Birding in Valencia - Page 29 of 37 - Valencia Birding

Birding in Albufera.

Last Friday I provided a day of guided birding in Albufera de Valencia for a great client from the USA. Kevin was staying in Valencia and wanted to include some bird watching in his holiday. An experienced birder back in the States, he was very keen to discover the bird life that our region holds. As this was the first time he´d been birding in Spain, we focussed the day on enjoying quality views of some of the classic species, rather than trying to maximise the list. Our day began in a protected reserve area where we enjoyed views of Black Tailed Godwits (many now well into their breeding plumage), Avocet, Greater Flamingo and Black Winged Stilt. As we walked through the reserve, there was a constant stream of House Martins and Barn Swallows, all heading north on their migration. Just as we were saying what an exciting time this is, a much larger bird caught my eye – an Alpine Swift! After a short drive across the rice fields, where we stopped to watch Meadow Pipit, Marsh Harrier and Cattle Egret, we entered another restricted reserve area. A pair…

2 day winter birding break.

February continued to be a busy month with this fabulous 2 day winter birding break for a lovely couple who have become friends and loyal clients of Valencia Birding. Not only have they been out with us on numerous occassions, but they also made the effort to visit us at BirdFair in the UK last year. It was therefore a great pleasure to welcome back Jan and Rab. They were making one of their regular visits to Spain and once more had chosen to incorporate a birding trip into their plans. After previous discussion, they had opted to make Banyeres de Mariola their base for two nights, being well placed for some of the regions best sites. On day one we met for morning coffee in a small town in the Alicante province, after which we made the short journey to the starting point of our mountain bird trip. We had originally planned to do a much longer mountain walk but the recent cold spell had left many of the north facing mountain trails covered in ice, so we chose a shorter route that should give us most of the…

3-Day Winter Birding Break

We recently put together a 3-day winter birding break at relatively short notice for a lovely couple from the Netherlands who wanted to escape the cold grey skies of northern Europe and enjoy some winter sunshine here in Valencia. They chose to stay at the Adhoc Monumental Hotel in the historical quarter of Valencia, and to go birding with us to the mountains, steppe and the wetland site of Albufera de Valencia. I collected them from Valencia airport in the evening and took them to their hotel, discussing the details of the birding trips on the way. Both Gill and Albert were experienced birders and clearly very enthusiastic, so we were looking forward very much to providing the trips for them. On day 1, I met them at their hotel and we made the journey of just over an hour to one of the inland sierras of the region. Today wasn´t about maximising species, it was about just a few specialist mountain birds- including the Alpine Accentor. This characterful little bird breeds in the Pyrenees and Alps but flies to the Valencia region in winter where it tends to stay…

Birding in Albufera Natural Park

Last week I had the pleasure of guiding two clients from Holland to the Albufera Natural Park. They were both experienced nature photographers and birders who wanted a day off from the city. The Albufera Natural Park is located just 18 Km from Valencia city centre and is one of the most important wetlands in Europe, so it makes for a very easy birding trip. We began by visiting one of the best reserve areas in Albufera. Once inside the reserve, we enjoyed great views of Black-winged Stilts, Little Grebes and Flamingos. After a short walk through the forest we arrived at the second hide, from where we saw hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwings resting on the lagoon. Next stop was at a restricted reserve area where we had lunch whilst enjoying great views of Great White Egret, Marsh Harriers and Gadwalls. In evening we decided to stop beside a lake beside the sea, an amazing hotspot for Black-necked Grebes and Audouin’s Gull. We ended the day in the rice paddies where we hoped to see Booted Eagle and Glossy Ibis. It had been a great birding day spent with…

Birding on your doorstep.

As birding guides, we are especially privileged to spend a lot of our time with clients in the region´s top birding sites and reserves. However, as birders it´s often of great value and interest for us just to spend a little time exploring the bird life that we have quite literally, on our doorstep. This can include urban, sub-urban, agricultural and even industrial environments. One day last week, I had just a couple of free hours in the morning so decided to take a walk along the side of a local canal. The Barranco de Carraixet has its source in the mountains of the nearby Sierra de Calderona, and heads South-East eventually reaching the Mediterranean Sea next to the small town of Alboraya, just to the north of the city of Valencia. I walked the last couple of kilometres from Alboraya to the coast, returning by the same path. Although the barranco has benefitted from some excellent conservation work by local ONGs, it does not immediately strike you as a potential birding spot. However, I was in for a surprise…actually quite a few surprises! Along the course that I walked, its…

Cultural City Break & Guided Bird Watching.

We´re delighted to inform you of a new collaborative arrangement between Valencia Birding and Adhoc Hotels of Valencia. This brings top levels of service to our clients, as well as extremely competitive and authentic accommodation in the heart of the historical quarter of the enchanting city of Valencia. This allows us to offer a unique short break that combines the rich culture of this beautiful Mediterranean city, its architecture, history and gastronomy with guided bird watching to some of Spain´s best sites, all of which are within very easy reach. All trips are completely tailor-made and are available for individuals, couples and small groups. Click here for further details. We look forward to welcoming you to Valencia and sharing some of Europe´s best bird watching sites with you.