Ebro Delta in Winter

19th - 24th Nov. 2009 .....18th - 23rd Jan. 2010

Escape from the British winter weather for a one centre break and some great birding in the wetlands, mountains and steppes of Southern Catalonia. The Ebro Delta is the most important wetland on the Spanish Mediterranean coast and second largest in Iberia behind Donaña. It is an extensive marsh and rice producing area at the mouth of the River Ebro and it's filtrates still continue to change the shape and appearance of this huge area. In Winter vast numbers of waterbirds & wildfowl linger along the coastline and lagoons which in turn supports a large raptor population. We shall visit the limestone massif of Ports, the mountain chain that used to form the natural border of three autonomous regions - Catalonia, Valencia, & Aragon. The mountains, rivers and woodlands are home to much wildlife of all varieties. One day we will travel to the ‘Drylands of Alfas’ - a large area of natural grasses and cultivated fields holds good numbers of steppe species in their winter flocks.

Day 1 :- During the day we meet at Valencia Airport and depending on time and other arrivals we shall probably spend some time at the nearby wetland of Moro Marsh. This excellent coastal reserve is home to a small breeding population of Crested Coot and we have a good chance of finding one amongst their commoner cousins. Also here we should find plenty wildfowl and wetland birds including Little Grebe, Cattle & Little Egret, Shoveler, Red Crested Pochard, Gadwall, Pintail, Common Buzzard, Booted Eagle, Sparrowhawk, Purple Gallinule, Water Rail, Avocets, Green & Common Sandpipers, Common Redshank, Greenshank, Common Snipe, Ringed & Kentish Plovers, In the afternoon we shall head to the Ebro Delta and our hotel for the next five nights.

Days 2, 3, 4 & 5 :- Right on the hotel's doorstep is Iberia’s second largest wetland, where thousands of birds come to spend the winter, and much of our time will be spent visiting the viewing platforms, hides and boardwalks which allow excellent viewing out over this wonderful habitat. The extensive phragmites beds hold secretive Great Bittern, Purple & Squacco Herons, Water Rail as well as Bearded & Penduline Tit.  We’ll scan the shallow lagoons for Greater Flamingos, Avocets, Caspian Terns, Audouin’s & Slender-billed Gulls and wintering waders such as Curlew, Black tailed Godwit, Redshank, Greenshank, Kentish, Little Ringed & Golden Plovers, Avocet and Black-winged Stilt. Look out for the flash of blue as a Kingfisher speeds along the irrigation channels while Bluethroats can be found along the muddy tracks and Cetti’s Warblers announce their presence with explosive calls. We will watch the spectacle of scores of Marsh Harriers coming into roost, creating a fantastic aerial display. and the extensive rice fields will be in the early stages of preparation for the years harvest and can create a ‘feeding frenzy’ of egrets, herons and gulls as the tractors turn the rich dark earth.

We shall visit the limestone massif of Ports, the mountain chain that used to form the natural border of three autonomous regions - Catalonia, Valencia, & Aragon. The mountains, rivers and woods are home to many Iberian species such as Griffon Vulture, Golden & Bonelli’s Eagle, Goshawk, Thekla Lark, Crag Martin, Dipper, Blue Rock Thrush, Dartford Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Red-billed Chough, Nuthatch, Crested Tit, Rock & Cirl Bunting. This time of year brings the slight possibility of Alpine Accentor or even Wallcreeper, which can at the highest altitudes. Birds will not be our only focus as several mammal species are present including the endemic Iberian Ibex, Red Squirrels and the elusive Beech Marten.

On one day we will embark on a journey to the ‘Drylands of Alfas’. This large area of natural grasses and cultivated fields holds good numbers of steppe species. Little Bustard and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse will still be in their winter flocks with Stone Curlews and Red legged Partridge seen along the rough edges. Large mixed flocks of ground birds will be feeding in the winter stubble with a high percentage of Calandra & Crested Larks being preyed on by hunting raptors such as Hen Harrier or Merlin.

Day 6 :- Once we are ready we will leave our hotel and spend a while visiting a couple more sites on the Ebro Delta before heading south towards Valencia and depending on time and any remaining target species we may visit one of the sites en-route or re-visit Moro Marsh due to it's close proximity to the airport.

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