Guided birding trip to Albufera de Valencia
Today I was delighted to provide a guided birding trip to Albufera de Valencia for a client from Sweden.
After I collected him from his hotel in Valencia – that was at 7:30am, we did a short journey to arrive at Albufera Natural Park, one of Spain´s most important wetlands. Albufera de Valencia is an extensive wetland which is immediately south of the city, right on the Mediterranean coast and holds a huge variety of ecosystems.
Birding in Albufera de Valencia
Magnus was keen on enjoying most of the target species of this area according to the season, so we agreed to start the day in the northern rice paddies. The rice plant is just begging to grow, giving the possibility to enjoy great views of a huge range of birds from the car.
Once we arrived we took a farming road where we were forced to stop to let three chicks and two adults Black-wing Stilt find their path to the marshes. Meanwhile traffic was improving, a Squacco Heron showed up 2 meters from us, at the same time a Night Heron was also requesting our attention without needing even binoculars!
Finally we kept moving with the purpose to enjoy great views of Whiskered and Gull-billed Tern while were looking for food in the farming canals. For our joy, Whiskered Tern was one of lifers of Magnus’ day.
Whiskered Tern
Our next stop was in the main reserve area, during nesting season it’s a hot spot for terns, gulls, waders and waterfowl. Without much expectations we were looking forward to see one of the most endangered ducks.. Marbled Duck, and we succeeded at the first minute we arrived!!!
Marbled Duck
After we spent most of the morning in a protected reserve area, enjoying great views of Slender-billed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Greater Flamingo, Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit and the impressive Common Tern’s colony as well as many passerines, we opted to move to the southern rice paddies.
Slender-billed Gull
We headed to a small restricted reserve area south of the main lake where was impressive seeing such a good numbers of Purple Swamphen, Little Bittern, Purple Heron and Great Reed Warbler.
Moving forward throug the farming roads we stoped specifically in a spot to aim great views of Collared Pranticole, another lifer for Magnus!
Collared Pranticole
We decided to do a last stop in a small lake beside the see in the Devesa forest. At this time of the year it’s an amazing breeding area for Kentish Plover, Little Tern, Audouin’s Gull and many others species.
Who can resist to a close view of Kentish Plover’s chicks or Little Terns… What a magnificent way of ending a lovely and exciting birding day!
The species list of the day includes:
Common Shelduck, Mallard, Marbled Teal, Common Pochard, Greater Flamingo, Great Crested Grebe, Common Wood-Pigeon, European Turtle-Dove, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Common Swift, Pallid Swift, Eurasian Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Western Swamphen, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Kentish Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, Collared Pratincole, Slender-billed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Audouin's Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Little Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Whiskered Tern, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Little Bittern, Gray Heron, Purple Heron, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Squacco Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Glossy Ibis, Eurasian Hoopoe, Eurasian Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Zitting Cisticola, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Savi's Warbler, Barn Swallow, Common House-Martin, Cetti's Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, Eurasian Wren, Spotless Starling, Eurasian Blackbird, Spotted Flycatcher, House Sparrow European, Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, European Serin.
Written by Yanina Maggiotto
Bird Watching Guide at Visit Natura