Bird Watching from El Parador de Golf, El Saler.

It was great to begin the new year by doing what we love, bird watching with people who value and appreciate nature.

Over the New Year festive period, we had the pleasure of introducing a group of guests from the Parador de Golf de El Saler to the amazing bird life of the Albufera de Valencia Natural Park.

As a way of making this experience available  to as many guests as possible, we organised a series of trips over a three day period, focussing on the ecology, habitats and bird life of this fascinating wetland region.  Although the format for each trip was the same, the ever changing bird movement through the park ensured that each day was a little different, and with it´s own surprises.

On each trip we were fortunate to have fabulous views of some amazing species, especially on the rice fields which provide shelter and feeding grounds for thousands of birds each winter.

We also visited a natural reserve area where habitat is carefully managed to provide haven for species that are especially sensitive to water quality.

Over the three day period, we were fortunate to see a great selection of “typical Albufera” bird species.  These included Purple Swamphen, Little Grebe, hundreds of Glossy Ibis, thousands of Flamingos, Lapwings, Marsh Harriers, Booted Eagle, all the usual herons and egrets plus a surprise Squacco Heron, a bird that usually migrates to Africa for the winter.  Surely, these and many more sightings will provide fond memories for a long time to come.

It was a real pleasure to have enjoyed the company and indeed the smiles of our guests, and to help them discover the magic of birding and nature here in Valencia.

We would like to wish everyone a very happy 2016, and we hope that you take to the field and enjoy the amazing bird life around you, wherever you may be.

With best wishes,

Yanina & David.

Eco-Tourism Guides at Visit Natura.