Guided Birding in Valencia
Earlier this month I spent two days with Canadian birders Jean-Marc and Nathalie from Quebec. They were touring Spain and had chosen to incorporate into their plans one of our “Birding Short Breaks” at Villa Florencia. They had previously visited Barcelona, Madrid and Seville and were now spending a few days exploring the Valencia region. Our first day of birding was to the Steppe & Lagoons of Castilla de la Mancha. After the relatively short drive up onto the plains, we stopped at one of our usual spots where we had delightful views of Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Corn Bunting and…
Birding Trip to L´Albufera de Valencia – Saturday 29th March
In collaboration with Visit Natura, we have pleasure in offering a full-day birding trip to Albufera on Saturday 29th March 2014. The day will include a visit to some of the best birding areas of Albufera, plus a private chartered boat trip and a walk in the Devesa forest to discover the wildlife of this unique environment. Ideal for beginners, or experienced birders, the trip will also provide the opportunity for bird photography. Places are limited so please book in advance. For more information or to reserve a place, please contact me by email at NatureTrailSpain@Gmail.com Continue reading
Raising Awareness of the SEO (Sociedad Española de Ornotología)
As a professional bird watching guide and lover of the natural World, I am a member of the SEO (Sociedad Española de Ornitología). Essentially this is Spain´s equivalent and indeed partner of the UK´s RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). During my travels as a guide, I see at first hand the extremely valueable work that the SEO undertakes and greatly admire their dedication to the protection of birds and conservation of their habitats. Unlike in the UK, the culture of bird watching and conservation in Spain is still in its infancy, although this is gradually changing as…
Birding on the Steppe of Eastern Spain
By sheer coincidence I was fortunate enough to spend two days up on the steppe this week. The second day was with a group of local birders, some relative beginners, others experienced. The group worked superbly well, with knowledge being readily shared, and the more “eagle-eyed” being on hand to point out the birds! After the usual coffee stop, we drove across the fields of this vast wide open area of eastern Spain in our hunt for Great Bustards. Some of the group had never seen these birds before, so our quest had added value. After 10-15 minutes of searching,…
Great Bustards & Calandra Larks
On Tuesday of this week I had the pleasure of providing a day of guided birding for a couple of clients from UK. Both experienced birders and outdoor enthusiasts, they were keen to visit the steppe and lagoons of Castilla de la Mancha, just over one hour´s drive from Valencia. Although a little early for most summer visitors, the key species that we were looking for were both residents…the Great Bustard and Calandra Lark. After a relaxed drive, we stopped for a coffee and prepared binoculars, telescopes and cameras and set out across the vast open fields. Luck was on…
World Wetlands Day
On Sunday 2nd February we celebrated World Wetlands Day at the nature reserve Tancat de la Pipa in the Albufera Natural Park in Valencia. The day was arranged by the two charitable custodians of the reserve, SEO Birdlife (Sociedad Española de Ornitología) and the conservation group Acció Ecologista Agró. This superb nature reserve is home to some classic wetland bird species and provides habitat for a diverse and critically important eco-system. Guided walks around the reserve provided a great opportunity for people to gain an understanding of how this reserve benefits the local environment and sustains its wildlife. Children were…