Bird Watching Valencia - Page 31 of 33 - Valencia Birding

Guided Bird Watching in Valencia

On Saturday 31st March, we provided a day of Guided Bird Watching to the Coastal Wetlands of Valencia. Our group of 6 people started the day with a coffee by the beach during which we discussed the target birds for the day. The plan for the day was to complete a circular walk of 7km, stopping at various observation points and hides. The weather was superb as we made our way to the first reedbed and lagoon. There are days when things immediately get off to a good start and today was fortunately one such day! Within minutes of our arrival we were watching 5 White Headed Ducks, right in front of us on open water. They were joined by Flamingo, Red Crested Pochard, Shoveler, Common Pochard and Coots. Common Terns were calling noisily overhead whilst the reedbeds held Reed Bunting, Moustached Warbler and Stonechat. The next lagoon on our route held further delights in the form of Collared Pratincole, Black Winged Stilt, Purple Gallinule, Redshank, Greenshank, Garganey, Kentish Plover and Little Ringed Plover. The bushes and trees in the surrounding fields provided good views of Corn Bunting, Fan…

Spring in underway in La Drova!

After what has been by our standards, a cold winter, it appears that Spring has finally arrived. Bird activity has markedly increased in our valley over the past few days. Last Friday morning I heard the first of this year´s Wryneck calling from the woods. Later that day, I was fortunate enough to see one as it chased away a Robin from what it must have regarded as suitable nesting territory. On two mornings I´ve watched Peregrines flying over the cliffs that surround our valley, and have seen a Crested Tit inspecting various tree holes in the garden. Whilst out with the dog for a short walk this morning I saw Crossbill, Short Toed Treecreeper, Firecrest and Stonechat. The usual summer visitors such as Golden Oriole, Spotted Flycatcher and Nightingale are yet to arrive but that´s what makes this time of year so exciting, the anticipation of new arrivals and the onset of a new breeding season. Written by David Warrington. Bird Watching Guide at Valencia Birding.

Group Visit to Albufera de Valencia

On Wednesday 7th March I was fortunate enough to be back in Albufera de Valencia, this time providing a Guided Trip for a group of 8 people from the local area. Some were experienced birders whilst others were new to the hobby and were keen to learn more. After an introduction to the geography and habitats of Albufera we parked the van and entered a very special and protected area of the park. The Spring morning provided beautifully clear blue skies and as we watched House Martins and Swallows passing by, it really began to feel like summer was not so far away. The trip got off to a great start as whilst watching Glossy Ibis and the usual gatherings of Egrets and Herons, a large flock of Black Tailed Godwits arrived and started to feed in a nearby field. We were then treated to spectacular views of 8 Spoonbills flying low overhead in a V-formation. We would enjoy numerous views of these magnificent birds as they made several passes before coming to rest at a lake. The reedbeds provided views of Bluethroat, Cetti´s Warbler, Chiffchaff and Reed Bunting….

A brief birding trip to our local marsh.

On Saturday, in between necessities such as a visit to the garden centre and the supermarket, my wife Carolina and I spent a couple of hours walking around our local marsh. It´s always worth a look around here as there´s usually something of interest and it makes for a pleasant and easy spot of birding. As it was afternoon, the gulls that can usually be found were absent, probably out on the coast. The usual residents, Little Egret, Cattle Egret and Grey Heron were around in good numbers. On the drier fields were large flocks of wintering Lapwing in amongst which were some fine looking Golden Plovers. A Booted Eagle passed over, soon to be followed by a Buzzard. The recent influx of Chiffchaffs was still evident, with Black Redstart, Stonechat and Meadow Pipit also around in good numbers. Upon scanning around one of the quieter corners of the marsh we came across 20+ Snipe in a field, with Reed Buntings feeding nearby. As we passed by one of the wetter areas we were also treated to great views of a Squacco Heron. Although usually a summer visitor, a few often…

Bird Watching at Albufera de Valencia.

On Tuesday I had the pleasure of providing a guided bird watching trip to Albufera de Valencia for clients William and Val from Cumbria. Both skilled birders, having enjoyed many overseas trips they were keen to explore the Natural Park of Albufera. Having provided a brief summary of the history and layout of the park, we drove across the northern rice fields where we saw hundreds of Little Egret and Grey Heron, and also picked out Reed Bunting and a Bluethroat. We then moved onto one of my favourite “hidden corners” of Albufera and were immediately struck by the sheer numbers of Chiffchaffs. The extremely cold weather that Europe is currently suffering has driven thousands of these tiny birds down the East coast of Spain, together with many Black Redstarts, Robins, and Siskins. We were then fortunate enough to enjoy close views of a Booted Eagle in flight, the sunlight showing off its colouration beautifully. Marsh Harriers were around in good numbers too. As we walked through the wetland habitat, we saw several Purple Gallinule and Snipe. We also had good views of a Cetti´s Warbler and a Kingfisher. Perhaps the…

Half Day Trip to the Mountains of Valencia

On Tuesday, I took two local British birders on a half-day trip to the mountains of Valencia. Before we set off on the short walk, we stopped for a coffee and were entertained by a pair of Short Toed Treecreepers and a group of Long Tailed Tits in the pine trees by the road. We parked the van and set off into a beautiful rocky gorge. Within just a few minutes, we spotted a Black Wheatear, a special bird for today as it was a “life tick” for both of my guests. It sat around long enough for a few photos although it was quite a long way off. It was soon joined by at least 6 Black Redstarts and similar numbers of Blackcaps. As we made our way up the valley we were treated to stunning views of Griffon Vultures. It´s always incredible to see how such a huge bird can soar on the thermals seemingly without any effort whatsoever. We were fortunate enough to find a few at rest on the high cliffs so were able to get a few photographs. Whilst we were scanning the cliffs for…