BIRDING

Southern Spain is a great place for birding by its geographical location and the diversity of habitat. Its warm weather most of the year and be in the migratory route of thousands of birds that each year fly over the Strait of Gibraltar, makes this place great for birders.

Throughout the year can be registered in Andalusia around 400 species of birds. It's easy to get out to the field one day and return home with more than 50 different species observed.

Thanks to our guides experience, you can return home with many new species on your target list. Your holidays in Southern Europe will be unforgettable and you'll wish to return.

DONANA NATURAL PARK

         Doñana is a protected area from 1969 located in Western Andalusia. It has many different ecosystems, where water plays an important role both in its presence and its absence. Marshes, dunes, forests, lagoons, beaches, cultivated areas, grasslands... makes it a paradise for birdwatching, because is an essential stop on the trip to / from Africa.

In Doñana, visitors can see over 300 different species of birds throughout the year. Because of its large size, 108.086 hectares, there are many different daily routes for birdwatching. Raptors, waders, waterfowl, herons, songbirds, gulls... virtually any group of Western Palearctic birds visit Doñana any time of year. It's easy to get out to the field one day and return home with more than 50 different species observed.

           Our expert guides will take you to visit wonderful places of Doñana, where you can birdwatching, enjoy different ecosystems and back home convinced to have visited one of the most breathtaking natural spaces of Europe.
 Usual species

Autumn-Winter: Black-necked Grebe, Night Heron, Great Egret, Cattle Egret, White Stork, Black Stork, Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingo, Spoonbill, Purple Swamphen, Crested Coot, Common Crane, Red-crested Pochard, Booted Eagle, Red Kite, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Osprey, Peregrine Falcon, Tuttle Dove, Iberian Grey Shrike, Spanish Sparrow…

Spring-Summer: Black-necked Grebe, Cattle Egret, White Stork, Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingo, Purple Swamphen, Crested Coot, White-headed Duck, Red-crested Pochard, Black Kite, Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Montagu’s Harrier, Red Kite, Marsh Harrier, Lesser Kestrel, Bee-eater, Red-rumped Swallow…

LA JANDA

Due to its variety of climates, the Iberian Peninsula has the greatest diversity of habitats to be found in Europe. And thanks to its geographical location, is a stopping point for thousands of migratory birds that each year cross the Strait of Gibraltar.

The province of Cadiz is the most southern Andalusia, border between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, between Africa and Europe. It has 20 protected natural areas, over 234,000 hectares of protected sites from north to south, where almost 400 species of birds occur over the course of a year. This includes resident, wintering, breeding and migratory birds. From the cliffs and beaches of the coast to the mountain ranges of the Sierra de Cadiz, through the countryside and its natural lagoons, this variety of ecosystems, makes the province of Cadiz is a great place for birdwatching.

            If you love raptors we can explore several routes where we can see Griffon and Egyptian Vultures, Spanish Imperial, Bonelli's, Booted and Short-toed Eagles, Lesser Kestrel, Black-winged Kite, Red and Black Kites, Montagu’s and Marsh Harrier, Tawny Owl, Eagle Owl...

BAHÍA DE CÁDIZ NATURAL PARK AND ENDORHEIC LAGOONS

           The Bay of Cadiz is a protected area of ​​great importance to birds because the traditional use of coastal marshes, salt extraction, has created a perfect ecosystem for tens of thousands birds to exploit. Some merely pause on their way to Africa, others stay for the winter and some remain to breed. Thus, throughout the year you can see dozens of different species that use wetlands for breeding, resting and feeding. We explore various routes to see waders (including Kentish Plover, Black-winged Stilt and, in summer, Collared Pratincole), terns (Gull-billed, Caspian and Whiskered) and other interesting birds.

Depending on the level of winter rainfall and season, we can also visit the region’s famous endorheic lagoons. These are home to Iberian specialities like Red-knobbed Coot, Purple Swamphen, Ferruginous, White-headed and Marbled Ducks, plus Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis and much else.
 Usual species

Spring-Summer: Red-crested Pochard, Black-necked Grebe, White Stork, Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Marsh Harrier, Red-knobbed Coot, Black-winged Stilt, European Avocet, Kentish Plover, Little Tern, Crested and Short-toed larks, Whitethroat…

Autumn-Winter: White Stork, Black Stork, Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Marsh Harrier, Osprey, Black-winged Stilt, European Avocet, Kentish Plover, Grey Plover, Ferruginous Duck, Black-tailed Godwit, Slender-billed Gull, Audouin’s Gull, Caspian Tern, Whiskered Tern, Crag Martin…

FUENTE DE PIEDRA LAGOON

          A typical day for visiting the Lagunas de Campillos and Fuente de Piedra begins with our journey from our base near to Ronda. The contrast in scenery and wildlife is very spectacular, travelling over mountains and eventually arriving to the rolling hills and flat basin that surrounds Fuente de Piedra. The lake is huge, measuring some 6 kilometres long and 3 kilometres wide, it is considered one of the largest natural lagoons in Spain. Due to the salinity of the water here, Greater Flamingo choose to breed in massive numbers, at their peak numbers can exceed 30,000 and so making this the largest breeding colony in Europe. There are other lagoons in the area and depending on water levels, these can hold such sought after species as White-headed Duck and Marbled Teal, as well as the beautiful Red-crested Pochard.

         Migrating birds are also a feature here and virtually anything can turn-up, including large concentrations of raptors and also wading birds. The area in summer is very good for some specialist steppe birds including Montagu’s Harrier, Calandra and Short-toed Lark, Little Bustard and the elusive Roller. Along with the ever present Greater Flamingo, Black-necked Grebe is common and occasionally Red-knobbed Coot is seen. Gull-billed Tern are common breeding birds and Whiskered Tern are also in the area, with Black Tern common migrants. Rarities include Lesser Flamingo and White-winged Black Tern, although the list is endless as the area annually attracts so many rarities!