Trip Reports

The month of March was packed with trips principally to the region’s wetlands. I was delighted to spend time with clients from the Netherlands, the UK and the USA. I did a couple of single day trips for clients who arrived in Alicante on cruise ships and wanted to spend their time birding. I also enjoyed trips to the various wetlands of Valencia for clients who had chosen to base themselves in this elegant and historical city. One of Valencia’s many wetlands The month of March brough even more signs that spring is very much with us, with the Alicante…

As a new month dawns upon us, I’m taking a few moments to look back on February 2026, which although being unusually wet across the whole of Spain, spared our region the worst of the weather. We were fortunate to welcome some lovely people and to enjoy some memorable birding experiences together. A Busy Month Around Alicante & Valencia The month began with a multi-day trip for a group from the UK, taking in the diverse habitats of both Valencia and Alicante. I also had the pleasure to meet a wonderful couple from the English Midlands with their teenaged grandson…

Our blog and social media accounts have been quiet for a few months. The reason for that is that our daughter Alya suddenly came into the world in late September – two months before she was expected. There were some sudden and serious complications which resulted in the premature birth, but after a few weeks in an incubator and thanks to the excellent care provided by the health professionals at San Juan de Alicante hospital, we were able to bring her home in November. She’s doing great, growing fast and doing what babies do! Mum suffered some problems but I’m…

In early September, I had the pleasure of finally meeting Bridget and Chris from the UK. We had previously communicated about a possible trip to the region, and had discussed options at length. So it was great to finally put faces to names and to enjoy two days together. Autumn migration was already underway, so we were keen to see what was moving through. Wood Sandpiper Early September is still quite hot over here, so we adapted the trips accordingly, and started our first day in the wetland site of Albufera de Valencia. After a short walk to a hide…

Alicante is not widely known for its birding, but the truth is, it has some of Spain’s most important wetlands, as well as huge expanses of mountainous terrain, highland forests and even an area of steppe. In the weeks prior to the summer break, during which time I turn my attention to the Osprey Reintroduction Project, working alongside Itziar (Fundacion Migres) and Ian Perks (Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation), I spent many days in Alicante with clients from both the UK and USA. White Headed Duck This region has a number of key species that are always very popular with visiting…

I’m both delighted and very grateful to report that this spring season has been extremely busy, with clients from across Europe and the USA. For those based in Valencia, trips have included the coastal marshes and the rice growing wetland region of Albufera, as well as the mountains of the interior. One client in particular, Erik from the Netherlands, flew down to Valencia with the hope of seeing Elegant Tern. With only a couple of days in which to locate it, the challenge was on, but he indeed returned home having had good views, and the opportunity to photograph it…