BirdingInSpain

Birding around Barcelona

This could be an important notice for all birders planning to visit the Llobregat Delta reserves, maybe before taking their flight back home from Barcelona airport, or starting their birding trip after flying into the same.

The opening times of the Cal Tet and Remolar-Filipines reserves of the Llobregat Delta are less than convenient, so don’t get caught out like I was recently. It could put an unwelcome slant to your birding plans!

Furthermore, the access road to the Remolar-Filipines reserve has a barrier that is lowered when the reserve is closed, and at weekends, which causes problems of a different nature, namely:

(i) When access is barred you have to walk for about 15 minutes each way if you want to go to the beach and do a seawatch, for example.

(ii) At the same time the only option for parking your vehicle is in an un-manned car park another 5 minutes away. But that’s not all! This also has its opening and closing times, and any cars left inside when the gate is closed remain there until the gates are opened the following day.

(iii) If you manage to drive along the reserve access road to the car park at the entrance to the Remolar-Filipines reserve well done, but don’t be too complacent. Once I was with birding clients visiting the reserve before dropping them off at Barcelona airport and we were locked in! It was my fault – after the reserve closed I suggested doing a very profitable seawatch from the nearby beach, ignoring the fact that the barrier at the head of the access road was lowered shortly after the Llobregat Delta reserve itself was closed.

If you need a translation just send us an e-mail and we’ll be happy to send you one. 

So be informed! Here are the current opening times – you might need a bit of time to study and memorize them, but it could be worth your while. Remember that birding in the Llobregat Delta on the edge of Barcelona can be a rewarding activity. On recent visits with clients we have seen birds such as Greater Flamingo, Purple Gallinule, Yelkouan Shearwater, Common Waxbill, Penduline Tit, plenty of waders, ducks, terns and gulls, and even a group of Bottlenose Dolphins close to shore!

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I have a burst pipe in my cellar

I have a burst pipe in my cellar. I think I’ll phone an expert plumber and ask him for free advice on how to fix it.

***

“Hello, is that Worldwide Travels?”

“Yes, how can we help you?”

“Well, we’re in the process of establishing a Travel Agency, and one of our star packages is to Turkey. We know that you have been operating in Turkey for many years now and we were wondering if you could tell us the name of a really good local driver, the best local guide and of course some more information about the itineraries that work the best for you”.

“Of course Sir, and while we’re at it why don’t you copy our name too?”

“Actually, we’ve already done that”

***

Are you interested in contracting guided birding in Spain?

- No.

Would you like to participate in one of our bird photo trips?

- No.

Are you going to participate or have you participated in any birding trip led  by Steve?

- No.

Have you acquired a copy of “Where the birds are in northeast Spain” or “Flying over the Pyrenees, standing on the plains”

- No.

Have you “liked” Birding In Spain on Facebook?

- No.

Have you clicked on any of the links for recommended accommodation on the Birding In Spain website?

- No.

Have you commented on any of the Birding In Spain blog articles?

- No.

The Birding In Spain website has lots of free birding itineraries, recommendations, advice, downloads etc. We hope you enjoy them and that they are useful. It may be tempting to ask for more, but before you do why not ask yourself if you really believe that a family of four can make a living out of  “No”s.

Be positive.

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Raptor Special Photo Trip

Although our spring plains birds photo trips are all but fully booked this year, we still have some dates available for a raptor special photo trip this February and March.

These are the dates still available at the time of writing: 

From 11th  to 16th  February

From 6th  to 15th  March

From 24th  to 30th  March

Get more details by downloading the pdf below, as well as a look at the kind of photo you could be taking from our hides.

Then contact us to find out more, and if special conditions can be applied to you or your group. 

Raptor Special Photo Trip with Birding In Spain

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Birding around Barcelona

Planning a trip to Barcelona? Maybe a short stop-off in Barcelona city as part of a Mediterranean cruise, or some traditional sightseeing? But you’re reading this because you’re a birder, right? And wherever you go you always think about birds and birding, so…

What are the possibilities and recommendations for birding, or birdwatching, around Barcelona?

On the very edge of Barcelona airport there are some interesting birding options in the Llobregat Delta. A couple of different sites of the Llobregat Delta are good for a spot of birdwatching and are within easy reach of the Barcelona city centre or Barcelona airport. One such birding site is the Remolar-Filipines reserve of the Llobregat Delta.

Inconvenient timetables may mean that the reserve is closed when you get there, or that you will have to walk some distance along the access road and park in an unattended car park, which you may also find closed and locked on your return if you dally too long doing a spot of seawatching from the beach. So be warned! Make sure that you are well informed of the reserve and car park timetables before you start birding this part of the Llobregat Delta.

Water levels fluctuate on the reserve, and the lagoons are prone to drying out. Nevertheless, you could plan to spend a couple of hours here, first visiting the well-built hides and then taking the short walk to the beach for a spot of seawatching. Purple Gallinule, Zitting Cisticola, Cetti’s Warbler are there in the reeds somewhere, and there’s usually a good assortment of waders, ducks and herons in areas with open water. Another, newer birding site within easy reach for birding from Barcelona is Cal Tet. Here the main attractions are water birds along the riverside, the Cal Tet lagoon and whatever birds there may be on flooded fields or along the beach. On the walk itself it is not difficult to detect Common Waxbill and Penduline Tit.

Further to the south, but still not far from Barcelona is the Garraf. The cliffs here at the seafront can be worth a look, as birds like Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush and Sardinian Warbler can often be seen. If you are birding at Garraf in the winter then it is also worth bearing in mind that a Wallcreeper has been recorded here in several successive winters.

Garraf is also the name of the calcareous massif just inland from here, and is protected under the figure of Garraf Natural Park. Check those swifts flying around, because there could well be some Pallid Swifts among them. The superb Bonelli’s Eagle is one of the highlights of this massif, and it is easy to spot Dartford Warbler, Thekla Lark and Subalpine Warbler in the more open areas. Birding elsewhere, in the more sheltered, wooded and cultivated areas of the Garraf massif you can expect Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Firecrest, Cirl Bunting, Crested Tit and Hoopoe, among others.

Photo by Jordi Bas 

Then after your great birding day out you can go back to Barcelona and do something “normal”, like plan a visit to one of Gaudí’s marvellous works such as Casa Batlló, Parc Güell, or the Sagrada Familia, not forgetting the binoculars of course, because even in Barcelona city centre there are more options for birdwatching, like setting eyes on flocks of noisy Monk Parakeets, or perhaps a chance encounter with an Iberian Green Woodpecker.

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Eagle Photography with Birding In Spain

Below is a selection of photos from the new Bonelli’s Eagle hide taken by Birding In Spain photography partner Jordi Bas.

Photos taken in Catalonia, Spain.

These eagle photos reflect the activity of this, a very special, week. We have received bird photographers from Germany, Belgium and Spain participating in a special raptor photo trip with Birding In Spain. And we were a little bit nervous, because this was the first week we were using the new Bonelli’s Eagle photographic hide and the Golden Eagle photographic hide with real clients, all keen bird photographers.

For one part we needn’t have worried. Both the male and the female Bonelli’s Eagle came down to within 12 metres of the hide, and all the photographers got excellent photos of these magnificent eagles.

Certainly, though, it’s a nerve-wracking moment when, often after a wait of several hours, the Bonelli’s Eagles suddenly appear as if out of nowhere. The photographers in the hide are sitting tensely, waiting to see what the eagles will do. Will they take fright and fly away if they hear the click of the camera shutter? The female Bonelli’s Eagle seems to be the more wary of the two, but nevertheless she poses nicely, perched in one of the bare trees in front of the hide, while the more daring male Bonelli’s Eagle descends to the rocky platform to feed. Then, when the female eagle seems to be satisfied that there is no danger she flies down to join her mate and to make a meal of what is still there for her. And the day goes with eagle – click – photo, eagle – click - photo …

Photographers in the hide can often spend an hour or more taking photos of the Bonelli’s Eagle, and of course are very pleased with the results of their eagle and raptor photo trip.

By mid-afternoon it’s usually possible to leave the Bonelli’s Eagle hide with hundreds of photos and then to decide what to do next: a short session in the pool hide to photograph passerines, a walk in the countryside around Montsonís, or go back to the warm, cosy apartment and edit and enjoy the hundreds of eagle photos on the camera’s photo card. And before leaving Montsonís, many are already making arrangements for the next photo tour with Birding In Spain.

You can see a selection of Bonelli’s Eagle photos taken by Birding In Spain clients at www.Birdpictures.pro .

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Merry Christmas

Florinda and Steve would like to wish all our clients, friends, partners, collaborators and sympathizers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Things have been very difficult for so many people this year, and the prospects aren’t looking much better for next year. Nevertheless, while we have birds, and plenty of them, many of us will have moments of joy, and the possibility to hope for a brighter future.

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What can possibly go wrong on  a foreign birding trip?

Not much, well, not really that much, except:

1.The accommodation or food, or both, is lousy.

2.The itinerary, timing or pace of your trip are not quite right and you end up missing a lot of the best birds.

3.You experience car hire problems.

4.You experience traffic or driving problems.

5.Getting lost becomes a habit.

Now I’m sure he said turn left at Catalonia and straight on for Extremadura, didn’t he?

6.You don’t know which tracks are public access and consequently you end up missing some great birding spots.

7.You have an unfortunate encounter with traffic police.

8.You car is broken into and your possessions, passport and money are stolen.

9.Your binoculars are stolen by highway thieves.

10.You suspect you have been overcharged for a taxi ride.

There’s no rush, it’s better watching birds here…

11.The road to the bird is closed due to a sporting event and you have no alternative site up your sleeve.

12.You miss many birds because you are not familiar with their calls.

13.You urgently need to go to an optician’s/doctor/dentist in a strange city, and where they may not speak your language.

14.You don’t like driving around big cities, but there’s no way to avoid it.

15.You’ve had an accident. The car is a write-off. You are on the way to the next hotel. There are no alternative vehicles available. You are leading a group of 7 people. You are by the side of the motorway with 2 Guardia Civils and the driver of the other vehicle.

16.You are suffering from dehydration but don’t know it.

… than from our hotel window. “A room with a view” the brochure said!

All of these situations have either happened to us or have been reported to us as happening to our clients when travelling alone. We’ve learnt a lot about guiding groups and individuals to get the best from their birding in Spain over the last 16 years or so. That’s possibly why many of our clients trust us with the organization of their valuable birding time.

So, choose a number between 1 and 16. Or get professional service and guidance from Birding In Spain.

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Un día…

Un hombre entra en un edificio de muchos pisos.

Oficial: ¿En que le puedo servir?

Hombre: Quiero denunciar una desaparición.

Oficial: Ah, entonces pase a la sección de personas desaparecidas.

Hombre: Verá, es que no se trate de una persona.

Oficial: ¿Cómo no? ¿Pues, de que se trata?

Hombre: Es…es un poco difícil de explicar.

Oficial: Mire señor, no dispongo de todo el día. Así que si no me lo puede o no me lo quiere explicar le aconsejo que vuelva más tarde cuando lo tiene más claro. ¿De  acuerdo?

Hombre: Vale, vale. Pues se trata de un chorlito dorado americano (Pluvialis dominica) que vi en unos arrozales. Estuvo durante unos 15 minutos, se marchó y después no lo podía encontrar.

Oficial: ¿Un dolido chico americano? Mire, si ha venido a gastar una broma y…

Hombre: No, no, por favor. Un chorlito dorado americano.

Oficial: ¿Y esto que es exactamente?

Hombre: Es una limícola  neártica divagante a Europa.

Oficial: ¿Una limícola neártica? Si me lo hubiera dicho antes habríamos ahorrado mucho tiempo. Tenga. Hay que rellenar este formulario, A421 “Limícolas Neárticas Extraviadas“.

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Rapinyaires - Rapaces

Ciutadans de Catalunya! Ja ho tenim aquí! Per fi, desprès de la seva concepció més de 6 anys enrere, ha nascut el joc “Rapinyaires!“.  El part ha anat molt bé, a més dels pares Birding In Spain i La Sabina, també han assistit la Diputació de Lleida, el Plus Fresc, l’Ajuntament de Lleida i el web de micromecenatge Verkami.

Desprès de la seva presentació de “com a casa” i informal aquest dissabte passat a Montsonís el joc ja està a la venta. PVP 16.5 euros, si compres 2 el preu és de 15 euros per a unitat.

A més del joc en si, que dona varies possibles modalitats de joc instructius i divertits, també hi ha un manual que explica més coses sobre els rapinyaires de la Península Ibèrica. No perdis aquesta oportunitat d’aconseguir el teu!

Ya lo tenemos aquí! Por fin, después de su concepción hace más de 6 años ha nacido el juego “Rapaces!”. El parto ha ido muy bién, además de los padres Birding In Spain y La Sabina también han asistido la Diputación de Lleida, el Plus Fresc, el Ajuntament de Lleida y el web de micromecenazgo Verkami.

Después de su presentación “como en casa” e informal este sábado pasado a Montsonís el juego está en venta. PVP 16.5 euros, y si compras 2 el precio baja a 15 euros la unidad.

Además del juego en si, que da varias modalidades de juego instructivas y divertidas también hay un manual que explica más cosas sobre las rapaces de la Península Ibérica (en catalán, pero cuenta con un manual on-line en castellano).

Assistents joves i no tan joves a la presentació del joc de Rapinyaires 

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Hotels renew their links with Birding In Spain

If you’re a birder and you’ve been birding in northeast Spain, you may have stayed at one or more of the hotels that form the network of Birding In Spain Recommended Hotels.

If you don’t know which hotels form part of the Birding In Spain network then just check out the Sites and Itineraries section: for most of the itineraries there will be one or two links on the left-hand side that will take you to the hotel websites.

If you have stayed at any of these birder-friendly hotels please let us know about the experience. Your feedback is very useful: if the hotels are doing a good job then it’s important and gratifying to give them a pat on the back and to encourage them to keep up the good work; if you have detected or experienced any shortcomings then reporting these in a constructive manner will also help them to improve.

Here’s a shortlist of the hotels that have collaborated with Birding In Spain for a number of years, and which have opened their doors to the international birding community for another year.

Monestir de les Avellanes

Montsonís

Delta Hotel

Rincón del Cierzo

Hospedería de Loarre

Hostería de Guara

Metsola Apartments

Mas del Rei

Hotel Roca Blanca

Hotel Edelweiss

Mas del Joncar

Hotel Mediodía

Times are hard and getting harder in Spain. These hotels welcome birders and are keen to receive more. You can help them, us, and yourself too, by checking them out when planning your first or your next birding trip to northeast Spain.

If you have already stayed in one of these hotels you could also write a review on Trip Advisor.

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