Hola!
In early March a friend and I had a short break in Catalonia, in the north of Spain. We stayed with my friend's daughter and one day she kindly took us to Aigüamolls de L'Empordà at Cortalet, a super reserve with reed beds, lakes and meadows near the coast. It has a visitor centre, plenty of parking, a picnic area, well maintained level pathways and several hides and viewing platforms. If you are going to northern Spain for your holidays it is well worth a visit and there are other reserves to explore in the region too with various habitats. An added bonus on this particular day was that the sun was shining and it felt like a summers day. We didn't even need coats which was a treat for us English girls!
The many birds seen included white storks, flamingos, little grebes, shovellers, teal, three types of egret (little, cattle and great white), willow warblers and chiffchaffs. The storks were very noisy with lots of beak clacking and were busy nest building and so forth!
We saw lots of butterflies including holly blue, red admiral, green veined white and speckled wood which is more colourful than ours, having orange markings rather than cream. The wild flowers and blossoming trees were a joy to behold and we saw several types of orchid including giant orchid, Barlia robertiana. Other wildlife inclueded turtles basking in the sun and deer hiding in the undergrowth at the edge of a pool.
We are looking forward to another trip in July and I'll tell you all about it when we get back.
Best wishes,
SB
There is something new to learn everyday...
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Hi SB
Great to see your here once more, and I hope all is well with you and yours at the moment {big smile}..been a while since we chatted to one another.
Your trip and report are fabulous to read - and great photos to enjoy too.
The Storks, and Flamingo photos are fantastic of the birds life, and times when the Storks are not the quietest residence to share an are with. Yes all photos are fantastic to see.
Funnily enough, there are Orchids in Menorca, and they are trampled on by everyone. Orchids in the UK are considered unique compared with abroad, as we have noticed and are treated in a more serious way.
Thank you for sharing your holiday experience with us and it had got me in a mood for our holiday to Menorca now, shortly {big smile} ....mind you I will be using an internet cafe to see how everyone is fairing here only to see if any more holiday reports have appeared in my absence.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Looks like a brilliant place to visit and seeing flamigos in their natural habitat. Photos are excellent and I'm sure I would want to return too
Of all creatures, man is the most detestable, he is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain. ~ Mark Twain
Hi SB. Sounds and looks like a place well worth a visit. Super photographs. Thanks.
Thank you Kathy, Judi and Brenda for you kind comments.
Kathy - I hope you have a good time in Menorca.
What fabulous photos, especially those Storks. It sounds like a great place to go birding.
Best wishes Chris
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Super photographs here SB. It looks and sounds as though you had a great time there.
Andrew
HI There
beautiful photos SB i have friends in mataro in catalalonia and we have always been lucky with the weather when we have been there I've not been to the reserve but it will be on my list for next time if its not to far
Thankyou for sharing your photo's i love the orchids :-)
Kimbo
Feeling More Positive :-)
Super photos Sarum Bat,
Flamingos look awesome!
Thanks for sharing them with us :-)
H
Great report and really cracking photos. Looks like a very nice reserve indeed. I used to go to the fleshpots of the Costa Brava in my youth but that was before I was interested in birds. I'll bet I'd hardly recognise the coast along there now with all the development.I understand that inland it is still fairly unspoiled.
I love the meeting being held by the flamingos - there must be a collective term for that - and the stork standing in the middle of the path giving you the look, is great.
TJ
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Tony
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Thank you Chris, Andrew, Kimbo, H and TJ for your kind comments. (hope I haven't missed anybody out )
Catalonia is great and I enjoy my visits there very much. I have been to Matero as my friend played the cello in a theatre there and I went for the day and saw the show in the evening. Matero has lots of collared doves and sparrows if I remember correctly.
I looked up collective nouns for flamingos and there are lots to choose from. I think the official one is 'stand' but others include 'flurry' , 'flamboyance', 'colony', and 'regiment'. Someone even suggested 'blush' which I rather like. So it's take your pick.
I am off to Spain again in July so maybe there will be another report then. I am hoping to see bee eaters then as it was too early for them this time.