Upcoming scheduled small group BIRDING TOURS 2025 & 2026

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Tour Overview:

'Winter Wonders of Northern Spain' is a full week birding itinerary which runs anytime from mid November through to the end of February. We will be going  in search of some of Spain's most sought after species, and taking in  some magnificent birding spectacles along the way. This winter birding tour is a multi centre experience which showcases a trio of magnificent but diverse birding regions:

Ebro Delta: The first location we will be birding is at the Ebro Delta, where we will spend two days enjoying the best of the wetland's resident  bird-life and checking out some of the winter visitors. We can expect to see vast flocks of Greater Flamingos feeding in the saline lagoons of  the Delta, and congregations of ibis, herons, egrets & waders in the now boggy rice fields. The delta is a winter refuge for many varieties of  wildfowl, and raptors abound with multiple Marsh Harriers, Booted Eagles and a good chance of Peregrine & Merlin. Passerines such as Moustached Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Bluethroat & many others are will be in situ throughout the cooler months.
 

Laguna de Gallocanta & Monegros plains: The second leg of this winter birding trip sees us depart to Gallocanta in the dry-land plains to the south of Zaragoza, where we will spend a day birding around the famous Laguna, which is Spain's largest natural lake. Alongside a huge wintering population of Common Cranes (which can number up to 60,000 birds during peak passage times of mid November and late February!), we can also target Great & Little Bustard and enjoy sightings of raptors like Hen Harrier & Golden Eagle. Rarities like Dupont's Lark, Pallid Harrier and Black-winged Kite are possible within this zone. Our second day of steppe-land birding will see us searching a reliable location for Great Bustard in the Monegros plains before enjoying some outstanding raptor birding in the canyons to the north with regular sightings of Golden Eagle, Eagle-owl, Goshawk and multiple Red Kites & Marsh Harriers.
 

Catalonian Pyrenees & Sierra de Guara: For the final leg of the tour we depart for the mountains, heading initially towards the town of Tremp in the Catalonian Pyrenees where our main targets will be Eurasian Black Vulture & Wallcreeper. Our second day of mountain birding sees us move across to the Sierra de Guara - dubbed 'the land of the Lammergeier', we will be searching for this rarest of vultures, along with another popular birding target, the beautiful but elusive Wallcreeper, which comes down from the high Pyrenees to over winter at lower  altitudes on the south facing cliffs, canyons & dam walls found in the Guara. There are plenty of  other species to be found in this mountainous zone, including the likes of Blue Rock Thrush, Dartford Warbler & Citril Finch.
 

This week long birding tour includes private airport transfers from Barcelona International Airport, and accommodation throughout the  duration of the tour at carefully selected Guest Houses & Hotels around the route.

Winter Birding in Aragon & Catalonia Tour, 5 highlights:
 

• Beautiful Bluethroats on the Ebro Delta leg of the tour - a popular target bird with many clients!
• Vast groups of Cranes feeding in the fields around Laguna de Gallocanta. You will hear their haunting calls in your sleep!
• The rare and magnificent Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture), multiple views are likely on the mountain leg of the tour.
• Scouring the rock faces for the wonderful Wallcreeper in the canyons, such a rewarding bird to find and a 'lifer' for many birders!
• Winter sunshine, enjoy the wonderful clear days and feel the sun on your back in these dramatic & beautiful locations

Winter wonders of Northern Spain birding holidays, species List: Notable birds we will be targeting on this tour.

Shelduck, Red-legged Partridge, Little Grebe, Great-crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Bittern, Night Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Great Egret, Greater Flamingo, White Stork, Black Stork, Spoonbill, Red Kite, Griffon Vulture, Lammergeier, Black-winged Kite, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Goshawk, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Golden Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Booted Eagle, Osprey, Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine, Water Rail, Purple Swamp-hen, Common Crane, Great Bustard, Stone-curlew, Avocet, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Turnstone, Ruff, Sanderling, Temminck's Stint, Green Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Snipe, Caspian Tern, Sandwich Tern, Audouin's Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Kingfisher, Hoopoe, Green Woodpecker, Iberian Grey Shrike, Red-billed Chough, Crested Tit, Calandra Lark, Thekla Lark, Woodlark, Dupont's Lark, Crag Martin, Cetti's Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Moustached Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Firecrest, Wallcreeper, Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper, Wren, Spotless Starling, Redwing, Bluethroat, Black Redstart, Blue Rock Thrush, Stonechat, Black Wheatear, Alpine Accentor, Grey Wagtail, Dipper, Water Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Brambling, Serin, Cirl Bunting, Rock Bunting, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting, Glossy Ibis

Tour Overview:

The Ebro Delta Experience bird watching tour is a 5 night / 4 day bird watching tour showcasing the best of the south bound autumn bird migration & the spectacle of the rice harvest at the Ebro Delta.  During your 4 day visit we will be taking a comprehensive look at the birds within the Ebro Delta natural park and along the Ebro River, before heading inland in search of spectacular raptor birding in the hills of the northern Monegros dry lands.

This tour features private airport transfers to and from Barcelona  International Airport, and begins with 3 nights accommodation at our Birder's Guest House, situated right on the doorstep of the Ebro Delta in a tranquil countryside location. The villa will be your 'home from home'  for the beginning of your bird watching holiday and will comfortably accommodate parties of up to 4 people. On day four of the trip we check out and head towards Lleida where we will spend the final two nights based at the Ibis Hotel.

The Ebro Delta Experience bird watching tour offers a completely different birding day trip for each of the 4 days of your visit, starting out with a visit to the  southern section of the Ebro Delta. The second day we will be exploring the northern section of the Ebro Delta and the day will culminate with the spectacular roost of many thousands of Glossy Ibis & other species in the Golero marshes. On day three of the tour we will begin with a unique birding boat trip on the lower Ebro which will be followed by lunch, before departing towards Lleida with a birding stop at Sebes Nature Reserve in Flix. The final day of this bird watching tour will be in a completely different habitat, the rocky hills to the north of the Monegros zone. This remote area is particularly rewarding for raptors, with the likes of Golden Eagle patrolling the wilderness, and also good possibilities for Eurasian Eagle-Owl at known hotspots.

Ebro Delta Experience bird watching tour - 5 highlights:

• Vast flocks of Greater Flamingos viewed close up on the saline lagoons of the Ebro Delta
• Spectacular sunset roosts with thousands of Glossy Ibis and other birds settling down for the night in the marshes. 
• Discovering the Ebro delta by boat with close up views of birds like Little Bittern, Booted Eagle, Osprey, Kingfisher and Black-crowned Night Heron.
• Golden Eagle & Eurasian Eagle Owl views in the Monegros hills as we explore this remote wilderness.
• Unforgettable scenery & sunsets at the unique Ebro Delta, along with the opportunity to enjoy the region's gastronomy at selected  local restaurants

Itinerary:

• Day 1 - We will collect you from the airport and transfer you to your accommodation, our Birder's Guest House on the edge of the Ebro Delta. Remainder of the day at leisure.
• Day 2 - Ebro Delta southern section guided bird watching tours, full day with break for lunch
• Day 3 - Ebro Delta northern section tour, full day guided bird watching itinerary with break for lunch
• Day 4 - Morning boat trip on the Ebro River followed by lunch. In the afternoon we will depart for Lleida, birding at Sebes Nature Reserve in Flix on the journey north
• Day 5 - Guided birding in the hills to the north of Monegros dry lands - a true raptor hotspot!
• Day 6 - We will return you to the airport in time for your journey home.

Ebro Delta Experience birding holidays, species list: Notable birds we will be aiming to see.

Red Crested Pochard, Little Bittern, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Great Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Black Kite, Marsh Harrier, Booted Eagle, Osprey, Kestrel, Black-winged Stilt, Common Sandpiper, Caspian Tern, Whiskered Tern, Black Tern, Audouin’s Gull, Turtle Dove, Kingfisher, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Golden Oriole, Penduline Tit, Sand Martin, Cetti’s Warbler, Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Nightingale, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Serin, Reed Bunting, Shelduck, Gadwall, Garganey, Shoveler, Little Grebe, Great-crested grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Bittern, Greater Flamingo, White Stork, Spoonbill, Short-toed Eagle, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Kestrel, Merlin, Hobby, Peregrine, Water Rail, Avocet, Oystercatcher, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Turnstone, Sanderling, Temminck’s Stint, Dunlin, Little Stint, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Snipe, Jack Snipe, Collared Pratincole, Little Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Sandwich tern, Common Tern, Roseate Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Cuckoo, Little Owl, Scops Owl, Nightjar, Roller, Woodchat Shrike, Crested Lark, Lesser Short-toed Lark, Short-toed Lark, Wood Warbler, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Dartford Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Savi’s Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Moustached Warbler, Mistle Thrush, Bluethroat, Black Redstart, Redstart, Whinchat, Stonechat, Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Grey Wagtail, Red-throated Pipit, Water Pipit, Linnet, Purple Swamp-hen, Glossy Ibis, Red-legged Partridge, Griffon Vulture, Black Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Alpine Swift, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Raven, Chough, Jay, Crested Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Thekla’s Lark, Woodlark, Skylark, Crag Martin, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Western Subalpine Warbler, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Short-toed Treecreeper, Wren, Rock Thrush, Blue Rock Thrush, Black Wheatear, Alpine Accentor, Rock Sparrow, Cirl Bunting, Rock Bunting, Ortolan Bunting, Corn Bunting