Birding at Aiguamolls de l'Empordà NP with 2 Catalans-Aucellejant als Aiguamolls de l'Empordà-Pajareando en el PN de los Aiguamolls de l'Empordà

BIRDING AT AIGUAMOLLS DE L'EMPORDÀ NP-AUCELLEJANT ALS AIGUAMOLLS-PAJAREANDO EN EL PN DE LOS AIGUAMOLLS DE L'EMPORDÀ

Winter time is a good season to enjoy birdwatching at this Nature Park in Northern Catalonia. The reserve attracts thousands of ducks, geese, shorebirds, lapwings, golden plovers...surrounded by the Pyrenees and an breathtaking landscape.

L'hivern és una bona època per gaudir dels ocells d'aquest Parc Natural del nord del país. S'hi arreceren milers d'ànecs, oques, limícols, fredelugues, daurades...ben envoltades pel Pirineu i un paisatge corprenedor.

Invierno es una buena época para disfrutar "pajareando" en estes Parque Natural del norte de Cataluña. Se congregan miles patos, gansos, límicolas, avefrías, chorlitos...roedados por los Pirineos, un paisaje de extrema belleza.

Enjoying a megalithic cluster close to Barcelona with Americans /Ruta megalític a prop de Barcelona amb americanes

ENJOYING A MEGALITHIC CLUSTER CLOSE TO BARCELONA WITH AMERICANS/RUTA MEGALÍTICA A TOCAR DE BARCELONA AMB UN PARELL D'AMERICANES/EXPLORANDO MEGALITOS CON UN PAR DE AMERICANAS

Foto: Pere Alzina

Despite a very bad weather forecast these 2 Americans wanted to explore this unique megalithic cluster. We were pretty lucky since the storm started when we were about to finish it...Welcome anytime! 

Foto: Pere Alzina

Malgrat una previsió metereològica molt dolenta, els dues americanes van voler fer tant sí com no la ruta megalítica per la Serralada Litoral. Una llevantada ens va acompanyar però, per sort, la pluja forta no va venir fins al final de la trescada. 

Foto: Pere Alzina

Una previsión del tiempo muy mala no impedió que las chicas americanas quisieran salir a explorar los dólmenes y otros restos megalíticos en la Serralada Litoral. Por suerte la lluvia no llegó hasta el final de la salida y pudimos disfrutar de un entorno bonito, de bosques mediterráneos y vistas sobre el Vallès. 

Foto: Pere Alzina

Foto: Pere Alzina

Foto: Pere Alzina

The Audouin's Gull colony at Delta de l'Ebre NP holds 67% of the global population - La colonia de Gaviota de Audouin del Delta del Ebro representa el 67% de la población mundial - La colònia de la Gavina Corsa al Delta de l'Ebre representa el 67% de la població mundial

Catalonia  hosts the largest world population of Audouin's Gull (Larus audouinii): the enormous colony at the Ebro Delta NP (12.000 pairs) and a handful of scattered colonies along the Catalan host hold  67% of the global population. Few individuals remain here in Catalonia while the bulk of them winters in Africa (Mediterranean coast and Atlantic coast, down to Senegal). 

Photo: Enric Badosa 

La enorme colonia de Gaviota de Audouin (Larus audouinii) del Delta del Ebro (12.000 parejas) y algunas colonias más pequeñas de la costa catalana representan el 67% de la población mundial de esta especie. Algunos ejemplares pasan el invierno en la costa catalana pero la gran mayoría lo pasan en el sur de la Península Ibérica y el Norte de África (costa del Mediterráneo occidental y costa atlántica hasta Senegal)  

Photo: Enric Badosa 

Catalunya hostatja la colònia més gran del món de la Gavina Corsa (Larus audouinii): la gran colònia del PN del Delta de l'Ebre (12.000 parelles) i un grapat de colònies que esquitxen la costa catalana representen el 67% de la població mundial. Alguns exemplars romanen a l'hivern a Catalunya, sobretot en els ports pesquers, però la gran majoria marxen a hivernar al sud de la Península Ibèrica i Àfrica, sobretot a la seva costa occidental mediterrània i a l'atlàntica, on baixen fins al Senegal. 

Photo: Enric Badosa

Summer Distribution 

Source: Institut Català d'Ornitologia (www.sioc.cat) 

Ringed birds recovered in Iberian Peninsule, Africa and around

Source: Institut Català d'Ornitologia (www.sioc.cat) 

Winter Distribution

Source: Institut Català d'Ornitologia (www.sioc.cat) 

 Photo: Enric Badosa 

Fabulous Birding around Barcelona and Catalonia

Catalonia is an exceptional place for birding enthusiasts thanks to its privileged geographical position – a stopover place for many migrant species – and its wide range of habitats, ranging from mountains over 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) high to river deltas by the sea, and including steppe, Mediterranean woodland and scrub, central European woodland and more. It is in fact one of the few regions of Europe where, despite its small land area (32,114km2 or 12,400 miles2, similar to that of Belgium), all three major units of European natural landscape are to be found: Mediterranean, central European and alpine or boreal. This is why it contains many of the habitats which exist on the continent, and therefore birds of all kinds which find ideal conditions for breeding, wintering or simply stopping to eat and rest on one of their journeys to northern Europe or to Africa: steppe, uncultivated land, dryland cereals, coastal fresh water and salt marshes, inland lakes, Mediterranean scrub and woodland, deciduous forest, temperate subalpine coniferous forest, alpine grassland, beaches with dunes, imposing sea cliffs, soaring crags... a wonderful mosaic of habitats which are home toa richness in bird population which is unmatched anywhere else in Europe.

By way of example, as many as 395 species of birds have been spotted in Catalonia, of which 232 breed here and 206 winter here regularly. Moreover, it is the only region in Europe where the four species of vulture (black vulture, bearded vulture, griffon vulture and Egyptian vulture) can be seen practically in the same place!

The bird watching trip is tailored to suit you, in terms of length (half a day, a whole day or several days), target species for observation (little bustard, bearded vulture, purple swamphen, Audouin’s gull, black wheatear, etc) and habitats (steppe, dryland, deltas, wetlands, Mediterranean scrub, cliffs for raptors and so on), as well as Natural Parks to explore (the Aiguamolls de l’Empordà, Cap de Creus, Garraf or Delta de l’Ebre parks, for example). Everything is carefully planned to make sure the trip fits what you want like a glove.

By combining short walks with journeys by vehicle we will discover a whole series of Iberian bird species while walking beside sheer cliffs, through wetlands dotted with colourful yellow irises, around the edge of a field of cereals or coming upon lonely coves with the captivating blue of the sea as a backdrop.

Your guide is an ornithologist with over 20 years of experience, a member of the Catalan Ornithological Institute, in joint charge of the project to reintroduce the peregrine falcon to Barcelona (www.falconsbarcelona.net), joint designer of the first on-line census of house martins (www.orenetes.cat) with wide experience of fieldwork (working for the Atlas of Breeding Birds of Catalonia, the Atlas of Wintering Birds in Catalonia and others) and of leading bird watching trips. He is also highly knowledgeable about the geography, flora, fauna, habitats and traditional and modern uses made by people of the land in the area you are about to discover. 

Hiking around Barcelona & Catalonia

Catalonia is one of the most mountainous regions in Europe. The diversity of its mountain landscapes (Mediterranean, central European and alpine), of the forms of its relief (spires, volcanic craters, round-topped hills, sheer cliffs, jagged peaks and more) and its rocks (volcanic, limestone, conglomerate, slate and so on) create a visual attractiveness and a contrast of colours and shapes which is unmatched in Europe. 

On walks within a short distance of Barcelona you can admire the unparalleled spires of Montserrat, go into one of the 40 volcanic craters of La Garrotxa, climb up to the dizzying cliffs of Collsacabra, scale peaks 1,700 metres (5,500 feet) up in the Montseny hills, just 15km (9 miles) from the sea, stroll through the Mediterranean woodlands of the rounded Montnegre or Collserola hills, enjoy treading the carpet of grass covering the Montgrony mountains, which rise to nearly 2,000 metres (6,500 feet) or even, if you are fit, climb to the rocky roof of Catalonia, 2,500-3,340 metres (8-10,000 feet) up. 

Walking along as you breathe in the intense smell of the Mediterranean herbs, the damp of the mosses in the stream beds and humid beech and oak woods, or being dazzled by the explosion of colour of the alpine flowers – a treat for your senses! Views which will remain imprinted on your memory for ever. 

The outing is tailored to suit you, in terms of length (half a day, a whole day or several days), difficulty (hours walking and accumulated climbing), going (rocky ground or level, grassy ground) and type of relief (spires, cliffs, round hills, jagged peaks, etc.) and, of course, the chosen location (Montserrat, Montseny, Montnegre, Cadí-Moixeró, Collserola, etc. Natural Parks). Everything is carefully planned to make sure the trip fits what you want like a glove. 

  

Your guide is an expert in mountaineering (a member of the national federation) who is also highly knowledgeable about the geography, flora, fauna, habitats and traditional and modern uses made by people of the mountains of your choice.