Birding on the Steppe & Lagoons of Castilla de la Mancha
Last Friday was one of those days when work really didn´t feel like work. Despite being a fairly long day, the weather was perfect, the birds were great and the company of my clients for the day was excellent. Both were scientists who had spent the week at a conference in Valencia and wanted to escape for a days birding. Tony, a very experienced, accomplished but refreshingly “down to earth” birder had travelled extensively and had a superb knowledge of the birds of Australia in particular. His own website can be seen at tonykeenebirds.co.uk Jason, a nature lover and…
Birding on the Steppe.
Following a long, hot and very dry summer a few of us spent last Thursday (6th Sept) up on the steppe of Castilla de la Mancha. It was clear that the recent prolonged dry conditions had left water levels much lower than usual, and some of the smaller lagoons had dried up completely. This of course meant less birds, but as always with this area, if you put in the effort there are always some interesting species to see. After a brief road-side stop to watch Crested Lark, Skylark, Hoopoe and Woodchat Shrike, we began at one of the larger…
Mid-Summer Birding
July and August are generally not the best months for birding here in Spain. This summer has been especially hot, even by our standards so we´re all looking forward to the autumn when migration is underway and the weather is much more comfortable. The diary is already filling up so it looks like being a great season. However, whilst on holiday visiting family in our area in mid August, Nora asked for a day trip to see some typical Mediterranean species. A nature lover and general bird enthusiast, she was happy to see a few special target species rather than…
Birding at Tancat de la Pipa.
One of the venues that we often visit on our guided bird watching trips to Albufera de Valencia is the protected nature reserve Tancat de la Pipa. Much more than a reserve, Tancat de la Pipa is essentially an open air living laboratory where a huge amount of scientific research takes place, all of which is aimed at the conservation of plants, insects, reptiles, fish, amphibians and bird life. As a result of the ongoing work by the team at Tancat de la Pipa, not only have they created exceptional habitats that provide both breeding and wintering grounds for…
Birding at Albufera de Valencia
On Wednesday 27th June I provided a guided bird watching trip to Albufera de Valencia for a local walking group. All nature lovers, the group also included a couple of experienced birders who regularly watched their own patch but were keen to explore Albufera. After a drive across the labyrinth of tracks that cross the rice fields, we began at one of my favourite sites, where we had the opportunity to watch the Albufera classic species – Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Great Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Squacco Heron and Night Heron. The reed beds held Great Reed Warbler and…
Bird Watching at Albufera de Valencia.
On Saturday 23rd June, we provided a day trip to Albufera de Valencia for a group of four clients. All levels of abilities are made equally welcome and our trips are tailored to suit, so whilst today´s group were not “mad-keen” birders, all four were keen nature lovers so the trip was designed to provide a blend of birding, habitat and environment, and local culture. Our first stop was at a protected bird reserve within Albufera. We spent a little time watching Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Squacco Herons before walking into the reed beds. From there we had great…