3-4 days around Barcelona? (mid-May) (1 Viewer)

[MMcD]

I’ve got 3-4 solo days in or around Barcelona, before I meet up with my wife and explore Catalonia for a week and a half.

She enjoys birding, but casually, so this would be my chance to focus.

I had a lovely time birding around Lisbon solo, so I’m wondering if there are similar opportunities in Barcelona.

Alternately, are there any guided trips outside the city that folks might recommend?

We’ll be renting a car after we meet up, but I’d rather not do so solo.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Here is a link to ebird hotspots centred on Barcelona and filtered for May: https://ebird.org/hotspots?env.minX...&env.maxY=41.516222729882294&mr=on&m=5&yr=all

 

[MMcD]

Here is a link to ebird hotspots centred on Barcelona and filtered for May: https://ebird.org/hotspots?env.minX...&env.maxY=41.516222729882294&mr=on&m=5&yr=all

Thanks. I’ll definitely be poking around on eBird, so this filter is very helpful.

I’d also love to hear people’s recommendations, since urban birding can be a little iffy, when you’re not familiar with the area.

While visiting Limerick last summer, we had a local gentleman pull over and advise us away from where we were— I guess it was an area with a bit of drug activity. Always nice to get the inside scoop.

 

[pandachris]

The link to the hotspots is useful and I think there's a question of your expectations - e.g. how well do you know the regions birds and how bothered are you about seeing new species? I know the city quite well, although mainly in the 2nd half of the year. You'll find some birds wherever there are trees and of course in mid-May, plenty should still be singing so won't be that tricky to track down. The best areas close to the city are probably either side of the airport but they can be a pain to get to.

For the Maresmes de Cal Nani area at the mouth of the Llobregat, you can probably get a taxi for about €35 from central Barcelona (perhaps rather less from El Prat Metro station) but getting one back might be a challenge. There is the #21 bus from/to Barcelona to the southern edge of El Prat de Llobregat, getting off on Carretera de la Marina just after it turns off the B-250 and (I assume - haven't done this for a while) soon after it crosses the river. Then you have a long-ish walk to the reserve entrance along the southern continuation of Carretera de la Marina. This is very exposed, so ensure that you have sun screen, a hat and something to drink. You can easily make a day of it, so something to eat would also be a good idea. If there's water in the roadside ditches, keep an eye out for Viperine Snakes hunting frogs and toads. This is through agricultural land (perhaps have a look at it on Google Streetview) so there will be birds. A combination of taxi in and walk/bus back might be the easiest, but if you don't mind long walks, then fine. You could even walk from El Prat station. The reserve itself is pretty good, but NB - it's closed on Mondays, something that we found out by walking all the way down there on a Monday!

We once visited the reserve at the other side of the airport by public transport but it was even more awkward and the roads have changed since, so I don't know how easy it is to get there. We've only been by car, since.

The year-round hotspots map shows a concentration of species at the mouth of the Besòs to the north-east of the city centre. I think I'd avoid this area if I was solo. The suburb to the north of the river is not the nicest in the city and whenever we've been (half a dozen or so times) there have been dodgy looking people about. If the worst parts of Limerick felt threatening, then pass on Sant Adrià.

There are several guides in the region. We had an excellent day, starting from the city centre, with Stephen Christopher

Spain birding holidays birdwatching tours operators Catalan Bird Tours Contact Us spanish birding tours

Do you know where in Catalunya you will be going? There are plenty of places where you can combine birding and sight-seeing - the Ebro Delta, for example, but also places that many birders might not spot.

For example, I created this hotspot last year after a very brief visit (albeit to an area that I knew well) ...

Ruta de Capona, Tarragona, Cataluña, Spain - eBird Hotspot

ebird.org

Tiny species count because we only had about 40 minutes and a flight to catch, but the area is a delight, with great access to the beehive huts, set in traditional agricultural land and not a soul in sight. Hopefully we'll get back there in June. In May there will be singing warblers and nightingales, hoopoes and others - and by adding 10 minutes to the visit you can go to see the remarkable Mazinger-Z just across the C-37 in Mas de la Plata, where we'd have had breakfast at the Xiringuito Mazinger-Z, had we known that it existed. You'd probably get a few birds from there as it is surrounded by mature trees.

Another spot for normal sight-seeing and birds is the beautiful Castell d'Olèrdola, combining excellent archaeological remains and gorgeous visitas. There's also Fortalesa dels Vilars where you can combine archaeology and birds (the nearby hotspot Secans Belianes-Preixana would reward an hour or so of driving around) and going back even further in time, we found Black Wheatear and Montagu's Harrier close to the Tombes del Saladar, which is an easy couple of minutes from the fascinating pre-historic rock paintings, Conjunt rupestre de la Roca dels Moros, near El Cogul.

And totally unrelated to birds but linked to another of our passions, in Catalunya in May you really should make an effort to see a castellers performance. It will be a (non-birding) highlight of the trip and worth driving some distance for. They're mainly on Saturdays and Sundays and here's the link for the whole schedule for May. If you can, leave it in the original Catalan because translating into English tends to mangle the vernacular, which includes place names.

Agenda - CCCC

Podeu buscar les actuacions mes a mes o bé consultar l'agenda de la pròxima setmana o els resultats de la darrera.

castellscat.cat

Let me know where you're likely to be on the weekend dates and I'll try to spot a couple that are convenient.

Hope this helps.

​

 

[MMcD]

Hope this helps.

This is fantastic info, thanks!

I think I am going to use some of my solo time to scoot down to the Ebro Delta, since that sounds really neat.

One question regarding regional travel choices-- we had been planning to set up our first home base on the Costa Brava (current frontrunner Sant Feliu de Guíxols), then swing up to the Pyrenees for our second home base (we prefer day trips from a hub, rather than frequent relocation). Looking at your recommendations, other comments, and the ebird hotspots, it looks like the area SW of Barcelona is much more active. Do you know if this is just a function of use, or is that area more interesting than the area to the northest? Our plan was to minimize driving, but we aren't locked in.


Also, I'll take your advice on Sant Adrià. Limerick wasn't terribly sketchy (though the old man waving us away was pretty memorable), but I've had a few experiences that make me aware that the non-birding conditions don't necessarily line up with the hotspot quality. Most notably, we went to investigate a promising spot in Baja California Sur in Mexico, and it was essentially in the middle of a shanty town. Aside from whatever security concerns, it felt incredibly disrespectful to be traipsing about looking for a phainopepla where folks were literally living under tarps and cardboard. Not that I'd expect that from Spain, but much more fun to not be on edge.

Thanks again for your detailed response.

 

[pandachris]

The Ebro Delta is fantastic. We've visited many times. Presumably you're taking a car and I'm guessing going for an overnight. In which case, ensure that you include the following sites - all of which, I'm sure, are eBird Hotspots:

Lo Golero
Riet Vell (hide overlooking a pond)
Playa del Trabucador (it took us several years before I summoned up the courage to drive so far on a sand-spit but the 'road' is fine. Probably wouldn't risk it in the rain
Mirador de Migjorn (called Mirador David Bigas on the eBird hotspot map) - worth going the extra couple of hundred metres to the beach here as well, especially if you haven't already seen Audouin's Gull, although they are possible virtually everywhere.
We also like the area around Finca Bombita, reached on the minor road north-west from the T-340 at the Parc Deltaventur roundabout. We've only been here in the autumn (Bluethroat, Stone Curlew, waders, terns, Thekla Lark in 2023) but it might be good in the spring too and it's very quiet in terms of traffic so you can drive and bird reasonably safely and park anywhere convenient for a wander around.

We usually stay in the Delta Hotel, just outside Deltebre. I think they have breeding Scops Owl in the grounds, as well as Penduline Tit and in September/October at least, the trees in the grounds are a roosting site for Black-crowned Night-Heron. If the fields are in the right state, kingfishers, egrets, ibis and more can be observed through the windows over breakfast and the set evening menu is generally quite good, often with locally sourced foods

We don't really bother with the Costa Brava. We're not much interested in beach resorts, even the lower key ones that you should find there and the birds are probably similar to those on the delta. If we were to stay in the area, I would imagine that the Roses/Empuriabrava area would be the main draw for us, because of the nearby Parc Natural dels Aiguamolls de l'Empordà. The Pyrenees certainly have some good birds that can't be found in the rest of the region (Wallcreeper, Bearded and Cinereous Vultures, Citril Finch, Alpine Accentor). I don't know how easy Capercaillie is but I think they're possible. Stephen, referenced above, will know.

Our preference is for the southern half of Catalunya, but that's in part because of the culture. Many of the best festivals are in that part of the region and we rather like the unique landscapes of the delta, the limestone mountains of the Priorat region and the dry-land birding closer to Lleida. However, my partner is also a birder with a life-list well over 2000, so I don't have the 'problem' of having to find a balance. We tend to find it naturally. We're probably going to spend a few days around Teruel in June and we're already talking about perhaps doing mornings of serious birding then exploring the city in the p.m. I do feel that there is a wider range of species in the south, as compared to the Costa Brava, but as mentioned, the high altitude specialists are only in the Pyrenees. There is never enough time.

 

[MMcD]

The Ebro Delta is fantastic. We've visited many times. Presumably you're taking a car and I'm guessing going for an overnight. In which case, ensure that you include the following sites - all of which, I'm sure, are eBird Hotspots:

Lo Golero
Riet Vell (hide overlooking a pond)
Playa del Trabucador (it took us several years before I summoned up the courage to drive so far on a sand-spit but the 'road' is fine. Probably wouldn't risk it in the rain
Mirador de Migjorn (called Mirador David Bigas on the eBird hotspot map) - worth going the extra couple of hundred metres to the beach here as well, especially if you haven't already seen Audouin's Gull, although they are possible virtually everywhere.
We also like the area around Finca Bombita, reached on the minor road north-west from the T-340 at the Parc Deltaventur roundabout. We've only been here in the autumn (Bluethroat, Stone Curlew, waders, terns, Thekla Lark in 2023) but it might be good in the spring too and it's very quiet in terms of traffic so you can drive and bird reasonably safely and park anywhere convenient for a wander around.

We usually stay in the Delta Hotel, just outside Deltebre. I think they have breeding Scops Owl in the grounds, as well as Penduline Tit and in September/October at least, the trees in the grounds are a roosting site for Black-crowned Night-Heron. If the fields are in the right state, kingfishers, egrets, ibis and more can be observed through the windows over breakfast and the set evening menu is generally quite good, often with locally sourced foods

We don't really bother with the Costa Brava. We're not much interested in beach resorts, even the lower key ones that you should find there and the birds are probably similar to those on the delta. If we were to stay in the area, I would imagine that the Roses/Empuriabrava area would be the main draw for us, because of the nearby Parc Natural dels Aiguamolls de l'Empordà. The Pyrenees certainly have some good birds that can't be found in the rest of the region (Wallcreeper, Bearded and Cinereous Vultures, Citril Finch, Alpine Accentor). I don't know how easy Capercaillie is but I think they're possible. Stephen, referenced above, will know.

Our preference is for the southern half of Catalunya, but that's in part because of the culture. Many of the best festivals are in that part of the region and we rather like the unique landscapes of the delta, the limestone mountains of the Priorat region and the dry-land birding closer to Lleida. However, my partner is also a birder with a life-list well over 2000, so I don't have the 'problem' of having to find a balance. We tend to find it naturally. We're probably going to spend a few days around Teruel in June and we're already talking about perhaps doing mornings of serious birding then exploring the city in the p.m. I do feel that there is a wider range of species in the south, as compared to the Costa Brava, but as mentioned, the high altitude specialists are only in the Pyrenees. There is never enough time.

Thanks again for your detailed response. I've forwarded the last portion to my wife (with minor redactions ), so we'll check that region out more thoroughly.

As for the Ebro Delta, I'm planning to hop a train to L'Ampolla straight away and explore the delta on a rental bike the next day. Assuming google maps is correct, the ride times for the delta seem manageable for a long day. I might not see quite as wide an area as I would in a car, but I'll be headed back to Barcelona the day after and don't really want the expense and headache of of a rental car while I'm in the city.

I had hoped to book a guide with Ebro Delta Birding, but they have a prior booking that day, so I'll be poking around on my own unless I can find a different guide.

 

[pandachris]

A bike could be fun but you will probably make less progress than you imagine because you'll want to keep stopping. Almost any field/padi can hold numbers of birds. If I was in a similar situation I would probably go to Lo Golero first and then decide either to head for Mirador de Migjorn or to ride to Riet Vell then loop back around Llacuna de la Tancada then the Mirador at the Casa de Fusta restaurant near El Poblenou del Delta before heading back to the railway station. If you rent the bike in Barcelona, then Camarles-Deltebre station might be more convenient for the return.

Make sure that you have plenty of fluids because there will be long stretches with nowhere to get anything to drink. A sandwich or two might be a good idea too. There are some excellent restaurants on the delta (the Casa de Fusta is very good, with the smoked eel pate standing out) but you're looking at two hours for lunch.

You'll find hides/lookout towers in a number of places.