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Birding in East Spain (1 Viewer)

Citrine Wagtail in the Albufera

Yesterday after leaving Mike in the Valencia airport, I made a short visit to the Tancat de la Ratlla in the Albufera de Valencia. In just more than than hour I got a good number of species.

Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Flamingo
Marsh Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Avocet
Black-winged Stilt
Little Ringed Plover
Ringed Plover
Dunlin
Curlew Sandpiper
Temminck's Stint 4
Wood Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Redshank
Ruff
Little Tern
Martin (Sand and House)
Swallows
Kingfisher
Bluethroat
Wheatear
Cetti's Warbler
Reed Warbler
Zitting Cisticola
Citrine Wagtail Photo Just in September, there has been sighted 8 differents Citrine Wagtails in the Albufera. As the population from Poland is expanding westwards , they have become more common in Spain. It wouldn't take longer before the rarity committee remove it from the rarities list.

I wish the local government would invest more in the natural Park as it has a huge potential as birding destination.

All in all, one of the best birding places in Spain.

Have a nice day
 
I must admit I was dissappointed with the state of Aguamolls last year in October. I was told that the reason was lack of funds, understandably, in Spain. The sad thing is that it takes a long time to attract and establish birds in an area but they are quickly lost when areas are mis- or undermanaged (being the case for Aguamolls).

Unfortunately, there are lots of other priorities at the moment - because no leas the credit crisis etc. However, in my mind it was also an oppourtunity to get some people off the dole and into the field... The one positive was that there was a great sense of family occassion the last couple of times I had been at a weekend to Aguamolls. To be avoided if you want to seriously watch birds but both Aguamolls and the place near Leida (can't remember name) were full of walkers, cyclists, kids, old people all getting excited about seeing birds and wildlife rather than working in the supermarket all weekend or playing play station

Great birds by the way. Citrine has been on my hit list for the last few years but keep dipping!
 
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La Mancha and Serrania de Cuenca Tour

I have just returned from a fantastic 7-day tour in La Mancha and Serranía de Cuenca . I have been fortunate to organizte this tour with honeyguide and to guide in the area 14 keen birders and naturalists.

Bird list

Greylag
Pintail
Shoveler
Teal
Pochard
White-headed Duck 90+
Red-legged Partridge
Black-necked Grebe
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Cormorant
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Great Egret
Grey Heron
White Storks 80+
Spoonbill
Flamingo
Griffon Vulture
Osprey
Booted Egle
Bonelli’s Eagle 2
Red Kite
Black Kite
Marsh Harrier
Common Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon 3
Moorhen
Coot
Little bustard. 2 groups: 9 and 42 birds in each
Great Bustard. 9
Avocet
Black-winged Stilt
Lapwing
Dunlin
Little Stint
Wood Sanpiper
Green Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Redshank
Greenshank
Black-tailed Godwit
Curlew
Snipe
Ruff
Black-headed Gull
Lesser black-backed Gull
Common Tern (late birds)
Barn Swallow
Hoopoe
Kingfisher
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Skylark
Crested Lark
Thekla Lark
Woodlark
Crag Martin
Meadow Pipit
White Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Robin
Black Redstart
Wheatear
Whinchat
Song Thrush
Redwing
Mistle Thrush
Blackbird
Blackcap
Sardinian Warbler
Zitting Cisticola
Chiffchaff
Firecret 4
Pied Flycatcher
Great Tit
Crested Tit
Blue Tit
Coal Tit
Long Tailed Tit
Nuthatch
Short-toed treecreeper
Jay
Chough
Raven
Jackdaw
Spotless Starling
Tree Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow
Rock Sparrow lots
Chaffinch
Linnet
Serin
Goldfinch
Cirl Bunting
Rock Bunting
Corn Bunting

This tour is available all year round, except in July and August.

Have a nice day and good birding
 
Gallocanta trip report

Day 1. Valencia-Sierra del Toro-Gallocanta

Today I am going to meet Jill, Patricia, Laura and Frances at their hotel in Valencia. After loading the luggage, we set off for the first stop at the Sierra del Toro. The wind makes us feel the cold! Despite the wind, we managed very well seeing a party of 6 Siskins, Coal and Crested Tits, a Song Thrush, Griffon Vultures, Firecrests (what produced a wide smile in Jill) and other common birds. Then, we had a warm coffee with biscuits at a local bar before leaving to Gallocanta.

As soon as we got to Calamocha I pulled over to photograph a low flying Red Kite, and a few minutes later a Sparrowhawk crossed the sky. Then, we continued driving to the visitor centre where we parked. Suddenly, as we were getting out of the car more than 300 Cranes took off. I searched the sky and I found the reason of this behaviour, an immature Golden Eagle, what a wonder! Skylarks, Common Buzzard, Linnets and a female Hen Harrier were also seen from the same area. After that, we got back to the car to have our picnics and drove to the hotel to check-in and put on our warmest clothes to wait the arrival of the cranes at dusk.

Around 15:00 , we left the hotel to explore the northern part of the lagoon. This year has been very dry and there is no much water in the lagoon. In the puddles we found Shelducks, Teals, and Marsh Harriers and in a nearby bush there were a group of 4 Corn Buntings. We got into position to witness the arrival of the cranes to roost in the lagoon, and we really enjoyed it! Marvellous!

Day 2. Gallocanta-Valencia

After a nutritious breakfast, we are ready for our second day birding. Our first stop is from a viewpoint in Gallocanta. There we watched a group of 30 Ruffs, 3 Greylags and a good number of Cranes. Then, we continued driving to explore the surroundings and we found Northern Wheatear, Stonechats, Calandra and Crested Larks, Tree Sparrows, a shy Great Spotted Woodpecker, Spotless Starlings and other birds we saw the day before. The landscape is really impressive with the contrast of the colours; the land is red, green and yellow ochre and the sky clear blue and white, fantastic for landscape shoots. Our next spot was in a nearby fresh water lagoon where there were Coots, Widgeons, Gadwalls, Shovelers and Chiffchaffs. Then, we made a stop in a bar to have a warm chocolate, which made us feel really great.

Our last stop was in a gorge, where I expected to show them different species. Black Redstars and a group of Red-legged Partridges were seen along the track. Once we started walking, a pair of Golden Eagles and a few Griffon’s glided above us. We watched them few more times. Then, when we were about to walk back to the car a group of 50 Red-billed Choughs and a Peregrine Falcon were seen. What an end! Finally, we have a tasty and warm menu for lunch before heading back to Valencia.

This short holiday is a good option for those who wish a short break in an area with an unique landscape, and to witness the always impressive roost of thousands of cranes.

Please click here to see a copy of this trip report and some photos.

Have a nice day
 
Isabelline Shrike and sewatching in the Albufera de Valencia

I have been with Daniel and George seeing some interesting birds. I mentioned them the possibility of visiting the Marjal d’Almenara, a small wetland where an adult Isabelline Shrike has been recorded since one week ago. This rarity has been filmed and photographed by dozens of birders during the last week. We arrived to the area around 9:00 o’clock. It took us 45 minutes to find it perched in the same spot where it was located the first time by the Bort’s brothers. The Shrike made some attempts to kill a Chiffchaff but with no such a luck. Some birders have recorder it killing and eating Chiffchaffs and Dragonflies during the previous days. (I have attached some pictures of the Shrike, better ones and a video soon)

Other species seeing in the mashes: Cetti’s Warblers, Penduline Tit, Marsh Harriers, Stonechat, a Moustached Warbler, a Purple Swamphen and other common birds.

Around 11:30 we moved to the Albufera de Valencia to do some seawatching. Daniel was looking forwards to see Artic Skua and 30 minutes after we put up the scope we find a Great and an Artic Skua. Other interesting sightings were at least 5 Yelkouan Shearwater among more than 600 Ballearic Shearwater and few Gannets (yesterday I recorded 1500 in 10 minutes, amazing! Photo here). I also spotted a fem/juv Common Scoter and 3 Great Northern Loons which are not a common birds in the area. On the seashore there were 400+ Sanderlings, 32 Grey Plovers and few Dunlin.

Finally we spotted in the main lagoon to see hundreds of different species of wildfowl: Red Crested Pochards, Shovellers, etc and a wintering Booted Eagle.

Comunidad Valenciana (Valencia Region) offers a wide range of birding areas with very interesting targets. What about the weather? Sunny and 18ºC. Superb for birding.;)

Have a nice day

Pau Lucio
 

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Birding in Alicante

Last week I had the pleasure to guide James and Stuart long the province of Alicante. They were interested in a tailor-made tour to watch as many species as possible, particularly raptors. They were combining a family beach holidays with some local birding.

Once I picked them from Benidorm, we went straight to El Hondo. There in the first spot we succeed with our main target the Spotted Eagle. We also got good views of Purple Swamphen, Red-Knobbed Coot, Marsh Harriers, a Booted Eagle and a Kingfisher. Wintering wildfowl and waders were also abundant, noticing a solitary White-headed Duck.

Around noon we moved to the Salinas to see Osprey, Stone Curlew, Sanderlings, Audouin’s and Slender-billed Gulls among other birds. From the beach, we watched Balearic, Yelkowan Shearwaters and Gannets. Two hours later, we set off to the nearby mountains in search of the last of our targets; Bonelli’s Eagle. We got cracking views of the pair patrolling their territory. In the same area, we also managed to see Little Owl, Hoopoes, Crested Tit, Peregine Falcon, Iberian Grey Shrike, etc.

As you can see Alicante province offers a wide diversity of species all year round.

I am attaching a photo of the Bonelli's Eagles.
 

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22 White Storks high over Clot de Gavany today, a wonderful sight

They are on the move back to Europe! Thanks for sharing

By the way I visited El Hondo last Tuesday (just a short stop on my way to Gandia) and there are good numbers of White-headed Duck, Black-necked Grebe and raptors (Bonelli's, Booted and Harriers). No sights of the Ring-necked Pochard. I will look for it next weekend.
 
Albufera de Valencia

Yesterday was another good day birding in the Albufera de Valencia. I am posting only a shortlist:

A group of 25 Purple swamphen in one of the tancats
3 Black Storks which overwinter in the area photo
500+Lapwing
250+Glossy Ibis
A minimum of 150 Golden Plover
1 Merlin chasing a mix flock of Greenfinch and Chaffinch
3 Booted Eagle
90 Balearic Shearwaters
30 Grey Plovers
1 Caspian Tern
1 Bluethroat
1 Cetti's Warbler
2 Ferruginous Duck
400+ Red-crested Pochard
3 Kingfisher
Other waders (Dunlin, Little Stint, Black winged Stilt, Sanderlins, etc)


Good birding
 
Pallas's Gull in the Albufera

Another fantastic day in the Albufera de Valencia, including great views of the Pallas's Gull. I am attaching a photo.

Thousands of birds are making the most of the last flooded paddy fields in the Albufera de Valencia. They are congregate in just few areas of the park, so they are easily spotted.

These are some of the bird numbers and some of the last days sightings:

2600 Greater Flamingos
800 Black-tailed Godwits
185 Ruffs
Tens of Golden Plovers
Tens of Audoui's Gulls
Whiskered Terns
Hen Harrier
Pallas's Gull
Mediterranean Gulls
Common Cranes
Yellow Wagtail
Little Owl
Night Herons
Green Sandpipers
Curlews
Marsh Harriers
Booted Eagles

Good Birding
 

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Sierra de Guara and the Pyrenees

Summary Sierra de Guara Trip report


Our two full days at Sierra de Guara gave us a fantastic sightings of raptors, both resident and migrants. Numerous Black and Red Kites, Short-toed Eagles, Egyptian Vultures, Sparrowhawks, a Lammergeier and a pair of Golden Eagles were seen. In addition, the five of us were flabbergasted (I will never get used to it) to see tens of Griffon Vultures feeding and flying just few meters form us. Our hotel in Alquézar gave us the chance to make the most of this stunning village, certainly one of the most beautiful of all Spain.

The second part of the tour in the Pyrenees was fantastic with 3 more sights of Lammergeier, one of them landing in the nest were the other one was in the nest incubating! Superb!. We also managed to see a Golden Eagle, Yellow-billed Chough, Ring Ouzel, Dipper, Yellowhammers,Water Pipit and mammals such as Chamois. Not to mention the breathtaking views of the snow-capped Pyrenees.


To see the complete trip report and photos, please click here

Please, visit our tour calendar or contact us for the next winter Sierra de Guara tour, which will be focus among other species in Wallcreepers and Lammergeiers.

Have a nice day
 
Fantastic birding in Alicante

Last Tuesday I guided with and his brother around the Alicante province.
El Hondo as always was full of birds. A new lagoon around the visitor centre has been created attracting large number of waders. We also had good views of the laughing gull which has been in the area for few days. Later we moved to Crevillente and then to the Salinas de Santa Pola.

Short bird list from 70 species seen

6 Marbled Duck. At the Hondo
Red-Crested Pochard
3 White-headed Duck (2 males and a female)
Little Bittern
Squacco Heron
Purple Heron
2 Spoonbill. At Salinas de Santa Pola
Flamingo
2 Bonelli’s Eagle
Peregrin Falcon
2 Red-Knobbed Coot (1 wild and 1 from the reintroduction programme)
2 Purple Swamphen
Avocets
Black-winged Stilts
50+Collared Pratincole
Little Ringed Plover
Ringed Plover
2 Kentish Plover
6 Turnstone
3 Curlew Sandpiper
20 Little Stint
5 Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
6 Greenshank
Slender-billed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Laughing Gull I am attaching a photo.
Little Tern
Sandwich Tern
Common Tern
Whiskered Tern
Cuckoo
Hoopoe
Crested Lark
Yellow Wagtail
Sardenian Warbler
Cetti’s Warbler
Great Reed Warbler
Bearded Tit one of the few that has been recorded lately. Unfortunately, the population is crashing in el Hondo.

Have a nice day
 

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Steppes of Albacete

I have just arrived from the steppes of Albacete. I have been guiding George, Cherry and Philip from the Estates and certainly it has been a good day. The only missing specie has been the WHD that I expect to see tomorrow in el Hondo.

Shorlist

13 Great Bustard
3 Rock Sparrow
6 Black-bellied Sandgrouse
1 Little Bustard (gorgeous male displaying)
1 Black Kite
3 Black-necked Grebe
5 Red Crested Pochars
3 Short-toed Larks
Lots of Calandra Larks
Gull-billed Terns
2 Black Terns


Still lots of waders: Kentish and Ringed Plovers, Wood and Common Sandpipers, Grenshank, etc. The Greater Flamingo colony looks superb!
 
Birding in the Alicante province

Yesterday I spent a terrific day guiding Dave and John. They were very keen on seeing some of the "special" birds we have in the Alicante province.

After picking them from Denia we went to see the not far population of Western Olivaceus Warbler. I took more than one hour to see this shy bird which was hide in the reeds. I could record at lest three territories. There were also Cetti's Warbler, Sardenian Warblers, Great Reed Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Spotless Starling, Spotted Flycatcher, etc

Around 10:30 we set off to the highest mountain of the province where we watched very close two Iberian Chiffchaff three Bonelli's Warblers, a Crested Tit, 3 Rock Buntings and 2 gorgeous males Subalpine Warblers. In the scrubs there were numerous Melodious Warblers, Coal Tits and other common birds.

A Peregrine Falcon, two Iberian Green Woodpecker, Red-billed Choughs, Common Crossbills and a Short-toed Eagle were also seen. With no time to spare we went to the Alicante airport, too many thing to see in one day! No far from there there are (at least they were last year) 2 Rock Thrushes, but a 4-5 km hike is needed to reach the area.

All in all an interesting birding day in this rich-wildlife region

Have a nice day

Pau
 
Western Olivaceus Warblers and other targets

These are some of the birds John, Malcolm, Eduard, Sarah and me spotted yesterday in the Alicante province.

After picking them in Costa Blanca we headed South for 20 minutes to see our first target Western Olivaceus Warbler. Following we moved to el Fondo where we enjoyed: 7 Marbled Teals, 2 White-headed Ducks, Little Bittern, 25+ Collared Pratincoles, Squacco Heron, 3 Med Gull, 2 Audouin's Gull and 1 Slender Billed Gull among other common birds. In the surroundings of the reserve, we find 3 gorgeous Rollers, Hopooes, Iberian Grey Shrike, etc.

Finally, a short stop in the badland where we saw Little Owl, Rock Bunting, Black and Black-eared Wheatear and a Bush chat Robin. It was a great day!
 
These are some of the birds John, Malcolm, Eduard, Sarah and me spotted yesterday in the Alicante province.

After picking them in Costa Blanca we headed South for 20 minutes to see our first target Western Olivaceus Warbler. Following we moved to el Fondo where we enjoyed: 7 Marbled Teals, 2 White-headed Ducks, Little Bittern, 25+ Collared Pratincoles, Squacco Heron, 3 Med Gull, 2 Audouin's Gull and 1 Slender Billed Gull among other common birds. In the surroundings of the reserve, we find 3 gorgeous Rollers, Hopooes, Iberian Grey Shrike, etc.

Finally, a short stop in the badland where we saw Little Owl, Rock Bunting, Black and Black-eared Wheatear and a Bush chat Robin. It was a great day!

Hi Pau - in the region at the moment; can you advise of a reliable site for Western Olivaceous Warbler?
 
Pyrenees birding trip

Happily back from a very exciting trip to the Pyrenees from June 24-28th.

After picking up the clients from Valencia, we set off to the plains of Belchite but before that we stopped in the border between Valencia Region and Aragon to see:

Ortolan Bunting
Subalpine Warblers
Booted Eagle
Orphean Warbler

Great Spotted
Griffon Vulture
Short-toed Eagle
Black-eared Wehatear
Wooddlark
Cirl Bunting
Melodious Warbler
Tawny Pipit
Woodchat Shrike


In Belchite during the evening and early morning of the following day:

Lesser and Short-toed Lark
Calandra Lark
Stone Vurlew
Black and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse
Marsh Harrier


In the Pyrenees

4 sighthings of Lammergeier
1 Wallcreeper
Ring Ouzel
Water Pipit
3 Rock Thrush
Citril Finch every day
Marsh Tit
6Egiptian Vulture
Firecrest
Dipper
Red and Black Kite
3 Red-backed Shrike
Rock Bunting
Two impressive Eagle Owls photo
Quail
And other common birds such as Nuthatch, Garden Warbler, Serin, etc

Mammals: Roe Deer, Marmot, Red Fox, etc

Have a nice day
 
El Fondo and the Salt Pans of Santa Pola

Pectoral Sandpiper (photo attaches)
8+ Temmick's Stint
1 Marbled Duck
2 White-headed Duck
2 Ospreys
5 Whiskered Tern
50+ Common Tern (few days ago there were over 800!!!!)
500+ Mediterranean Gull
10 Audouin's Gull
20 Slender Billed Gull
6 Kentish Plover
5 Pallid Swift
2 Little Bittern

And over 80 species more. Migration is here!

Good Birding
 

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Pego Marshes

Interesting wildlife day guiding Joerg and his wife 11/09/2015

Pego Marshes

Birds

Whinchat
2 Iberian Grey Shrike
2 Night Heron
5 Kingfishers
Purple Heron
28 Glossy Ibises
Bluethroat, we have been ringing them every day during last week
3 Hopooe
Short-toed Eagle
Marsh Harrier
Purple-swamp hen
Black-winged stilt
Sandpiper (little and Green)
Eleonora's Falcon It is my second record in September in Pego Marshes. The first was in September 1st. It think it is interesting as they should be breeding right know. Maybe this is a none breeding bird that stay in the area? or come all the way from the Balearic to feed on passerines and dragonflies? I just know they are superb birds!
Many other common birds (finches, yellow and white wagtail...)


Dragonflies

Long Skimmer
Blue and Lesser Emperor
Red-veined Darter
Violet dropwing
Blue-tailed Damselfly
Scarlet Darter

Then, we move to the surrounding mountains to botanise and seen some butterflies.


Adonis blue
Yellow clouded
Scarce Swallowtail
Painted Lady
Zephyr blue
Bath white

Regarding birds, just to mention a flock of Rock Sparrows, a pair of Blue-rock Thrush and Sardinian Warbler.

Last stop before droping them off in the Salt Pans of Calpe:

30 Red-rumped Swallows
Audoui's Gull

A good day which shows the diversity of this part of Spain

Good birding
 
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