Birding in Valencia - Valencia Birding - Guided Bird Watching in Spain

2 Day Birding Break in Alicante

Alexia has been a loyal client and close friend for many years, so it was with great anticipation and joy that I welcomed her back for another trip together. We began our first of two days in Alicante, specifically the wetlands to the south of the city. Common Pochard Two of our target species were seen well within the first 15 minutes of the day – Red Knobbed Coot and Marbled Teal. Migration was obviously underway, with huge numbers of Red Rumped Swallow, Barn Swallow, House Martin and Common Swift constantly passing through. Close observation of a particularly large mixed flock also revealed a few Alpine Swifts. Red Knobbed Coot with chicks Another recent arrival included Collared Pratincole, with a few birds seen hawking over their regular nesting grounds. Purple Swamphen, Great Egret and Purple Heron were wading through the lagoons whilst Marsh Harriers were quartering the surrounding reed beds. Wildfowl included Red Crested Pochard, Common Pochard, Shelduck and another of the day’s target species, White Headed Duck. Red Crested Pochard A brief drive across farmland gave us views of Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Black Redstart and Kestrel. Having added these…

3-Day Birding Break from Xativa

Following the Christmas, New Year and Three Kings celebrations, it felt great to begin the first trip of 2025, especially so as it was for Tony, a client from the UK who I had met two years ago when we did a day trip from Alicante. We had spoken on the phone to design something bespoke for him, taking in 3 days in different habitats, whilst allowing him to enjoy a little time in the historic town of Xativa. Day 1 – Mountains Tony flew into Alicante airport the day before our 3 days together began, so that’s where I met him before taking the short journey up into the mountains. Having stopped for a coffee and to pick up a sandwich for him, we began our short walk up a peak, where the key target species included Alpine Accentor and Griffon Vulture. As we began to walk up through the pine forests, we enjoyed watching Red Squirrels chasing each other through the trees, as well as Coal Tit and Long Tailed Tit. We usually have to walk to the peak to see Alpine Accentor, but today, they were extremely…

A Pre-Christmas Trip to Alicante.

Our final trip before Christmas 2024 took us to Alicante, where I had the pleasure of meeting Agustin and his family from Galicia in northern Spain. They were enjoying a Christmas break in the region, and wanted to include a day’s birding in their plans. Once I’d navigated the labyrinth of narrow streets in the historical quarter of Alicante, we met and made the short onward journey to the wetlands! Immediately upon getting out of the car we were watching Purple Swamphen and Snipe feeding at the base of tall reeds. Amazingly, the day after, we received news of sightings of a Purple Swamphen with chicks! Marsh Harriers, a common winter visitor to the región were out in good numbers, flying low over the marsh in search of prey. Another common winter visitor, the Eurasian Teal, often provides them with such! One of the reserve´s specialities soon came into view, again in good numbers – Red Knobbed Coot. Much has been done here to protect this bird, so it’s always gratifying to see them doing so well. Red Knobbed Coot There were obviously plenty of insects on the wing, as…

A Return to Albufera After the Devastating Floods

21st December 2024 The huge wetland of Albufera lies directly between the towns that were devastated by the recent flooding and the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, its northern and western sectors have suffered a serious environmental impact. Although there has been a huge clear-up operation, much remains to be done. Many rice fields still contain debris, wrecked cars and mud that was washed down the rivers and canals, and some nature reserve areas have suffered serious damage to their facilities and infrastructure. However, the southern and eastern areas have escaped the worst of the effects, and hold plenty of birds. The southern rice fields of Albufera As previously commented, Albufera has being the subject of environmental impact in the past, and has recovered. It will do so again, but only thanks to a relatively small group of dedicated souls. Walking throiugh the elegant city of Valencia, one could be forgiven for being under the impression that nothing has happened, but as for the towns that were hardest hit, the destruction is hard to describe in written word. The conditions that people continue to live under are something akin to a disaster…

The Flooding in the Valencia Region. What Does This Mean for Birding & Nature Tourism in the Short Term?

Before I go any further, I would like to begin this article with a message of thanks to the many people who have contacted us over the past week or two, asking if we’re safe and well following the devastating flooding that has recently hit the Valencia Region. I feel extremely fortunate to be able to report that we’re absolutely fine and that our home has not been affected. Sincere thanks to you all for your kind thoughts. Secondly, although the purpose of this article is to provide practical information with regard to bird watching in the area following the flooding, that is not to take away from the incredibly severe and horrific impact that so many people and families have suffered, and continue to face. Apart from practical help that we can offer, our thoughts and respect are with them constantly. The response from regional and national government has been the focus of much criticism, some of it deserved, but the mobilisation of volunteers, especially amongst young people, has been something that restores one’s faith in human nature. Huge numbers of volunteers from all over Spain have sprung into…

Autumn in Alicante

During October, we’ve enjoyed a number of trips to the wetlands of Alicante, for a group of birders on an annual reunion as well as for returning clients from Yorkshire. Bluethroat Alicante has many wetland sites, including freshwater marshes, saltpans, coastal lagoons and extensive reed beds, so in autumn it’s a crucial region for resident species, passage migrants and winter visitors. During our trips, Barn Swallows, Red Rumped Swallows and House Martins were constantly passing through. Marsh Harriers were arriving to spend the winter here, as were Bluethroat. Red Knobbed Coot Wildfowl and aquatic birds are always a big attraction in this area, and key species seen included White Headed Duck, Marbled Teal, Red Knobbed Coot, Eurasian Teal and Shoveler. White Headed Duck We enjoyed good views of all three Egret species – Little, Cattle and Great, as well as other long-legged creatures such as Glossy Ibis, Greenshank, Black Winged Stilt, Greater Flamingo and Spoonbill. Spoonbill The population of Kingfishers in the region increases in autumn and winter, as birds from northern Spain as well as central Europe move south, and we were entertained by a number of individuals as…