• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Birdwatching in a big city, Barcelona (1 Viewer)

The Audouin's sounds like a decent find, Allen.

We've got 10 nights booked for September, probably 2 nights up north, three in Tarragona for their Santa Tecla festival and five in Barcelona for La Merce. I'll be hoping to get up to the raptor migration watchpoint, or to Tibidabo, whichever feels easier at least once and might have another look at Riu Besòs. I'll post any highlights.
 
o:) WOW, Allen, great report of what can be seen in a big city... and love the way you tell it, with so many details on what was happening at the same time that your sightings, I can live your experiences just reading your stories!!! :t: :t: :t:

Loads of thanks for sharing!!! o:)
 
pandachris said:
The Audouin's sounds like a decent find, Allen.

We've got 10 nights booked for September, probably 2 nights up north, three in Tarragona for their Santa Tecla festival and five in Barcelona for La Merce. I'll be hoping to get up to the raptor migration watchpoint, or to Tibidabo, whichever feels easier at least once and might have another look at Riu Besòs. I'll post any highlights.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Chris, I'm always pleased to see Audouin's gulls, although I had "only" seen them in the Ebro Delta and further south at Benicarló and Peñíscola before the day that I spent in Barcelona last month.

It is true that I have never been to Tibidabo, but it is always there in the background whether I am in the higher parts of Parc Güell or in streets just off Plaça de Catalunya. I suppose the places that I visit all share accessibility by Metro. My visits to Barcelona these days are all shorter than when I first stayed there in 2001. However, there are so many other places to visit in Spain! In the last year, Girona has become a firm favourite of mine. I saw a short-toed eagle at Girona last month, too, flying past the hospital.

You've got 2 festivals in one visit - good planning!

Allen
 
Last edited:
madamcoolpix said:
o:) WOW, Allen, great report of what can be seen in a big city... and love the way you tell it, with so many details on what was happening at the same time that your sightings, I can live your experiences just reading your stories!!! :t: :t: :t:

Loads of thanks for sharing!!! o:)
Click to expand...

Thank you, Marian. I had a great holiday from the excellent start to that last day, spent in Barcelona. Vitoria-Gasteiz was a bit of a low point after Burgos, with rain all the time, temperatures of 3-4 C on the first morning (and 5-6 C on the second), a bit of hail and very smoky bars. Well, I am allergic to tobacco smoke and my allergy was set off in a big way this holiday. On that cold and wet first morning in Vitoria-Gasteiz I braved the weather and walked the streets of the city for 3 hours, finding a pair of short-toed treecreepers and a spotted flycatcher in a park in the north of the city. They were echos of our morning at Fuentes Blancas and I also saw them in Barcelona, of course.

After my first morning in Vitoria-Gasteiz and that bit of "Birdwatching in a middle-sized city," I sampled some good pintxos in some of the bars and finished up in a Senegalese bar near the railway station. They were playing some fine Senegalese music, the likes of which I first heard about 20 years ago on BBC radio on a programme by Andy Kershaw, who now lives here in Peel. Behind the bar was a sign advertising "Zumo Natural de Senegal", the list below including "Fruto de Baobab". Andy Kershaw played a wonderful song called "Utru horas" by Orchestra Baobab, so I asked for "Zumo de Baobab" but, unfortunately, they did not have any. Despite that, I decided that Vitoria-Gasteiz was not so bad!

Allen
 
Calling BirdForum members in and around Barcelona!

I know that there's some of you there! Does anyone know if the Peregrines are on La Sagrada Familia this spring?

Allen

Allen S. Moore said:
Birdwatching in a big city, Barcelona on 15th May 2010

On my previous 2 visits to Barcelona I had an evening meal outside Cerveceria Inter-tapa on Avinguda de Gaudí close to La Sagrada Familia, and I did that this evening, too. However, there was no sign of the peregrines this time. I noticed that there was netting on some of the taller towers of La Sagrada Familia.

Allen
Click to expand...
 
Can't help with the Peregrines, Allen.

We also saw ST Eagle in Girona, from the city walls near the cathedral. Also Kingfisher and Cettis Warbler by the Pont de Pedra - we watched the kingfisher for ages as it tried to bash the living daylights out of a fish it had caught that was obviously too big for it. We thought we also saw Savis' Warbler at the bridge as well, but not enough to be certain and so that species is still not on my "list".

Tibidabo is probably worth the effort between August? and October/November. Less so outside those months. It's easy to get to if the Tibibus is running (from outside El Corte Ingles) but more of an effort (metro > bus > funicular) if it isn't. The famous Tramvia Blau is an attractive alternative to the bus, but it only runs at weekends, I think, in September.
 
pandachris said:
Can't help with the Peregrines, Allen.

We also saw ST Eagle in Girona, from the city walls near the cathedral. Also Kingfisher and Cettis Warbler by the Pont de Pedra - we watched the kingfisher for ages as it tried to bash the living daylights out of a fish it had caught that was obviously too big for it. We thought we also saw Savis' Warbler at the bridge as well, but not enough to be certain and so that species is still not on my "list".

Tibidabo is probably worth the effort between August? and October/November. Less so outside those months. It's easy to get to if the Tibibus is running (from outside El Corte Ingles) but more of an effort (metro > bus > funicular) if it isn't. The famous Tramvia Blau is an attractive alternative to the bus, but it only runs at weekends, I think, in September.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Chris,

I saw 2 reed warblers and a cetti's by Pont de Pedra last month. On my second ever visit to Girona, early April 2002, I saw a water pipit on the river bank by Pont de Pedra!

I had forgotten about the Tibibus. I like the view of the city from Parc Güell, so I'm sure that the view is even finer from Tibidabo. I just won't be able to go to Barcelona during the months that you indicate for a couple of years, but I suppose that there will be one or two treats at Tibidabo at other times of the year, too!

Allen
 
The views are more extensive, because higher up, but everything in the city is further away :)

There are some pics starting here ...

http://avengerpenguins.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=30922&g2_page=41

click on any thumbnail to see the full image and keep clicking 'next' until you get bored or see a giant prawn :)

Views inland, e.g. to Montserrat are of course much better than those at Parc Güell, but as a place to visit, PG is much better.

Hopefully we can keep this thread going with help from other birders in the area or visitors.
 
pandachris said:
The views are more extensive, because higher up, but everything in the city is further away :)

There are some pics starting here ...

http://avengerpenguins.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=30922&g2_page=41

click on any thumbnail to see the full image and keep clicking 'next' until you get bored or see a giant prawn :)

Views inland, e.g. to Montserrat are of course much better than those at Parc Güell, but as a place to visit, PG is much better.

Hopefully we can keep this thread going with help from other birders in the area or visitors.
Click to expand...

Chris,

Good pictures on avengerpenguins.com
I see that you have also been to Bilbao, which I visited last month, too. Indeed, I intended to visit Santurtzi myself, but the morning that I was in the city was windy so I headed to Plentzia and the coast opposite instead. Then the bars of Bilbao beckoned.

It is interesting that a good view of Montserrat is to be had from Tibidabo. I don't know why, but it always surprises me to see Montserrat from the bus stop outside Barcelona Airport!

Allen
 
I know what you mean Allen. I think it might be because when you're at Montserrat it seems so far from mainstream civilisation. To be in a similar location in the UK you need to be quite a long distance from a major international airport.

We did the P&O "minicruise to Bilbao, for whales and birds. We're hoping to go again in August before the route and boat is decommissioned, which will probably make Biscay whale observation a lot more expensive. When last we looked P&O weren't selling mini-cruise or foot passenger tickets, but we remain optimistic.
 
Here's a statistic from my 13 holidays in which I have visited Barcelona - the total number of bird species that I have seen or heard in Barcelona is 85. Nine of those were feral or escapes, including 5 parrot species and a canary! The canary was in 2002, and I spotted it singing on a roof top aerial moments before I was accosted by a trio of so called "tourist police" in Plaça de Universitat and robbed. Perhaps it just goes to show that I shouldn't take notice of escaped birds, especially when I have seen the real ones in Madeira and the Canaries!

Allen
 
Last edited:
my reasons to join

After reading your post (Allen (Isle of Man)) dealing about birds in Barcelona, the town I live in, I thought it would be very interesting to join this forum and read information about birdwatching and learn about birds, as simple as that!
I work near the Besòs area and live by the sea not far from the Ciutadella park.
Thanks for so wonderful stimulus!
I'll become a careful birdwatcher when cycling or walking across the city.
Any useful webguide to learn the English names (maybe through their Latin's counterparts)??? Thanks a lot
Elena
 
ElenaBlay said:
After reading your post (Allen (Isle of Man)) dealing about birds in Barcelona, the town I live in, I thought it would be very interesting to join this forum and read information about birdwatching and learn about birds, as simple as that!
I work near the Besòs area and live by the sea not far from the Ciutadella park.
Thanks for so wonderful stimulus!
I'll become a careful birdwatcher when cycling or walking across the city.
Any useful webguide to learn the English names (maybe through their Latin's counterparts)??? Thanks a lot
Elena
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum, Elena, and thank you for reading my thread. I really like Barcelona, the history attracting me at first, then my interest being maintained and increased by the architecture, food, atmosphere, bird life and, yes, it being a good place to travel around in and to travel out of!

I am sure that there is be a website somewhere showing English and Latin names, and am confident that someone will be along with the answer.

Allen
 
Last edited:
Barcelona in March/April

Allen S. Moore said:
Welcome to the forum, Elena, and thank you for reading my thread. I really like Barcelona, the history attracting me at first, then my interest being maintained and increased by the architecture, food, atmosphere, bird life and, yes, it being a good place to travel around in and to travel out of!

I am sure that there is be a website somewhere showing English and Latin names, and am confident that someone will be along with the answer.

Allen
Click to expand...

I forgot to post these when i came back from a 4 day break in Barcelona at the end of March - in Parc Güell lots of crested tits! and also nesting parakeets, I did spot a falcon on the la Sagrada Familia but not sure what species it was (despite having at least an hour to gaze...as I waited in a queue!)... lots of other birds as mentioned before but dipped on the Andouins despite lots of looking down by the marina.
Tina
 

Attachments

  • Crested Tit Barcelona edited.jpg
    Crested Tit Barcelona edited.jpg
    190.1 KB · Views: 152
  • parakeet Barcelona edited.jpg
    parakeet Barcelona edited.jpg
    229.7 KB · Views: 141
Daffyduck said:
I forgot to post these when i came back from a 4 day break in Barcelona at the end of March - in Parc Güell lots of crested tits! and also nesting parakeets, I did spot a falcon on the la Sagrada Familia but not sure what species it was (despite having at least an hour to gaze...as I waited in a queue!)... lots of other birds as mentioned before but dipped on the Andouins despite lots of looking down by the marina.
Tina
Click to expand...

Thanks, Daffy. I enjoyed your photos.

Allen
 
Hi Allen,

Sorry I haven't contributed sooner to this thread as I first read it some time ago.

I loved Barca when I was there in '99. i remember Tibidabo and the mixed flocks of Crested Tits and Firecrest; migrant Pied Flys and Melodious Warblers; Peregrine chasing pigeons along the beach at La Barcelonetta. Wonderful city. How I miss Europe.

Thankyou for this excellent report.
 
We'll be back in Barna in three weeks time. Not much time for birding but we're hoping to get up into the hills for raptor migration at least once. Have any local oe visiting birders been up there of late? If so, is there much passing through?
 
pandachris said:
We'll be back in Barna in three weeks time. Not much time for birding but we're hoping to get up into the hills for raptor migration at least once. Have any local oe visiting birders been up there of late? If so, is there much passing through?
Click to expand...

I tried the www.parccollserola.net website but there isn't any raptor information yet for this year. Anyway, have a good holiday. I hope to be back there next year!

Allen
 
Cheers Allen

Looking forward to it now after a mixed trip on the Pride of Bilbao. I'll post what we see. Hoping to get up into the hills at least once.
 
Collserolla Raptors

Hi guys

You'll find a link on my Llobregat Page, in the spring/autumn section I think. Once there, click on "Dades actualizades" or something like that and, even if there's nothing for this year yet, you'll be able to get an idea of likely species and flow from last year's data.

Good luck and all the best
 
Warning! This thread is more than 6 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

Oregonian
Panama and Costa Rica February 2024
Replies
0
Views
428
Oregonian
Oregonian
Mark Jarrett
South Africa - November 2023
Replies
3
Views
692
Mark Jarrett
Mark Jarrett
SlowLowFlyingTurkey
Urban Birding in Kuwait - November 2023
Replies
9
Views
1K
MKinHK
MKinHK
Woodchat
Rhodes, Greece 12th - 26th September 2023
Replies
1
Views
664
Woodchat
Woodchat
wolfbirder
GRAN CANARIA - 2- 6th February 2024
2
Replies
34
Views
2K
Mike Crawley
Mike Crawley

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top