bird watching in Valencia - Page 9 of 29 - Valencia Birding

2-day Birding Trip from Valencia

4th & 5th April 2022 I recently had the pleasure of spending two days with Jim and Consuelo from the USA who were visiting their daughter in Valencia. As very keen birders, they were eager to include a couple of days of birding in their trip, and so we eventually opted to go for a day at the wetlands and a day in the mountains. Day 1 – Coastal Wetlands We were still suffering the after-effects of a freak weather system, and although the heavy rains had ceased, our first day was a little windy. We drove from their apartment in central Valencia and began our walk along the beach. We immediately had superb views of Audouin’s Gull, followed by Little Ringed Plover, Black-winged Stilt and a Purple Heron. Audouin’s Gull The strong winds had slowed down the previous few day’s heavy stream of Swallows, Swifts and Martins, but there were still a few around. Another recently arrived bird, Collared Pratincole were also seen in flight, as well as one that Jim spotted, sheltering from the wind behind a plant! Collared Pratincole We headed down the coast, stopping at our…

The day the rain stopped we went to the wetlands!

2nd April 2022 March 2022 was the wettest on record for over 60 years, which in some ways was a positive point as the mountains and hills of our region were previously very dry and its reservoirs were unusually low. That all changed very quickly! The prolonged wet weather had a delaying effect on migratory bird movement, so as soon as the rain stopped and the sun broke through, we were expecting a migration explosion! With perfect timing, I was delighted to meet Abhishek and Shweta from India and to spend the day with them at the Valencian Coastal Wetlands. Having collected them from Valencia city, we made the short trip to the coast and began our walk. The skies were absolutely full of Barn Swallows and House Martins, amongst which were some Common and Pallid Swifts. As we walked by a few bushes on the way to the beach, we saw Serin, Stonechat and Spotless Starling, but upon reaching the shore, we had our first “target” species, Audouin’s Gull. This very elegant gull has an established breeding population in the Valencia region. Audouin’s Gull We spent a little time…

A Cloudy Day in Alicante Revealed Some Great Birds

The past couple of weeks have been exceptionally wet in the east of Spain, with some areas receiving a year’s worth of rain in around ten days! Although this bodes well for the coming spring, as water levels were unseasonally low, it hasn’t provided great conditions for birding! So, with a change of plan, last weekend I headed to the wetlands of Alicante instead of the high steppe. The trip was for David, a regular client from the UK, who I always look forward to seeing. Almost all of the region was subject to rain, but we chose a little corner of Alicante that looked to be cloudy but with very little rainfall. We expected quite a lot of mud, so after the drive to the coast, we put on wellingtons and headed out across the reserve. We immediately heard and then saw Corn Buntings, and then with an eye on the skies, enjoyed views of passing Red-rumped Swallows, Barn Swallows and House Martins, together with my first Common Swifts and Alpine Swifts of the year. Migration was well and truly underway! Red-knobbed Coot As we walked along the shore…

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…

A February Day at Albufera de Valencia with Judy

I recently had the pleasure of providing a day of guided birding at Albufera de Valencia for an Englsih lady called Judy, who has lived in southern France for many years. A very well travelled and experienced birder, she wanted to explore this huge wetland site and to experience at first hand the bird life that thrives here. Having collected Judy from her hotel, we made the short trip to one of Albufera’s key reserve area where we looked out over a small lagoon. Here we saw Greenshank, Dunlin, Black-winged Stilt, Teal, Shelduck and Common Pochard. A Zitting Cisticola called from nearby reeds and Chiffchaffs and Sardinian Warblers constantly flitted around, feeding on insects in the vegetation. We then stopped at a salt-water lagoon where we had quality views of Black-necked Grebe, Little Egret and Slender-billed Gull. Crag Martins were feeding on the wing in huge numbers, and whilst we were watching them, a Booted Eagle suddenly flew over, circling above us, giving excellent views. We then headed across the rice fields, stopping along the way to watch Marsh Harriers hunting over the reed beds. In the muddy rice paddies…

Masses of Gulls & Glossy Ibis at Albufera de Valencia

As is often said, “a picture paints a thousand words”. But in this case, it’s a video that I hope portrays the sheer spectacle that I experienced at the huge wetland site of Albufera de Valencia yesterday morning. At this time of year, the flooded rice fields are drained and ploughed in readiness for the planting phase. This results in the earth and mud being churned up, revealing a rich food source for thousands of ibis, gulls and egrets. It’s hard to express what the sight of such vast numbers of birds is actually like – even still photos don’t really do justice. This is why I chose to shoot this short video and share it with you. On this occasion, the majority of gulls were Black-headed, although in amongst them there was a Common Gull too! But the Starling-like murmurations of Glossy Ibis are the key spectacle. I hope you enjoy it!