ossie are two experience birders who are involved in a conservation programme for Barn Owls. As they knew that I am also heavily involved in a similar project here in Spain, it was wonderful opportunity to share our experiences in working with these magnificent creatures. After the short journey from Valencia, we stopped for a coffee break and spoke about the plan for the day, and of the species that we were hoping to see. It was a fantastic sunny day and after a short drive through the mountains we arrived at the ravine where we began our walk. No sooner had we left the car when we immediately saw Griffon Vultures, Blue Rock Thrush, Serin and Sardinian Warbler. As we began our walk, we enjoyed views of Crag Martins, Ravens, Chough, Serin, Firecrest and Black Redstart. As we neared the end of the trail, the sky…

Birds of Prey in Spain

Last week I was especially privileged to be invited to take part in a raptor release programme. The day was organised by an animal recuperation centre based within Albufera de Valencia. We are fortunate enough to enjoy a diverse range of birds of prey in Spain, owing to it´s geography, topography, habitat and eco-systems. As well as the many breeding species here in Valencia, many raptors pass through our region whilst on migration. The animal recuperation centre in Albufera does an incredible job of rescuing, treating and releasing hundreds of injured or sick birds each year and has a team of dedicated raptor specialists. Today was in important day as there were a good number of fully recovered raptors that were ready for release. To give them the best chance of survival, we drove into the inland of Valencia to an area of forested highlands, ideal for birds of prey to hunt, rest and regain their optimum fitness levels. The first birds to be released were Kestrels, all of which had been taken to the centre having been found injured or having fallen from their nests as chicks. Lurdes and…

Nature and Cultural Tourism in Valencia

Last week I had the pleasure of providing a trip for a group of local birders. We were joined by a guest from Canada who was spending some time in Valencia as a volunteer, working on various environmental and conservation projects. One of our key priorities is always to gear our trips to the wishes and needs of the client. As this was her first visit to our region of Spain, we modified the trip to provide a blend of nature and cultural tourism in Valencia. We began the day with a walk along the coast not far from the city of Valencia, and soon had our first views of Whiskered Tern and Little Tern. As we made our way through the reedbeds we enjoyed the song of Cetti´s Warbler, and had good views of Marsh Harrier, Great Reed Warbler, Fan-Tailed Warbler and Yellow Wagtail. We then visited one of the area´s most interesting centres, essentially a beautifully restored country house that was once run by monks from a local monestary. Although a monument in its own right, it also serves as a centre for environmental education and has…

Birding at Albufera de Valencia

On Wednesday 20th November, we arranged a trip to Albufera de Valencia for a group of local birders. The day began with morning coffee at a bar beside one of Albufera´s traditional fishing ports. We then visited one of the park´s prime nature reserves where we spent the morning enjoying the superb bird life that this reserve supports. Despite a windy morning, we had good views of Black Winged Stilt, Snipe, Marsh Harrier, Great Egret and dozens of wintering Chiff Chaffs. The highlight of the walk through the reserve was a stunning view of a Booted Eagle that passed overhead then came to land on the ground right in front of us. We then enjoyed a fascinating presentation on the history, ecology and various conservation projects of the reserve together with a visual display on how the reserve benefits the local environment and its wildlife. We were especially fortunate to observe some bird ringing that was being done by the Sociedad Española de Ornitología. A special treat was being able to see a Kingfisher at such close range, and for one of the group to be able to release…

A Christmas Birding Trip to the Steppe & Lagoons of Eastern Spain

On 22nd December, we provided a guided bird watching trip to the steppe and lagoons for a client from the Netherlands. Norbert, a very well travelled and experienced birder was holidaying in the Valencia area and was keen to see the bird life that this superb region has to offer. The morning had dawned bright and clear but as we climbed up onto the steppe, it became quite cloudy with a little light drizzle in the air. After a coffee in a local farming village, we set out across the fields towards the day´s first lagoon. Something caught our eye way off to the left so we stopped to take a closer look…indeed, it was a pair of Great Bustards – one of the day´s target species. After a few minutes they took flight, remarkably elegantly for such huge birds. The first lagoon gave good views of Shoveler, Shelduck, Greater Flamingo, Golden Plover and Teal. Although quite far off, we also had views of a Merlin. The nearby telephone cables were occupied by a large flock of Corn Buntings whilst flocks of Serin were flitting around the trees at the…