Birdwatching and wildlife tours in Spain
Birding trip Costa Blanca
Birding trip report written by Helen and Dick during a birding trip in Costa Blanca, October 24th
My husband Dick and I were spending a 3 week holidays in the Costa Blanca. We were part of a party of 20 Canadian and were accommodate in Benidorm. As we were the only birders of the group, we arranged a birding tour with Pau Lucio from Birdwatching Spain to visit el Fondo and surroundings. We thought this reserve would be a good place for seeing a good bunch of lifers and certainly it was!!!
Report of the birding trip to Costa Blanca
Pau took us to the North part of the park and there, we were very exited seeing our 3 first birds of the day (Little, Black-necked and Crested Grebe). They followed by Egrets, Bluethroat, Red-crested and Common Pochards. In addition, we heard a Great Reed Warbler singing like there was no tomorrow, “it should be already in Africa” said Pau. Later, other birders moved from the first hide allowing some room for the three of us. So, we walked up the tower and as soon as Pau set the scope “surprise” a stunning Spotted Eagle right in front of us. Magnificent! The bird was perched on a post and allow us cracking views.
After that, Pau told us that a local birder reported a GSE on September 17th and since then, there hadn’t been any sight. Maybe the same bird? Probably, but not sure as more Spotted Eagles are expected to come to winter. On the back of the lake there were Black-winged Stilts, Snipes, Glossy Ibis and Greater Flamingos among other birds.
It was nearly noon and we stopped for a coffee in San Felipe Neri. Then, we went to the visitor centre and add to our list Iberian Grey Shrike, Booted Eagle (dark morph), Purple-swamp hen, Great White Heron, Sardenian Warbler, Green Sandpiper, both Starlings and waterfowl. Later, we moved to the South of the reserve to look for a bird that Dick was very fond of, the White-headed Duck. Pau showed us 3 different birds and also an Osprey. I also enjoyed seeing with Dick and Pau other European common birds such as Pied Wagtail, Stonechat and Greenfinch.
Salinas in Santa Pola
Finally, we visited the Salinas de Santa Pola where we found different species of waders. It is always nice when you have someone like Pau pointing out the differences, to me, all waders look the same!! There were nearly 200 Dunlins, Greenshanks, Spotted Redshanks, Ringed Plovers, Common Sandpiper, Sandwich Terns and a Slender-Billed gulled. In the surrounding pine forest, Pau showed us Long-tailed Tit, a bird that was in our most wanted list!
All in all, a nice birding day with Pau. We strongly recommend Pau to anyone looking for a guided tour in Costa Blanca.
Are you thinking in birding in Costa Blanca? The region will surprise you! Please find in the following link our 5-day bird watching holidays in Alicante and Valencia. Should you have any question, please do not hesitate to contact us!
Helen and Dick, Alberta, Canada