Again this is to be the written account of a family holiday that incorporates birding rather than a hardened birding trip report. Having trawled various birding sites for trip reports none covered this area of Catalonia other than the Ebro Delta. In some ways you can see why, but as we managed to get Lesser-Short-toed lark, Bonelli's Eagle and Red-necked Nightjar if a family members says, "This is where we are going". Do not be too upset.
We flew from Manchester with First Choice as we have found them to be a good company on our last two trips. The week was spent in the Vil.la Romana on the North East side of Salou. It was a large friendly hotel but being split over two wings did not have the awkward appearance of the hotels closer to the sea. It was reassuring to know that amongst the different nationalities Spanish people choose to stay here.
Friday 28th May 2004
Our flight touched down mid-morning and as we stepped off the plane and onto the shuttle bus the air was filled with the singing of Serins. Swifts hawked in numbers over the grass of Reus Airfield. A taxi transfer to the hotel was uneventful and the 15 minute ride produced only magpies and more swifts.
We could not check in until after 1pm so we took the 15 minute stroll down to the beach. Salou was, as we expected, full of English bars and souvenir shops. House Sparrows were everywhere. This proved to be true for the whole of the week. So if Spain sees the dramatic fall in numbers being reported in England you know we are in trouble.
The sea was calm and no birds flew off shore, but a variety of jellyfish were being washed up on the beach.
The afternoon was spent by the pool. Serins competed with Goldfinches and Greenfinches to fill the air with song. Swifts circled overhead, House Martins and Swallows flew up and down the streets. The supporting cast was of more house sparrows, Woodpigeons and Collared Doves. The starlings were too far away to identify the species. A White Wagtail landed briefly on the hotel roof.
Dinner was for the buffet in the hotel. Whilst it was good quality they were not expecting to entertain 3 vegetarians for a whole week.
Saturday 29th May
The first full day was to be spent in the Port Aventura Theme Park. Given that last year we had spent a lot of time in the Universal Park in Orlando, expectations were high that this was not going to be bird free.
The ten minute walk to the entrance produced more Serins and greenfinches plus a singing Sardinian Warbler in the scrub land between the hotels along the road.
Once through the entrance the first lifer appeared as a Spotless Starling singing from above the first shop. Nearby a Turtle Dove was exceptionally tame. These proved to be common in the park particularly around the area of called Polynesia. This incidentally was the best area for Spotless Starlings too as they were nesting in the thatch roofs and flying out of the park to feed. Though, some made use of the water sprinklers that kept the grass in the area called China soft and full of suitable bugs. The novelty of seeing so many Serins did not wear off all week.
We left the park about 7pm to get changed and come back for the evening fireworks. On the way out 2 white wagtails walked on the beach of the lake and house martins hunted over it, returning to feed their young in the buildings by the entrance. With so little free standing water this colony does owe its existence to the Park.
A Nightingale sang as we walked back to the park for dinner in Marco Polo's where vegetarian food was not a problem - the gnocchi was exceptionally spicy. Before it got dark we noted Mallard and Moorhen on the lake and after dark a bat circled around. The fireworks were OK but the accompanying laser show was well worth seeing.
Sunday 30th May
This should have been the day the car arrived, but the First Choice Rep. had told us that as it was a holiday tomorrow the Avis office was having a day off today. So we changed the days around and we were to spend the day in the Costa Caribbe water park next to Port Aventura. Knowing this was going to be quite a restful day I got up at 7am as it was getting light and headed out onto the scrub land between our hotel and the theme park. Presumably this had once been a terraced Olive Grove and may well have supplied the large and old olive trees that were outside our hotel and the corner of the street giving the area a Mediterranean feel.
There are a few pine trees at the top of the hill that was covered in rosemary and cistus amongst other aromatic plants. As the sun rose they leaked their oils into the air and the place took on a magical aroma. However it was not just the aroma. Having climbed through the hole in the fence last nights Nightingale was still singing and then a Sardinian Warbler joined in. From deep somewhere close a bird called. It was like a stick being beaten on a hollow log giving a two tone note. It was not until I got home that I identified this sound as a Red-necked Nightjar. As I walked the track that ran up the hill other birds popped out. The first were a pair of Bee-eaters, one had particularly worn plumage. These disappeared as I tried to get between them and the sun that had now climbed above the horizon. From the pines at the top of the hill came a whinnying sound like that of a horse. It was loud and close before it was answered by another the other side of the fence. It took a while to track this down to a Green Woodpecker - sharpei. Not only did it look different to the green woodpeckers I am used to but its call was really different. Serins continued to buzz as I walked down the hill and a Hoopoe was heard and seen. I stopped to watch the bee-eaters that had reappeared -they called from a dead tree and caught flies. It was great to see them without the queues of people that had been attracted in 2002 to Bishop Middleham. A pair of Sardinians slowed down enough to give great views. I walked back down the crumbling terraces and out the gate to the Port Aventura Hotel, as I did not want to disturb the guy who had come in to do Tai Chi.
An unidentified bird of prey flew over as we had breakfast. The water park had the omnipresent sparrows and serins and also a white wagtail.
A thunderstorm started as we walked back to the hotel. Luckily it did not rain until we were back and I had managed to see a Kestrel, new for the holiday.
We ate at Toscana attached to the hotel. Whilst they had nothing vegetarian on the menu - at all. The chef managed to produce a delicious pasta dish and various nibbles before the great deserts of Crème Catalan and Wild Strawberries.
Monday 31st May
The car should have arrived by 10.15am by 11.30 we were told it was still at Reus Airport and we would have to collect it ourselves. After much negotiation with Avis based on a problem created by the company we booked the holiday through we sailed off in a 4-door air conditioned Punto. Not sure of using the toll roads we went South on the N-340 towards the Ebro Delta. We passed a nursery selling trees in plastic "pots" this is a euphemism for huge containers as some of the trees by the entrance were ancient olives of huge proportions.
Along the way I was frustrated by the brief views of an eagle with no where to stop to watch it sail around the dry hillsides. This was obviously a conservation area as the electricity pylons had had orange coils along their length to make them more visible.
We got off the N-340 at the first brown sign to the Ebro Delta. At the first paddyfield we stopped to take in this amazing landscape and take photos. We appreciated how good the air-con in the car was as suddenly the air was hot and humid. The landscape was amazing. I have seen small paddyfields in the Philippines, but this was a vast scale. A quick scan from this random spot produced Yellow-legged Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, 1 Auduoin's Gull, Little Egret and Black-winged Stilt. This was in an area that at first glance looked devoid of birds except spotless starlings and sparrows on the nearby buildings. Driving through towards DeltEbre each field had an odd bird -gull, stilt, egret, but it was the sheer scale of this watery landscape that impressed.
We headed towards Ruimar, though the maps we had did not give a great amount of detail. Also the roads are being up graded presumably to get more people down to the new homes that are being built near the beaches. We went past La Gaya restaurant on our right and reached a roundabout. Taking the first exit we headed East with bungalows on the left and bar/café/tourist shop on our right at the junction after a pause to look at stilts and zippedy doo dars (so named by our son as a more interesting alternative to Zitting Cisticolas) we carried along the road to the camping site and had lunch in La AuBe (it was fairly Germanic and so should probably have been La Ausse). With our limited Spanish and their limited English we managed to get the most divine grilled vegetables followed by ice cream as a grey heron, auduoins and yellow-legged gulls flew over. A zippedy called permanently. Before we left a SquaccoHeron flew over giving brief views. Even at 4pm the air here was thick and treacly.
Rather than walking down to the light house along the river we drove back to the junction. Turning right we reached the end of the road where it turns 90 degrees left, running parallel to the beach. We parked at this bend in the road and walked along the sandy track heading East. A sign indicated that vehicles were not welcome. This is different to Gosney's instructions that you can pull in and scan the lake implying that you can drive around to the La AuBe area we had just left. Even if this was not prohibited a 4x4 would be necessary.
To drive would also mean that you would miss an incredible avian spectacle and prove that life is full of coincidences. The air, still hot, was filled with the incessant call of irritated stilts. These would occasionally lift and dangle their legs on the salt marsh to the right of the track. The first birds we saw on the track were a pair of Lesser Short-toed Larks feeding on the edge. They gave exceptional views before flying out over the marsh and singing. As they left they were quickly replaced by Spanish Yellow Wagtails displaying and calling. What is it about dangling legs and birds here? One tried to hide from us in a leaf free bush so was easily camouflaged - not! This gave exceptional views of all the head detail.
From here we looked a bit higher than the birds at out feet and through a gap in the reeds could see La Garaxel and its attendant Greater Flamingos. Even at this distance they were amazing. They are obviously not the LBJs of east coast British autumns, but they deserved more than the quick dude-ish look I was going to give them.
We had to paddle through some warm water to reach the screen hide over looking the lake. From here the views were even more amazing. There were about 100 flamingos, adults and well grown young wading around in the lagoon. This contained more mud than water and was shallow enough in parts for an avocet to wade and feed. At first I thought some of the youngsters were dead but they were sitting asleep in the water like mucky looking swans.
Whiskered Terns hunted into the slight breeze. Little egrets and one Great White Egret fished amongst the flamingos. Coots were the only other birds really noted. There was a heat haze that prevented the more distant gulls out on the mud being scanned for a much hoped for slender-billed. However, it was only a much closer yellow-legged on a post that was identified with confidence. Swallows continued to use their nests on the screen while we looked out onto this amazing site.
On leaving the screen and paddling back across the warm water that was the path a Kentish Plover was seen. It wandered along the track through the water. A Crested Lark appeared on the dryer part of the track and chased away another great bird a Short-toed Lark. This later species gave a better view as it finished a short song flight and landed on a post half way between us and the encroaching houses. These too are not mentioned in Gosney. It does make you worry about the pressures this are will be put under in the next 5-10 years. Just the infrastructure alone without the extra demands on the water and the wetland resource will make life tough here for wildlife.
Black-winged Stilts continued to lift and drop as we walked back to the car. A Gull-billed Tern flew over carrying a fish as Lesser Short-toed Larks sang. Another Crested Lark was near the car this one was more obliging as it sat on the edge of the sand dunes. In 40-50 minutes I had seen 7 species of bird I had never seen before. It is difficult to say what else we would have come across had we continued to walk east along the edge of the track, but this was a fantastic place. It requires much more time.
From here we drove along the road that ran parallel to the beach and stopped where there was a convenient place to access the beach. Whilst we played Whiskered Terns flew past and Sandwich Terns fished. Again it is difficult not to note that housing development here will take its toll on the environment. It is interesting to note that if you have an odd looking building almost in the middle of nowhere it usually has an EU flag on the top as part of its sponsorship deal. I am not a eurosceptic, but I am pretty convinced the EU does not have a green heart.
Driving out a male Little Bittern was seen dead on the road by La Gaya. As we approached L'Amposta one of the paddyfields was filled with egrets and Gull-billed terns flew close to the car. It was hard not to wonder if we had found the organic rice growing fields mentioned in the recent RSPB magazine article. It talks about how little difference it makes to productivity to be organic but it makes a huge difference to the wildlife. These fields were the busiest in avian traffic.
Driving back to Salou whilst stuck in traffic a bee-eater flew through an olive grove capturing the spirit of a birding holiday in Spain. That night we ate at Portofino's an Italian restaurant if you head south along the sea front in Salou. Three pizzas and local wine disappeared quickly.
1st June
Headed east on the Auto Pista N-7. We got an exemption ticket for the first toll but there after it was about 2 Euros every 25-30 kilometres (as we prepared for the holiday no-guide had really told us this information). We headed for the Torres Vineyard just outside Villa Franca de Penedes. Not particularly a birding day but as we were further inland it was always worth having a look. However, I did not expect to be gripped by my 10 year old son who described a big swift. ". . . a really big swift with a white oval on its belly . .", as it flew over the car and was never seen again. I could only make do with the Dabchick and Moorhen feeding young on the pool outside the visitors centre. These were joined on the edge by a white wagtail gathering food and therefore presumably nesting nearby. These birds and the swifts that remained a constant feature of the skies made up for never having seen an Alpine Swift. Corn Buntings sang around the vineyard and if we had not been there in the middle of the day I am sure we would have seen other things.
We stopped in Sant Sadurni for lunch. We managed to find our way to the town square, or at least a town square. Our Spanish was limited (our Catalan non-existent), but we were hungry. So the first place we came to even though it looked drab was open and it had tables outside. What we actually found was a café with an incredible selection of food. We chose from the best selection of omelettes with various things on display inside, not really worrying that these were not refrigerated. We went for a slice of potato (Spanish), artichoke and aubergine omelettes. Served with salad, olives and bread drizzled with olive oil and freshly squeezed tomato it was divine. A small bar of locally produced chocolate was exquisite. It was made frustrating by the fact that a shop specialising in this would not open until 5.30pm. This was the town we had expected to find away from British Pubs and 24 hour service. House martins nested on the town hall and police station. Swifts again circled overhead in an amazingly blue sky.
Following this break we drove the short distance to out of town to the Cordoniu visitors centre. Across the vineyard serins sang with a nightingale, but it was the cellar tour we had come to do. This was amazing not just to see how Cava is produced, but the vast quantities stored there. After touring the shop - you really have to - we came out into a day that was still bright and hot. Above the building a juvenile Bonelli's Eagle flew over. Its pale wing panels and reddish body gave a brief but low view. The drive back gave us surprisingly few birds. I had expected at least one bird of prey that I would not be able to stop and identify. However, three enormous bare-rooted olive trees were on the back of a truck heading East.
Before dinner we walked down to the crazy golf course in an older part of the town. Collared doves fed with pigeons and chickens in a neighbouring yard. They had a lot of birds I bet dawn comes too early in this part of town. Swifts sailed around in a blue sky but I could not make one have a white belly. I also during the week did not identify any Pallid Swifts, though the need for them was less having seen some really well in Majorca in 2001.
Dinner was again in Portofinos this time we had Taglletteli with Gorgonzola, Spaghetti with Pesto and the best of all spaghetti with oil and garlic, obviously simple, but fabulous. We made space for desert by walking West along the sea front and finding an ice-cream parlour.
2nd June
Along the Auto Pista (we were getting brave) to Barcelona. As we went over the bridge that crossed the Rui de LLobregat an Alpine Swift flew alongside the car. Not quite the stand and look spectacle you would normally associate with a new bird, so it is good we are still allowed to rely on jizz every now and again.
Quite by accident we managed an on street parking spot by the Barcelona Football stadium. Magpies were seen (they appeared off white, bordering on the grubby) and parakeets were heard as we drove down crowded streets but not seen and identified. We toured the Stadium, the art work in the museum was my highlight. We then caught the Metro to La Sagrada Famillia. How did Gaudi ever persuade the Town Council that he had a good idea? I am glad he did. We walked through the streets passed other Gaudi buildings to the Placa de Barcelona. After lunch we got on a open topped tourist bus going anti-clockwise around the city. Fortunately we had managed to go with the company that provided headphones and a running commentary. An Alpine Swift flew over, this time the views were more distant but longer lasting.
We got off at Parc Guell. You have to go! What an amazing experience. It is a fairy tale place of storybook buildings and sculptures. Even though it was busy it was still a peaceful place. Whilst we took pictures looking out over the city from the wavy bench two Monk Parakeets flew over. We followed the steps up the hill and looked out. As we did so a pair of serins were so close I could not resist watching them courtship feeding. They have been everywhere during the holiday and it is easy to fall into the habit of not looking at common birds. I am glad I did as behind them a previously unseen Crested Tit was a real bonus bird.
From the bus Parakeets abounded all appeared to be Monk, but I am not complaining. By the time that we reached the port yellow-legged gulls were an obvious feature, but surprisingly they had not made a big impact as we had travelled through other parts of the city. That would never happen with our Herring Gulls. The bus then came back through the old part of the city at around 7.30pm.
It was becoming dusk and the evening air filled with swifts.
We had dinner at The Hard Rock Café, but American sized portions out did us. Whilst we queued to get in another Alpine Swift flew over its longer wings gave it a kind of cetacean jizz as it cut across the sky beneath the hoards of common swifts.
A taxi back to where we park the car was made more exciting as we had parked outside the Neu Camp. This was a rather busy red light district. We reached Salou at 1am.
3rd June
Back to Port Aventura. It felt more like home this time around. Jay as we walked up was a new bird for the holiday. Apart from that because I knew where to look I managed great views of the Spotless Starlings and Serins. Blackbirds sang and I found a juvenile White Wagtail being fed by a female. Some multi-coloured parrots late in the day remained unidentified, perhaps we should have gone to the bird show where they came from then we would have known. Serins and greenfinches sang to us as we walked down to the hotel.
We ate at Portofino's again the local wine is great and ices at the same Gelatia as before.
4th June
Sad to leave. Swifts circled the hotel as a kestrel swooped over the swimming pool. The taxi we were expecting at 9am did not collect us until after a complaint to First Choice. We guess that the taxi had not been booked as the car that collected us had no visible signs of being a taxi and the woman driver was very nervous. We thought she was probably the company secretary. From the departure lounge more serins and swifts. As the plane taxied down the runway crested larks took off and were the last bird we saw before the starling at Manchester concluded our holiday.
Most aesthetically pleasing bird of the holiday was probably watching the bee-eaters in the early morning sun whilst the smells of the cistus filled the air. Or the bee-eater cutting its way through the olive grove on our way back from the Ebro Delta
Best species, lesser short-toed lark. From the information I had I had not expected this species. However it was giving great views and I have always said that super optics should be reserved for the brownest of birds so you can appreciate the details. Just on rarity value it has to beat the Alpine Swift that I have wanted to see for a number of years.
Best birding moment, watching a serin and seeing a crested tit unexpectedly appear in the binocular vision as a real bonus.