Welcome to the ornithological section of our website. We offer weeklong bird watching holidays in one of Europes unique ornithological areas. Almost one-fifth of Andalusia's total area has protected status with a variety of habitats from wetlands to desert, making it one of the best and varied destinations for ornithologists. Whether you are a keen beginner or dyed in the wool twitcher, time is taken with all guests to ensure that you have a great holiday at your own pace, in this special corner of Europe.
Booted Eagle
Andalucia is the southernmost province in Spain. Our base is in the fishing village of Zahara de los Atunes, on the Costa de la Luz ( coast of light ). Set against the spectacular backdrop of the Sierra de la Plata, the village is perfectly centred between the Coto Doņana and Gibraltar, and looks straight across into the Moroccan port of Tangiers. We are only 10 minutes drive from the vast Alcornocales National Park, the ancient lagoon of La Janda and the start of the beautiful Ojen Valley. The area has some of the best birding centres that cover varied landscapes & habitats.
Black-Shouldered Kite
During Spring and early Summer we travel from the mouth of the Rio Guadalquivir which opens in to the Atlantic, to the Rio Guadarranque that flows down from the sierras to the Mediterranean. Here we will see some of the rarest and most exotic of birds if the water levels are right. During Autumn we can watch one of the most fantastic sights in raptor migrations across the straits of Gibraltar. Often in September, crossings of raptors to Africa can number hundreds in one hour and sometimes the air is filled with Black Kite, Booted and Short-toed Eagle and Egyptian Vulture. White and the rarer Black Stork cross literally in their hundreds in front of you and offer a spectacle that you certainly won't forget.
Black Stork
Our Summer Evening Safaris in the national parks can be an unforgettable experience. As the temperature tends to be higher in the summer months we give clients the opportunity to relax during the heat of the day and then go off road with your guide in the evening, birding until dusk.
White Headed Ducks
Holidays for all level of bird watcher
Typical Andaluz cuisine
Small and friendly groups
Ideal for the solo traveller
Vegetarians catered for
Full board and drinks with meals
Excursion to various National Parks
Superb location in a Natural Park
Accommodation in Two star hotels near to the beach
Airport transfers
Superb unspoilt destination
The Doņana National Park is situated on the norhern bank of the Guadalquivir river at its estuary entering into the Atlantic Ocean. It is notable for the great diversity of its biotopes, especially lagoons, marshlands, fixed and mobile dunes, scrub woodland and maquis. It is home to five threatened bird species and is one of the largest heronries in the Mediterranean region. The Doņana is not important just for the rare species which it supports, such as the Iberian Lynx or the Spanish Imperial Eagle. It is also important for its immense diversity of species. More than half of Europe's bird species are recorded in the Doņana, many of them in huge numbers. The Doņana is of great importance for the avifauna of the whole of Europe and is also the wintering site for more than 500,000 water fowl each year.
Doņana National Park
This vast nature park is named for its handsome, and beautifully kept cork tree grove, one of the world's largest. It is also home to wild olive trees, gall oak and holm oak. The far south of the region is crossed by very humid, narrow valleys called canutos, which provide an ideal habitat for sub-tropical forests of great ecological value, as well as animals such as the otter, Egyptian mongoose, imperial and royal eagle and royal owl. The area is rich in game, including boar, roebuck and deer.
The park is a paradise for birds, having some of Europe's greatest concentrations of lion buzzards, eagle owls and various eagles. Roe deer have been successfully introduced and are thriving.
Alcornocales Nature Reserve
Gibraltar has long been known as a key location for observing the migration of birds. Gilbert White, in his Natural History of Selbourne 1788) referred to his brother John's observations of passage from his outpost on the Rock. In more recent times, the location of the Rock of Gibraltar has been used to count and sample migration of raptors, seabirds and passerines and near-passerines. Observations from the area of the Strait have contributed to a long list of publications on bird migration in the area (e.g. Bernis, 1980, Telleria, 1981, Finlayson & Cortes 1987, Finlayson 1991, Cortes, 1996, Alectoris, Reports of the Strait of Gibraltar Bird Observatory).
Zahara de los Atunes
The base for Birding Holidays is the small fishing village of Zahara de los Atunes 11km from Barbate on the Atlantic coast. Zahara has an interesting atmosphere, on a quiet day, it is like going back in time. By contrast, on a summer's day, it's the trendy place to be. The village boasts a stunning wilderness of 20 km of unspoilt white sandy beaches stretching as far as Cape Gracia. In the village itself there are the ruins of the Castillo de las Amadrabas built in the fifteenth century by the Dukes of Medina Sidonia for protection against pirates and later used by local fishermen to store their tuna fishing equipment.
During summer it is possible to sunbathe every day. Daily highs range from 25°C to 35°C and nightly lows about 15°C. Winter is mild with sunny days mixed with overcast days. The first rains are late September and can be heavy for a day or two. Daily highs range from 15°C to 20°C and nightly lows about 10°C.
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Copyright Š 2011, Fantasia Adventure Holidays, S.L.
Photos Š Stephen Daly
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