Barcelona in April 2016
I had another short stay in Barcelona last month (3 nights), returning there from the far south of Catalunya on the 21st. I visited my 3 main birdwatching areas, Parc de la Ciutadella, Riu Besòs and Parc Güell, during my 2 whole days there.
On my first morning in Barcelona, the 22nd, I walked to Parc de la Ciutadella, where I saw or heard 26 bird species, plus 31 escapee greylag geese. Other birds that I saw or heard were mallard, grey herons (8 flying over), Alpine swifts, ring-necked and blue-crowned parakeets, jackdaw, coal, blue and great tits, blackcaps, Sardinian warblers, robins, blackbirds, and both species of starling.
I walked around the corner from Parc de la Ciutadella and caught a tram from the Wellington Halt to Sant Adria de Besòs. Once there, I walked to the beach via Parc del Litoral, and then inland, initially along the path at river level. I walked as far as the second set of bridges, and then headed left to catch a tram from the halt at La Catalana. I saw a black-winged stilt by the lowest part of the river, while near the second set of bridges I saw a little ringed plover and heard a common sandpiper. I also saw 15 mallard, including a duck with 2 small ducklings, as well as 4 moorhens, 2 grey herons and 4 little egrets. An Audouin's gull which flew south overhead was only the second that I had seen at this site.
I only recorded one species of warbler, hearing 8 Cetti's along the river. Tree sparrows were more numerous than ever, with 32 counted (compared with 16 house sparrows), including several visiting holes in the high wall between the road and river levels. Other species seen along Riu Besòs (total 23) included house martins and white wagtail.
After breakfast on the 23rd I caught the Metro to Vallcarça and walked to Parc Güell the usual way. I climbed the little pointed hill above the school to see what was passing. Birds up there included 4 Alpine and 2 pallid swifts, a kestrel, 2 crested tits and a minimum of 4 pied flycatchers. A cattle egret flew north-west through the gap between this hill and Monte Carmel, and I heard a hoopoe. Other species seen or heard in Parc Güell included coal, blue, great and long-tailed tits, common chiffchaff, blackcap, Sardinian warblers, blackbirds, both species of starlings, and goldfinches. Altogether I saw or heard 29 bird species in Parc Güell.
I saw 4 species of butterfly on the little hill – swallowtail, scarce swallowtail, large white and wall. By the way, has anyone come across a Catalan name for this little hill?
A number of the more common bird species were present in all of my 3 main sites (Parc Güell, Parc de la Ciutadella and Riu Besòs): yellow-legged gulls, feral pigeons, woodpigeons, collared doves, common swifts, monk parakeets, magpies, swallows, greenfinches, serins and house sparrows.
April 23rd is, of course, Diada de Sant Jordi, St George's Day. It is the tradition in Catalunya for roses and books to be given as gifts, and many stalls were set up selling these, both on the way down through Vallcarça and elsewhere in Barcelona. Alas for the stall holders, there is no one for me to buy a red rose for!
I stayed in the Oasis Hotel on Pla del Palau. The 14 species that I saw in and around Pla del Palau included 2 little egrets flying over and 2 ring-necked parakeets, on one occasion each, as well as up to 30 common swifts.
Altogether I recorded 45 bird species during my short stay in Barcelona, plus the escapee greylag geese.
-
