Mo and I moved to Andalucia Spain 18 months ago. We have always taken an interest in birds where we live and bought a book call 'Where to watch Birds in Southern and Western Spain' it covers Andalucia, Extrememadura and Gibraltar but we were particularly interested in the Huelva province. The authors have researched the area and gives a detailed narrative of how you can and where you can see the vast array of birds in this area. The authors are Ernest Garcia and Andrew Paterson you may know them. This book gives you good information about the times of migrant birds and the areas you are most likely to see them. We live in this province and although very new to serious birdwatching we have been thrilled to see the Azure winged magpies sneaking food from our dogs dishes, the golden Oriole, cuckoos,blackbirds various birds of prey including eagles, harriers and others we are so green we are unable to identify them quickly enough and we can never get our camera ready to take a picture. We will keep trying. We are sure we are going to get more interested and involved in identifying these birds. We can certainly confirm it is a great area for birdwatching.
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Introduction to the Bird population of Huelva South West Spain (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter davemo
- Start date
ProthonotaryWarbler
Well-known member
hello davemo and welcome to bird forum.
Terry Smith
Walking Birder
Hello Dave & Mo
Welcome to Birdforum. I can't wait to see your bird pictures, which I'm sure will come in time, and can't wait to visit your bird-filled area. I am hoping to visit next year.
The Exmouth Birder
Welcome to Birdforum. I can't wait to see your bird pictures, which I'm sure will come in time, and can't wait to visit your bird-filled area. I am hoping to visit next year.
The Exmouth Birder
Mark Bruce
Super Moderator
Hi Dave & Mo,
Welcome and hello from Taiwan.
Welcome and hello from Taiwan.
Katy Penland
Well-known member
Hi, Dave & Mo! Another warm welcome to you from BirdForum!
Looking forward to hearing about all the birds you're finding there! :t:
Looking forward to hearing about all the birds you're finding there! :t:
Reader
Well-known member
Hi Dave & Mo and a very warm welcome from me to.
Huelva is part of that bird rich tapestry of the Coto Donana. Wonderful area with wonderful birds. I have been there so many times it is almost becoming a second home to me.
If ever you want to exapand your birding may I recommend joining a guided tour by one of our members. John Barclay. He lives in Villamanrique and runs a tour guide company from there. He can take you to parts you wouldn't normally be able to go to and his knowledge of the birds in the Donana is extensive. This is his website.
http://www.donanabirdtours.com/cgi-bin/web.asp?title=*home
Another nice website to look at is this:
http://www.donana-nature.com/presentacioning.htm
You are very lucky to live where you do as you are also close to some magnificent birding in Portugal.
I look forward to some of your days out reports.
Huelva is part of that bird rich tapestry of the Coto Donana. Wonderful area with wonderful birds. I have been there so many times it is almost becoming a second home to me.
If ever you want to exapand your birding may I recommend joining a guided tour by one of our members. John Barclay. He lives in Villamanrique and runs a tour guide company from there. He can take you to parts you wouldn't normally be able to go to and his knowledge of the birds in the Donana is extensive. This is his website.
http://www.donanabirdtours.com/cgi-bin/web.asp?title=*home
Another nice website to look at is this:
http://www.donana-nature.com/presentacioning.htm
You are very lucky to live where you do as you are also close to some magnificent birding in Portugal.
I look forward to some of your days out reports.
John Butler
Registered Member
Reader said:
Hello Dave and Mo.
Welcome to the Birdforum. Huelva really is a fantastic area for birding and much more relaxed and civilized than the costas.
Have you tried the sites at the Marismas de Río Piedras, El Rompido or Laguna El Portil? They are a bit quiet during the summer, but they are fantastic spots in the winter for ducks, waders and seabirds.
Not far from you, in Sevilla province, there are even better areas with a far richer diversity of habitats and bird species.
Also, just across the Portuguese border there is another excellent site at the Sapal visitors centre at Castro Marim.
Try the Andévalo plains above Huelva for Great Bustards, Blacl'bellied Sandgrouse and Monk [Black] Vultures.
I'm sure you will soon find your way around and will start to find areas where photography will be very rewarding.
As I live in the Donana region of Sevilla province we may bump into each other some time. Where exactly do you live in Huelva? I may be able to give you more up-to-date information.
Hi Reader. Thanks for the plug. Just a slight error with my surname though. Last time I let you buy me a bacardi and coke.
I hope you have now recovered from your traumatic time a month or so ago.
Regards from Doñana.
John.
Reader
Well-known member
John Butler said:
Sorry about that John. I was actually looking at an advert for Barclay's bank just before typing that and it stuck in my mind. There is no way I can forget your name mate. lol
We are just about over the Burglary and at least we have now had fitted a state of the art burglar alarm system. That has gone along way to alleviate the worries.
Good to hear from you again and as always your sound advice, as you have freely given for Dave and Mo, shines through.
Many thanks everyone for the welcome messages. Mo and I will be taking a lot more interest in the birds of the area now we have discovered the facilities on this site so that we can recognise them and be more knowledgeable about what we have seen. This leads to a visit we made recently to Niebla a lovely walled town near to us. We were walking around the town and became aware that there were dozens of small birds of prey circulating around and the pidgeons were all trying to keep a low profile. We could not identify the birds of prey and wondered if anyone might know what they may have been and why so many were in the vacinity all at the same time? We are finalising the facilities at our bungalow/cottage which is for rent so not a great deal of time to look about ourselves this will be in the future for sure but any interested visitors will be made aware of the facilities that has been included in your messages.
John Butler
Registered Member
Hi Dave and Mo.
Isn't Niebla a wonderful town! The birds of prey that you saw were LESSER KESTRELS. These birds are nearly always found in colonies, usually in towns with old castles or other ancient monuments. There are about 50 breeding pairs at Niebla, nesting in holes in the castle walls. Also to be seen there are Spotless Starlings, Common and Pallid Swifts, Jackdaws, White Storks and Feral Pigeons.
I was there four days ago with two clients and we counted over 30 of the kestrels flying at one time. My best ever count was over 60 birds in the air at once.
I would be interested in finding out more about your place to let, as I am always looking for suitable accommodation for my clients. Why not e-mail me with details. My address is [email protected] and I live in Villamanrique, seven kilometres from the Huelva province border.
Regards from Doñana.
John.
Thank you for information about Niebla.
Hi John many thanks for reply. It has given us some good information and makes the sighting more interesting. Mo and I are interested in your tours so we will have a look at your web site and one day make a visit. You can see our details by logging on to www.spainandalucia.co.uk this takes you into our site on the villarenters web site.
Hope to be in touch again soon.
Mo and Dave
Hi John many thanks for reply. It has given us some good information and makes the sighting more interesting. Mo and I are interested in your tours so we will have a look at your web site and one day make a visit. You can see our details by logging on to www.spainandalucia.co.uk this takes you into our site on the villarenters web site.
Hope to be in touch again soon.
Mo and Dave
John Butler said:
Soon to be a resident - seeking info.
My wife and I have bought an apartment near Ayamonte and we, hopefully, complete in December of this year. As a keen birdwatcher of many years I am looking forward to getting down to really exploring the area, especially round Huelva which looks very interesting.
Any information about sites and birds would be most welcome as I am already challenged, by my 3 birding compatriots, to put together an itinerary for trip for April/ May next year.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Brian
My wife and I have bought an apartment near Ayamonte and we, hopefully, complete in December of this year. As a keen birdwatcher of many years I am looking forward to getting down to really exploring the area, especially round Huelva which looks very interesting.
Any information about sites and birds would be most welcome as I am already challenged, by my 3 birding compatriots, to put together an itinerary for trip for April/ May next year.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Brian
John Butler
Registered Member
Brian W said:
Hi Brian.
Welcome to Birdforum and Spain.
As you rightly say, Huelva province has some exceptional birding areas and has the added bonus of containing part of the Doñana National Park.
As you have/are buying in Ayamonte you will not have to venture far to find good birding. In that area you have the saltmarsh reserve of Isla Canela and a few kms down the road there is a large tidal saltmarsh at Isla Cristina and the river Piedras at El Túrron.
Further afield there are good sites at Ribera, the Marismas de Río Piedras, El Rompido, Laguna El Portil, Marismas del Odiel and the Río Tinto at La Rábida.
Inland there are the Andévalo plains, where Great Bustards are a possibility and the Sierra de Arecena, for Black Vultures, etc.
Doñana is only an hour away from Ayamonte and this area encapsulates the very best of Spanish birding. The quality of the sites and the birds that we have can be seen on the "Birding Sites" and "Trip Reports" page of my website www.donanabirdtours.com.
You are also close to several good birding spots in Portugal. Just over the bridge there are the salinas and saltmarshes at the Sapal Visitors Centre at Castro Marim and further along the coast (30 minutes) there is the vast reserve area of Ría Formosa.
Enjoy Spain and enjoy your birding.
Regards from Doñana.
John.
John Butler said:
John,
Thanks for the welcome and the information you provided, which will be very useful and is most welcome. My wife and I are due out in October so I will put it to good use.
I have previously visited your site and I already have your book. I have yet to get into detailed planning for the trip next year with my friends but I will probably come back to speak to you re access/ guidance for Doñana.
When is the new book due?
Thanks again and regards.
Brian
John Butler
Registered Member
Brian W said:
Hi Brian.
I'm sure you will enjoy the birding in October It is a time of great interest as the migration to Africa will stil be going on and many birds from the north, Common Cranes, Red Kites, Hen Harriers, ducks, geese and waders will be arriving in good numbers to spend the winter here.
If you get the chance, try to visit the rice fields of Isla Mayor. October/November is the rice harvesting time and this always produces a birding spectacular when thousands of birds congregate in the fields to feed on the fish, frogs, eels and insects that are churned up by the harvesting tractors.
The new book is coming on well. I still have three or four sites out of 45 to complete and then there is quite a bit of text to be written and maps to be produced. Hopefully, I will be able to finish it and get it off to the publisher before Christmas and, if all goes well, it could be on sale by the spring.
Regards from Doñana.
John.
