Help with Valencia Trip?

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Hi,

Sorry I don't speak spanish but I was hoping that some of you might still help me out with some tips. I might have the opportunity to attend a conference in Valencia, Spain, in early September and I am considering spending an extended weekend if there are some good opportunities for bird photography in the area. Not speaking spanish and not being familiar with the area I probably would prefer something easy to reach by car.

As for species I am not too picky as long as there is a high likelihood of getting close with good light. ;) I know there are no guarantees...

And oh, any good parks on the way from Madrid (or Barcelona) to Valencia? That would of course work too if there is nothing in the immediate vicinity of Valencia.

Thanks in advance! JR

[Fabs Forns]

Hi John,
Juan just went on vacation today for 3 weeks, no laptop.

I hope someone can chime in with info, if not, I'm sure he can help you when he gets back.

[Jorge Escobedo]

First of all, sorry about my bad english....
Near of Valencia is La Albufera, an interesting wetland
Website is:
http://www.albufera.com/portal/index.php
Traslate by Google:
http://translate.google.com/translate?langpair=es|en&u=http://www.albufera.com/portal/index.php

If you travel to Valencia from Barcelona, you must visit Delta del Ebro, maybe the most important place to bird photography in Europe. And September is a good month to take photo because birds go back from central Europe to Africa, passing through the Delta.
The website:
http://www.deltadelebro.org/

Take a look here: http://www.audouinbirding.com/
If you have some time, phone to Cristian Jensen to make a safari bird in Delta, it's amazing!!!
Have a nice trip to Spain!!!

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Dear Jorge,

Thanks for your help! Much appreciated. Delta del Ebro looks indeed interesting. And I may book a birding tour with Cristian Jensen to get a orientation.

I learned from his website also that there is a nearby place, Els Ports Nature Park, where one can see Griffin Vulture and other raptors at a feeding station. Has anyone ever been there? Is it close enough for a 400F5.6?

Thanks. JR

JR

[Jorge Escobedo]

Yes, I was there....and you will need a 70-200 with your 400mm...the Griffin are very close....
And you can see Milanos, Egyptian vulture, black vulture, foxes...

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Wow. That sounds even better than expected.

Big thanks! JR

[Juan Aragonés]

Hi John, Jorge made very good and helpfull points. If you have the time, a visit to Delta del Ebro, near Barcelona, is a must because it is one of the most important wetland in Europe. Good opportunities to see and photograph purple and grey herons, black crowned nightheron, squacco heron, purple gallinule, several species of gulls, flamingo and many more waterbird species. I have been in Valencia a couple of times and really do not have information about the birding possibilities of the area. Of course, La Albufera is a very famous place to visit if you like the wetlands. BTW birds in Spain are really skitish in most part of the country! Hope this helps

PS. I f you like moder architecture you have to visit the "City of Arts and Sciences" in the heart of the city of Valencia, absolutely fantastic! and do not forget to visit the Oceanarium (good oportunities to photograph birds in the aviaries with a 70-200mm or a 400mm: great cormorant, roseate spoonbill, scarlet ibis and more)

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Jorge & Juan,

Thanks so much for your help. I indeed visited Delta del Ebro and Els Ports last weekend. What an amazing sight and experience. The number of herons and egrets in the Delta are truly staggering - and only exceeded by the number of dragonflies and mosquitos. :)

But then, Juan you were not kidding when you cautioned how skittish the birds are in Spain. Despite having seen probably more than a hundred Grey Herons I did not get a single decent image as they all took off from far away. Not even to mention the panic which sets in when you slow down the car or even dare to turn off the engine. And getting out of the car is out of the question. I have a new found respect - and empathy - for you guys as it is considerably easier here in CA.

And I took a birding tour with Cristian and Iben from http://www.audouinbirding.com/. Both are very nice and knowledgeable about the Delta and the birds and showed me some spots which I wouldn't have found based on public information. Apart from the ubiquitous Herons and Egrets we've seen flamingoes, kingfishers, ibises, red & green shanks, black-tailed godwits, common & pectoral sandpipers, Kentish plovers, marsh harrier, booted eagle, purple gallinules, crested and little grebes, Audioun's, Slender-billed, Lesser Black-backed and Yellow-Legged Gulls, coots, whiskered terns, black-winged stilts, avocets, cormorants and much more which I've already forgotten. Great stuff!

Cristian and Iben also coordinated my visit to the Vulture feeding station in Els Ports which was an altogether amazing experience. See www.fundacionmatarranyanature.com for some information. You can ignore the "no photography" rule on the flyer...
Just before the feeding began it literally started raining Vultures. The blind is setup such that you're between 15 - 40 meters away from the birds. I was lucky in that it was overcast most of the morning I visited as otherwise you'd be looking into the sun. As for focal length I think that a 300 mm would actually be ideal. I clipped a lot of wings using my 400F5.6 as the wingspan of these Vultures is simply gigantic. And my 70 - 200F4IS was just a little bit short but I am sure glad I brought it. Thanks Jorge.

Overall visiting the Delta and Els Ports was a great experience and highly recommended even though it requires some adjustment of expectations for us CA/US photographers regarding how approachable the birds are.

And a special thanks to the friendly Spaniard who pulled my stuck rental car out of the sand at a beach.

Best, JR

[Joerg Rockenberger]

PS: Juan, my hotel was indeed just across of the City of Arts and Sciences. What a spectacular sight. Unfortunately, i didn't make it to the Oceanarium during the week as I was there for business... :(

Thanks. JR

[Juan Aragonés]

John I am glad to hear that you enjoyed the visit to Spain and hope to see some of your images posted in BPN soon. Delta del Ebro is one of the hotspot birding sites in Europe. Now that you know how skittishs are the european birds you have to understand how much we are jealous of people living in places were the birds are more coopertive;)

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Juan, I'll sure understand better now the challenges you're facing. Now, keep in mind I and many other photographers are envious of our Florida friends...

Stay tuned for pics. :)

JR

[Juan Aragonés]

Florida is different for sure and we all, no floridians, are really envious of them :D:D

Juan, I'll sure understand better now the challenges you're facing. Now, keep in mind I and many other photographers are envious of our Florida friends...

Stay tuned for pics. :)

JR

[Jorge Escobedo]

I'm really happy that you enjoyed the visit to Delta and Els Ports, John.

Juan you were not kidding when you cautioned how skittish the birds are in Spain. Despite having seen probably more than a hundred Grey Herons I did not get a single decent image as they all took off from far away. Not even to mention the panic which sets in when you slow down the car or even dare to turn off the engine. And getting out of the car is out of the question. I have a new found respect - and empathy - for you guys as it is considerably easier here in CA. This is is our real world.....