Trip Reports

As previously detailed, here in Spain, we´re now enjoying a little more freedom as the Covid-19 lockdown is being gradually eased.  We have a short time-slot in the mornings and again in the evenings when we´re able to go for a walk within a 1km radius of home.  I´m not yet able to make the short trip to my local wetlands, beach or to the mountains that I can see from home, but the new situation has given me the opportunity to look much closer at the bird life that´s on my doorstep. Only last night, whilst strolling around the…

For the past seven weeks, my birding has been confined to what I can see from the balcony.  Although, as detailed in previous articles, this has often revealed a few surprises, it´s obviously been very limited.  I also have to say that I don´t feel too comfortable standing there with a pair of binoculars in case it causes unease or discomfort amongst the neighbours.  However, a few days ago, whilst reading in the living room, a bird song caught my attention.  After searching through the trees that fill the square below the balcony, I found it – a Willow Warbler!…

As those who know my philosophy of birding will already be aware of, I place great emphasis on looking closely at and paying particular attention to the bird life that surrounds us, even the most common species. In a recent article, I mentioned this as having particular relevance during the Corvid-19 lockdown, when most of us are confined to birding in our gardens. It can not only help us to appreciate the beauty of our more common birds, but also helps us to easily spot something that maybe a little out of the ordinary. Well, today I´d like to bring…

This has been the first post for a while, so before I begin, I´d like to say that I hope that you´re all keeping safe and healthy and wish you all the very best as we make our way through these tough times. For more than obvious reasons, I can´t write much about any recent birding trips!  However, it´s always interesting to see what´s passing through in the skies above Valencia and what´s about in the area immediately surrounding our apartment.  I hope that you´re all enjoying the bird life that´s close to you, be it in your gardens or…

I´m writing this article simply as a humble reflection on how the Covid-19 situation has impacted on our world of birding, and how we can take just a few positive points from what is obviously a severe and terrible situation. Firstly, and above all else, we of course send out our love and best wishes to everyone, and wish you all the very best of luck at all levels as we progress through such unprecedented times. Lock-down The lock-down hit us here in Spain just over two weeks ago. At the time, I was with my family in our house…

I´ve often said and written that it´s a real privilege to welcome back returning clients, and last week was one of these special occasions.  I´d first met Alexia from Sweden a couple of years ago when she booked a day´s birding with us.  She subsequently returned a year later, this time in Spring and with her friend Lena, and we enjoyed a fabulous day in the mountains and a day at the wetlands.  This was her third time with us, and she´d carefully designed a break to include a couple of days in the historical town of Xativa and a…