The wetland reserves of Albufera de Valencia
This week, I was delighted to design and provide a trip for a couple of clients from UK. Kelvin and Kate had previously travelled to Spain on bird watching trips but had never visited Valencia, so were very keen to see what the area has to offer. As Kelvin is an employee of the RSPB, and is involved in work on reserves in the south of England, we designed the trip such that he could gain a detailed understanding of how some of our reserves operate. Having made the short journey from Valencia, we visited one of Albufera´s green-filter reserves. Once inside this protected area, together with one of the reserve´s biologists we gave a presentation on the history, objectives and functionality of the reserve. We focussed on the scientific aspects of the eco-systems and how they actually serve to improve the water quality of the area, providing excellent wetland habitat. We then went to one of the viewing stations, from which we had great views of an Osprey that had chosen to rest and feed on the reserve whilst on its migration route to Africa. We also enjoyed watching Spoonbill,…