Recent Sightings

Below you will find recorded (beneath the 2010 birdwatching trip prices), what would normally be considered unusual birds for the time of year or for this area of Spain and also sightings during trips either on the Ebro Delta or in the Els Ports mountain range or Montsia mountain nature reserve, with occasional clients' reports. We will also record sightings from around the casa pequena/Bona Vista country house rural accommodation.

Guided birdwatching trips can be provided to both the Ebro Delta's Northern & Southern arms, these will include the lagoons, dunes, reedbeds, estuary areas as well as use of our Leica Televid 77 scope. Trips to birdwatch in the mountains usually follow our many hiking itineraries, please see Hiking Itineraries for details. Our trips are never set in stone so therefore don't be afraid to suggest local areas that you might wish to visit. We will be pleased to discuss your requirements before you decide to book your trip.

Ebro Delta Natural Park

A day's birdwatching on the Ebro Delta for one to four people including use of a Leica Televid 77 scope, packed lunches and transportation, costs €125 euros. All additional people will then be charged at €10 euros each up to a maximum of 7 in a group. (Payment will be collected on the day, immediately after the excursion).

Els Ports Mountains Natural Park

A day's birdwatching in the mountains for one to four people including use of a Leica Televid 77 scope (where appropriate), packed lunches and transportation, costs €110 euros. All additional people will then be charged at €10 euros each up to a maximum of 7 in a group. (Payment will be collected on the day, immediately after the excursion).

Guests staying in the casa pequena and/or Bona Vista rural accommodation are entitled to a 15% discount on the above prices.

Feel totally at ease during the entire delta birdwatching excursion as we use a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle to ferry you between birdwatching locations. The transport is also an ideal base from which to view the scenery. For mountain birdwatching trips there will be more walking involved, although normally using easy, flat mountain tracks. For both mountain and delta trips we will always arrange to meet you at a convenient location from which to start the excursion.

To enquire about booking a trip or for further information please email us or use our enquiry form

The start to the new year brought in unusual weather conditions for this area - the lower reaches of the Cervera valley was subject to heavy snowfall (our first for five years!) while our neighbours a kilometre away just had a sprinkling. This is typical of the microclimatic conditions that prevail in this part of the lower Ebro valley, partly a result of the proximity and abrupt relief of the Els Ports natural park mountains.

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Early January snowfall at the finca

In spite of the extreme cold this winter, the usual bird species have been seen on and around the finca, such as chaffinch, black redstart, blackcap, song thrush, goldfinch, starling, robin, blackbird, house sparrow, great tit, blue tit, crested lark, cirl bunting, stonechat, white wagtail, hoopoe and sardinian warbler

A late afternoon short 2 hour foray on the 18th February to the delta produced a remarkable list of 34 different species (all spotted on the southern side of the delta within the salt pans of Tancada, L'Encanyissada and El Clot lagoons) namely: cormorant, cattle egret, little egret, great egret, grey heron, flamingo, mallard, marsh harrier, kestrel, moorhen, coot, purple gallinule, avocet, lapwing, dunlin, redshank, common sandpiper, snipe, bar-tailed godwit, curlew, black-headed gull, slender-billed gull, hoopoe, kingfisher, crested lark, meadow pipit, white wagtail, zitting cisticola, chiffchaff, spotless starling, house sparrow, reed bunting, bluethroat, willow warbler.

While on a climb up to the Montaspre ridge above the mountain village of Pauls on 19th February, we witnessed an impressive display of a peregrine falcon chasing off a pair of golden eagles. The two eagles were casually flying in the direction of the fortress-like summit of the Moleta d'Alfara (800m) when suddenly we noticed in the distance a bird flying at high speed towards them. It soon became apparent when the bird very quickly caught up with the eagles and engaged them that it was a peregrine falcon.

As the walk encompasses a natural spring at the centre of a sheltered grassy bowl, we were fortunate to spot a group of ibex (around 40 of them) at the watering hole headed by a grand old male with his spectacularly shaped horns.