LLOBREGAT DELTA
Only a very short drive from Barcelona airport is the birding hotspots of the Llobregat Delta & Garraf Natural Park. Although almost surrounded by the airport and industrial buildings the Llobregat Delta (and its associated Reserve) holds a surprising variety of interesting wetland birds. It is a small reserve with excellent hides overlooking marshes, lagoons and meadows. A short visit here can be combined with an often profitable seawatch from the nearby shore. It has been declared a Special Protection Area as a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. A little further to the southwest lies the Garraf Natural Park, a limestone massif with low open scrub, rocky slopes, dwarf fan palms and abandoned fields, as well as stunning views of the Mediterranean sea. The Garraf Massif has been declared a Protected Area by the Catalan Government. Over 100 species can easily be seen in April/May, and about 60 to 70 the rest of the year. Over 300 different species have been recorded in these two locations.
Key species All year round: Iberian Green Woodpecker, Western Swamphen, Iberian Grey Shrike, Blue Rock Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Eurasian Hoopoe, European Serin, Sardinian Warbler, European Crested Tit, Crested Lark, Bonelli's Eagle, Firecrest. Summer visitors: Golden Oriole, Subalpine Warbler, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Little Bittern, Collared Pratincole, Black-winged Stilt, Black-eared Wheatear, Common Rock Thrush, Ortolan Bunting, Woodchat Shrike, Pallid Swift, Alpine Swift, Red-rumped Swallow, Purple Heron, Audouin's Gull, Tawny Pipit. Nature Travel Birding – Spain: Barcelona Day Trips
Winter visitors: Balearic Shearwater, Yelkouan Shearwater, Rock Bunting, Alpine Accentor (scarce) In migration: Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Temminck's Stint, Little Stint, White-winged Black Tern. Rarities sometimes encountered: Balearic Flycatcher, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Olive- backed Pipit, Yellow-browed Warbler, Little Swift, Terek Sandpiper, Marbled Teal, Pallid Harrier.
LLEIDA STEPPES
About 90 minutes from Barcelona lies the ancient town of Lleida, situated within the Catalan Central Depression. This day trip will explore the vast flat dry area east of the town where a mosaic landscape allows excellent birdwatching. This big area contains savannah-like sectors with sparse trees, irrigated fields, olive and almond groves, reservoirs with extensive reedbeds, the largest inland lake in Catalonia, Mediterranean scrubs and cultivated areas. Over 80 species of birds can easily be seen on a day trip all year round.
Key species All year round: Little Bustard, Eurasian Thick-knee, Red-legged Partridge, Thekla’s Lark, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Iberian Grey Shrike, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Little Owl, Dartford Warbler, Eurasian Griffon, Golden Eagle, European Crested Tit, Spotless Starling, Western Swamphen, Common Rock Sparrow, Eurasian Hoopoe, White Stork, Northern Goshawk, Penduline Tit. Summer visitors: Subalpine Warbler, Western Orphean Warbler, Woodchat Shrike, Western Bonelli's Warbler, European Roller, European Bee-eater, Golden Oriole, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Montagu's Harrier, Calandra Lark, Black Kite, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Eurasian Hobby, Lesser Kestrel, Spectacled Warbler, Tawny Pipit. Cirl Bunting. Winter visitors: Hen Harrier, Red Kite, Eurasian Merlin, Wallcreeper (scarce). In migration: Northern Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Dotterel, Black Stork, Honey Buzzard. Rarities sometimes encountered: Rough-legged Buzzard, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Black- winged Kite.
Nature Travel Birding – Spain: Barcelona Day Trips
THE PYRENEES
The Pyrenees Roughly 2 hours’ drive north of Barcelona is the little gem of El Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park in the Pyrenees. Two great mountain ridges, El Cadí and El Moixeró, meet at Coll de Tancalaporta and form an impressive mountain barrier where the main Pyrenean ridge meets the pre-Pyrenees. This is where El Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park protects not just a wonderful biodiversity but also numerous sites of outstanding natural beauty. The park was established in 1983 and encompasses 41,060 hectares (101,500 acres) of mountainous terrain, with Vulturó standing at 2,648 metres (8,688 ft) as its highest point. This day trip will explore the mountains up to 2000 metres elevation, as well as the surrounding valleys. The park has imposing rock faces, extensive pine forests and alpine meadows. It is one of the most significant birding areas of the high mountains in northeast Spain.
Key species All year round: Lammergeier, Eurasian Griffon, Golden Eagle, Black Woodpecker, Ring Ouzel (scarce), Citril Finch (scarce in winter), Firecrest, Short-toed Treecreeper, Goldcrest, European Crested Tit, Alpine Chough, Red-billed Chough, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Rock Bunting, Cir Bunting, (European) Red Crossbill, Dipper, Tengmalm’s Owl. Summer visitors: Common Rock Thrush, Water Pipit, Melodious Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Northern Wheatear, Tawny Pipit, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Ortolan Bunting, Egyptian Vulture, Booted Eagle. Winter visitors: Wallcreeper, Alpine Accentor, Snow Finch, Fieldfare, Brambling. In migration: Lesser Kestrel, Common Whitethroat, Subalpine Warbler, Honey Buzzard.
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