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BIRDING HOLIDAYS: The flexible itinerary below visits seven of the best bird watching sites in Catalonia, Spain.

Other itineraries:

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BIRDING SHORT BREAKS: Customised bird watching short breaks of any number of days are also available.

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BIRDING DAY TOURS: Click the main photos below for more details on individual locations for guided day trips.

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Whether 'winter only' species or seasonal supplements to native populations, millions of birds from north-west Europe seek refuge in Spain's mild winter, making Catalonia a top destination for birding short-breaks and holidays.

Mergansers and grebes gather off the coast, ducks and waders seek out the wetlands and passerines flock to the forests and farmland. And there's an ever-growing list of summer breeders such as Squacco Heron, Little Bittern, Black-winged Stilt, Whiskered Tern and Wood Sandpiper choosing to stay over.

And of the locals making it easier to observe them? Rock Bunting to Great Bustard form winter flocks, Eagle Owl begin their 'bu-hu' courtship and Wallcreeper and Snowfinch migrate laterally to lower ground. And all this activity whilst the Lammergeier, unphased, continues to coolly marshall the skies overhead.

Click buttons below for selected Trip Reports, Summaries and Photo Galleries:


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Spain Birding Tour 1 - The Llobregat Delta, Barcelona

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Ferruginous Duck
Great Bittern
 
winter visitor

After picking you up at Barcelona airport, we'll immediately get a feel for birding in Catalonia with a relaxing visit to the adjacent wetland reserves on the Llobregat Delta, where Moustached Warbler, Balearic Shearwater, Audouin's Gull, Temminck's Stint, Penduline Tit, Waxbill and Kingfisher are all much more common in winter.

Sit back and enjoy a restful spectacle of ducks, waders and herons, including Great Bittern, as well as wintering Bluethroat, Stone-curlew and, in November, passage Common Crane before we move on to the villa, on the edge of the Garraf Natural Park, where you can settle in, unpack and have a glass of Penedés vino or a refreshing cava.

If you fancy it, you can take an easy stroll through the local woodland, vineyards and scrub before eating yourselves through the evening at an ocean-side restaurant.

 
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Water Rail

resident breeder

 
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"Thanks for a wonderful birding trip. Your precise knowledge about locations for specific birds was remarkable.

Coupled with your deep knowledge about the birds and their calls - made the trip most enjoyable and the birding experience truly enriching."

K.B., India, 14th-16th and 21st-23rd December 2007

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Spain Birding Tour 2 - The Spanish Steppes

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Pin-tailed Sandgrouse
Little Bustards
large flocks in winter
large winter flocks

A complete change of habitat means a new set of species for this birding trip, although the fast-shrinking steppe requires several locales to find resident Black-bellied and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Great and Little Bustard, Dupont's Lark, Black Wheatear and Black-shouldered Kite.

There is never disappointment though as this fragmented paradise striding the Catalan border delivers a remarkable number of astonishing species. Local Lesser Short-toed Lark and Southern Grey Shrike are joined in winter by Hen Harrier, Merlin, flocking Brambling, Fieldfare and Redwing, and may be late-passage Dotterel and Common Crane.

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Great Bustard
Rock Sparrows/Petronias
winters from September to March
large winter flocks

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"Thank you so much for showing us so much.  So many birds.  Great memories of the Snowfinch (our favourite), Blue rock thrush, Bluethroat, etc etc etc etc.

How wonderfully relaxed it all was - not having to think about where we were going and just being able to enjoy the scenery and look for the birds was about perfect and then lunch was served.  Thanks again."

Dilys and Eric Powell, UK, 2 - 7 January 2009

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Spain Birding Tour 3 - The Ebro Delta / Delta de L'Ebre

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Common Crane
Caspian Tern
late autumn/winter passage
all year round

A short trip south along the coast lies the best of Europe and a place that will remain in your thoughts forever, the Ebro Delta.

After the first day's practise, you won't be over-whelmed by the circus of herons, warblers and shorebirds but there is more on offer here with 'all year round' Audouin's Gull, Glossy Ibis, Lesser Short-toed Lark, Moustached Warbler and Caspian Tern hosting a winter influx of thousands of ducks, divers and waders.

Throw in Great Bittern, Bluethroat, Booted Eagle, Water Rail, the occasional Osprey and an increasing number of 'new' over-wintering birds such as Whiskered Tern, Wood Sandpiper and Little Bittern, and you won't want to stop for the picnic lunch.

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Booted Eagle
Slender-billed Gull
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resident breeder
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"We would like to thank you for a really great trip [their second birding short break, after coming in September 2007] and we both hope to bird with you again in the future."

Mark Dawson and Lorna, UK, 11th-15th February 2008

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Spain Birding Tour 4 - The Cap de Creus / Cabo de Creus

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Balearic Shearwater
Eurasian Shag
more common in winter and passage

Catalonia's unique range of habitats is demonstrated no more so than by this rocky peninsular and the spectacular oceanic and mountain birds it has to offer.

Where else, given the right weather conditions, can you watch Balearic and Yelkouan Shearwaters without the aid of binoculars? And Northern Gannet and Razorbill dive-in from their respective heights too.

Turn around and, against a backdrop of such astounding beauty, the pallete is completed with Bonelli's Eagle, Blue Rock Thrush, Woodlark, Dartford Warbler and Crag Martin as well as Alpine Accentor and may be even Wallcreeper.

sub-species desmarestii
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Northern Gannet
Bonelli's Eagle
mainly winter visitor
resident breeder
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"A marvellous day's birding. We both enjoyed every single minute. So many good things - the birds, the weather, the scenery and the expert company.

We would certainly do it again and have no hesitation in recommending your birding tours to others."

"Stephen was an excellent guide, tailoring his approach to match our experience. He also does a terrific picnic lunch."

The Sellers, England, 17 January 2007

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Spain Birding Tour 5 - The Garraf Massif, Barcelona

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Wallcreeper
Southern Grey Shrike
winters between November and March
a 'new' species

Time for a little local-patch 'birding in Spain', with the Garraf mountains providing the setting for the easily accessible wintering Wallcreeper, Alpine Accentor and Hawfinch.

Swarming flocks of Rock Bunting, Rock Sparrow and other passerines characterise the region at this time of year but Southern Grey Shrike and Firecrest (left) also increase in number and we'll have plenty of time to search out the resident Bonelli's Eagle, Black Wheatear and Blue Rock Thrush before a relaxing sea-watching session to encounter Balearic Shearwater, Audouin's Gull, Gannet, Razorbill and desmarestii Shag.

A late afternoon wander around the Llobregat roosts may tie up the birding day unless that is you fancy retiring to the garden with a glass of Penedes to watch Black Redstart, Blackcaps and Crested Tits and Siskin on the garden feeders.

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Black Wheatear
Resident breeder
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“After two weeks I still have pictures in mind of all the great birds I saw.

Thanks for all your efforts and expertise. It was all the birding holiday I hoped for.”

Bianca Fraanje, Netherlands,
15th-22nd November 2006

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Spain Birding Tour 6 - Aiguamolls de L'Emporda

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Black-shouldered Kite
Stone-curlew
recent invader to Catalonia
huge winter flocks

The Empordà to the north is like a mini-Catalonia and this birding trip will offer a final chance to see some of Spain's most sought-after bird species such as Balearic Shearwater, Great Bittern, Penduline Tit, Stone-Curlew, Moustached Warbler and Black-shouldered Kite.

Booted Eagle, Bluethroat, Kingfisher, Red-throated Diver and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker might also be on hand whilst, for the photographers amongst you, the compact reserve at El Cortalet will offer the best chance yet to snap close-ups of Common Crane, Purple Gallinule, Water Rail, White Stork, Spoonbill and a host of waders, ducks, warblers and herons.

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Wryneck
Eurasian Wigeon
some over-winter
winter visitor
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“Thanks Stephen for a great day's birdwatching.

We really enjoyed it and it was, by far, the best day of our trip. And you were an excellent tour leader.”

Gail and Gwyn Simon, UK, 28 January 2009

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Spain Birding Tour 7 - The Spanish Pyrenees

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Alpine Accentor
White-winged Snowfinch
winters at lower altitudes
eruptive winter visitor

Of course, for those with an appetite for excitement and the thrill of the hunt, one should always save the best birding trip until last and the Catalan Pyrenees are certainly that.

What chance then of seeing resident Lammergeier, Alpine Accentor, Snowfinch, Alpine Chough and Wallcreeper all in one day?

Well, we'll certainly do our best and, with a spoon full of luck, we may even add Black Woodpecker, Golden Eagle, Dipper, Hawfinch, Citril Finch, Nuthatch, Siskin, Fieldfare and Ring Ouzel to a host of woodland warblers, tits and finches.

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Alpine Chough
Citril Finch
resident breeder
resident breeder
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All photos by tour members except Balearic Shearwater by Mark Lewis
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