Barcelona is a city with a huge variety of birdlife thanks to the many habitats around. Immediatly South of the city there is a wide variety of landscapes that hosts an awesome list of resident and migratory birds. Don’t expect massive wild areas, but small corners, lagoons and marshes with a great biodiversity!

During the morning we will do a short walk in a gentle path exploring the Mediterranean landscapes of the Massís del Garraf Natural Park . Its extensive aromatic low scrubs and garrigues, combined with small pine woods and rocky slopes are home for a good variety of goodies. Regular species in nesting season include Pallid Swift, Bonelli’s Eagle, Blue Rock Thrush, Dartford Warbler, Thekla Lark, Black-eared Wheatear, Woodchat Shrike, Iberian Grey Shrike and European Bee-eater while Ortolan Bunting, Tawny Pipit, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush and Spectacle Warbler have variable numbers depending on the year.

After exploring the hills we will enjoy the marshes, lagoons and meadows at the Llobregat Delta Natural Reserve, which offers key resident species like Hoopoes, Western Swamphens (image above), Little Bittern, Cetti’s Warbler, Penduline Tit & Iberian Green Woodpecker; summer visitors here include Squacco and Purple Herons & Audouin’s Gull; and interesting winter visitors to the area are Yelkouan and Balearic Shearwaters, Bluethroat, Moustached Warbler & Water Pipit. Despite its location (only 10 kilometres South of Barcelona) 300+ species have been recorded! The Llobregat Delta is extremely productive during migration, when becomes a hot-spot for waders, passerines & raptors.

Spot 90+ species of birds in a single day both in spring and autumn, and up to 80 species the rest of the year!!

KEY SPECIES

All year round: Hoopoe, Western Swamphen, Thekla Lark, Blue Rock Thrush, Dartford Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Crested Lark, Cetti’s Warbler, Penduline Tit, Iberian Grey Shrike, Rock Bunting, Cirl Bunting, Crag Martin, Greater Flamingo

Spring & Summer: Purple Heron, Squacco Heron, Little Bittern, Audouin’s Gull, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Pallid Swift, Bee-eater, Red-rumped Swallow, Black Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Rock Thrush, Subalpine Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Woodchat Shrike

Winter: Yelkouan Shearwater, Greater Bittern, European Kingfisher, Hen Harrier, Water Pipit, Bluethroat, Moustached Warbler, Skylark, Wallcreeper (not every year)

On passage: Glossy Ibis, Common Crane, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Gull, Gull-billed Tern and a endless list of ducks, passerines and waders